A. D. 1764. 389 



by forced out of Its antient and natural courfe into thofe new and more 

 favoured channels. He therefor began his operations by orderinsi; that 

 the ET\g\i(h private traders fhould pay the ufual duties throughout his 

 dominions, and that all difputes, originating beyond the Englifh limits, 

 fhould be decided by his magiflrates. 



Such orders were mofl alarming to the fadtory at Calcutta. Mr. Van- 

 fittart the governor thought his own prefence neceflary to try to bring 

 things back to their former channel, and undertook a journey to Mong- 

 heer for that purpofe. But the nabob had hitherto conduced his plans 

 too well to be induced by any force of argument to depart from them ; 

 and he thus anfwered the governor's remonftrances : 



' If the fervants of the Englifh company were permitted to trade in 



* all parts and in all commodities cuflom-free, as many of them now 



* pretend, they mud of courfe draw all the trade into their own liands ; 

 ' and my cuiloms would be of fo little value, that it would be much 

 ' more for my intereft to lay the trade entirely open, and colle<fl no 



* cuftoms from any perfon whatfoever upf)n any kind of merchandize. 



* This would draw a number of merchants into the country, and in- 

 ' creafe my revenues by encouraging the cultivation and manufadure 

 ' of a large quantity of goods for fale, at the fame time that it would 

 ' efFedually cut off the principal fubjedt of difpute, which had diflurb- 



* ed the good underflanding between us, an objed; I have more than 



* any other at heart.' 



There was no anfwering a fpeech fo forcible in point of argument, 

 and fo well fupported by the power of the fpeaker. The governor, 

 though accuflomed to dictate to Indian princes, was obliged to fuljmit 

 to the regulations prefcribed by the nabob, which, whether reafonable 

 or not, were far from being agreeable to the gentlemen of the fadory, 

 who, in virtue of the former indulgences, were making great fortunes 

 at the expenfe of the nabob and people of Bengal. 



In their aftonifliment and indignation at feeing the creature of their 

 own hands raife his head againfi: them, they difowned the agreement 

 made by their governor, and fent orders to all the fubordinate factories 

 to pay no attention to it. Every thing was now thrown into confufion, 

 and the whole commerce of the country was at a ftand. They then 

 made another application to Coflim to repeal the obnoxious regulations j 

 but he, confident of his power, haughtily refufed to enter into any ne- 

 gotiation with them. 



The fadlory, flung witli refentment and difappointmcnt, and pre- 

 fuming upon the eafc wlierewith they had lately made and unmade 

 princes, immediately proclaimed Mir Jafher again nabob of Bengal ; 

 and the dccifion of the contcO; was referred to the Iword. 



The Englifh garrifon of a fortified factory at Patna, a city on the 

 Ganges, 400 miles above Calcutta and about 100 above Mongheti, 



