24 * CONQUEST OF BENGAL. 



to be in the nabob's camp several chiefs who were disgusted 

 with his violent and haughty conduct, and at the same time 

 ambitipus of filling his place. 



This ruler, after his last visit to Calcutta, had taken 

 with him a small detachment of English under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. Watts, who was now instructed to foment all 

 the ingredients of discord in the Indian court and camp. 

 His views being soon understood, overtures were made by 

 a person named Yar Khan Latty, who proposed, with the 

 aid of the Brit'sh, to dethrone and to succeed the nabob, in 

 which he assured them that he would be aided by the Seats, 

 a family of native merchants and bankers possessed of im- 

 mense wealth. These proposals were favourably listened 

 to till o^ers of a similar tenor were received from Meer 

 Jaffier, the most distinguished military character in the 

 Bengal army. His co-operation was of so much greater 

 importance, that no further attention was paid to Latty. 

 Clive hastened to Calcutta, and laid JarTW's project before 

 the committee in whom the affairs of government were then 

 vested. They all agreed that the project was most politic, 

 and ought to be followed up with alacrity. They next be- 

 gan to arrange the terms, which, to one in Meer's situation, 

 they expected to be allowed to dictate. It was determined 

 to demand the cession of all the French factories and ef- 

 fects, and the entire exclusion of that nation from Bengal ; 

 the grant of a considerable territory around Calcutta, with 

 a pecuniary compensation for losses sustained, amounting 

 to ten millions of rupees for the company, five millions to 

 the British inhabitants, 2,700,000 to the natives and Arme- 

 nians. Two millions and a half were demanded for the 

 army, and the same sum for the navy. One of the mem- 

 ben of the committee, chancing to ask why they should 

 not claim something for themselves, his proposal obtained 

 unanimous concurrence, and large sums were named for 

 each, corresponding to their respective ranks. The most 

 boundless and extravagant ideas prevailed in general re- 

 specting the wealth of Indian princes ; wild reports had 

 represented that of the nabob as amounting to forty-five 

 millions sterling ; and it was supposed certainly not to fall 

 short of four millions ami a half; though, as Mr. Orme ob- 

 serves, the consideration that Aliverdi Khan had been em- 

 ployed during his whole reign in repelling a series of 



