Chronological Table. 177 



23rd November, Lord Clive died in London, aped 49. — E. I. Chron. 



1775. — Died Sujah ud Dowla, the Vizier of Oude, succeeded by his only son, under 

 the title of Assoff ud Dowla. 



The Bombay Government, previous to this period, had interested and mingled 

 themselves much with the politics of the Mahrattas; and were about this time in 

 alliance and support of Ragoba, the Ex-Peishwah. On the 28th December, 1774, a 

 force from Bombay had seized and occupied the Island of Salsette ; and a force un- 

 der Col. Keating, having effected a junction with Ragoba, the allied army was at- 

 tacked by their Mahratta enemies, on the 18th May, 1775, at Arras ; when the Bri- 

 tish and their Allies, after much loss, were victorious. At this juncture, the Ben- 

 gal Government, now supreme, interfered to disapprove of the connection of the 

 Bombay Presidency with any of the Mahratta powers, and insisted on an immedi- 

 ate cancelment of the treaty with Ragoba, (by which Salsette, Basseen, and part of 

 the revenues of Baroach, had been secured to the Company,) and on the withdrawal 

 of all the British troops furnished for his assistance. 



The Court's despatches of this year, it is curious to state, approve of the acts of 

 the Bombay Government, at the very time they were ordered to be annulled by the 

 Supreme Authority in India. — Mill. 



The Court in England, displeased at the late war and results, in Tanjore, deter- 

 mined on the reinstatement of the Rajah ; and Lord Pigot was sent out to give 

 effect to this, and other measures, at Madras. He arrived as Governor, 11th De- 

 cember, 1775. — Mill. 



1776.— The Supreme Government deputed an Envoy of their own, Col. Upton, 

 to Poona ; after much unsatisfactory negotiation, the Council decided on a war 

 with the Mahratta confederates, and on the support of Ragoba — both of which had 

 been the subjects of their severe condemnation, the preceding year ; but on further 

 negotiation, by Col. Upton, a new treaty, (called thatof Poorunder,) was obtained, 

 still leaving Salsette to the English, but not so favorable as that secured at Bombay. 

 Ragoba was now left to his fate, and retired to Surat with only 200 followers. 



Dissensions ran high between the Governor General and his Council ; charges of 

 bribery and corruption were brought against Mr. Hastings, at the Council Board 

 itself. He indignantly dissolved the Council on each occasion of their being prefer- 

 red there. Nuncomar, a native of rank, implicated in preferring these charges, 

 was convicted of forgery, at the Supreme Court of Judicature, by a Jury of English- 

 men, and hanged. This act much condemned. 



In November, Colonel Monson died, which restored to the Governor General, the 

 majority in the votes at Council, and gave him again the direction of the Govern- 

 ment. — Mill. 



The Tanjore Rajah restored. Lord Pigot and the Council of Madras had violent 

 disputes ; and on the 24th August, the Council arrested the Governor, stripping 

 him of all authority. He died in restraint, on 31st August, of the following year. 

 The four Members of Council, who committed this violence, were subsequently tried 

 at home, found guilty, but fined only £1000 each.— Mill. 



1777. — The quinquennial settlement at Bengal having expired; and both Mr. 

 Hastings and Mr. Francis, having meanwhile submitted able revenue plans, (both 

 differing, and neither of them adopted by the Home Authorities ;) the annual leases 

 were again put in force, and were continued for four years. — Grant. 



1778. — The treaty of Poorunder, (Col. Upton's,) not proving satisfactory, and 

 part of the Mahratta confederates having resolved to support Ragoba, the English 

 were applied to again to aid him. The Governor General assented, and six Battalions 

 of Sepoys, one Company of Native Artillery, and a Corps of Cavalry, assembled at 

 Culpee, under Col. Leslie, with orders to march towards Poona, through Berar. 



The French, at this period, had much influence at Mysore ; attempted, through- 

 Agents, to obtain footing and influence among the Mahrattas. 



Sir Thomas Rumbold succeeded to the Government of Fort St. George, in Febru- 

 ary. His acts gave much dissatisfaction to the Home Authorities, particularly as re- 

 garded his alleged corrupt installation of Sitteram R&z, in the Dewanee of the Gun- 

 toor Sircar. 



War breaking out between England and France, the French factories of Chan- 

 dernagore, Masulipatam, and Carical were occupied without resistance. Sir E. 

 Vernon, with a British squadron, engaged that of the French, under M. Tronjolly, 

 10th August, and dispersed the latter. Pondicherry was invested, in September, by 

 land, under Sir Hector Munro, and by the English fleet, by sea. After a gallant de- 

 fence, under M. Bellecombe, it surrendered on the 17th October, and its works 

 were again razed. — Mill. 



1779. — A Force from Bombay, in support of Ragoba, impeded by the blunders of 

 Civil Commissioners placed in controul of it, got into difficulties, and commenced a 

 disastrous retreat, when only 16 miles from Poona. Negotiation was commenced 

 under these unfavorable circumstances with the confederates, and a treaty signed, 



