HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
235 
the arrival of a small vessel from Surat, which brought me the intelligence that four 
British ships of war had sailed for India. I did not doubt but we should feel the 
ill consequences of such an event; and felt, more than ever, the necessity of pos¬ 
sessing that squadron with which I left France. If I had been permitted to retain 
it, I should have gained all those advantages over the English, which they have 
obtained over us. 
“ As I foresaw the necessity of arming, I hastened the construction of the ship 
called the Insulaire, and made every possible preparation in the harbour, to receive 
the ships that might arrive. The first that appeared was the Bourbon, which we 
thought fit to unload, and to arm as a ship of war; though her captain gave us 
some trouble on the occasion, of which you have been already informed by the 
letters transmitted you by the council, as well as by those which I had the honour 
to address you. We transferred the cargo of this ship to the Heron and the 
Triton. 
“In the month of February following, the Charmante arrived with dispatches 
from M. Dupleix, by which I was informed that he had agreed upon a neutrality 
with Madras, and, as he hoped, with Calcutta and Bombay. We accordingly 
discharged this vessel also of its cargo, with which we completed those of the 
Heron and the Triton; but prepared a loading of coffee for it, in case we should 
receive an authentic assurance that the neutrality was confirmed between the two 
nations. 
“ At the end of March arrived the Neptune from Bengal, commanded by M. de 
la Porte-Barre, who was to quit this port on the 6th of April, to return to France; 
when, on the 3d of the same month, the Fleury appeared, which had been dispatched 
from Make , to acquaint me that one of the Company’s ships, called the Favori, had 
been taken by two English men of war in the road of Achetn. The Council of 
Pondicherry, at the same time, pressed me to afford them all possible assistance; 
and requested also, that I would not suffer any India ships to quit the islands with¬ 
out convoy. 
“ This was the first moment when I had a determined object before me. As we 
were now in that precise situation which, according to your orders, would justify 
hostilities on my part, we kept the Neptune, and embarked her cargo on board the 
Charmante, who set sail for France the 10th of April, and by which I had the honour 
to transmit you the necessary details of these islands. We proceeded to complete, with 
H h 2 
