24 § 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
of the war, have already been detailed; but though they were, in a great measure, 
left to his discretion, they were subject to a verbal order, which the minister him¬ 
self had personally given to him at the moment of his leaving France, “ to make 
no attempt on the British settlements in India, but with a certainty of success, as it 
was the principal object of the Company to remain on the defensive, rather than 
engage in any active enterprizes against the enemy’s settlements.” 
The secret orders which were given to M. de la Bourdonnais, in case he should 
make any conquests in India, were conceived in the following terms. 
“ Secret pacquet for M. de la Bourdonnais, which is not to be opened, unless 
war is declared between France and the maritime nations of Europe, and he has 
certain advices of it, or has experienced some act of hostility on their part.” 
“If the peace continues to subsist, he will bring back this pacquet without hav¬ 
ing opened it. 
Signed, “ Orry.” 
“Instructions for M. de la Bourdonnais, Governor of the Isles of France and 
Bourbon, to which he is enjoined to conform his conduct, with the utmost ex¬ 
actitude. 
“ It is expressly forbidden for M. de la Bourdonnais, Governor of the Isles of 
France and Bourbon, to take any settlement or factory belonging to the enemy, 
with a view to keep possession of it. 
Signed, “Orry.’ > 
This order, as will be seen hereafter, is of the last importance. We shall now 
proceed to give an account of the successive events which followed the arrival of 
the squadron at Pondicherry. 
Without entering into a detail of the conduct of M. Dupleix, it may be necessary 
to observe, that his proceedings were not calculated to promote harmony between 
the garrison of Pondicherry and the troops belonging to the isles. M. de la Bour¬ 
donnais, however, contrived to preserve tranquillity; and applied himself to the 
arrangement of a plan of operations, which he communicated to M. Dupleix in 
the following letter. 
