282 
HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 
CHAPTER X. 
Letters of Baron Grant continued.-, with an Account of the further Operations of 
M. de la Bourdonnais , &c. 
LETTER VIII. 
loth March, 1748. 
I shall not presume to give a definitive opinion on such important subjects, as 
the discussions which have taken place between M. de la Bourdonnais and M. 
Dupleix. I lament most sincerely, that men engaged in such important affairs, and 
at such an important moment, should be involved in a contest which may prove so 
injurious to the public interest: but to determine which is to blame in these dis¬ 
cussions, we must wait for the termination of them. Both of them are men of supe¬ 
rior merit in their respective situations: M. f Dupleix is a great administrator, and it 
is not possible to maintain the honour of France with more dignity than he does. 
M. de la Bourdonnais, with less dignity, is at the same time an intelligent gover¬ 
nor, a skilful navigator, brave by land as by sea, and of an indefatigable activity. 
The rapid successes of the latter, has elevated him very suddenly to a situation 
which threatened to interfere with the credit and established power of M. Dupleix, 
who may be supposed to have felt some uneasiness at the appearance of so formid¬ 
able a rival. It is not improbable that the Minister and the Directors have 
not sufficiently understood each other respecting the orders given, and the powers 
transmitted to these two governors; but whatever may be the real cause of their 
difference, it is very evident, if they had maintained a good understanding with each 
other, very important services might have been rendered to their country. 
M. de la Bourdonnais, during the time he remained in our isles, in the intervals 
of his operations on the coasts of Malabar and Coromandel, most certainly formed 
several very useful esablishments, both in the Isle of France and the Isle of Bour¬ 
bon, though deprived, in a great measure, of the means essential to those objects: 
but calumny has not spared him; and if the government should conceive the same 
prejudice against him, as the public at present possesses, he will not very easily 
.extricateJhimself from his present difficulties. 
