III. A. D. 1623. CHAP. Cape of Good Hope to the China seas. The Dutch, however, jealous of their growing prosperity, took every opportunity to treat them in the most arbitrary and cruel manner and in 1623 they drove them from Amboyna, after putting ten Englishmen, one Portuguese, and nine Japonese, to the torture and to death. Their excuse for this barbarous and perfidious act was, a conspiracy in which the parties are alleged to have entered with the Chinese against them; but the only proof they could produce of this allegation was, the confession extorted from the sufferers while under the torture. Driven from the eastern settle in the Carnatic, after some opposition from the Dutch. 5. This awful tragedy was followed by one islands, they disaster after another, until the English were compelled to abandon the greater part of their stations in the Archipelago to their inhuman rivals, still, however, retaining the presidency of Bantam. They next sought a more peaceful settlement on the eastern coast of the continent: but for a time the restless jealousy of the Dutch defeated their intentions there also, having driven them from Masulipatam and Pulicat, where they first endeavoured to establish themselves, as though there had not been room enough for them both. After frequent disappointments in their attempts to obtain a footing in the country, they were at length, in 1625, permitted, by the Naik, or native chief, of the district, to settle at Armegon, a town in the Carnatic sixty-six miles North of Madras. Obtaining a piece of ground from this officer, they erected a factory, which was described in 1628 as being defended by twelve pieces of cannon, and twenty-eight factors and soldiers.2 Such was the commencement of the British power on the eastern coast of India. A. D. 1625. A. D. 1628. 2 Hamilton. A. D. 1639. presidency 6. In 1639, the English obtained from Sree Rung Rayeel, the Hindoo rajah at Chandergherry, a tract of land five miles along the Establishcoast by one from it, with permission to erect ment of the a fortress. The chief agent of Armegon, Mr. of Madras. Francis Day, knowing by experience the necessity of promptitude, commenced the fortress without waiting for orders from home, and, when completed, named it Fort St. George. It was afterwards called Madras; and in 1653, the agent and council of Madras were raised to the rank of a presidency. 7. The English were no sooner firmly established on the coast than they directed their attention northward, and in 1640 obtained their first settlement in Bengal, being allowed to erect a factory at Hooghly, a considerable town. on the river of the same name. This was followed by the factories at Patna and Cossimbatore, at all which stations they continued for some years to carry on a thriving trade. A. D. 1640. First settlements in Bengal. A. D. 1662. Bombay English on the mar ceded to the riage of with Catha 8. On the marriage of King Charles II., in 1662, with Catherine of Portugal, he received as part of her dowry 3 the island of Bombay. This was an important acquisition to the British interests in the East; and a small fleet was Charles II. sent out, with five hundred troops, to take pos- rine of session of the place. But to the Portuguese, Portugal. in the present depressed state of their affairs, the loss of this station was incalculable. It is not surprising, therefore, that the governor should demur at giving up a post which they had possessed ever since the year 1530, and had found so essential to the protection of their commerce. He made some frivolous objections, chiefly of a technical nature, and pretended to 3 The remainder of her dowry consisted of the fort of Algiers and £500,000. CHAP. Opposed by the French and driven from Ban tam by the Dutch. A. D. 1664. A. D. 1685. A. D. 1687. Bombay established as the seat of govern ment in the West. Their affairs every where from their own imprudence. be at a loss to comprehend the extent of the cession. This occasioned a delay that put the English to some inconvenience: but at length all objections were overruled; when the island was made over to the British authorities, in the name of their sovereign, by whom it was immediately transferred to the East India Company. 9. But they did not remain long unmolested in the enjoyment of this and their other eastern possessions. The French, who were now, that is, about the year 1664, seeking a share of this lucrative commerce, entered the field against them; and for some years they opposed them with so much skill, determination, and force, that it was often hard to determine in whose favour the balance of power preponderated. The Dutch also continued to pursue them with unrelenting hostility, and about 1685 succeeded in driving them altogether from the Archipelago, when they transferred their seat of eastern government from Bantam to Fort St. George. 10. About two years after, the seat of government on the western coast was removed from Surat to Bombay, both for their greater security against the predatory incursions of the natives, and also for the purpose of controlling the refractory spirit of the British troops, who had manifested a disposition to mutiny. 11. While the power and possessions of the in jeopardy English were in this precarious state, they had nearly brought their affairs to a crisis by their own imprudence, in interfering in a hostile manner with the Nabob of Bengal, and even the Great Mogul, Aurungzebe. They soon found that they had roused up an enemy whom they were unable to resist. The Nabob easily drove them from their factories at Patna and Cossimbatore, and compelled them to seek refuge at Hooghly. But their spirit was not Thus A similar tempest was gathering over all their other possessions, the Great Mogul, irritated by their violence and insolence, having issued orders that they should be assaulted in every part of his dominions, until they were driven from the country. Accordingly, Surat was soon captured the greater part of the island of Bombay was next taken, and the town and castle were closely besieged. On the eastern coast, Masulipatam and Vizagapatam fell into the hands of the enemy, who put the whole of the English at the latter place to the sword. In this prostration of their affairs, however, they thought proper to humble themselves before their conquerors; and, employing the intervention of some native merchants, they succeeded in making their peace with the Great Mogul. Indeed, he was by no means unwilling to receive their submission; for, himself a bold soldier, he could appreciate valour even in an enemy; and he was filled with admiration at A. D. 1687. CHAP. A. D. 1689. French obtain a settlement at Pondicherry. English as command -build Fort the gallant manner in which they had defended every position to the last. The merchants also esteemed them as the most generous and upright of Europeans in their commercial transactions for though it cannot be denied that individuals had too often been guilty of dishonourable practices to enrich themselves, yet the government had uniformly acted with an integrity which secured the confidence of the native merchants, who were, therefore, induced to plead their cause with all the energy of men interested in their success. Consequently, Aurungzebe was easily prevailed upon to overlook their offences, and to reinstate them in all their former possessions. 12. In the mean time, the French took advantage of this diversion of the British forces to establish themselves on the Coromandel coast. Having purchased the district and village of Pondicherry, they built a strong fortress, placed in it a numerous garrison, and supplied it with all manner of warlike stores. Pondicherry is about seventy-five miles South of Madras, and the English at that station must have watched the rise of this fortification of their inveterate enemy with considerable alarm: but they were too much occupied with their own defence to offer them any molestation, and they could now only take such precautions as might best prepare them for any hostile efforts of the French. 13. About this period a despatch arrived sume a more from England, directing them no longer to coning attitude fine their attention to commercial pursuits, but, St. David's. following the example of the Dutch in their civil policy and military operations, to increase their revenue by every practicable means, and engage in hostilities with all the ardour that |