216 LETTER TO COURT

of Fort St. David and three hawldars with two seepoys now take passage on
the Walpole to see the right distribution of It.

8. As I brought none of the husbullhookums with the phirmaund, I must
recommend that some of the copies authenticated by the Codgee be imme.
diately forwarded here, paticularly those which relate to this Subah, and
duplicates of diem will be necessary for fear of miscarriage. It is not Impro-
bable but some difficulties will arise for want of them about the villages to be
delivered out to us as they are not particularized in the phirmaund.

I have the honour to be with respect,

Hon'ble Sir and Sirs,
Your most obedient humble servant,

Robert Clive.
Camp opposite Barnagul, 3rd March 1757.

Enclosure II
To the same.
Gentlemen,
1. Since my dispatch of the 3rd instant I am favoured with your letters of
2!st and 28th February with the duplicates and triplicates by the ship Sally
and Betsey schooner.
2. I acquainted you that the neutrality with the French was not likely
to be concluded. I continued encamped on the same ground and the 7th
Instant received a letter from the Nabob desiring me to join him against the
Aughwans, the van of whose army was attempting an irruption Into this
province. Accordingly, I began my march the next morning and thinking
it a convenient opportunity to prevail on him to suffer us to take Qhander-
nagore, I wrote him word of our having endeavoured to conclude a neutra-
lity with the French but that the Director and Council were not vested with
proper power for that purpose, that whilst we were engaged at a distance
assisting him against his enemies, the French joined by Monsr. Bussy might
make an attempt on Calcutta and that therefore I should wait off Chander-
nagore in hopes of receiving his leave to attack it. Accordingly, the 12th1 I
encamped at the back of it within a mile of the Fort, and the 13th2 the
Ad®§iral receiving a letter from the Nabob, the purport of which was that
we ^%kt act as we pleased with respect to tb£ French, and having intelligence
mt the same tiine Ifeat the troops he had sent to their assistance were with?
drawn, I summoned the pkce to surrender that night but received no answer.
The next morning I attacked their western battery which they defended very
brisicjy tibe whole day but at night abandoned it. A detachment I sent about
styNoa to tfee southward took post in a garden near the Fort and within some
of their batteries; the loss they had sustained at the western battery and the
apprehension of their retreat being cut off by our detachment made theA
Ifewise desert dat aigbt all their worjcs to the southward. Among the rest
fa'«3mg:'Wt«x>ife «£ Ae river side mounting heavy metal and a battery
Iff > Agpag playing 4ta& tbfc ch^mi®! ,ba& which ipps^ have aapoyed our