( HAi'. X.| ATTACK UN HOOGIILY. 555
which had nothing personal in it, originated in a determination on the part of ad. 1757. the one to uphold the authority of the Calcutta coniniittee, and on the part of the other to give effect to the instructions which he had received at Madras. How bitterly Clive felt at the treatment he had received appears from several passages in a private letter to Mr. Pigott: — "Between friends," he says, "Iciivesin-
. II- f • mi Uignation.
cannot help regrettmg that I ever imdertook this expedition. The mortifications 1 have received from Mr. Watson and the gentlemen of the squadron in point of prerogative, are such that nothing but the good of the service could induce me to submit to them." Speaking of the commission granted to Captain Coote, he characterizes it as a " dirty underhand contrivance, carried on in the most secret manner, under a pretence that I intended the same thing, which, I declare, never entered my thoughts." Again, referring to the true cause of all the mis- understandings and heartburnings, he observes, " The gentlemen here seem much dissatisfied at the authority I am vested with. It would be contradicting my own sentiments, if I was not to .acknowledge that 1 still possess the opinion that the gentlemen of Madras could not have taken a step more prudent, or more consistent with the Company's interests ; for, I am sorry to say, the loss of private property, and the means of recovering it, seem to be the only objects which take up the attention of the Bengal gentlemen." Farther on he gives utterance to the same opinion in still harsher and even rancorous terms — " I would have you guard against everything these gentlemen can say ; for, believe me, they are bad subjects and rotten at heart, and will stick at nothing to prejudice you and the gentlemen of the committee ; indeed, how should they do otherwise when they have not spared one another? I shall only add, their conduct at Calcutta finds no excuse, even among themselves ; and that the riches of Peru and Mexico should not induce me to dwell among them." Clive could not entertain an opinion without acting upon it ; and therefore, when the committee sent him a letter, demanding that he should place himself under them, he answered, "I do not intend to make use of ray power for acting separately from you, without you reduce me to the necessity of so doing ; but, as fai* as concerns the means of executing these powers, you will excuse me, gentlemen, if I refuse to give these up; I cannot do it without forfeiting the trust reposed in me by the select com- mittee of Fort St. George."
Intelligence havinor been received that the recapture of Calcutta had thrown Attack < m
14 1 1 •
the enemy into great consternation, and that the nabob's army would not be ready for some time to march from Moorshedabad, it was determined to take advantage of the interval by assuming the aggi-essive and attacking Hooghly. This place, situated on the right bank of the river, twenty-seven miles above Calcutta, was regarded as the royal port of Bengal, and had thus an adven- titious importance in addition to that which it derived from its wealth and population. As the object now was to bring the nabob to terms as speedily as possible, the capture of it was good strategy, as nothing seemed better calcu-
