Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/32

^ FRENCH MARINERS her rival on Indian soil. Even when, in 1778, the war was renewed, the Government of France was but ill prepared to assert a claim for independence, still less for dominion, in Eastern and Southern India. The natural results followed. Chandernagor fell without a blow (10th July 1778). Pondichery, ably defended for forty days against vastly superior forces by its Governor, Bellecombe, surrendered in the month of September following ; the fleet commanded by M. de Tronjoly, — a feeble copy of Count d'Ache, — abandoned the Indian waters without even attempting to save Mahe. All seemed lost. The advantages gained by the English appeared too great to be overcome ; when the marvellous energy of Haidar Ah, the Mahomedan ruler of Mysore, gave a turn to events which upset the most carefully laid calculations, and communicated to his French allies the most brilliant hopes. On the 4th April 1769 Haidar Ali had dictated peace to the English under the walls of Madras. By one of the articles of this treaty the contracting parties bound themselves to assist each other in defensive wars. But when, during the following year, Haidar was attacked and was hardly pressed by the Msirhatus, the English refused their aid. Haidar never forgave this breach of faith. When, therefore, some nine years later, he saw the English embroiled alike with the French and the Marhatas, Haidar resolved to take his revenge. He first sent to the English an intimation that he should regard