296 THE STRUGGLES OF DUPLEIX WITH ADVERSITY. chap, did not at all disconcert, the active-minded and ener- m J ]l ' m _ , getic Governor of Pondichery. If Clive had calculated 1751. that his raid would lead at once to the abandonment of the siege of Trichinapalli, he found himself mistaken. Dupleix, in fact, looking at matters with the glance of a statesman and a general, saw that notwithstanding this diversion, the chances were still ten to one in his favour. It was by pressing more earnestly the siege of the strongly fortified Trichinapalli, the last refuge of Muhammad Ali, that he felt he could conquer Clive in Arkat. He therefore bent every energy of his mind to increase and render effective the force under Law. He sent him Europeans from Pondichery, a battering-ram from Karikal, and he urged both upon him and upon Chanda Sahib the urgent necessity of permitting no consideration whatever to interfere with the pressing and absolute necessity of conquering Trichinapalli. This was the true policy for nullifying and defeating the daring action of Clive. But, unfortunately for Dupleix, he was badly served. Law's action will be hereafter referred to. As for Chanda Sahib, no sooner had he heard of the capture of Arkat, than he insisted on detaching 4,000 of his best troops to retake his lost capital. Dupleix, though regretting that the force before Trichinapalli had been thus weakened, strengthened this detachment, as it passed Pondichery, by 100 Europeans. It was further increased by other native levies to the number of 10,000 men. Thus augmented it marched under the command of Raju Sahib,* son of Chanda Sahib, upon Arkat. The siege which followed not only presents one of the most glorious pictures of Anglo-Indian history, but it may be considered likewise as the turning-point in the
- Orrae and those who have His name really was "Raju," as
followed his narrative call this prince stated in the text. Raju is a good "Rajah Sahib" ; but "Raja "is an Muhammadan name. Vide Bloch- impossible name for a Muhammadan. maun's Ain-i-AJcbari, page 452.
