306 THE STRUGGLES OF DUPLEIX WITH ADVERSITY. chap, on which the rising town of Dupleix-Fath-abad* was already struggling into existence. Allowing for the 1752. moment his dislike of the great French statesman to stifle his more generous instincts, Clive razed the town to its foundations. He then marched in all haste to Fort St. David. Here he found that the governor had been unsparing in his exertions to make provision for the contemplated enterprise. So great, indeed, had been his energy that, in three days after his return, Clive found himself in readiness to march towards Trichina- palli. This was on March 25, 1752. The 27th, however, brought once more to the shores of India the tried veteran, Major Lawrence. His arrival caused a delay of two days, as well as some change in the arrange- ment of affairs. On the 28th, however, all was in readiness, and a party of 400 Europeans and 1,100 sipahis, with eight field-pieces, escorting military stores and provisions, set out that morning for Trichinapalli under the command indeed of Lawrence, but with Clive as his trusted subordinate. It is time now that we should return to Dupleix. He it was who, at the time when he learned that Clive had proceeded to Fort St. David to concert measures for the relief of Trichinapalli, had, considering it no disgrace to learn something even from an enemy, instigated Raju Sahib to make that raid into the English territories, the results of which we have recorded. Though unsuccessful, it cannot be denied that it eminently deserved to succeed, that it had almost succeeded, when at the moment that victory was in his grasp, the carelessness of the French commander at Kavanpak threw it absolutely away.
- Mr. Orme speaks of this town as incorrect. The town was built to corn-
having been built to commemorate rnemorute the triumph of Dupleix' s that detestable action, the death of policy, brought to its crowning Nasir Jang. The prejudices and point by the victory of de la 'louche, passions of the hour may have dis- The death of Nasir Jang was an posed contemporary Englishmen thus incident of that victory, for which to regard it, but the statement is the French were not responsible.
