Section I

PROCEEDINGS IN BENGAL FROM THE BATTLE OF PLASSY TO HASTINGS' ADMINISTRATION

The emperor of Delhi was at this time a puppet in the hands of his unprincipled minister, Ghazee-ood-deen, and his eldest son and heir, Ali Gohur, had succeeded in making his escape from the capital, and raising the imperial standard. India was swarming with military adventurers ready to take service under any chief, and the prince found no difficulty in collecting an army of 40,000 men, and, being joined by the nabob Vizier of Oude, invaded Behar, and appeared before the city of Patna. Clive lost no time in advancing to its defence, and the prince retired in all haste on his approach. During his flight he was reduced to such distress as to throw himself on the consideration of Clive, and the heir and descendant of Akbar and Aurungzebe was happy to receive a donation of eight thousand rupees to relieve his necessities.

The influence which Clive necessarily exercised in the government of Bengal from his character and position tended to lessen the importance of Meer Jaffier, and his court and family could not fail to remember with chagrin that the foreigners who now overshadowed the throne had only three years before approached it as suppliants. The nabob, looking about for the means of counterbalancing Olive's ascendancy, began to intrigue with the Dutch at Chinsurah.