582 llLSTO); OF IMjIA. [liooK 111.
AD 1767. diately .sent parties in pursuit. Being tlias fnxstrated in liin denign of seizing the person of his kte master, he made sur.j of the next most important object, by taking possession of his treasury. The whole value found in it arnount<'d st;iteoftim only to 150 lacs of rupees, or £1,500,000 sterling, thougli Mr. Watts had with Moor^<^.ea;l slugular extravagance estimated it at twenty-four crores, or £24', 000,000 The city meanwhile remained in confusion ; but the gi-adual apjiroach of Clive with his army prevented any attempt at insun-ection. He arrived within a short distance on the 25th, but did not make his entrance till the 2fJth. He was escorted by 200 of the battalion and 300 sepoys, and established his quarters in a palace spacious enough to accommodate all the troops that came with him Mr. Watts and Mr. WaLsh, with 1 00 .sepoys, had been sent forward on the 25th, and had spent the interval in ascertaining the state of the treasury, and endea- vouring to make arrangements for payments of the sums which Meer Jaffier had promised, but which it was now very apparent he had not then the means of discharging. By the public and private treaties he had incurred obligations to the amount of £2,750,000, whereas his treasury, if drained of its last rupee, would yield only £1,500,000. Nor was this all. In addition to the stipulated sums, immense presents were expected. Of these no less than £100,000 were destined for Clive, £80,000 for Mr. Watts, £50,000 for Mr. W^alsh, £30,000 for Major Kilpatrick, and £20,000 for Mr. Scrafton. The acceptance of such pre- sents under the circumstances, and after the state of the treasury was known. deserves no better name than extortion. Even a worse name might be used for it afterwards appeared that Meer JaflBer in making them was under the impression that he had purchased an influence which might enable him to escape from the obligations he had contracted to the Compan}' and to other parties, cuve seats CUve, immediately after his entrance, proceeded to the nabob's palace, where
on the mils Mcer Jaffier and all the great officers of the city were waiting to receive him. The musnud or throne stood in the hall of audience unoccupied, for Meer Jaffier, after the first salutation, retii-ed to a different part of the hall, as if desirous to avoid it. Clive perceiving this, took him by the hand, led him to it, and placed him upon it. This done, he made obeisance to him as nabob in the usual forms, and ha'ing presented him with a plate of gold rupees, addressed the great officers through an interpreter, congratulating them on the good fortune which had given them so excellent a prince in exchange for a despicable tATant. The hint was sufficient, and all the persons present imitated Clive's example, by doing homage and presenting gold. The following morning the nabob retm'ned Clive's visit, and at once opened the subject which he knew to be nearest the hearts of both of them — the obligations he had undertaken, and his present inability to pay them. It was agreed to refer the matter to the Seats, to whose house they forthwith proceeded, attended by Watts, Scrafton, Meerun, the nabob's son, and Roydullub. Omichund, who was attending, followed, under the impression that he stood high in Clive's estimation, in consequence of the
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