was required of him. He, the representative of France on the Indian seas, had but to ride at anchor where he was in the finest season of the year, a season when storms are unknown in the Indian seas, and watch the enemies of his country surrender or starve—and he would not. Despite the protestations of Haidar and the murmurs of his crews, D'Orves sailed for the islands the 15th of February, taking every man he had brought with him. His departure saved Coote. A few days later English vessels arrived with provisions from Madras.
Haidar, thus left to himself, fought Coote on the 1st July at Chilambaram, and, after a hardly contested battle, was beaten. On the 27th August following, he engaged the English general at Parambákam, and this time not unequally. He left, however, to Coote the honour of the field of battle. On the 18th of February following (1782), Típu Sáhib, the oldest son of Haidar, compelled Colonel Braithwaite's detachment, after three days' hard fighting, to surrender. It was about the period of this last encounter that France made her third and last effort to take up the dropped policy of Dupleix. She despatched to the Indian seas a powerful squadron under the greatest of her admirals, the illustrious Suffren, and nearly 3000 men under Bussy. Pending the arrival of Bussy, the land force was placed under the orders of the Duchemin already mentioned.
Leaving Suffren and the English admiral, Sir Edward Hughes, to fight four or five indecisive battles off the Coromandel coast, I propose to follow very
