reinforced a large division of his army encamped at Plassy, by a body of fifteen thousand men under the command of Meer Jaffier, the very man who was plotting for the destruction of his sovereign, and his own elevation to the throne.
During these movements secret negotiations were going on between Meer Jaffier and the British authorities, and a treaty was at length concluded between them, which declared the enemies of the English, whether Indian or European, to be the enemies of the future Soubahdar; transferred to the English all the factories and effects of the French in Bengal, Bahar, and Orissa, and proscribed the latter nation from again settling in those countries. A crore of rupees[1] was to be given as compensation to the English Company for the plunder of Calcutta, and the maintenance of their forces; fifty lacs to the English inhabitants of that place, twenty lacs to the Hindoo and Mahomedan inhabitants, and seven lacs to the Armenian inhabitants, the distribution of all which sums was to be made by the British authorities. Certain tracts of land were also to be given to the British; and the aspirant to the Soubahdarship bound himself to pay the charges of the English troops whenever he might require their assistance, and to abstain from erecting any new fortifications near the Ganges below Hooghly. The English, on their part, solemnly bound themselves to assist Meer Jaffier in obtaining the government, and to maintain him in it when called upon, on condition of his observing the articles of the treaty. By a separate arrangement, fifty lacs were to be given to the army and navy.
A rumour of this secret treaty having come to the ears of Suraja Dowlah, he at first thought of attacking Meer Jaffier in his palace with artillery; but his heart failing him, he endeavoured to conciliate his too powerful rival. The latter appeared to be won over by the concessions of his sovereign, and they swore upon the Koran to adhere
- ↑ A hundred lacs – about a million sterling.
