they first established themselves at Masulipatam, subsequently at Armeguni; and finally at Madraspatam, where, in 1639, they obtained permission from a native prince to erect a fortification, which received the name of Fort St. George. Tegnapatam, on the same coast, which was purchased from another native prince, was, in like manner fortified, and became a station of some importance under the name of Fort St. David. On the western coast the island of Bombay, which had been ceded to the British crown, as part of the marriage-portion of Catherine of Portugal, the Queen of Charles II., was granted by that Sovereign to the Company, and in process of time it superseded Surat as their principal station on that coast. In Bengal they had established various factories, of which Hooghly was the chief; and in 1700 they purchased permission from Azim, grandson of Aurungzebe, to build a fortress at Calcutta, which, in compliment to the reigning Sovereign of England, was called Fort William.[1]
As the establishment of Madras was prior to all the other Presidencies, so it took precedence in that extraordinary series of wars which, from one success to another, have led to our final supremacy in the East. In the year 1744 war having been declared in Europe between France and England, a British fleet was despatched to India, and was soon followed by a French squadron. After some encounters of no great importance, but in which the English had the advantage, the French fleet attacked the British settlement of Madras, when the town was forced to capitulate, the goods of the Company, part of the military stores and all the naval stores were confiscated, and a treaty was signed pledging the British to further payments in consideration of evacuating the town.
- ↑ "So early as 1689, the views of the Company appear to have aimed at territorial possessions. In the instructions issued to their agents during that year, they intimate that the increase of their revenue was henceforth to occupy as much attention as their merchandise; that they wished to be "a nation in India;" and they quote with unmerited applause the conduct of the Dutch, who, they assert, in the advices sent to their governors, wrote ten paragraphs concerning tribute for one relative to trade." – Murray's "India."
