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Unit 1: British Expansion

compromised the position of the English. In 1751 Robert Clive, who earlier had failed to provide Notes
effective reinforcement to Mohammed Ali at Trichinopoly, suggested a countermove to Governor
Saunders. He proposed that a surprise attack be made on Arcot, the capital of the Karnatic, in a bid to
divert pressure on Trichinopoly. He rightly calculated that Chanda Sahib must rush to save his capital.
The plan was well conceived. Rober Clive with a force of only 210 men stormed and captured Arcot
in August 1751. A large force of4,000 men diverted by Chanda Sahib from Trichinopoly to Arcot
failed to retake the town. Robert Clive’s outlay resisted the onslaughts of his enemies and successfully
sustained the famous siege for fifty-three days (September 23 to November 14) “immortalized and
somewhat exaggerated in the glowing words of Macaulay”. The capture of Arcot encouraged the
English to push their schemes with greater vigour and demoralised the French and Chanda Sahib. In
1752 a strong English force under Stringer Lawrence relieved Trichinopoly. The French force outside
Trichinopoly surrendered to the English in June 1752. Chanda Sahib was treacherously killed by the
Raja of Tanjore.

The French disaster at Trichinopoly sealed the fate of Dupleix. The Directors of the
French Company dissatisfied with the political ambitions of Dupleix and the ruinous
expense these involved decided to recall him. In 1754 Godeheu replaced Dupleix as
the Governor-General of the French possessions in India. In January 1755, a
provisional peace treaty was concluded between the two Companies in India.

The second round of the conflict also proved inconclusive. On land the superior English generalship
had been demonstrated when their candidate Mohammed Ali was installed the Nawab of Karnatic.
The French were, however, still strongly entrenched at Hyderabad where French soldier-diplomat
Bussy had obtained further grants from the new Subahdar Salabat Jang (Muzaffar Jang had lately
been killed in an accidental skirmish in February, 1751). Important districts of Northern Circars yielding
an annual revenue of thirty lakh of rupees were ceded to the French Company. In this struggle the
French predominant position in the Deccan Peninsula was definitely undermined. The English now
had an edge over the French.
The Third Karnatic War (1758-63): Like the First Karnatic War, this conflict between the English and
the French in India was an echo of the struggle in Europe. The outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in
Europe ended the short peace between the European Companies in India. In April 1757, the French
Government sent Count de Lally who reached India after a voyage of twelve months in April 1758. In
the meantime the English had defeated Siraj-ud-duala and captured Bengal in 1757. The conquest of
Bengal placed at the disposal of the English the immense riches of Bengal and with that financial
stick they could beat the French effectively in Southern India.
Count de Lally captured Fort St. David in 1758 and sanctioned a hasty and misconceived attack on
Tanjore to exact an outstanding payment of 56 lakhs rupees from that ruler. The campaign ended in
failure damaging French reputation seriously. Lally’s next move was to besiege Madras, but the
appearance of a strong English naval force before Madras compelled Lally to abandon the siege.
Lally then summoned Bussy from Hyderabad. This was a capital mistake of Lally. Bussy’s recall
from Hyderabad weakened French position in that capital. The English fleet under the command of
Pocock defeated the French fleet under D’ Ache thrice and compelled him to retire from the Indian
waters. The English command of the sea left the field open for them and the final victory was no
longer in doubt. A staggering blow was struck at the French at Wandiwash (1760) by Sir Eyre Coote.
Bussy was taken prisoner. The French in January 1761 ignominiously retreated to Pondicherry.
Pondicherry after a blockade of eight months capitulated to the English. Mahe and Jinji were lost by
the French in quick succession. Thus was rung down the curtain to the drama of Anglo-French rivalry
in the south. Undoubtedly the French position in India was lost beyond redemption.
The third and the final round of the struggle proved decisive. Pondicherry and some other French
settlements were no doubt returned to the French by the Treaty of Paris (1763) but these were never
to be fortified. The French political cause in India was doomed for good.

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