Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 18.10.4

18.10.4

The unanimous result of their deliberations was, that the brave, the Tried in Battles, Colonel Clive, should repair into Bengal with those gentlemen that had escaped from thence, and should endeavour by every means which he could devise, to rebuild the factory there, and to re-establish the Company's trade in the manner it had existed heretofore. This he was at liberty to effect, whether by paying a sum of money, or by force and violence, just as circumstances should point out. Colonel Clive, after this deliberation, embarked on board of some ships, together with the gentlemen escaped from the factory of Calcutta; and taking with him what troops and artillery were ready and at hand, he arrived with his ships at that part of the river called the Blue Water, where the Bagrauty joins the sea, and where he cast anchor. But as the Commanders of that nation are prudent, wary, and experienced in affairs, as well as extremely brave in a day of battle, he thought it incumbent upon him, first of all, to try what could be done in the way of negotiation ; and with that view he wrote to Seradj-ed-doulah, "to intercede in behalf of Mr. Drake, whose trespasses he requested might be forgiven ; to offer some lacs of rupees for leave to rebuild the English factory, on the former footing ;