Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s3.10

v4.c56.s3.10

† On 11th July 1803, a French squadron arrived at Pondicherry from Brest, having on board General De Caen with a military force reported to number between 600 and 700 European troops. The officers were really designed for training and commanding new brigades for Sindhia, and the skilled mechanics for gun-casting and gun-laying; there was also a smail corps of administrative officers to look after the supply and other interests of the projected army. On 12th July one of these ships, the *La Belle Poule* landed at Pondicherry 24 military and 9 administrative officers and 160 white soldiers out of this corps. But in the night of the 13th, De Caen suddenly sailed away with the remainder of the force, on getting secret news of the rupture of the Peace of Amiens. The officers and men who had been landed were detained by the English as prisoners of war, and on 1st October the British again took over the control of Pondicherry and sent these French prisoners back to France. Lake had already stormed Aligarh fort on 4 September. MM. iii. 465, 659, iv. 660.