Almost at the same moment he heard, from Omichund, who had accompanied
the nabob to Moorshedabad, that he had bribed the governor of Hoogly
to offer no opposition to the passage of the troops up the river.
Clive was now ready to agree to Admiral Watson's views, and to advance
at once against Chandranagore; but the admiral again veered round, and
refused to agree to the measure, unless the consent of the nabob was
obtained. He wrote, however, himself, a threatening, and indeed
violent letter to the nabob, ordering him to give his consent. The
nabob, still under the influence of his fears from the Afghans,
replied in terms which amounted to consent, but the very next day,
having received news which calmed his fears as to the Afghans, he
wrote peremptorily, forbidding the expedition against the French. This
letter, however, was disregarded, and the expedition prepared to
start.
It consisted of seven hundred Europeans and fifteen hundred native
infantry, who started by land; a hundred and fifty artillery
proceeding in boats, escorted by three ships of war and several
smaller vessels, under Admiral Watson.
The French garrison consisted only of a hundred and forty-six French,
and three hundred Sepoys.
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