in the dominions of Indian rulers, and,
although both the English and the French had ships and soldiers for
the protection of their settlements, they realized that they were not
at liberty to make war upon each other. The settlers, moreover, were
employees of mercantile companies, working for dividends; and war,
with its calamitous expenditure, was not within their design. But
Dupleix, the talented French Governor of Pondicherry, had ambitious
ideas for the extension of French influence in India, and, in defiance
of Indian rulers, war broke out. In the beginning there were several
engagements at sea between a French squadron under Labourdonnais and
an English squadron under Captain Peyton. The English squadron was
worsted, and had to put into Trincomalee Harbour, in Ceylon, to refit.
Thereupon Labourdonnais, after making quick preparations at
Pondicherry, sailed for Madras; and the alarm in the Fort and in the
city must have been great when his ships appeared off the coast and
proceeded to bombard the settlement. His guns, however, did but little
damage, and the citizens woke up the next morning to find, to their
great content, that the enemy had sailed away during the night.
Meanwhile Captain Peyton, having repaired his ships, was unaware of
what had happened at Madras, and sailed from Ceylon to Bengal, without
touching at Fort St. George. Possibly he was lured to Bengal by bogus
messages of French origin; for, as soon as he was out of the way,
Labourdonnais reappeared off Madras, better prepared than before.
Having succeeded in landing a considerable force, he erected batteries
on shore and from various points he bombarded White Town, which was
now the actual Fort St. George. At the end of an unhappy seven days
the garrison capitulated. The French marched into the Fort, and all
the English residents, civil and military--including the Governor and
the Members of Council, and also Robert Clive, who was then a young
clerk--were sent to Pondicherry as prisoners of war.

For nearly three years the French flag flew over Fort St. George,
until, in accordance with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, made between
the combatants in Europe, Madras was restored to the Company.

[Illustration: CENTRAL GATE OF THE BLACK TOWN WALL]

During their occupation the French had made great changes. Feeling the
necessity of strengthening their position, their military commanders
realized what had apparently not been recognized by the Company's