he was a profligate, but a profligate who was to be feared, who could be useful to us, and who might some day be a good man.  Nawajis Muhammad Khan[71] had been at least as vicious as Siraj-ud-daula, and yet he had become the idol of the people.”

Law, therefore, had cultivated the young Nawab.  Mr. Watts, on the other hand, was not only foolish enough to neglect him, but carried his folly to extremes.  He was not in a position to prevent his accession, and ought therefore to have been careful by the correctness of his behaviour to show no signs of being opposed to it.  So far from this, he is strongly suspected of having entered into correspondence with the widow of Nawajis Khan, who had adopted Siraj-ud-daula’s younger brother[72] and was supporting his candidature for the throne, and also with Saukat Jang, Nawab of Purneah and cousin of Siraj-ud-daula, who was trying to obtain the throne for himself.  Still further, he advised Mr. Drake, Governor of Calcutta, to give shelter to Kissendas, son of Raj Balav (Nawajis Khan’s Diwan), who had fled with the treasures in his charge when his father was called to account for his master’s property.

Contrary to Mr. Watts’s expectations, Aliverdi Khan’s last acts so smoothed the way for Siraj-ud-daula, and the latter acted with such decision and promptitude on his grandfather’s death, that in an incredibly short time he had all his enemies at his feet, and was at leisure to attend to state business, and especially the affairs of the foreign Settlements.  Aliverdi Khan had always been extremely jealous of allowing the European nations to erect any fortifications, but, during his last illness, all of them, expecting a contested succession, during which, owing to complications in Europe, they might find themselves at war with each other in India, began to repair their old walls or to erect new ones.  This was exactly what Siraj-ud-daula wanted.  His first care on his accession had been to make himself master of his grandfather’s and uncle’s treasures.  To these he had added those of such of his grandfather’s servants as he could readily lay hands on.  Other wealthy nobles and officers had fled to the English, or were suspected of having secretly sent their treasures to Calcutta.  It was also supposed that the European Settlements, and especially Calcutta, were filled with the riches accumulated by the foreigners.  Whilst, therefore, the Nawab was determined to make all the European nations contribute largely in honour of his accession, and in atonement for their insolence in fortifying themselves without his permission, he had special reasons for beginning with the English.  In the mean time, however, he had first to settle with his cousin, Saukat Jang, the Nawab of Purneah, so he contented himself with sending orders to the Chiefs of the Factories to pull down their new fortifications.  Law acted wisely and promptly.