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146 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
sum of 4,000 rupees from the English broker. When waited
upon by Mr. Hope and other factors, he released his prisoners
;
but, instead of refunding the mone.y he had extorted, directed
his officers to levy a new tax, called "convoy money," on all
English vessels passing up and down the river ; and, lastly, he
refused all redress when a Parsee servant of the chief had been
wantonly and ferociously assaulted by a public servant of the
riovernment. Mr. Lowther, arriving at this juncture with the
Company's ship ' Heathcote,' the ' Salamander' bomb-ketch, and
tlie ' Tiger' and ' Shark galivats, resolved not to land until
reparation should be made for the insults he had received,
ordered all the English merchants to join him, except two, who
Avere left in charge of the factory, and vigorously prepared to
punish the Governor's insolence by laying an embargo upon
the trade. Negotiations now ensued, during which the English
chief and his friends remained on board their ships at the bar of
the river, and refused several invitations to land, peremptorily
insisting upon satisfaction for the injuries their dependents
had received, and threatening reprisals in case of refusal.
Drawing up a formal document, they stated their demands
npon the Government in nine articles ; of which one was that
vessels with English colours, passing up and down the river,
should not be molested or required to pay convoy mone.y.
The Native Govermnent had, meanwhile, equipped a fleet
which, in their estimation, was more powerful than that of the
English, whilst the whole British land force that could be mus-
tered for the defence of a factory situated in the midst of a
dense and alien population, and within gunshot of an embattled
castle and hostile troops, consisted of twenty-six European
soldiers, eight topasses, eighty- four peons, and a few domestic
servants It was natural, under such circumstances, that,
relying upon the great superiority of his military strength, and
spurred on by his friends. Teg Beg's presumption should know
no bounds. In return for Mr. Lowther's nine articles, the Go-
vernor submitted to him, on the 8th of February, 1735, an
equal number, containing the most unreasonable demands.
Immediately after this, however, a little incident must have
satisfied him that conciliation would be wiser than vain attempts
to overcome his powerful enemies.
At the mouth of the river there was cruising with the pro-
fessed object of protecting native vessels, what was called " the
King's fleet," commanded by a Seedee, and comprising one
grab, one smaller ship of war, and four galivats. This naval
force soon approached, and, in bravado, sailed round the British
blockading squadron, which would have been well pleased to
accept this foolish challenge, and settle the difficulties with the
Natives there and then. At the request of Mr. Lowther, the
officer in command despatched his bomb ketch, with an order