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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
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