Page 193 - Dilmun 21

rom its location, reasonably healthy climate and its relation with the Bay o
Bengal was easy, AIthough it was a vital sea link iwth England it was a
Presidency looking or a potr or its landing acilities were rudimentayr to non­
eistent.

adras was the ompany s irst otriied settlement in lndia. he construction
o Fotr St.eorge began in 1640 and continued on and o or 150 years. ١t
housed all the administrative and military necessities. At irst the indians
quatrer was called the black town. Eventually as the city epanded Black
own became a desirable location or white business, From adras the
ompany made its signiicant move to become a territorial power. he
French East lndia ompany down the coast at Pondicheryr was initially
purely a trading irval but under the leadership o the overnor Dulpei it had
statred to orge strategic alliance with local potentates in an attempt to gain
control o the arnatic coast and the oust the English. Howeve,r ohd A١i
WallahJah a claimant to the throne o Arcot, Ruler o arnatic Province, allied
himsel with the company against the French and their client the Nizam o
Hyderabad. ohd Ali seized richinopally a key otrress in the South where
he was besieged by the French and their allies.

Robetr live, then a young and ambitious writer in the company s adras
sevrice had requested a move to the militayr and with ajor Stirnger
Lawrence together had successully deeated the French orces at Arcot and
ended their ambitions in the arnatic. adras lost its pre-eminent status to
alcutta ater the battle o Plassey in 1757.

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harles ١١ had acquired Bomba,y along with the habit o dirnking tea, by
maryring atherine o Braganza and the company was delighted when the
king ceased it to them in 166 or an annual rent o Stg.10.

the three Presidenices Bombay had the best harbo,r a beauitul Bay or
Bom Bahia. Bombay was wholly under hte ompany s control, this led to
most o the English decamping rom Surat they were soon joined by the
wealthy ujarati and Parsee merchants communities. Nonetheless, Bombay
remained the least impotrant o the three Presidencies and its boom came at
the end o the 19 centuyr ater the company had let.