miles along the coast, and twenty miles inland. In these successes Clive had the master hand and the lion's share.
Mr.
Pigott, at Madras, after coquetting for possession of the Northern
Circass (conceded both by Nizam Ali and Basalat Jung), found he had
plunged the whole possessions of the Company on the Coromandel coast
into most serious difficulties. He returned to England, and was created
an Irish Peer, in consequence of having prudently given up his design
to lead the Madras forces to re-conquer Calcutta, in favour of Colonel
Clive ; and Sir John Lindsay arrived at Madras as governor in quick
succession to him. Sir Robert Hartland assumed the high powers with
which he was invested, and forthwith Madras and Tanjore were involved
in hostilities. Sir Robert Fletcher was restored to the chief command,
and Mr. Warren Hastings was brought from Madras, and succeeded to the
chair of the Council of Bengal, 1772. The attack on the Rohillas
followed.
The
conquest of Tanjore was condemned at home by the Court of Directors,
who removed Mr. Wynch, the Governor of Madras, and re-appointed Lord
Pigott. But Lord Pigott, determining to rule without, and in despite of
his Council, was put under confinement by his own Council; and the
governor, weakened by the climate and irritated by the opposition,
died the prisoner of those over whom he had been appointed to preside,
1776.
How Lord Pigott obtained possession of this gem called the " Pigott" is not clear, and when any
