Cartier- Governor of Bengal, 1769-1772 (An Old and Rare Book)

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Mr. John Cartier succeeded Mr. Harry Verest Governor of Bengal, on 24 December, 1769. A man of eirdinary enlibre as Cartier was, he could not overcome the elificulties with which he was beset when he took charge of the Government. On 13 April, 1772 he had to quit his office.

Though Cartier does not occupy any conspicuous place in the British period of Indian history there is no dearth of important events that took place during his rule. The Maratha hordes that burst upon the Gangetic plain in the beginning of 1770 posed a threat to Bihar, if not to Bengal. The French were trying to regain the power which they had lost in Bengal, but they were building castle on sands. The revenue administration was reorganised by the establishment of Councils of Revenue at Murshidabad and Patna and ultimately by instituting the Controlling Committee of Revenue. But the great famine of 1770 which constitutes the most important event of Cartier's rule, exposed the abuses and corruption which had accumulated during the Double Government and eaten into the vitals of the Company's administration.

Twenty-seven years ago I felt that these were sufficient materials for writing a monograph on Cartier's administration. which I completed after two years' labour. The monograph was entitled 'A glimpse of the administration of the East India Company, 1769-1772'. It was submitted for the Griffith Memorial Prize of the University of Calcutta, which was awarded to me in 1945.

Some portions of it were read in the different sessions of the Indian History Congress and were printed in their Proceedings. One chapter, monopoly of grain during the famine of 1770, was printed in the Indian Historical Quarterly (June, 1945).

The year 1757 which saw the defeat of Siraj-ud-daulah and his subsequent death also saw the beginning of a new trade of Nawab-making in Bengal by the Council at Fort William. No sooner had Siraj been defeated than Mir Jafar who had played a very ignoble part in bringing about his downfall was raised to the masnad by Clive. Mir Jafar's exchequer was in a depleted condition, but still he had to pay more than fifty-five lakhs in cash and jewels which was half the amount which Mir Jafar had promised to pay to the English Company. Besides this, more than forty-six lakhs of rupees was paid as presents to the members of the Council including Clive. The Company also received from the Nawab the Zamindari of 24-Parganas.

After Clive's departure in 1760, Mir Jafar's pitiable condition evoked sympathy in the minds of the common people. His treasury was exhausted and his troops mutinied for arrears of pay, but the Council at Fort William would not forego the remainder of the amount which Mir Jafar had not even then paid. The demands of the conspirators had yet to be satisfied. Mir Jafar was a figure-head, the real power after the battle of Plassey had passed to the English Company. Taking advan- tage of the great power which the Company had gained, its servants began to exploit the internal trade of the country at the cost of the Nawab by making extensive abuse of dastaks (permits). With his treasury emptied and deprived of his income from the internal trade of the country, the Nawab was unable to meet the expenses of his army which was con- stantly engaged in suppressing the internal revolts and meeting the external threats. But the Council at Fort William was relentless in pressing him for money. As Mir Jafar was unable to pay the money and meet the various demands, the Council at Fort William entered into a secret agreement with Mir Qasim, the son-in-law of Mir Jafar. By this agreement it was settled that Mir Qasim was to be appointed deputy Subahdar with an assurance that he would succeed Mir Jafar to the Subahdari.