92

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH COMPANIES oping into a fine town of seventy thousand inhabitants. This settlement had been established in 1674 by Fran- c,ois Martin, who built the town, acquired the lands adjoining, and brought Pondicherri to such a high de- A PAGODA AT PONDICHERRI. gree of solid prosperity during twenty-five years of wise and courageous administration from 1681 to 1706 though from 1693 to 1697 the place was in the posses- sion of the Dutch that he is regarded by some French writers as the true founder of French India. From 1735 to 1740, the capital and dividends of the