POLITICAL CONFUSION IN BENGAL 183

still commercial; and as soon as they found themselves irresistible, they began to monopolize the whole trade in some of the most valuable products of the country. By investing themselves with political attributes with- out discarding their commercial character, they pro- duced an almost unprecedented conjunction which en- gendered intolerable abuses and confusion in Bengal. This is the only period of Anglo-Indian history which throws grave and unpardonable discredit on the English name. During the six years from 1760 to 1765, Clive's absence from the country left the Company 's affairs in the hands of incapable and inexperienced chiefs, just at the moment when vigorous and states- manlike management was urgently needed. That Clive himself clearly foresaw that the system would not an- swer and would not last, is shown by his letter written to Pitt in 1759, in which he suggested to the Prime Minister the acquisition of Bengal in full sovereignty by the English nation, promising him a net revenue of two millions sterling. In the meantime, he had done what he could to revive internal order and had forced the Delhi prince to evacuate the province. The Dutch in Bengal, who naturally watched Eng- lish proceedings with the utmost jealousy and alarm, were secretly corresponding with the Nawab and had brought over from Batavia a large body of troops. When their armed ships were prohibited by the English from ascending the river, they began hostilities, and were totally defeated by Colonel Forde in an action described by Olive's report as " short, bloody, and