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Mss Eur Orme OV.290

Record Id:

040-003677765

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-002305428

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100104451211.0x000001

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Mss Eur Orme OV.290

Title:

Letters from Admiral Pocock

Scope & Content:

p [i]. List of Contents of Vols. 290, 291 and 292. p. [iii]. Endorsement as follows :- Letters from Admiral Pocock. Original.

1, pp. 1-3 (22.5 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Fort St. George, 6 March 1758, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Says that things are quiet in the Carnatic, but that Lally is expected, and that the Nawab of Arcot thinks his own position is not so flourishing as that of Mir Jafar, Nawab of Bengal.
2, pp. 7-10 (31 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Madrass Road, 12 June 1758, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Gives some details of the recent action with M. d'Aché, and says that a Court Martial is being held on certain officers who did not do their duty.
3, pp. 13-16 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Madrass Road, 22 June 1758, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Encloses a memorandum of news (see No. 4 below) brought by Mr. Lewen Smith from Pulicat; says that the French officers are said to be betting that Madras will be besieged before the end of the month, which is unlikely as Lally is by no means strong enough; that the Court Martial is going on slowly, and has dismissed Captain Vincent of the Weymouth; that Madras is still unfortified.
4, p. 17 (31.5 x 19 cm.). A paper sent by Mr. Lewen Smith. Copy. Enclosed in No.3 above, and containing various items of European and French news.
5, pp. 21-24 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Carical, 12 August 1758, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Gives an account of an action with M. d'Aché; says that it is reported that Lally has got into trouble at Tanjore, and that Captain Caillaud has sent Muhammad Yusuf Khan with a force to relieve the town; that the fortifications at Madras are completed.
6, pp. 27-30 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Fort St. George, 8 Sept. 1758, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Thinks that Fort St. David ought to have made a much better defence; says that Lally's failure at Tanjore has been a serious blow to him, and that Clive's project [? Forde's expedition to the Northern Circars] will put him to great difficulties if he does not receive large reinforcements from France; that the country people all side with the English; that the French are so distressed for money that they have seized a Dutch ship, and that the Dutch are very friendly to the English; urges him to push on the making of a Dock at Calcutta.
7, pp. 33-36 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Fort St. George, 8 Sept. 1758, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Thinks that the French at Vizagapatam are not strong enough to oppose the force sent with Forde, the arrival of which will divert a part of Lally's army; says that the Dutch are the greatest storytellers he has ever met with, and announces his immediate departure from the Coast.
8, pp. 39-42 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth,'" Madrass Road, 4 Oct. 1758, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Regrets that the English have had to withdraw their forces from Trichinopoly to protect Madras, as now the former town can easily be taken by Lally, in which case the English will lose all the revenues of Trichinopoly, Madura, and Tinnevelly; says that the fortifications of Madras are now completed; that M. d'Aché has left the Coast, and that Pocock hopes to be able to refit at Bombay.
9, pp. 45-48 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Bombay, 11 Feb. 1759, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Thinks Lally's attack on Madras a very rash one considering the number of his men; says that he is repairing his ships; that he hears that an expedition is starting for Surat.
10, pp. 49-51 (31 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," in Bombay Harbour, 27 March 1759, f rom George Pocock to the [Council, Bengal]. Duplicate. Says that he expects to sail shortly for Madras, and that the expedition against Surat has been successful; urges the making of a proper Dock at Calcutta.
11, pp. 57-60 (22.5 x 18.3 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Bombay, 28 March 1759, from George Pocock to [Clive]. Original. Hopes that King's troops will be sent to India to enable the Company to expel the French altogether; regrets to hear that so many of the Company's officers in Bengal are discontented and quitting the service.
12, pp. 63-66 (23 x 18.5 cm.), Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Negapatam Road, 25 May 1759, from George Pocock to [Clive]. Original. Recommends a ship-captain, Captain Denn, to his favour; says that all the bread sent from Calcutta has gone bad, owing to the damp weather in that place; that he has given orders to sell the Kent; asks how the Docks are getting on; expects the arrival of the French fleet, but mentions that the French do not keep their men so well on long voyages as the English do; says that he always thought Lally's attempt against Madras unwise; that Mr. Pigot's conduct has been very meritorious; that Captain Latham has gone home.
13, pp. 67-68 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Negapatam Road, 25 May 1759, from George Pocock to [Clive]. Original. Hears that the Grand Magazine at Pondicherry has blown up.
14, pp. 71-74 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Negapatam Road, 13 June 1759, from George Pocock to [Clive]. Original. Says that he is still waiting for the French fleet, which he fears has gone to waylay the English merchant ships; that Lally's losses in the siege of Madras have reduced his force to an equality with the English; regrets that Colonel Draper has resigned and gone home: "as for our friend the Old Colonel [i.e., Lawrence] he has served the Company well, but his advanced age must make him unable to go through the fatigues of the field"; that Mr. Krog, Governor of Tranquebar, who was much attached to the French, is dead, and that the Danish Council now seems favourable to the English; that the Weymouth has been struck by lightning.
15, pp. 75-76 (23 x18.5 cm.). Letter dated “Yarmouth," Negapatam Road, 30 June 1759, from George Pocock to [Clive]. Original. Regrets the loss of the Grantham, which carried home all the packets and papers regarding the last campaign. Possibly this accounts for the fact that there is no copy in the India Office of the official Journal of the Siege.
16, pp. 79-82 (23 x 18.5 cm.) Letter, dated "Yarmouth,'' off Fryer’s Wood, 7 July 1759, from George Pocock to Clive. Original.
17, pp. 83-84 (32 x 20 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth" at Sea, 3 August 1759, from George Pocock to the Council, Bengal. Duplicate. Asks their reasons for refusing to provide storehouses for the King's provisions and stores.
18, pp. 87-90 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Negapatam Road, 1 August 1759, from George Pocock to [Clive]. Original. Says that the French fleet has not yet arrived, and he fears that it has divided into small bodies to intercept the English commerce; asks what Clive thinks about the rumoured Dutch expedition from Batavia, on account of the Dutch having been deprived of their share in the Bengal saltpetre, and suggests the possibility that the Dutch intend to make reprisals on the French; that the Dutch Governor, "Van Eck is very obliging to us, and has no kind of affection towards the French" ; that Lally has "not only destroyed his small army before Fort St. George, but it is with the utmost difficulty he can keep the remains from deserting to us."
19, pp. 93-96 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Negapatam Road, 22 August 1759, from George Pocock to [Clive]. Original. Gives some details of the Dutch expedition from Batavia, which is now at Negapatam, and incidentally mentions the armament of the English Company's ships to be 26 guns; [see James' Naval History, III. 253] does not wish to fight the Dutch, nor supposes that Clive wishes to do so either, but has sent on all the troops arriving from England; says that Lieut.-Colonel Roussel "is a Swiss, advanced pretty well in years, and has been in the French service in these parts, I think at Pondicherry in your time, probably [he] is a good officer"; it is impossible to get any trustworthy news from the Dutch, even from Van Eck, "who is really a well behaved man to us and seems much to hate the French"; the French fleet still not arrived.
20, pp. 99-102 (21.5 x 18 cm.). Letter, dated "Yarmouth," Madrass Road, 29 Sept. 1759, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Gives some details of his victory over D'Aché on the 10th September. "Baron Van Eck has been very obliging to us. I wish all Dutchmen disliked the French as much as he does."
21, pp. 105-108 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter dated Fort St. George, 13 October 1759, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Says that he has seen the ruins of Fort St. David; hopes that the Company will send out 2,000 Regular troops; hears that a great many of the French officers have gone home and no new ones arrived; that M. Lally "is a very free-spoken Gent. I think he must be a good soldier having seen so much service, and he would not have had the posts he has in the Army without being esteemed a good officer"; hopes to meet Clive in England, and, if possible, will send the Royal George for him.
22, p. 109 (23 x 18.5 cm.) Letter, dated 15 October --, from George Pocock to Clive. Original. Says that he has left the Royal George to be sent for him if he requires her, otherwise she is to be sent to Bombay.

Collection Area:

India Office Records and Private Papers

Project / Collection:

India Office Private Papers

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002305428
033-003394094
040-003677765

Is part of:

Mss Eur Orme : Robert Orme papers.
Mss Eur Orme OV. : Orme Various

Mss Eur Orme OV.290 : Letters from Admiral Pocock

Hierarchy:

032-002305428[0001]/033-003394094[0261]/040-003677765

Container:

View / search within Archive / Collection: Mss Eur Orme

Record Type (Level):

File

Extent:

1 part, pp. [iii], 112.

Digitised Content:

Languages:

English

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1758

End Date:

1759

Date Range:

1758-1759

Era:

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Physical Characteristics:

Dimensions: Various sizes, up to 32 x 20 cm.

Binding: Vellum-bound volume. The part is bound with numbers 291 and 292.

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)