The residents of Bengal under the Nawab’s rule were not the only ones worried. The proximity of the Marathas was noted by the British at Kolkata. They held a meeting on 22 April 1742 at the old Fort William and decided “to take steps for the defence and security of the place”, and ordered “William Holcombe, John Lloyd and Edward Frederick Reade, Gunner, taking with them John Alliffe, Surveyor, to go around the town and take a careful and particular survey of the same.”
Two days later, the survey party gave a report recommending the formation of seven batteries, extending from the north. They advised placing six guns at Seth’s garden, another battery of four guns at Sutaniti point, and a third battery at Jackson’s Ghat. Four more batteries were recommended, two in the east and two to the south, with connected ditches and earth works. By July 1742, these were completed, and further works were planned for which permission from the Court of Directors in London was sought.
In addition, the ‘Kolkata’ sloop was ordered to stand on guard at Perrins Gardens “off which place he is to lay to prevent any party of the Marathas from crossing the river thereabouts and to give us the most timely notice should such an attempt be made.”
The British found it difficult to build a proper wall to protect the city. Guns and parapets were suggested and some of the work begun. Fresh Lascars were recruited and a militia comprising some of the inhabitants was formed. Some bastions were also erected around their factory at Qasim Bazar nearly two hundred kilometres north, and just a few kilometres from Murshidabad.
In May 1742, they summoned Mr Forrestie, an engineer at Patna, to come to Kolkata and advise them about the best way to fortify Kolkata. On 29 July 1742, after a seventeen-day journey from Patna Mr Forrestie arrived to advise on the fortifications. On his arrival, “Forrestie represented that in the way down from Patna, being seized by the Marathas near Nadia, he lost to the amount of three hundred Madras rupees.”
His loss was subsequently reimbursed by the Company Board at Kolkata. Forrestie made his recommendations in November 1742 but were considered too expensive and it was found that in some parts the soft soil would not permit such a construction. Not long after, on 21 March 1743, he was discharged from the Company service stating, “Mr Forrestie may be an ingenious skilful engineer, but we don’t see any occasion that we have for him, such persons have generally expensive schemes in their heads, therefore he must be discharged from our service.”
With Forrestie discharged – or dismissed – the batteries, the sloops and the parapets did not inspire sufficient confidence in the local merchants who traded with the Company. Ten days after Forrestie was dismissed, on 31 March 1743, “Several merchants and inhabitants of Kolkata propose to the Board at their own expense to dig a Ditch twenty-one covids (generally taken at 18 inches, being the length of the arm from the elbow to the top of the middle finger) wide from the battery at the prison round the Company’s bounds as far as the Chowkies beyond Perrins Gardens… they also desire for the present that twenty-five thousand rupees may be advanced out of the Honourable Company’s cash to begin the work. Vishnudas Seth, Ramakrishna Seth, Rasbihari Seth, and Amin Chand engaging to repay the same in three months.”
This was permitted. The Company agreed and contributed twenty-five thousand rupees for a Ditch “fourty-two yards wide from the battery of the prison round the Company’s bounds as far as the Chowkies beyond Perrin’s Garden.”
Soon, the batteries vanished, and the Ditch was built – and remained for forty years. It was called the Maratha Ditch.
The Marathas eventually never attacked Kolkata. The Ditch was to be seven miles long and in six months, about three miles were completed. The remainder was never completed as it was found the Marathas did not plan to attack the city. Parts of the canal are extant near Bag Bazar in Kolkata even today, near the Maratha Ditch Lane.
It was not like this campaign by Bhaskarpant ended in these five months. The atrocities the Marathas committed there angered the local residents much. The hatred escalated so much that it culminated in Bhaskarram’s murder. This murder occurred later on 30 March 1744 at Khatwa. However, the veracity of the accounts contained within Maharashtra Puran is yet to be confirmed.
To be continued…
NDHistories 