With the object of expelling the French from the Deccan, the English Government sent out to Bombay a force of seven hundred men, to act against Bussy, in concert with the Mahratta Government.

The command was to be taken by Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, the Company's engineer-general at Madras.

The Directors had also sent Clive to Bombay to act as second in command to Scott.

But Scott had died, in the mean time, and the _Doddington_, East Indiaman, bringing the Directors' instructions to the Bombay Council, had been wrecked near the Cape.

Before the middle of November, Watson's squadron arrived, in furtherance of the Deccan project, together with James, in the _Protector_, bringing two hundred and fifty-five Bombay soldiers from Madras.