He wrote, in 1758, to M.de Leyrit, Governor of Pondicherry, "Sir, this letter shall be an eternal secret between you and me, if you furnish me with the means of terminating my enterprise.

I left you a hundred thousand livres of my own money to help you to meet the expenditure it requires.

I have not found so much as a hundred sous in your purse and in that of all your council; you have both of you refused to let me employ your credit.

I, however, consider you to be all of you under more obligation to the Company than I am, who have unfortunately the honor of no further acquaintance with it than to the extent of having lost half my property by it in 1720.

If you continue to leave me in want of everything and exposed to the necessity of presenting a front to the general discontent, not only shall I inform the king and the Company of the fine zeal testified for their service by their employees here, but I shall take effectual measures for not being at the mercy, during the short stay I desire to make in this country, of the party spirit and personal motives by which I see that every member appears to be actuated to the risk of the Company in general." In the midst of this distress, and in spite of this ebullition, M.de Lally led his troops up in front of Madras; he made himself master of the Black Town.