‘The future of India?’ Arthur mused. ‘I’ve been thinking of little else since I arrived here. Believe me, before I return home, I will have made my mark on these lands and their peoples.’

Chapter 25

Spring gave way to summer and the heat increased to stifling proportions, but Arthur continued to drill his men as often as possible until the 33rd moved with precision in response to his commands. They soon sweated off the extra weight they had gained on the voyage from England and became as fit and hardy as they had ever been. Arthur had persuaded the quartermaster at Fort William to provide his men with the lighter and looser uniforms issued to Company soldiers, but the men still grumbled under the weight of their backpacks, heavy boots and muskets.

He ordered that a firing range be set up in the fort, and once every fortnight he had the men perform a live fire drill, the sound of their muskets echoing round the fort and drawing curious glances from those not used to it.The cost of gunpowder was such that few armies anywhere in the world allowed their soldiers to discharge their weapons off the battlefield. But Arthur had no intention of putting the request for powder through official army channels. Instead, he drew on the stocks of the East India Company who had plentiful supplies of powder and ball in their Calcutta arsenal.

Naturally the quartermaster protested, and Arthur cordially invited him to write a letter of complaint to the board of directors in London, in the happy knowledge that time and distance would mean that any dispute over his actions would take years to resolve. At the same time, Arthur was writing long letters to his brother Richard, urging him to put his name forward when His Majesty’s government and the Company decided to find a replacement for Sir John Shore. He filled the pages of his letters with detailed reports on any aspect of India that might be of use to his brother: descriptions of the geography, the natural resources that England might harvest, the loyalties or otherwise of its peoples and carefully judged assessments of any Europeans who might help or hinder the expansion of British influence in the subcontinent. Most important of all Arthur outlined the threats to British influence in India which would need to be overcome before any grand vision for the future could become a reality. In addition to the resurgence of French involvement in the area, there were a number of powerful native warlords who must be reduced to client status.

In the south, there was Tipoo Sahib, ruler of Mysore, whose lands stretched to the borders of the Madras presidency and dominated the Carnatic. Tipoo had long harboured a hatred of the English, as his father had before him. His capital at Seringapatam was a strongly fortified city built on an island in the Cauvery river. It would have to be taken by storm, and that meant the creation of a practical siege train and supply system to allow the English army to operate nearly three hundred miles from Madras.

Then, in the heart of India, there was the Nizam of Hyderabad. Though the Nizam was far less hostile to English interests, he was a weak man, easily manipulated, and his army was large and well trained, principally by French mercenaries.The Nizam, like Tipoo, was being deliberately cultivated by the French who no doubt hoped to provoke both rulers into an open confrontation with England and the East India Company.

North of Hyderabad was the vast sprawl of the Mahratta confederacy, composed of kingdoms ruled by warlords at the head of huge armies of mounted warriors. Here too the French were busy building their relationships with gifts, promises and military advisers.

All three powers would have to be brought to heel, Arthur wrote to his bother, by diplomacy if possible, by force if not. But the key to success lay in fighting them one at a time. If they ever united in common interest against English forces then they must surely succeed in driving the English out of India. It was a sobering prospect, yet much had to be risked in pursuit of the vast wealth and influence that England might gain from exerting itself in India and the far east.

‘Manila?’ Arthur’s eyebrows rose. ‘That’s in the Philippines, isn’t it?’

‘Yes.’ Sir John nodded. ‘There will be a force leaving from Calcutta and another one from Madras.They’re to rendezvous at Penang before proceeding to Manila. Now that we’re at war with Spain our government wants us to extend the conflict into their colonies, and hit their trade. Manila’s their largest trading colony in the area. If we can take Manila then only the French will present us with much danger on this side of the world.’

Arthur took a sharp breath. ‘Not just the French, sir. You’ve read the reports.Tipoo is building up his forces. I can’t believe he won’t be tempted to wage war on us before too long. And if we send men to take Manila, then we’re offering him a grand opportunity to attack us when we’ll be at our weakest. In the present circumstances the last thing we should be doing is spreading ourselves too thinly.’

Sir John nodded. ‘I agree with you, Wesley. But those are my instructions from London.’

‘But they don’t know the situation here, sir. They don’t understand the risk.’

‘And you do? You’re what, twenty-seven, and a colonel. Do you really think you know better than far older and wiser heads?’

‘I am here on the ground, sir. They are ten thousand miles away. I believe my view of conditions is somewhat better than theirs.’

‘Perhaps.’ Sir John shrugged. ‘Nevertheless, we have our instructions. I’d like you to take charge of planning the operation.’

‘Me?’

‘You have a good head for detail and a flair for organisation. I’ve seen how you run the 33rd, and I’ve read your report on making greater use of the brinjarris and their bullocks. A fine piece of work, that.’ Sir John eased himself back in his chair and continued. ‘You’ll take the 33rd and two battalions of the Company’s sepoys. That’s over two thousand men. Should be more than enough to overcome the dago garrison in Manila.The Company will provide the transports and all supplies.’

Arthur made a wry smile. ‘Then I take it I will be seizing Manila in the name of the East India Company?’

‘That’s right. Now would you like the job, or not?’

‘Let us be clear, sir.You’d like me to organise the operation.’

‘Yes.’

‘Then who is to command it? Me?’

‘I haven’t decided yet.’ Sir John’s gaze flickered away from Arthur and out through the window on to the gardens below. ‘I certainly think you would be as fit a man for this command as any senior officer in India. But I will need to consult with the senior officer in the presidency, General St Leger. If we agree, then the command is yours. In the meantime, I’d be grateful if you took charge of organising the operation.’

‘Very well, sir.’ Arthur felt a surge of pride at being given such a responsibility, mingled with anxiety that he would be superseded before he was given the chance to wield the force once it was put together. He cleared his throat as he rose from his chair. ‘Thank you, sir. I promise I won’t let you down.’

Sir John nodded, without shifting his gaze from the gardens. ‘Do your duty, Colonel. That’s all anyone can ask of you.’

‘I will, sir.’

Throughout the hot months of June and July, Arthur made preparations for the capture of Manila. The Indiamen assigned to the assault force were anchored opposite the fort and their boats made available for training the 33rd in landing procedures. The redcoats sweated in the searing sunlight as they were rowed from the ships to the river bank where they disembarked as quickly as possible and formed up in their companies on the shore, ready for action. Then they were drilled for an orderly withdrawal to the boats in the event that their attack on Manila might fail. After that, the boats were rowed back to the Indiamen and the soldiers clambered up the sides of the ships, only for the entire performance to be gone through again.