THE ORIGINS OF MAHÉ (DE MALABAR)

CHAPTER IV - THE CAPTURE OF MAHÉ - DECEMBER 2/3, 1725

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The Company in France had always been aware of our difficulties, both through reports from the Conseil Supérieur and direct correspondence from M.Mollandin, and was very optimistic about Mahé. Relying on the treaty of April 2, 1721, it already believed it could export infinite quantities of pepper from the Malabar coast and thus ruin the trade of Holland and England in these regions; with this in mind, no sacrifice seemed too great to make Mahé a first-rate establishment.

It was it who, in a letter dated February 10, 1722, ordered 80 soldiers to be sent to Mahé under the orders of Sainfond de Varennes, without worrying about the local difficulties of execution. All subsequent letters were conceived in the same spirit: "Son A.R." (the Regent)," she wrote on January 16, 1723, "expressly orders you to neglect nothing to ensure this establishment, which is most important for the State and for the Company, and we urge you to contribute with all your might'. On the same date, it ordered up to 100,000 troops and more to be sent to Mahé, if possible.

When it came to shipping the boats, at the end of 1724, the Company still only knew the news of 1723, and these news were already not very reassuring. Mr. Adam was stopping our boats everywhere, but the Company saw in this obstruction only an indirect testimony to the value of our establishment, and was all the more determined not to give in. It therefore resolved to send 50 soldiers via the Badine, one of the boats about to leave, to reinforce the Mahé garrison. It also decided that the occupying company would be made up of a captain, a lieutenant, an ensign, four sergeants, four corporals, four anspessades, four drummers or fifes, 74 fusiliers, two topas corporals and eight topas soldiers, for a total of 100 men. The company also hired a highly experienced engineer, Mr. Deidier, for the construction of the fort, whom it had previously destined to command the island of Poulo-Condor.