Clive and the Company's Fire-Arms

Summary

Focusing on military supply, this article reveals that the East India Company’s troops were equipped with poor‑quality fire‑arms during Clive’s tenure. Arms procured from unapproved suppliers were badly produced and ill‑finished; the metal was not properly tempered for India’s climate, leading to frequent breakdowns. Clive proposed several remedies: purchasing weapons from government‑approved manufacturers, paying higher prices for better workmanship, sending skilled iron‑founders to India and ordering a large initial supply followed by annual consignments. Despite these sensible suggestions, the Company directors refused to invest more money, and the quality of arms remained substandard. The article uses this case to illustrate the penny‑pinching attitudes and logistical problems that plagued early British military operations in India.