Meanwhile, the Coolees of Guzerat had become very troublesome. In 1749,
they captured a Bengal ship with Rs.60,000 in hard cash on board, and a
cargo of nearly equal value. Their depredations continuing, the Dutch
proposed joint action against them; so, in December, 1750, a joint Dutch
and English squadron forced the defences of the Coorla River, burnt and
captured twenty-three of their vessels, and reduced them to quietness for
a time.
Toolajee had now become very powerful. From Cutch to Cochin his vessels
swept the coast in greater numbers than Conajee had ever shown, and
cruised defiantly off Bombay harbour. But for the presence of four King's
ships on the coast, Bombay trade would have suffered severely. When
Boscawen left Indian waters,[3] after receiving over Madras from the
French, he detached four ships, the _Vigilant_, Tartar_, _Ruby_, and
_Syren_, to cruise on the West coast, under Commodore Lisle. For two years,
the protection afforded by Lisle's squadron gave some security to the
Bombay coast trade. As the small sailing boats, in which the coast trade
was carried on, made their way under convoy of the King's ships, Angria's
squadrons hovered round to pick up stragglers, and several slight
encounters took place.
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