hile reading Thomas Babington Macaulay, the famous biographer of Lord Robert Clive, one also gets the idea of the way in which the officers were being monitored. Lord Clive was himself called to account to the British Parliament for his purported plundering of Bengal after his victory at the Battle of Plassey. He eloquently refuted the charges against him.

“Great princes were dependent on my pleasure; an opulent city was afraid of being given upto plunder; wealthy bankers bid against each other for my smiles; vaults piled with gold and jewels  were thrown open to me alone. By God, Mr. Chairman at this moment I stand astonished at my own moderation”.

The above are descriptive evidences of the Victorian period in India.  Today even as an average Indian, I have learned to appreciate the command, authority

and arrogance. Clive is to be admired for the command and sheer fearlessness. Interestingly, he is later said to have carried back large treasures from India. I am told there exists a museum “Stolen treasures from India” run by his clan. Rare treasures, brought from India by British colonial commander Robert Clive, were sold for 4.7 million pounds at an auction at Christie's. The highest price was more than 2.9 million pounds paid by an anonymous bidder for a 17th century jeweled flask which until recently was on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Cards of the Ganjifa game, a princely game in which the card decks were often made in rare materials such as ivory, mother of pearl or gold. Such treasures were, but a small part of Robert Clive’s vast booty that he “collected” in India and took home to England.

Where and how Clive acquired this treasure is not clear. As Melikian recounts, an object that seems similar to the flask is listed in the inventory of property drawn up in 1775, after Robert Clive, the so-called Conqueror of India and opium addict, committed suicide. It has belonged since to his heirs and the family property, Powis Castle in Wales. This castle was in Welsh hands until it was inherited by Sir Edward Herbert  in the 16th century. The last Herbert descendant died bankrupt, but his sister had married Robert Clive's son and the Clive fortune rescued the castle from destruction. The Fearles coward is also referred to as Lord Clive.