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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Calcutta
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The largest city in India, established in the 1690s by merchants of the *East India Company on one of the mouths of the Ganges (a village in the area, Kalikata, gave the town its name). In 1696 they built Fort William, the scene in 1756 of the *Black Hole of Calcutta. The expedition by *Clive to recapture the town in 1757 turned out to be the first step in Britain's military and political domination of India. Calcutta itself grew rapidly in size and importance. In 1773 it became the capital of British India, retaining that position until 1912 when the seat of government was transferred to *Delhi.
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