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Following the death of 9http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tukkoji Tukkoji], Rajah of [[Tanjore]] there was a struggle for the succession. The British hoped to extend their influence on the Coromandel Coast and agreed to help Shahji Shahuji, one of the claimants, recover the throne of Tanjore. Towards the end of March 1749 they sent Captain Cope with 430 Europeans and some artillery overland and battering cannon by sea. This expedition was forced to retire and on 27 May Major Lawrence Stringer, with Capt. Scrimsour and Capt Dalton left Fort St David by sea on the ships Exeter and Harwich. They captured the fort of Devikottai but then concluded a treaty with Pratap Singh the incumbent Rajah. Under this they kept the fort and pensioned off Shahji.