How did the Hugli River help protect the early English settlement at Calcutta?

The Hugli (Hooghly) River served as a critical natural defense for the early English settlement at Calcutta, which was established by Job Charnock in 1690.1

The river protected the settlement by acting as a natural barrier on its western side. By positioning the trading post at this location, the English ensured that their access from the sea remained secure, unlike the situation at the port of Hugli, where rival European settlements were situated further up the river on the west bank. Additionally, the river at the site of Calcutta was notably wide and deep, providing a strategic advantage for the East India Company as they established their operations. This natural protection, combined with other geographical features like a northern creek and eastern salt lakes, made the site a carefully selected choice for the company's base.1