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Why did Job Charnock choose the site of Calcutta for an English East India Company trading post?
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Kolkata
Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata, India.
Job Charnock selected the site of Calcutta (now Kolkata) for an English East India Company trading post in 1690 after facing conflicts with Mughal officials at the river port of Hugli.12
The location was strategically chosen for several reasons:
- Defensive Geography: The site offered natural protection, with the Hugli (Hooghly) River to the west, a creek to the north, and salt lakes to the east.2
- Navigational Advantage: Unlike the port of Hugli, where access from the sea was threatened by rival European settlements, the river at Calcutta was wide and deep, providing a secure, deep-water anchorage.23
- Commercial Potential: The area was already inhabited by local merchants who had migrated from the silted-up port of Satgaon. Their presence and established trade networks likely influenced Charnock’s decision to settle there.2
While the site was considered unhealthy due to surrounding marshes and swamps, its defensive and logistical advantages made it a suitable replacement for the company's previous operations.2