been a seaport. For two centuries, Cuddalore was subject to several foreign powers including the Netherlands, Portugal, France, and the British. Until 1758 Cuddalore was the capital to the South Indian territories which were under British control. Britain ruled a more significant part of South India (entire Tamil Nadu, parts of present Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka) from this fort (St. David). In the early 17th century, the Dutch obtained permission from the ruler of Cuddalore to build a fort there, but political pressure from their Portuguese rivals forced them to abandon it. Later, the French and English came to Cuddalore for trade and business. The French established a settlement up the coast at Pondicherry in 1674, followed in 1690 by Fort St. David's British colony at Cuddalore. During the 18th century, various wars between the European powers spilt over to their colonial empires, and their allies, including those in the Indian subcontinent. During this period the French and British fought several times in the area. In 1746, during First Carnatic War, part of the Austrian Succession War, French forces besieged the British at Fort St. David for several months before being driven off in 1747. In 1758, during the Seven Years' War, the French took the fort, and there was an inconclusive naval action, the Battle of Cuddalore, off the coast. The fort was later abandoned, in 1760, when the British attacked Pondicherry. In 1782, during the Second Anglo-Mysore War, the French again took Cuddalore at the time of the American War of Independence and were besieged there in 1783 by the British. During the siege French and British naval forces again clashed off the Cuddalore coast. The siege failed, but the fort was returned to the British in 1795. There were five different naval actions off the coast during this period, all of which were indecisive. Some Cuddalore streets retain their British names, such as Clive Street, Wellington Street, Sloper Street, Canning Street, Rope Street (Rope Street, Wellington Street, Sloper Street and Canning Street jointly known as Salangukara Village), Lawrence Road and Imperial Road. The Cuddalore Central Prison, opened in 1865, is a historically significant landmark. Subramania Bharati and other political leaders served prison terms there. Tsunami waves that followed the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake near Sumatra hit India's eastern coast on 26 December 2004 at 8:32 a.m. (IST), resulting in 572 casualties. Several fishing hamlets disappeared, while