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When Lord Mornington entered upon his duties as governor-general, in May 1798, the whole peninsula was in a condition of ferment. In the Mahratta country, one of the most remarkable exhibitions of the game of plot and counterplot had for some time been going forward, and threatened grave complications. In the Deccan, the nizam was inclined to be mischievous; while further, foiled though not subdued, was the restless Tippoo, cherishing all the bitterness of a vengeful spirit, and intriguing to bring about a combination which should be powerful enough to carry out the favourite scheme of his ambitious sire, and drive the English into the sea. To add to the dangers which such a state of things portended, a war was at the time raging between the English and their old enemy in Europe; and the French had taken the opportunity this circumstance afforded them, of entering the arena and swelling the volume of difficulties with which the new governor-general had to grapple.

In fact, Tippoc had entered into an alliance with the French; and there was every reason for supposing that he would obtain the services of a contingent of some 80,000 or 90,000 men to increase the formidable array of well-disciplined, well-officered troops which he of himself was able to bring into the field; and he had only to gain over the ever-changeable Mahrattas to his side, to render the effect overwhelming. The Madras government had no force by which they could hope to meet such a combination, and in this perplexity, therefore, Lord Mornington had no course open to him but to contract alliances. By the aid of Meer Allum, the minister at Hyderabad, he procured the dismissal of the nizam's French contingent; and thus a highly disciplined force of 15,000 men was prevented from entering the service of his enemies against him.

Lord Mornington had come out, as his predecessors had done, with the strict injunctions of the directors to avoid hostilities where possible; but the danger that threatened English interests were so apparent, and so serious, that the peaceful tone of Leadenhall Street was

changed, and the new governor-general was consequently able to pursue a warlike policy fearless of all blame, except such as mismanagement or failure might entail. This was the period of Buonaparte's expedition into Egypt-a movement fraught with extreme peril to British dominion in India; and Lord Mornington was therefore resolved either to appease their great enemy, or to crush him before matters should be past remedy. The governor at first had recourse to negotiation; but Tippoo, who was then actually in correspondence with Buonaparte, as also with the Afghan chieftain, Reman Shah, had recourse to evasion. Lord Mornington persevered with his overtures, and supported his demands with a threat of war. Tippoo, with that dauntless courage so characteristic of him, manfully took up his enemy's gauntlet;

and thus hostilities commenced.

The English forces were by this time considerably augmented; and two well-equipped corps, under Generals Harris and Stuart respectively, were at once brought into the field (1799). The season was favourable for military operations; and it was hoped that Tippoo's capital might be captured before the heavy rains should come to swell the waters of the Cauvery. Tippoo was not long in discovering how formidable an army his adversaries had brought against him. Nevertheless, his proud spirit could not suffer him to give in-at least, at this early point; and he kept the field, not without a hope, however faint, that something might happen to alter the position of affairs. His forces, beaten in the field, retreated step by step, till at length no other course was left him but to retire to his fortified capital of Seringapatam.

Here his despair culminated; but, defiant, even in the face of certain destruction, he haughtily refused the terms of General Harris, and resolved to die like a soldier. A breach having been effected in the walls, the place was gallantly carried by General Baird, an officer who had spent much of his time in the dungeons of the town; and that in spite of a most determined resistance on the part of the garrison. Tippoo himself took part in the

defence of the place; and, a man of war from his youth, he died, as he had ever lived-a proud and dauntless soldier. The British losses were heavy, but the issue was an important one, and it was therefore not regretted. As a reward for his services, Lord Mornington was created Marquis Wellesley; while General Harris was raised to the peerage.

The Mysorean dominion, as established by Hyder Ally, was now reduced to its former circumscribed dimensions. The acquisitions of Hyder were made over to the nizam and the Mahrattas; while a territory of some 20,000 square miles was added to the British possessions. A representative of the old rajah, a mere boy, was taken from the confinement in which he, with the family, had long lingered, and placed upon the throne. It is gratifying to reflect that the sins of Tippoo were not visited upon the heads of his offspring; for an allowance was made them from the treasury adequate to their comfortable support.

Having broken the power of Mysore, Lord Wellesley directed his attention to various minor dangers with which British interests in India were at this time threatened. He began with the Carnatic. This province had, owing to the equivocal character of its government, proved a source of weakness during the struggle with Hyder Ally. The Mysorean prince overran its territory and carried havoc to its towns and villages unchecked. In the recent war with Tippoo, some alarm had been felt, inasmuch as its nabob, never well-disposed towards the English, was supposed to be intriguing with their enemy. To prevent further apprehension, the nabob was called upon to surrender the administration of the affairs of government to the English, and to accept, as an equivalent for his loss of dignity and revenue, an allowance from the exchequer of the country. After considerable difficulty, this mode of settlement was agreed to; and, for the future, the affairs of the Carnatic were directed by the Council of Madras (1801).

The governor's next business was with Oude. It had

been fondly hoped that the establishment of this territory, under British supervision, would operate as a check upon the encroachments of the Mahrattas and other western nations. So far from this, however, its existence in its present condition was rather a source of danger than protection to the British dominions. Its army was demoralised, its revenues decaying, and its absorption into the territories of the Mahrattas or the Afghans, was an event apparently not far distant. Lord Wellesley now made a similar proposition with regard to the future administration of this province, as he had done concerning the Carnatic, and requested that the effete army of the vizier should be disbanded, and an English contingent maintained for its defence. The vizier temporised, then refused, and at length spoke of abdication. The affairs of the territory were ultimately settled (1801) upon the basis proposed by the governor; and Oude, like the Carnatic, was virtually added to the rapidly increasing dominions of Britain in India.

I

CHAPTER XVII.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE MARQUIS WELLESLEY.

(Continued).

Disturbed Condition of the Peninsula-Scindia and HolkarTreaty of Bassein-Second Mahratta War-General Wellesley's Campaign-Victory of Assaye-General Lake's Movements - Restoration of the Emperor - Treaty of Sirjee Anjengaom--Holkar's Movements-His Success-Bhurtpoor Besieged-Review of Lord Wellesley's Services-His Recall -Lord Cornwallis Governor-general a Second Time-Temporary Reign of Sir George Barlow-Death of Holkar.

THE most uncompromising enemy of Britain in India, Tippoo Sahib, was now at rest for ever; and yet it seemed as if his spirit were still abroad. The collapse of his empire brought no peace to India, for, to say nothing of such minor conflicts as that of Colonel Wellesley with the freebooting horsemen of Dhondia, the Mysorean war was followed by a conflict not less arduous than that with Tippoo, equally favourable to British arms, and perhaps more momentous as regards results—namely, the second Mahratta war.

This Mahratta conflict, indeed, was a consequence of the Mysorean struggle, and arose out of the distribution of Tippoo's territory. The Mahrattas, as has already been stated, were a powerful nation; and, had they been as united as they were brave and skilful in military matters, it is quite within the bounds of probability that they would long have remained an independent state, dividing with our countrymen a dictatorial influence over neighbouring provinces. In Nana Furnawees, they possessed a statesman of consummate ability; in the miscreant Ghatgay, they had one of the most terror-inspiring and

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