Bengal and Madras: it being 350 British miles from the first, and 250 from the latter; so that the troops destined to protect it, cannot be reckoned on, for any prefsing service that may arise at either presidency. The circars, in point of strictnefs, appertain partly to Golconda (or the Deccan), and partly to Orifsa; and are held of the Nizam, on condition of paying him a stipulated quit rent. When the French took possession of the five circars, in 1753, they were valued at about 43 lacks of rupees per annum. The English never possessed Guntoor, which was estimated at near 7 lacks of the above sum: so that 36 lacks (360,000l.) should be taken for the true value of the English pofsefsions in the circars. In 1784, they were reckoned to produce about that sum. It would appear that the Nizam, by retaining Guntoor, has more than an equivalent for the peshcush, or tribute, which is 5 lacks per annum.* The possessions of the Nizam, or Soubah of the Deccan (a younger son of the famous Nizam-al-Muluck), comprize the province of Golconda, that is, the ancient province of Tellingana, or Tilling, situated between the lower parts of the courses of the Kistnah and Godavery rivers; and the principal part of Dowlatabad; together with the western part of Berar, subject (as has been said before) to a tribute of a chout, or fourth part of its net revenue, to the Berar Mahratta. The Nizam has the paishwah, or Poonah Mahratta on the west and north-west: the Berar Mahratta on the north; the northern circars on the east; and the Carnatic, and Hyder Ally on the south. I am not perfectly clear in my idea of his western boundary, which, during his wars with the Mahrattas, was subject to continual fluctuation: but I understand generally that it extends more than 40 miles beyond the city of Aurungabad, westwards; and comes within 80 miles of the city of Poonah: and that on the SW it goes considerably beyond the river Beemah, and to the borders of Sanore-Bancapour. His capital is Hydrabad, or Bagnagur, situated on the Moufsi river, near the famous fortrefs of Golconda. * Guntoor has since been ceded to the East-India Company. The districts of Adoni and Rachore, which were in the hands of Bazalet Jung (brother to the Nizam) during his lifetime, are now in the hands of the Nizam. The Sourapour, or Sollapour rajah, on the west of the Beemah river, together with some other rajahs, are his tributaries. Probably the Nizam's dominions, including his tributaries and feudatories, are no lefs than 450 miles in length, from NW to SE; by 300 wide. Till he took possession of the Guntoor circar in 1780, his dominions no where touched on the sea coast. The Guntoor circar (called also Mortizanagur and Condavir) occupies the space between Condapilly, the southmost of our four circars, and the northern part of the Carnatic: extending along the sea coast of the bay of Bengal, more than 30 miles. The pofsession of this district to the English, would have been extremely eligible, as well for the purpose of shutting out the French nation from the Deccan, as to keep open a communication with the northern circars, and to preserve the continuity of our pofsessions, and those of our allies. Although the maritime parts of this circar are flat and open, yet the interior part of it contains some very strong fortresses, and posts. The Nizam took possession of it on the death of his brother Bazalet Jung, and still holds it (see the last page). It has not been in my power to obtain, even a tolerably exact account of the sum of the Nizam's revenue; or of his military establishment: the latter, however, is far from being respectable, on the score of discipline. The former has been ever varying, and generally diminishing; by reason of the encroachments of the Poonah Mahrattas, and the Mysoreans: it is said to be reduced so low as 130 lacks of rupees, annually. But besides this sum of actual revenue, it must be taken into the account, that he has depending on him, many jaghiredars, who hold their lands on the tenure of military service. The dominions of Mahomed Ally, Nabob of the Carnatic, and an ally of the East-India Company, commence on the south of the Guntoor circar, and extend along the whole coast of Coromandel to Cape Comorin. It must be understood that I mean here to include Tanjore, Marawar, Tritchinopoly, Madura, and Tinevelly; all being appendages of the Carnatic. Under this description, the Carnatic is not less than 570 British miles in length from north to south, but no where more than 120 wide, and commonly no more than 75. Such a long, narrow, tract of country, bordered by an active and powerful enemy, whose territories are, moreover, of a compact form, and his force more readily collected, must always be subject to have its distant provinces cut off from its afsistance: or if it divides its force, for their separate defence, the safety of the whole will be endangered. The Carnatic anciently comprized all that part of the peninsula that lies south of the Gondegama and Toombuddra (or Tungebadra) rivers, from the coast of Coromandel eastward, to the Gaut mountains westward, and was divided into Balla-Gaut and PayenGaut, or the upper and lower Gauts;* the former being the western part, and containing the districts which now compose the country of Tippoo; and the latter, the eastern part, or the Carnatic according to its present definition. The revenue of the nabob is stated at about a million and a half sterling, per annum: out of which he pays a subsidy of 160,000l. per annum, to the East-India Company, towards the expence of their military establishment. The evils attendant on the improvident conduct of the nabob, were severely felt during the late war, and ought to be cautiously guarded against in future. The British possessions in the Carnatic are confined, chiefly, to the tract called the Jaghire, which extends along the coast, about 108 B. miles, and 47 inland, in the widest part. Its revenue is reckoned 150,000l. Besides the Jaghire, there are lands depen * See the term Gaut, explained in page cxxviii. dent on Cuddalore; but the amount is not considerable. The whole amount of the land revenue dependent on Madras, including the circars, has been stated, in page cxiv, at 725,000l. per annum. The dominions of Tippoo Sultan, who styles himself Regent of Mysore, begin on the west of the ridge of mountains beyond Dalmacherry, Sautgud, and Attore; and extend southward to Travancore and Madura; northward to Soonda and Visiapour (enveloping Adoni, the territory of the late Bazalet Jung) north-eastward to Guntoor and Ongole; and westward to the sea. They comprehend, generally, the provinces of Mysore, Bednore, Coimbettore, Canara and Dindigul; besides his late father's conquests to the northward, which are Merritch, Soonda, Chitteldroog, Harponelly, Sanore-Bancapour, Roydroog, Gooty, Condanore, Canoul, and Cuddapah. Tippoo's present territory exceeds very considerably, both in extent and revenue, that of his rival, the Nabob of Arcot: but probably it will, for some time at least, require a prince of considerable talents, to prevent a state, composed of such discordant parts, from falling to pieces. A descendant of the Hindoo King of Mysore, whom Hyder dethroned, is living; and kept a state prisoner at Seringapatam, Tippoo's capital. He is occasionally shewn to the populace: and the circumstance of his being permitted to live, is a strong proof how much the popular prejudices prevail in favour of the family of their ancient kings. It was part of the plan of operations of the southern army, under Colonel Fullarton, in 1783, to march from Coimbettore to Seringapatam, in order to liberate this prince, and encourage the people of Mysore to throw off their allegiance from Tippoo: and it was the opinion of many sober persons that it might have succeeded, if circumstances had permitted Col. Fullarton to undertake it. The general character of Tippoo, is that of a man of high ambition: with great abilities for war and finance; cruel, to an extreme degree; and obstinately attached to his schemes. He is unquestionably the most powerful of all the native princes of Hindoostan; but the utter detestation in which he is held by his own subjects, renders it improbable that his reign will be long. His dominions are very extensive; and although the imperfect state of the geography of the western part of the peninsula, does not permit me to mark their northern boundary, yet it is pretty certain that it touches the river Kistnah, on the south of the city of Visiapour: and therefore, the extent of Tippoo's territory, or kingdom, from the valley of Ootampaliam on the south, to the Kistnah on the north (or rather NNW), cannot be less than 550 British miles. In breadth it is very unequal: in the widest place, that is, in the northern part of the peninsula, the breadth is at least 330 miles: but lefs than 150 in the parallel of Tritchinopoly; and further southward, it ends in a point. In page xcvi, its area has been compared to that of Great Britain; which is taken at 96,400 square British miles: and the country of Tippoo is supposed to contain 21 square degrees: which, in the parallel of 14°, produce about 97,650 B. miles. By the peace of 1782, Hyder was to relinquish all, but his ancient pofsefsions: how far his successor has fulfilled the terms of the treaty, I am not informed: but the term, ancient pofsefsions, was too general, or rather too vague, to be understood in any particular sense. The grofs revenue of Tippoo, has been stated at four crores of rupees, or as many millions sterling. His military establishment is very great; being no less than 72,800 regulars, including 740 Europeans, under the command of French officers: besides troops in the frontier garrisons, to the amount of 49,000. The remainder of his force, consists of irregulars of various descriptions, and amounts to 33,000, and upwards; so that the whole force of Tippoo, is reckoned 155,000: of which, near 73,000 are of a class much superior to any troops that have ever been raised and dis t |