yielding $3,000,000 annually, and they in return engaged to support a certain specified force in his dominions, and to defend him from all aggressions from the Mahrattas or others. This subsidiary force the English were at liberty to use as they might have occasion in the event of any war. In such case he also bound himself to assist them with his own troops.

HISTORY OF BOMBAY TILL 1800.

In 1662, Charles II. married the Infanta Catharine of Portugal, and obtained the island of Bombay as part of her dowry. The king of England claimed Salsette as a dependency of Bombay, but the king of Portugal refused to allow the claims. In 1668, Charles ceded Bombay to the East India Company, and they soon removed their chief agency on the western coast of India from Surat to Bombay. The island was easily defended, and its excellent harbor made it important as a naval station. It was once besieged by the admiral of the Mogul fleet, but the island has never been taken by any hostile power since it first became an English possession. Salsette and Bassein continued in the possession of the Portuguese till 1739, when they were taken by the Mahrattas, who had possession of the coast opposite to Bombay for several hundred miles. This native power first became prominent in the history of India in the reign of Aurungzeb. When the Mogul empire fell into a state of anarchy on the death of this emperor, the Mahrattas, who for some years had been struggling for independence, commenced an aggressive warfare on all sides, and soon became the most formidable native power in India. For half a century they were united in one government under Sevajee, their first prince and his descendants. They then separated under different chiefs, who divided the original and acquired territories among them. Each of these chiefs was independent in the affairs of his own territory, and made war and peace with those around him as he pleased. But they still continued united under one nominal head, and though often at war among themselves yet like the Greek republics of old, they were ready to join their forces as often as there was any occasion for doing so against a common enemy. One of these Mahratta chiefs, Conajee Angria, had possession

of the Concan, the territory between the Ghats and the sea south from Bombay, and had nominally the rank of admiral. As his situation was unfavorable for carrying on any aggressive warfare on land, he commenced plundering such ships as he could seize. He had a fleet of ships built for this purpose, and he plundered the vessels of all nations without distinction. These ships, if attacked by any force too powerful for them, would run into some of the creeks or harbors on the coast, where they were protected by his forts. He took several vessels with rich cargoes, and became so powerful that in 1754, he took and plundered a squadron of 3 Dutch ships, one of 50 guns, one of 36 guns, and one of 18 guns. Such depredations could no longer be endured, and the government of Bombay resolved to put a stop to them. Conajee Angria was at this time at variance with the other Mahratta powers, and so when Commodore James proceeded to blockade his forts by sea, a Mahratta force proceeded from the Deckan to besiege them by land, and in this way 2 or 3 of his forts were reduced. The next year Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, (afterwards Lord Clive,) having arrived at Bombay, a more powerful expedition proceeded against Conajee Angria. Admiral Watson took command of the ships, and Colonel Clive of the land forces. They succeeded in taking Gheriah, his principal fort, with a large amount of treasure, naval and military stores, and other property of various kinds. This property, which was of great value, became prize-money and was divided among the captors.

The aggressive warfare carried on by the different Mahratta chiefs upon all the native powers not belonging to their confederacy, greatly enlarged their dominions. In 1760, the revenue paid by the people, was estimated at $45,000,000, though it was supposed that not more than $35,000,000 entered the treasury so as to be available for any of the purposes of the government. Their army, collected at the great and disastrous battle of Panniput, consisted of 55,000 cavalry in regular pay, 15,000 irregular horse, 15,000 infantry, and an efficient body of artillery with 200 guns. Their revenue, their army, and their military character, made them the first native power in India.

In 1772, Madu Row, the Peishwa and nominal head of the Mahratta empire, died without leaving any issue, and he was

succeeded by Narayan Row, a younger brother, who was soon after assassinated. After his death, two parties contended for the succession. Ragoba, who was uncle to the late Peishwa, and one of the claimants to be the acknowledged head of the Mahratta empire, made application to the government of Bombay for assistance. The Court of Directors had long been anxious to obtain the islands of Salsette and Bassein, and had instructed their governor in Bombay to obtain them in any lawful and proper way. The government of Bombay, now made a treaty with Ragoba, who ceded Salsette, Bassein, and some possessions of the Mahrattas in Gujerat to the English, in consideration of receiving certain assistance to enable him to obtain the office of Peishwa. And having heard that the Portuguese government in Goa was preparing to make an effort for recovering these islands, the government of Bombay at once took possession of them. The governor-general and supreme council in Bengal now interfered, and expressing their strong disapprobation of the proceedings of the government of Bombay, sent an embassy from Calcutta to Poona. And soon after this, despatches from the Court of Directors were received by the Bombay government, in which they approved of the treaty made with Ragoba. It was finally compromised that the English should retain Salsette, and the Mahrattas should have Bassein.

But this peace was of short duration. Neither the government of Bombay, nor of Calcutta, nor the Court of Directors, were satisfied with the terms on which matters had been adjusted. The state of parties among the Mahrattas was continually changing, and a man named St. Lubin having arrived at Poona in the pretended character of an ambassador from France, great anxiety began to be felt by the English, on account of supposed French influence among the Mahrattas. These circumstances soon led to a renewal of hostilities, and it was resolved that a force should proceed from Bengal to Poona, there to meet one which was to proceed from Bombay. The force from Bombay amounting to about 4,000 men, proceeded into the Deckan, and on reaching Tullagaum, 18 miles from Poona, they found an army of 50,000 men to oppose their further progress. Some skirmishing took place, and the English feeling unable to contend with such a force, formed the purpose to

return to Bombay. No sooner had they commenced their retreat, than furious attacks were made upon their rear, and 300 men and 15 English officers were soon killed. They had now no resource but negotiation, which resulted in an agreement called the Convention of Wurgaum, and they were permitted to return quietly to Bombay, thus terminating the most unhappy expedition hitherto in the history of British India.

The army which was proceeding from Bengal into the Deckan under Gen. Goddard, met with some unexpected difficulties and delays, and on hearing that the force which was to proceed from Bombay to coöperate with them had returned back, Gen. Goddard proceeded into Gujerat. Here he took Ahmedabad and several other large places, and surprised and routed the united forces of Scindia and Holkar, two Mahratta chiefs. He then proceeded to lay siege to Bassein, which surrendered before the close of the year. Hostilities having commenced between Hyder Ali and the English in the southern part of India, it became important to bring the war with the Mahrattas to a close as soon as possible. In these circumstances, General Goddard resolved to proceed into the Deckan with his army. He marched as far as the Bhore Ghat, about 50 miles east from Bombay, but finding greater difficulties and more discouraging circumstances than he expected, he returned to Bombay, though not without suffering considerable loss from attacks on his rear. But in some other parts of the Mahratta country, the English were eminently successful. Major Popham, with a force of 2,400, proceeded from Bengal into the territory of Scindia, and took the fort of Lahar after a severe struggle. He then resolved upon the yet more adventurous enterprise of attempting to take Gwalior, one of the strongest forts in India. This fort is erected on the top of a mountain of rock, and is supposed to be inaccessible on all sides. It had always been regarded in wars among the native powers as impregnable, and at this time it had a garrison of 1,000 men. Major Popham, after carefully inspecting the fort, resolved to make an attempt to seize it by escalade. The attempt was made in the night on a part where no danger was apprehended. The garrison surrendered with but little resistance, and in the morning the English flag was waving over the fort. The daring nature and success of this

attack produced a deep impression upon the native mind. It was thought best to follow up the success, and accordingly General Carnac proceeded with a yet larger force into the dominions of Scindia, where he was joined by Major Popham. General Carnac suffered much for want of provisions, and was obliged to retire from Seronge, but near Mehidpoor he made an attack on the army of Scindia, and dispersed them with great loss of troops and baggage. These victories produced a state of feeling favorable to peace on the part of the Mahrattas, and the English were also desirous of it, as all their resources were required for the war with Hyder Ali. After much negotiation with the different Mahratta chiefs, a general peace with all the confederacy was made, which is generally known in Indian history as the treaty of Salbye. By this treaty, Ragoba renounced all claim to the dignity of Peishwa; he was to receive from the Mahratta government a fixed sum annually for his support, and was allowed to choose his own place of residence.

HISTORY OF INDIA FROM 1800-1850.

At the commencement of the present century, the British power had become paramount in India. In the southern part of the peninsula were several native princes more or less independent, but no one of them, and no combination that could be formed among them, would be equal in power and resources to the English government in Madras. In the Deckan, and Central India, were two of the largest remaining native powers, namely, the Nizam, and the Mahrattas. And the former of these, whose capital was Hyderabad, had entered into a treaty with the English, by which he ceded to them territory (all he had obtained in the partition of the kingdom of Mysore), yielding $3,000,000 annually, and they in return engaged to support a large subsidiary force in his dominions, and "to defend them from every aggression." By the same treaty he had also engaged "neither to make war, nor so much as to negotiate by his own

* Such subsidiary forces consisted partly of Europeans and partly of native troops, but all were under the control of European officers, and the whole force was to be under the control of the English government, or of their agents in the native government where this force was stationed.