: The natural fituation of Bengal is fingularly happy with respect to fecurity from the attacks of foreign enemies. On the north and east it has no warlike neighbours; and has, moreover, a formidable barrier of mountains, rivers, or extenfive waftes, towards those quarters, should fuch an enemy start up. On the fouth is a feacoaft, guarded by fhallows and impenetrable woods, and with only one port (and even that of difficult accefs) in an extent of three hundred miles. It is on the weft only, that any enemy is to be apprehended, and even there the natural barrier is strong; and with its population and resources, aided by the ufual proportion of British troops * in addition to the fepoy establishment, Bengal might bid defiance to all that part of Hindooftan, which might find itself inclined to become its enemy. Even in cafe of invafions, the country beyond the Ganges would be exempt from the ravages of war, and furnish supplies for the general defence. But, with the whole revenue in our poffeffion, the feat of war will probably be left to our own choice.

The late Nabob of Oude, Sujah Dowlah, poffeffed, at the time when he first became an Ally of the Eaft India Company, the whole foubah of Oude, and the greatest part of Allahabad; to which, in 1774, were added the eastern parts of Delhi and Agra, till that time poffeffed by a tribe of Afghan Rohillas, and by the Jats. The Zemindary of Benares, which includes alfo the circars of Gazypour and Chunar, conftituted a part of the dominions of

It appears that the aggregate fum of the territorial revenue of the Eaft India Company, together with the customs, falt, &c. is equal to 4,640,000l. per annum. The fubfidies from the Nabobs of Oude, and the Carnatic; and the Rajah of Tanjore; are, of course, not included in this fum. The Company's military establishment in India, in time of peace, is about 10,000 Europeans, and 52,000 regular fepoy infantry. It appears alfo, that the fum total of the fales of Eaft India and China merchandife, imported into this kingdom in one year, has amounted to five millions and a quarter fterling. Confidering the magnitude of the fums, in the above statement, one is led to fuppofe that fuch an imperium in imperio, as the English Eaft India Company; never before exifted: or, at leaft, never was created, without much greater affiftance from the collective ftrength and refources of the state, in which it was comprifed, than this Company has ever received.

It may appear paradoxical to fome perfons, but I am really of opinion that it is poffible to have too great a proportion of European troops, to fepoys, in our Indian fettle

ments.

Oude until the year 1775, when its tribute or quit rent of twenty four lacks (fince increased to forty) was transferred to the English, This Zemindary, which was lately in the hands of Cheet Sing, occupies the principal part of the space between Bahar and Oude, fo that only a small part of the territory of the latter, touches Bahar on the north-west.

f

- The dominions of Oude lie on both fides of the Ganges, occupying (with the exception of Fizoola Cawn's district of Rampour) all the flat country between that river and the northern mountains, as well as the principal part of that fertile tract lying between the Ganges and Jumna, known by the name of Dooab, to within forty miles of the city of Delhi. In fhort, the British nation, with their allies and tributaries, occupy the whole navigable courfe of the Ganges, from its entry on the plains, to the fea; which, by its winding course, is more than 1350 British miles.

The dimenfions of Oude and its dependencies may be reckoned 360 British miles in length from east to weft, and in breadth from 150 to 180 and their area is about one third part of that of the Bengal provinces; being to each other in the proportion of 53 to 162.1 Generally speaking, the whole territory is one continued plain; and is a continuation of that extensive level valley, through which the Ganges and its branches, take their course. It is, moreover, the central part of the ancient kingdom or empire of the PRASII. The capital city is Lucknow, fituated on the river Goomty and about 650 miles from Calcutta.

The prefent Nabob of Oude, Azuph Dowlah, fucceeded his father, Sujah Dowlah, in 1775. He is in alliance with the Britifh power; and a brigade of the Bengal army is constantly stationed on his western frontier: thereby answering the purposes of covering Oude as well as Bengal; and of keeping the western states in awe.

Dooab or Doabah fignifies a tract of land formed by the approximation and junction of two rivers: that formed by the Ganges and Jumna rivers is called by way of eminence THE DOCAB.

It is advanced about 100 miles beyond Lucknow. The whole expence of it is paid by the Nabob of Oude, by a stipulated fum, under the name of a fubfidy. (See note page cxiv.)

The grofs revenues of the dominions of Qude are reckoned to be about two millions and a half sterling: of which the new acquifitions of Rohilcund, Corah, and other parts of the Dooab, are more than one million. The military establishment, including the troops employed in the collection of the revenues, is from 50 to 60 thousand men: but very few indeed of thefe, deferve the name of regular troops.

Fizoola Cawn, a Rohilla Chief, poffeffes the diftrict of Rampour, fituated at the foot of the northern mountains: and although included in Rohilcund, yet this territory was fecured to him, by the treaty of Loldong, in 1774. It is valued at It is valued at 30 lacks of rupees * per annum but he is in effect tributary to Oude, by being bound to furnish his quota towards an establishment for the common defence.

Contiguous to the western bank of the Ganges, and furrounded by the dominions of Oude, is a small district belonging to a Chief of the Patan Rohilla tribe. It is generally denominated from its capital town, Furruckabad: 'and is little more than 30 miles in

extent..

On the fouth-weft fide of the Jumna, and feparated from it by a narrow tract of low country, is the territory named Bundela or Bundelcund, inhabited by a tribe of Rajpoots, but deemed inferior to their brethren of Agimere. Bundelcund is furrounded by the dominions of Oude, Benares, and the Mahrattas: and was formerly subject to a Rajah of the name of Hindooput: but is now chiefly divided among his fons, or their defcendants. It is a mountainous tract, of more than 100 miles fquare: and contains the

A

The reader may with eafe reduce any fun in rupees, to fterling, by calculating roundly, at the rate of a lack of rupees to ten thousand pounds.

celebrated diamond mines of Panna *or Purna, together with fome strong fortreffes; among which, Callinger is the principal. It is subject to the depredations of the Mahrattas: and has of late years been attempted by Madaje Sindia; who, however could not make himself master of the principal fortreffes; and in consequence abandoned the open country. The ancient limits of Bundelcund were much more extenfive than the prefent; extending much further towards the Nerbuddah river. Chatterpour, is reckoned the capital.

The territories of Adjidfing are contiguous to Bundelcund, on the weft, to the Mahrattas on the fouth, and fouth-west, and to the Benares territory on the east. Their whole extent, including fome tributary Zemindars on the fouth-east, may be about equal to Bundelcund; and, like that, fubject to the occafional depredations of the Mahrattas. Rewah, or Rooah, is reckoned the capital; and lies on the great road between Benares and Nagpour. We know but little concerning the geography of the remote parts of this tract: nor are the boundaries well defined. The river Soane flows through it, in its course to the Bahar province.

Shah Alum, the nominal Emperor, or Great Mogul, of whom we have fully spoken, in the historical part of this Introduction, is now a mere penfioner in the hands of Madajee Sindia: who, notwithstanding, appoints him a refidence at Delhi.

The Jats, Jates, or Jetes, were a tribe of Hindoos, who long fince the death of Aurungzebe, erected a ftate in the provinces of Agra and Delhi. They at laft fixed their capital at the city of Agra and appear to have poffeffed a tract of country, along both fides of the Jumna river, from the neighbourhood of Gwalior, to that of Delhi; in length about 160 miles, and 50 broad. Col. Dow, in 1770, eftimated their revenue (perhaps extravagantly) at 200 lacks of rupees; and their force at 60 or 70,000 men. This

nation is traced by P. Wendell from the countries lying betweerr the S E confines of Moultan, and Gohud. It is certain that Tamerlane made war on a people called the Getes in his march from Batnir to Semanah. Nudjuff Cawn, about 14 years ago, difpof feffed the Jats of all their country, fave the very confined territory of Bhartpour. Madajee Sindia, has, in turn, ftripped Nudjuff Cawn's fucceffors of these conquefts; which are now scarcely worth poffeffing, although 20 or 21 years ago, under Soorage Mull, they ranked among the most flourishing provinces of Hindooftan. It will be perceived that the Jats no longer exist, as a nation: all that remains to Runjet Sing, the fon of Soorage Mull, being the fort of Bhartpour or Burratpour, fituated about 45 miles on the west of Agra, with a small territory of 4 or 5 lacks of rupees. The Rajah of Gohud is of the Jat tribe, but unconnected with Runjet Sing.

The late Nudjuff Cawn, whom we have just mentioned, is an instance, among others, of the very fudden rife and fall of the modern ftates of Hindooftan. From the condition of a minor Jaghiredar, and the Commander in Chief of the imperial army, after the return of the prefent Mogul, to Delhi, in 17715 he became, in the courfe of 7 or 8 years, the poffeffor of a domain, yielding 150 lacks of rupees annually; and kept up an establishment of 80,000 troops of all denominations; in which, were included 23 regular battalions of fepoys. His conquefts were on the Jats, the Rajah of Jyenagur, and the Rajah of Macherry (which last had reduced a confiderable part of the Mewat) and in 1774, he became poffeffed of the city of Agra. No veftige of this greatnefs has remained for feveral years past. His empire, in a manner, died with him and Madajee Sindia poffeffes most of it, at this time This brings us to the fubject of MEWAT, which is the hilly and woody tract lying on the SW of Delhi, and on the west of Agra; confining the low country along the western fide of the Jumna river, to a (comparatively) narrow flip, and extending westwards, about 130 B. miles. In length from north to fouth, it may be 90.