4

effected revolutions in the Deccan: and another of British, made an entire conqueft of Bengal, Bahar, and Oude, in little more than two campaigns. Each of thofe conquerors, both ancient and modern, after gaining certain advantages, purfued them by means of levies raised in the conquered countries themselves; and thus rendered the vanquished fubfervient to the final reduction of their own country. This was even the cafe of Alexander, who set out with 35,000 men, and left India, with 120,000. Such meafures could only be purfued in countries, where the habit of changing their Governors, had rendered the governed indifferent to the choice of them. Even the whole number of combatants on the fide of the British, did not exceed 7000, at the battle of Buxar: and of these 1200 might be Europeans. The battle of Plaffey was gained with an army of about 3000 men; of whom 900 only, were Europeáns.

Lord Clive, who reaffumed the government of Bengal, in 1763, found matters in the state I have reprefented. He feized the opportunity of taking poffeffion of the Bengal provinces; the Nabob Jaffer Ally being just dead; and obtained from the nominal Mogul, Shah Aulum (who, together with his nominal Vizier, Sujah Dowlah, had, as before related, thrown themselves on the generosity of the British); a grant of the duanny, or administration of the revenues of Bengal, Bahar, and Oriffa; on condition of paying the Mogul 26 lacks of rupees per annum (260,000l.). Thus a territory producing at that time, at least a million fterling, per annum, after every expence was defrayed, and containing at least ten millions of inhabitants, was gained to the Company, on the fide of Bengal together with the northern circars, valued at near half a million more, and for which a grant was also obtained. Sujah Dowlah had all his territories reftored to him, except the provinces of Corah and Allahabad, which were retained for the Mogul ; together with the fortress of Allahabad, which was affigned to him, as a proper place of refidence.

Although the English were thus firmly and peaceably established in Bengal, in 1765, yet within two years afterwards, they were engaged in a very arduous conteft in the peninfula, with Hyder Ally, the Sovereign of Myfore, leagued with the Nizam or Soubah of the Deccan. Hyder's hiftory is now fo well known to the generality of readers in Europe, by means of the feveral publications that have lately appeared *, that it will be unneceffary to give any thing more than a short abftract of it, here.

Hyder Ally was a foldier of fortune, and the fon of a perfon who ferved in quality of Killadar, or Governor of a fmall fortrefs, to one of the Kings of Myfore. He is faid to have acquired the rudiments of war, in the French camps: and in the year 1753, distinguished himself, as their auxiliary, in the plains of Tritchinopoly. About ten years afterwards, being then at the head of the Myfore army, he dethroned his Sovereign, and governed under the title of Regent. Soon after, he extended his dominions on every fide, the Carnatic excepted: the fine province of Bednore (or Biddanore) and the Patan Nabobfhips of Cuddapah, Canoul, &c. befides fome Mahratta provinces towards the river Kiftna; and the country of the Naifs, and other small ftates on the Malabar coaft; were added to his original poffeflions; until at laft he was at the head of a state, in extent equal to Great Britain, and producing à grofs revenue of four millions fterling. The civil broils and revolutions in the western Mahratta state, particularly in latter times, allowed Hyder to aggrandize himfelf at its expence; but he, nevertheless, received fome fevere checks from that quarter. He was not arrived at the height of his power, when the war between him and the English, broke out, in 1767: but his power was fuch as to alarm his neighbours, and a refolution was taken to attack him. The Mahrattas under Maderow, entered Hyder's country on the fide towards Vifiapour; and the Nizam, joined by a de

Capt. Robfon's, and M. M. L. D. T.'s Lives of Hyder Ally, &c. &c.

}

tachment

;

tachment of British troops, moved from Hydrabad towards the frontier of Myfore, foon after. Hyder first contrived to buy off the Mahrattas with a large fum of money, and the reftitution of fome of the places he had taken from them. Next, he negociated with the Nizam, and had the address, not only to detach him from the English, but to draw him over to his party: fo that the English detachment was compelled by neceflity to retire to the Carnatic on the frontiers of which, their grand army was now affembling, Besides the whimsical character of the Nizam, several other circumstances might confpire towards the determining him to act in the manner he did. The grant of the northern circars, and the emancipation of the Carnatic from any dependance on the Deccan, both of which were obtained from the Mogul, by the English; could not but be very mortifying to the Nizam; as having the appearance of a forcible partition of his territories. The circars, however, came into their hands (as we have feen) by conquest from the French, to whom they were originally granted by a former Soubah of the Deccan: fo that the grant from the Mogul was merely nominal: befides, the Nizam had been prevailed on to acquiefce in the measure, by an offer on the part of the English, of five lacks of rupees (50,000l.) per annum, by way of tribute or quit rent. As to his fuperiority in the Carnatic, it had ever been nominal; yet Hyder, who now meditated the conqueft of it, was glad to obtain from the Nizam, a grant, or Sunnud, for the Nabobship of it and from this time, at least, he confidered Mahomed Ally as his rival. It is proper to obferve, that in the days of Mahomed Ally's distress, when he poffeffed only a small part of the Carnatic, he had engaged to cede, the fortrefs of Tritchinopoly, a most important poft in the fouthern divifion of it, to the King of Myfore, for affiftance then afforded him: but this engagement never being performed, Hyder, as might be expected, adopted the claims and refentments of the Prince, whofe throne he had taken poffeflion of; and never loft fight of his title to Tritchinopoly. Had the engage

engagement been fulfilled, it would have had the effect of feparating for ever, from the Nabobship of the Carnatic, the provinces of Tanjore, Madura, and the reft of the fouthern provinces.

The war that immediately followed, was productive of fome fharp battles, on the common frontiers of the Carnatic and Myfore: befides which, a ftrong detachment of the British army feized on Hyder's province of Coimbettore, a fertile diftrict on the fouth of Myfore, and commanding the readieft way to Hyder's capital, Seringapatam. This was the first war in which the British arms had met with any fteady oppofition from a Prince of the country; for in the affair of Tanjore, in 1749, their arms were triumphant in the end, by the taking of Devicottah, their proper object. The war was continued with various fuccefs, during the years 1767, 1768, and part of 1769; when Hyder, with a strong detachment of chofen troops, chiefly horfe, giving the British army the flip, came within seven miles of Madras, and dictated a peace to the Government of that place. This peace was disreputable to the British Councils only: fince the hands of the commander in chief (General Jofeph Smith) were tied up, at the very moment, the most favourable for ftriking a blow; and when Hyder, fearing the General's approach, could purchase his fecurity no other way than by intimidating Government into the measure of laying their commands on the General, not to advance; by which measure he might poffibly have cut Hyder and his detachment to pieces.

The Nizam, very early in the war, had been detached from Hyder's alliance; chiefly by the strong measure of sending a detachment from Bengal, into the heart of Golconda; which made him tremble for his capital, Hydrabad.

The peace left matters much in the fame ftate as before the war: and whatever credit Hyder might have gained by the conclufion of it, was done away by the total defeat which he suffered, in 1771, from the Mahratta army, within a few miles of his capital; into which he escaped with great difficulty, with a small remnant of

his army, and afterwards defied the attacks of his numerous enemies, who poffeffed neither the fkill, nor the ordinary requifites for a fiege. Hyder waited in patience, until the enemy by defolating the country, were compelled to leave it. A few years of peace not only restored matters to their former state, but improved both his revenues and his army, to a degree beyond probability; and at the fame time, the diftractions that prevailed among the Mahrattas, enabled him to extend his territories at their expence. Such are the effects of firmness, perfeverance, and economy.

It may be asked, how the Mahrattas, who are represented as fo inferior in point of difcipline to Hyder's troops, came to defeat him? It is accounted for, by the vaft fuperiority in numbers of the Mahratta army (chiefly horfe) which furrounding Hyder's. troops, cut off their supplies of provifions, and compelled them to retire towards their capital; through a level, open, country, the most favourable to the attacks of cavalry. Hyder's army was formed into one vaft hollow fquare, and marched, closely furrounded. by the Mahrattas; when the advanced front of the fquare making. too hafty a step, feparated from the others; and the Mahrattas, pushing through the openings thus made, threw Hyder's whole: army into irreparable diforder..

We have spoken before concerning the treaty made with the Na-. bob of Oude, and the mutual advantages derived to both parties; but particularly to the British, from the mode of defence adopted: for Oude; confidering it as a common frontier to both states: as also, concerning the departure of the Mogul, in 1771; which threw. the Corah, &c. provinces, into the hands of Sujah Dowlah.

It may be supposed, that the oppofition made to the Mahrattas,. when they attempted to take poffeffion of those provinces in 1772, must have created fome difguft. Indeed the British Government. had long confidered the Mahrattas, in the general fcope of their defigns, as inimical to its interests. In 1773, the Mahrattas croffed the Ganges to invade the Rohilla country. A brigade of the British