part of the fort, to which he offered to conduct them; and then he led them to a gateway on the north side, where they found the Sultân's palankeen and one of his confidential servants lying wounded under it. He pointed to the spot where his master had fallen, and there among a heap of slain was found the dead body of Tippoo.

About noon of this day, Tippoo, who was now sunk in despondency, and who, bigot as he was, had had recourse to the superstition of the Bramins to discover the future, having performed the requisite ceremonies, sat down to eat his midday meal. He had been informed by two spies, and by one of his principal officers, that the English would certainly make the assault that day; but he would not believe it. He had not finished his meal when he heard that the storm had commenced. He hastened to the northern rampart, and placing himself behind one of the traverses, fired several shots, and it is said with effect, at the English as they approached. Having received a slight wound, he mounted a horse and rode to another part. As he advanced he received a ball in his right side, and then another in his left breast, and his horse also was shot under him. His faithful servant urged him to discover himself to the English, but the terrors of conscience forbade, and he cried, "Are you mad? Be silent." His servant then placed him in his palankeen under an arch of a gateway. An English grenadier who came up attempting to seize his rich sword-belt, Tippoo grasped his sword and made a blow at him, and the soldier fired and shot him through the temple.

Such was the end of Tippoo Sultân, a man in whom there is nothing to admire or esteem, unless we regard as such implacable hatred, savage cruelty, deep treachery, and blind religious zeal, united with gross superstition. Yet the philosophic historian of our Indian empire extends his favours to this prince also, for he was the bitter foe of the English. He glosses over his bad qualities, refuses to give credit to the details of his cruelties, extols him as a wise ruler, under whom agriculture, blighted elsewhere by English influence, flourished in Mysore, and commends the strict fidelity to him of his officers, without perhaps being aware that all their families were kept as hostages at Seringapatam.

The loss of the British during the whole of the siege was about 1500 killed, wounded, or missing; of the enemy there fell about 8000 in the storm alone. Tippoo's two elder sons and Kummur-udDîn, and his other commanders, all made their submission, and all the fortresses on the coast of Canara surrendered to Gen. Stuart when he returned to Malabar.

Guns, stores, and treasure to a great amount were found in Seringapatam. There were 929 pieces of cannon, 100,000 stand of arms, with abundance of swords, accoutrements and ammunition. In specie and jewels there was upwards of 1,100,000l., which was distributed among the troops. But the most remarkable capture was Tippoo's library, in which was found a large collection of state-papers, which revealed his incessant activity to raise up enemies to the English; for it contained his correspondence with the French, the Afghans, the Marattas, the Nizâm and his officers, and even with Mohammed Ally of Arcot; and it fully proved

the wisdom of the measures for his overthrow adopted by Lord Mornington.

The conquered territory was now to be disposed of. By the laws of war it might be divided between the British and the Nizâm; but Lord Mornington did not think it prudent to enlarge too much that prince's dominions, and he deemed it the better policy to divide a large portion of territory between him and the English, reserving a smaller portion for the Marattas, in case of their agreeing to a treaty to be proposed to them, and to form a new kingdom of Mysore out of the remainder.

The choice of a ruler for this kingdom was the next subject of deliberation. If one of Tippoo's sons was reinstated, it was feared that the British dominion would never be secure. Hatred of the English having been instilled into him from his birth, he would probably be for ever plotting against them; and as the power of the French had now attained an alarming height, and their passion for intrigue was so notorious, they might through his means excite another war in the south of India. It was therefore resolved to set Tippoo's family aside, and to place on the musnud the nearest male descendant of the former rajahs of Mysore. This proved to be a child only five years old, living with the rest of the royal family, in the utmost poverty, at Mysore, the ancient capital. As Tippoo had turned the palace there into a store-house, it was found necessary to erect a temporary shed for the ceremony of the enthronement, which was performed in the presence of Gen. Harris, the commissioners, and the Nizâm's chief officers. Out of delicacy toward the sons of Tippoo, this ceremony was not performed until after their departure for the Carnatic, where they were henceforth to reside, with an allowance from the Company far beyond any thing they had enjoyed during the lifetime of their father.

As this was in effect the creation of a new state, and the rajah could have no rights or claims but what he derived from those who raised him to the throne, Lord Mornington resolved to exclude the evil of double government, which had proved so mischievous in Arcot, Tanjore, and Oude, and to save the people of Mysore from the fangs of the Madras usurers. By the treaty made with the rajah, the British were to undertake the entire defence of his country for an annual subsidy of seven lacs of star-pagodas, and they were to have the power of regulating, when needful, the management and collection of the revenues, or of bringing under their own management any part of the territory of Mysore. He was also bound in the most stringent manner neither to employ Europeans, nor to suffer any of them to remain even a day in his territories, without the consent of the Company. The fort and island of Seringapatam were declared to belong to the Company, "in full right and sovereignty for ever," and stores and provisions from any quarter were always to enter it tax-free. We thus see that the Company was the actual sovereign of the country, and the rajah merely its viceroy; a shadow to veil from Indian eyes the real case, and to obviate European declamation about British ambition and cupidity. For the happiness of the people, it was the best form of government that could at that time be adopted.

As the Peishwa refused the territory intended for him, on the terms proposed, the whole of the

A. D. 1799.

reserved territory was divided between the Company and the Nizâm, the former getting one-third, the latter two-thirds. The share of the Company was Canara, Coimbatore, Daraporam, and Wynaad, and their dominions, thus extended from sea to sea, south of Mysore.

Pensions, to be paid by the rajah of Mysore, were granted to Tippoo's principal officers; to Kummur-ud-Dîn, who declined making any terms, trusting entirely to the generosity of the English, was assigned a handsome jagheer out of the reserved territory. All had cheerfully submitted, and the peace of the country seemed only likely to be disturbed by a man, whom the English finding in irons at Seringapatam had set at liberty. This was a Hindoo adventurer, named Dhoondia, who, having been captured in a plundering excursion into Mysore, had become a Mussulman on compulsion. Tippoo took him into favour, and gave him a military command, but afterwards threw him into prison. He now contrived to collect a few horsemen, and moved toward Bednore. His force gradually increased, he got possession of some of the strongest places, and he levied contributions in a most merciless manner. Some British troops were sent against him, and having routed his freebooters, and captured his fortresses, they forced him to fly to the territory of the Marattas, who speedily plundered him of all he possessed. He soon, however, again had a large body of followers, and he captured several of the Maratta forts; and as it seemed needful to crush him before he became formidable, the English demanded permission to enter the Maratta territory in pursuit of him; the permission was given, though reluctantly, and Col. Wellesley set about reducing him without delay. He soon destroyed a division of his army, on the banks of the Malpoorba, and having followed him over that river, pursued him into the territories of the Nizâm, where he routed him again at a place named Conaghul, and Dhoondia himself was among the slain.

CHAPTER III.

Settlement of Tanjore Of Surat-Of the Carnatic-Fate of

Vizîr Ally of Oude-Embassy to Persia-Settlement of Oude-Expedition to Egypt-Disunion between the Governor-general and Court of Directors-College of Fort William.

THE plan of administration which Lord Mornington had formed for Mysore, was that which he was resolved to extend, if possible, to all the states connected with the Company. Ample experience had shown that the system of double government, beside being highly injurious to the Company, was ruinous to the people; for every prince in this condition was sure to be surrounded, exclusive of native depredators, by a famished crew of European usurers and adventurers; and to leave them totally independent, would have been destructive alike to all parties. And surely justice will declare that the real interest of the people, and even that of the Company, should take precedence of that pretended one of a ruler who only sought his own

139

gratification, and was usually a mere puppet in the hands of others.

The first country in which this change was made, was Tanjore. The Rajah Tuljajee, when dying in 1787, adopted a boy ten years old named Serfojee, or Sarbojee, whom he declared his heir, appointing the venerable missionary Schwartz to be his pri vate, his own half-brother Amar Sing his public guardian. Amar Sing, however, disputed the validity of the adoption, and the question being referred by the government of Madras to a council of pundits, it was by them pronounced illegal, and Amar Sing was placed on the musnud. In 1793, on the repeated complaints made by Schwartz, of the cruel treatment his ward experienced at the hands of Amar Sing, that youth and the widow of Tuljajee were removed to Madras. It now was asserted that the pundits had been bribed to make their decision, and an appeal was made against it. The opinions of the most learned pundits of the south, and of Bengal and Benâres, had been taken, and they were all in favour of the validity of the adoption. The inquiry had lasted for some years, but it had been concluded before Lord Mornington reached India, and he was instructed to restore the young Rajah to his rights. Amar Sing, whose government had been as bad as possible, was deposed, and Serfojee declared Rajah of Tanjore. The English took the whole civil and military administration into their own hands, assigning a splendid provision out of the revenues to the young Rajah.

A similar change took place at this time in Surat on the other side of India. Many years ago the English had, at the desire of the inhabitants, taken possession of the castle and fleet, that is, undertaken the defence of that city, while the civil authority was in the hands of the Nabob. Both alike derived their authority from the Emperor, and on the decline of the empire, the chief authority naturally fell into the hands of the English, who have henceforth appointed the Nabob. The evils of divided administration proved the same here as elsewhere, and the death of the Nabob just at this time giving the opportunity of a new arrangement, one was made similar to that in Mysore and Tanjore.

The settlement of the Carnatic was.a matter of far more importance. The government of Omdutul-Omrah, was not one whit better than that of his father, and he rejected all proposals for modifying the treaty of 1792; he even had the audacity to claim a share in the distribution of Tippoo's dominions, and positively refused to transfer any portion of his territory to the Company for the payment of their expenses for the defence of his country. But at this very time that he was acting in this high manner, documents were found in Tippoo's library, proving that both his father and himself had been in active and confidential correspondence with that prince, to whom they furnished both information and advice. The correspondence had been carried on through two vakeels who had attended Tippoo's sons to Madras. The papers and these men were examined by a commission composed of Col. Close, and of Mr. Webbe, Secretary to the Madras government, and though perhaps they did not suffice to convict the Nabobs of actual treachery, they clearly showed their feelings and wishes. The Governor-general was so con

1802, they embarked at Suez and returned to India, having thus served to give the world a high idea of the power and resources of England.

On new-year's day, 1802, Lord Wellesley wrote to the Court of Directors, tendering his resignation. In effect, he had met with treatment from that body which a man of his high spirit could not endure. Nor indeed could harmony have well been expected; for he was a nobleman and a statesman, while they could not divest themselves of the principles of the counting-house. They had become sovereigns, and yet they would act as merchants.

Lord Wellesley had increased the army, a measure of absolute necessity; the Directors sent a peremptory order for its reduction, which he wisely disobeyed. He gave his brother, Col. Wellesley, when left to command in Mysore, such additional allowances as he deemed suitable; the Court ordered them to be reduced. He had appointed his other brother, and other men of capacity, to situations of trust; and the Court, assuming a power which it did not possess, insisted on displacing them, and nominating others in their place.

But it was not merely that his enlarged views of polity went far beyond the limited vision of the Directors, his measures had excited the anger of a powerful, and deeply selfish body, who had great influence in the Court-the ship-owners of London. For, finding that the tonnage allotted to private merchants in the Company's ships was quite insufficient, beside being uncertain and dreadfully expensive, he permitted the merchants of Calcutta to take up ships on their own account, for carrying Indian goods to England. As these ships were Indian-built, the Company and the ship-owners trembled for their respective monopolies, and became virulently hostile to the Governor-general, who, however, was supported by the Board of Control.

The foundation of the college of Fort William was another measure which transcended the ideas of the Directors, and therefore met with their most strenuous opposition.

The duties of the servants of the Company in India were no longer what they had been originally. Formerly they had only to act as clerks and factors, now they were required to discharge the duties of statesmen and judges, as residents at native courts, as collectors of the revenue, as presidents of courts of justice. It appears plain to common sense, though Lord Wellesley seems to have been the first to perceive it, that the mere reading, writing, and arithmetic education of the old writer would no longer suffice, and that a knowledge of the languages, laws, and institutions of India was now become absolutely requisite. To give this and other appropriate branches of knowledge, the Governor-general, whose own mind was richly stored with the literature of the west, and all whose ideas were vast and magnificent, erected a college at Fort William, whither he proposed that all the young men destined for the three Presidencies should be sent, and where, under the guidance of two pious clergymen, they should be subjected to academic discipline, while their minds should be enlarged, and their hearts strengthened by instruction in ethics, history, jurisprudence, and international law, and be taught the requisite

oriental languages by competent native instructors. But the Directors were both affrighted and offended; they ordered the immediate abolition of this splendid institution, and would only permit of meagre establishments at the three Presidencies, for teaching the common dialects of the country. Lord Wellesley's plan was certainly too vast, and was liable to many objections; but he had made it evident that a change of system was indispensable, and the Company afterwards founded a college in England for the proper instruction of their young civilians.

At the request of both the Court of Directors and the Board of Control, Lord Wellesley consented to remain some time longer in India, and he soon had abundant occupation for his time and talents.

CHAPTER IV.

Affairs of the Marattas-Treaty of Bassein-Commencement of Maratta War-Sindia's French Troops-Capture of Ahmednugur, Baroach, and Alyghur-Battle of Delhi -Delivery of the Emperor-Capture of Agra-Battle of Laswaree-Of Assye-Capture of Asseerghur-Battle of Argâm-Capture of Gawylghur-Treaties with the Rajah of Berar and Sindia.

THERE were now, in reality, only two powers in India, the English and the Marattas. The former was united under one system, and one hand, and had the support of a powerful empire, and the advantages of European knowledge; the latter was divided into a number of independent, and sometimes hostile states, and had only the degree of knowledge hereditary in the east. In any conflict, and such was sure to come, the final result conld hardly be doubtful.

Lord Wellesley, to avert the danger of collision, had been anxious to induce the Peishwa, as head of the Maratta name, to form a subsidiary treaty with the British government. That prince was at this time, however, merely a puppet in the hands of Sindia, now the most potent of the Maratta chiefs; for the power of the Holkar family had nearly ceased. In 1797, Tukajee Holkar died, leaving two legitimate, and two illegitimate sons. The two former disputing the succession, repaired to Poona, where Sindia murdered one, and made the other his dependent, he also possessed himself of the infant child of the murdered prince. But Jeswunt Râo Holkar, one of the remaining sons, having made his escape from Poona, contrived to collect an army of adventurers, and proclaimed his infant nephew, and on the 14th October, 1801, he gave Sindia battle near Indore, the capital of the Holkar family, at the head of nearly 70,000 men. But he was routed, and fled, with the loss of his artillery and baggage. He, however, speedily repaired the disaster, and in the following year he marched with a large force for Poona.

The Peishwa was anxious to emancipate himself from the power of Sindia, but at the same time he had a strong dislike to becoming a dependent on the British. He therefore refused to consent to the proposed treaty until after the defeat of Holkar, and the augmented power of Sindia, when he