peace with the Paifhwa, they would, in no respect, act hostilely against him.

This was, indeed, a great point gained; but the grand conceffion made by the Mahrattas, and an article of ftill greater importance than even the foregoing, is that by which the Paifhwa binds himself, and all his fubordinate chiefs, or in other words the whole Mahratta people, from fuffering any other European nation to establish factories in their dominions; and from holding any intercourfe of friendship with any other European nation; but the Portuguese, with refpect to their antient fettlements in the Mahratta countries, were particularly and exprefly excepted from the conclufion. On the other hand, the English bind themselves, not to afford any affiftance to any nation of the Decan, or Hindoftan, at enmity with the Paishwa. And by a fubfequent article the parties mutually agree, that neither fhall afford any affiftance to the enemies of the other.

The allies on both fides are included in the benefits, and bound to the conditions of the perpetual peace. The Nizam of the Decan, and Ragojee Boofla, the fon and fucceffor of Moodajee Boofla, the Berar Rajah, (whofe name we have had occafion heretofore so often to mention) are particularly ftated as allies to the Mahrattas; from which it might perhaps be inferred, that the latter is not now confidered, as being in any degree of dependance on the Mahratta empire: the Nabob of Arcot, with the Vizier Azoph Ul Doula, Soubah of

Oude, are thofe fpecified as allies on the fide of the English. The principals on both fides are refponfible for the conduct of all the fubordinates and members of their refpective authority; the governor general and fupreme council being anfwerable for the prefidencies of Bombay and Madras, as well as for the factory at Surat. We have already obferved that Madajee Scindia was the mutual guarantee; but this was not merely a nominal office; for he was fpecifically bound by the treaty, in cafe of any violation of it by either party, to affift the injured in bringing the other to a proper understanding. Some perhaps may imagine that this fcheme of guarantying, by which Scindia was, as it may be thought, rather strangely, inftituted the confervator of good faith between the two parties, looked forward to other matters, befides his mere attention to the written formalities of a treaty, or his watchfulness in detecting and punishing all infractions of it. But it is to be remembered that Madajee, independent of his princely, and which may in effect be confidered as little lefs than tantamount to a royal patrimony, was in act, through his high offices and great intereft, the fecond perfon in the Mahratta government, under the minor Paifhwa; fo that he was an excellent fecurity to the English for the good faith of his countrymen, however incapable he might have been of compelling their own.

Nothing could have been more fortunate with refpect to time and the occafion than this peace, and,

inde.

independent of the peculiar circumitances which rendered it of fuch vaft importance in thofe refpects, it was by no means defi. cient in others; and it perhaps afforded as many advantages to the English, as it would have been confident with their own real interefts to obtain. Without any enquiry into the rate, at which that iron curb, now clapped into the mouth of Hyder, might be efimated, the exclafion of all other Europeans from the Mahratta trade and dominions, was a conceffion of fuch value and magnitude, that it becomes a matter of aftonishment, how, in the prefent inaufpicious ftate of affairs, it could have been obtained. Upon the whole, it will be easily obferved, that the English gave up nothing to which they had a natural right, and that the Mahrattas gained nothing more than the recovery of their own poffeffions, which had not only been unjustly, but under the aggravation of the moft injurious circumstances wrefted from them. But leaving the matter of right and juftice entirely out of the question, it will probably be found a real and per. manent advantage to the English, that they had been under a neceffity of relinquishing thofe territories. For though they might have afforded, for a time, a con fiderable, and perhaps a large annual revenue, yet the holding them upon fuch terms, would ever have been productive of war, danger, and mifchief; but that their poffeffion could not, in the nature of things, be laiting. In deed the company's conques bad

already fwelled far beyond their grafp.

Upon the whole, Mr. Anderfon had undoubtedly great merit in negociating and perfecting the treaty of Salbey.

Madajee Scindia, like other ftatefmen, was, upon this occafion, properly attentive to his own peculiar intereft. The city of Baroach, with its valuable territories, producing a clear revenue of about 200,000l. a year, was, by a private, or feparate agreement, ceded to him and to his family for ever by the English. Such an addition to his hereditary poffeffions, cannot fail greatly to increafe his weight and power in the empire; which may poffibly lay the foundation of new revolutions in the Mahratta government. It is eafily feen, that in any other ftate of things than that which now prevailed on the fide of the Mahrattas, this circumftance would have been deemed fufficient to vitiate the whole proceedings, and have ferved as good ground for refufing to ratify the treaty.

From whatever caufe it pro ceeded, the length of time that elapfed before the ratification took place, notwithstanding the strong remonftrances made by the governor general, as well as by Madajee Scindia upon the fubject, fufficiently indicate the great dif ficulties which the meafure met with at the court of Poonah. It would feem, that Nana Furnavefe, the Paifhwa's nominal prime minifter, but in fact the regent, and Madajee Scindia, are at the head of the two great parties, which by their union govern,

and

and by their diffention are capable of convulfing the Mahratta empire. Independant of any remains of their paft enmity, fomething near an equality of power must be at all times necefiary to preferve the accord of two fuch leaders; and however convenience, and the apprehenfion of confequences may operate in that refpect, their mutual jealoufy will still continue, and render each exceedingly watchful of the other. It cannot then be fuppofed, that the Mahratta minifter could be indifferent, or could even avoid being alarmed, at the great acceffion of influence, power, and weight, which the conduct of the war, the conclufion of the peace, the acquifition of Baroach, and the friendship of the English, could not but procure to Madajee Scindia. Nor would it be a matter of wonder, confidering the fpirit of intrigue, which the company's fervants had fo long manifefted with refpect to the affairs and government of the Mahrattas, if he fufpected that their extraordinary union with Madajee Scindia, might be directed to future as well as prefent objects; and that fo valuable a furrender as that of Baroach, was not made merely for the accomplishment and guarantee of the peace. Such probably were fome of the caufes, which fo long delayed the ratification of the treaty by the court of Poonah.

There being no harbour on the western coaft of the island of Ceylon, in which, at that late feafon of the year, Sir Edward Hughes could anchor with fafety, and feveral of the fhips making much water, through fhot-holes VOL. XXVI.

which could not be come at in the open fea, befides that they had much other damage to repair, he found it, neceffary, after the action of the 3d of September, to return with the fquadron to Madras. As the monfoon feason was at hand, when the line of battle fhips could not continue with fafety on that coaft, the admiral intended no more at Madras, than to give the fhips fuch a hafty repair, and to take on board fuch á flock of provifions and water, as would be neceffary for their proceeding round to Bombay; where, befides being fafe from the monfoon, they were to be coppered, and to receive fuch a thorough equipment, as, along with the certain recovery and health, which that place at all times afforded to the crews, would enable them, when the feafon admitted, to return to the coaft of Coromandel with a fresh ftock of vigour and ability. He had likewife great hopes of there meeting with Sir Richard Bickerton, of whom he had yet received no intelligence, and whofe junction could alone enable him to withstand the great reinforcement from France and the islands which was expected to join Suffrein.

But before he could fully accomplish the purposes which detained him at Madras, the fquadron was expofed to great and unforeseen danger, by one of the molt fudden and dreadful hurficanes that had been remembered even on that coaft. Oa. 15th. The fhips of war were fortunately anchored in a deep water of 15 fathoms, and it was ftill more fortunate that the tempeft blew from the fhore, other [F]

wife