of their battering train, and for advancing it, with all practicable difdispatch, to the most eligible station on the frontiers of the Carnatic, with a view of proceeding towards Seringapatam, at the earlieft poffible period, if fuch a movement into Myfore fhould become neceffary. To the government of Bombay he iffued farther orders, for the collection not only of their troops, but of the largeft poffible fupplies on the coaft of Malabar.

At Bombay, and throughout the prefidency, hefides a voluntary and patriotic contribution to a liberal amount, which was alfo made in the other prefidencies, an armed affociation was formed, on a plan laid down by general Stuart, to be employed as might be deemed most expedient for the protection of the ifland. The patriotic and active zeal of Jonathan Duncan, efq. governor of Bombay, on this occafion, juftly and warmly commended by lord Mornington, was no more than what was to be expected with confidence, from the whole tenour of his public conduct, in which it was his conftant aim to combine the interests of the company with the well-being of the natives of India, and to improve the revenue of the former, by refpecting the prejudices, by protecting and encouraging the latter. His invariable regard to the natural claims of the poor Hindoos, and his inflexible preference of the public, to any private interest, might perhaps have been condemned, by fome of the company's fervants, as too rigorous and fevere, if, while he devoted himself to his public duty, he had been, in the intercourfes of private life, deficient in humanity and goodness; or, if any individual

could have faid of the governor, that he was lefs attentive to his private intereft than to his own, and lefs indulgent to him than to himself. The virtues of the governor had, for their object, whole communities and races of men. The greateft bleffing that can poflibly be conferred on fociety is a ftrict and impartial admistration of justice between man and man, and one order or rank of men and another. Mr. Duncan appeared in a light not lefs heroic than amiable; when, instead of indulging in any partial relaxation or conceffion to any individuals among his own countrymen, he ftood forth the determined and zealous protector of the helpless natives that had fallen under our power, by a duc execution of the laws: but, in all hard cafes, tempering the rigour of the law, as much as poffible, by every mitigation of humanity and mercy. As an additional fecurity to the lives of the people, the judicial proceedings on the coaft of Malabar, and which were held in the language of the country, were tranflated into English and tranfmitted, in that form, to the chief judge of the province: for the execution of which office, commiffieners were appointed, in May, 1796, who confirmed, mitigated, commuted, or annulled, the fentence of the native judge, without having, in any cafe, the power to enhance it; or to forward the trial to the governor and council for the final determination of government, according as the particular nature of the cafe might be found to require.

While our government prepared for its own fecurity, with vigilance, prudence, and vigour, two events happened, which contributed to en

courage

courage the hope of a complete triumph over the confederacy between Tippoo and the French, against the British power in India. The difmiflion of the French faction from the nizam's army had been happily accomplished at Hydrabad, a new fubfidiary treaty had been ratified with that prince, and a decifive and glorious victory had been obtained by an English over a French fleet, on the coaft of Egypt. The governor-general, therefore, on the eighth of November, fent a letter to Tippoo Sultaun, in which, after apprifing him that he was acquainted with his intercourse with the French nation, he mentioned the fuccefs of his Britannic majesty's fleet against the French in Egypt, the revival of our alliance with the nizam, the deftruction of the French influence in the Deccan, the declared difpofition of the pafhwa to fulfil his defenfive engagement to the utmost extent in his power, the prefence of his majefty's fquadron on the coaft of Malabar, re-inforced by fuch of his majefty's fhips as had been equipped for the purpofe; and, finally, the progrefs of the military preparations of the British on both coafts. It was hoped that the reprefentation of all thefe particulars would have inclined the fultaun to a propofition made to him, by the governorgeneral, to receive major Doveton, on the part of the allies, for the purpofe of proceeding to an -amicable arrangement of all fubfifting differences. With fuch expectations, lord Mornington proceeded to fort St. George, for the purpose of conducting the expected negociation with the fultaun. On his arrival thither, he received a letter from the fultaun, in anfwer

to his own, of the eight of Noventber, and one of another date to the fame effect, glofling over his intercourte with the French, (with whom he had actually made a treaty offenfive and defenfive, under the ftrongeft affurances that it would be ratified by the directory) and evading the propofition of opening a negociation with the allies. From this letter, fraught with a firange mixture of politenefs, religious hypocrify, and barbarian cunning and diflimulation, it may not be improper, or unentertaining to our readers, to give the following extract :

"I have been made happy by the receipt of your lordship's two friendly letters, the contents of which I clearly comprehend. The particu lars which your lordship has communicated to me, relative to the victory obtained by the English fleet over that of the French, near the fhores of Egypt, have given me more pleasure than can poffibly be conveyed by writing. Indeed, I poffefs the firmeft hope, that the leaders of the English and the company Bahauder, who ever adhere to the paths of fincerity, friendship, and good faith, and are the wellwishers of mankind, will, at all times, be fuccefsful and victorious; and that the French, who are of a crooked difpofition, faithlefs, and the enemies to mankind, may be ever depreffed and ruined. Your lordship has written to me with the pen of friendship,-" that it is impoffible for me to fuppofe your lordship to be ignorant of the intercourfe which fubfifts between me and the French, whom I know to be the inveterate enemies of the company, and to be now engaged in an unjuft war with the British; and that I cannot imagine your lordship to be indifferent to

the

the tranfactions which have paffed between me and the enemies of the English." In this circar, (the gift of God) there is a mercantile tribe, who employ themselves in trading by fea and land. Their agents purchafed a two-mafted veffel, and, having loaded her with rice, departed with a view to trafic. It happened that the went to the Mauritius, from whence forty perfons, French, and of a dark colour, of whom ten or twelve were artificers, and the reft fervants, paying the hire of the hip, came here in fearch of employment. Such as chofe to take fervice were entertained, and the remainder departed beyond the confines of the circar; and the French, who are full of vice and deceit, have, perhaps, taken advantage of the departure of the fhip to put about reports, with a view to ruffle the minds of both circars.

"It is the wifh of my heart, and my conftant endeavour, to obferve and maintain the articles of the agreement of peace and to perpetuate and ftrengthen the bafis of friendfhip and union with the circar of the company Bahauder, and with the circar's Maha Raja Saheb, Sufe Munt, Pafhwa Bahauder, and his highnefs the Nabob Afuph Jah Bahauder. And I am refident at home, at times taking the air, and at other times amufing myfelf with hunting, at a spot which is used as a pleature-ground.

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is defirous of communicating to me, on behalf of the company and their allies, a plan calculated to promote the mutual fecurity and welfare of all parties; your lordthip propoles to depute to me, for this purpofe, major Doveton, who formerly waited upon me, and who will explain to me, more fully and particularly, the fole means which appear to your lordfhip and the allies to be effectual for the falutary purpose of removing all exifting miftruft and fufpicion, and of establishing peace and good understanding on the most durable foundations; and that, therefore, your lordship trufts I will let you know at what time and place it will be convenient to me to receive major Doveton.' It has been underftood, by the bleffing of the Almighty, at the conclufion of the peace, the treaties and engage ments, entered into among the four. circars, were fo firmly established and confirmed as ever to remain fixed and durable, and be an example to the rulers of the age; nor are they, nor will they, ever be liable to interruption. I cannot imagine that means more effectual than thefe can be adopted, for giving stability to the foundations of friendfhip and harmony, promoting the fecurity of ftates, or the welfare and advantage of all parties."

To this letter from the fultaun the governor-general returned an anfwer on the ninth of January, in which he renewed the propofition for opening a negociation, and arged him not to delay his reply beyond the period of one day. The fultaun remained filent: at length, on the fifteenth of February, 1798, he intimated, by letter, to lord Mornington, that, being frequently dif poled to make excurfions and hunt, he was, accordingly, proceeding

upon

upon a hunting excurfion, and defiring that he would difpatch major Doveton flightly attended. The advanced guard of the army was by this time ordered into the territory of Tippoo. To have delayed this, would have at once thrown the advantage, which the British then poffeffed, into the hands of Tippoo, and have rendered the fiege of his capital impracticable, during the prefent feafon. Intimation was given to the allies, of an intention to proceed immediately to hoftilities with Tippoo. The Nizam's army took the field, and took the proper fteps for forming a junction with that of Madras. This army confifted ́of fix thousand native troops, nearly an equal number of the company's troops, fubfidized by his highnefs, and a great body of cavalry. It then joined that of Madras, under major-general Harris, about twent-four thousand ftrong, which entered the Myfore country, on the fifth of March, with orders to proceed immediately to Seringapatam.

Thefe orders were executed with an alacrity in perfect confonancy with the fpirit by which they were dictated. No time was allowed for reflection, change of purpofe, or negociation. A great prize of the grafp of both the company and individuals. It might be loft through procrastination and parlies.

In the mean time, the Malabar army, equipped and put in motion, with equal promptitude and judgement, under general Stuart, had, on the firft of February, marched from Cannanore, and afcended the Ghauts on the twenty-fifth. His army was divided into four different corps; and thefe moved fucceffively into fuch fituation as might enable him to form the earlicit poffible

Be

junction with the principal army. With the fame view he occupied a poft at Seedafeer, near to which there is a high hill, that commands a view of the Myfore, almoft to the environs of Seringapatam. From the fummit of this mountain, a party of obfervation, on the morning of the fifth of March, difcovered an encampment to be forming between Seedafeer and Seringapatam. fore the evening this encampment affumed a very formidable appearance, and covered a 'great extent of ground. From the hill of obfervation, the whole of the army of this encampment was feen to be in motion: but their movements were fo well concealed by the woodiness of the country, and the hazinefs of the atmosphere, that it was impoffible to afcertain their object; nor, in fact, was this difcovered until they had penetrated a confiderable way into the Jungles, and commenced an attack upon our line, which happened between the hours of nine and ten.

On the feventh, the enemy pierced through the Jungles with fuch fecrecy and expedition, that they attacked the rear and the front of our line almoft at the fame inftant. This difpatch prevented more than three of the Bombay corps being engaged, as the fourth, which was pofted two miles and a half in the rear, was unable to form a junction, from the enemy having cut in between them and Seedafeer. The communication was effectually obftructed by a column which, according to the reports of prifoners, confifted of upwards of five thousand men, under the command of Bober Jung.

On the eighth, fortunately before the enemy had accomplished their purpose, major-general Hartley had

time to apprize the commander-inchief of their attack, and remained himself to give any affiftance that might be neceffary. The beft pofition was affumed for repulling the enemy; and in this alarming fituation, the corps defended themselves with fo much refolution, that the fultaun's troops were unable to make any impreffion. The brigade was on every fide completely furroundéd, and had to contend againft a vaft difparity of numbers, befides other difcouraging circumftances.

As foon as general Stuart received intelligence of the perilous fituation of the right brigade, he marched to their affiftance with the flank companies of his majesty's feventy-fifth regiment, and the whole of the feventy-feventh. He arrived at about half past two, at fome of the divifions of the enemy, who had penetrated into the rear, and poffeffed themselves of the great road leading to Seedaleer. The engagement lafted nearly half an hour, when, after a fmart fire of mufquetry on both fides, the enemy were completely routed, and fled with precipitation through the Jungles, to regain their column, which ftill continued the attack in front. On arriving at lieutenant-colonel Montrefor's poft, the general found his men overcome with fatigue, and their ammunition almost exhausted. At twenty minutes paft three, the enemy retreated in all directions.

A junction was formed between the Bombay and the main army. Tippoo Sultaun, by the encampment at Periaptam, and by haraffing the march of general Harris, had ufed all the means in his power for preventing this junction in vain. He destroyed the villages, and laid waste the country, in front of the

English army. But as he did not fufficiently fpread the tracts of devaftation, his purpose of defeating our army was defeated, as general Harris, by a flight deviation from the common road, reached his deftination at the time he wifhed, and without any material interruption: Tippoo having abandoned the open country, and taken refuge in his capital and fortrefs of Seringapa

tam.

On the fixteenth, general Stuart, with the Bombay army, crofled the Cavery, and took up a pofition extending from its northern bank towards the Edgal: while general Floyd, with the left wing and cavalry, moved to the Delawayery, beyond Myfore, to cover a party fent out the preceding night to collett cattle and fheep, and to examine the new fort of Myfore. The party returned with confiderable fuccefs on the evening of the fixteenth, and encamped near the line of general Harris. Meafures were immediately taken by the general for erecting batteries, and preparing for the attacking of Seringapatam. The batteries being finished, they began to batter in breach on the thirtieth of April, and had, on the evening of the third of May, fo much deftroyed the walls againft which they were directed, that the arrangement was made for affaulting the place next day, when the breach was reported practicable. The troops intended to be employed were ftationed in the trenches early on the morning of the fourth, that no extraordinary movement might lead the enemy to expect the affault, which general Harris had determined fhould be made in the heat of the day, as the time beft calcuted to enfure fuccefs, for their troops

would