Madras, and in terms which fhew a full conviction, that, notwithftanding the affair of Mahie and all other fubjects of jealoufy or difference, peace might not only have been still preserved, but an advantageous and firm alliance concluded between him and the Company, if it had not been for the untoward measures purfued with Bazalet Jung relative to the Guntoor circar. From that time indeed, Hyder held no referve in declaring his fentiments with refpect to the government of Madras. written minute in the council of for the fervice of the artillery, or a fufficient number of thofe native coolies, or porters, who are neceffary to all armies in that country, for the purpose of affifting in the conveyacce both of baggage and provifions. He at the fame time declared, that he had neither treasures nor cavalry upon which he could found a hope of making an effectual refiftance. The nabob's, intelligence and advice were both good, but his rooted enmity to Hyder Ally rendered them fufpected, and probably, not always without reafon. He had long urged the prefidency to an alliance with the Marattas against Hyder; a proposal, which if it had been otherwife approved of, the meafures pursued on the other fide of India would have ren dered impracticable. Although the Nabob of Arcot was most shamefully and culpably negligent n every thing that depended upon himself relative to preparation and defence, yet he was a vigilant watchman with refpect to the prefidency, and gave them repeated warnings of the approaching danger. He had been early in advising the whole fome measure of diawing the troops together in the Carnatic, and of forming one or two camps in fuch pofitions as would appear the best calculated for preferving the communications, and for protecting the country in cafe of invafion, He stated, in fupport of his advice, the fuddennefs of the irrup tion, if it took place, and the rapidity with which the enemy's horfe would overfpread the country; the difficulty and danger which would then attend every attempt to collect the troops, if they lay fcattered in remote quarters; and, what would be fcarcely lefs pernicious, the impracticability of procuring, under the general impreffion of terror, bullocks (which are generally uted in India) Towards the clofe of the year 1779, the prefidency received intelligence from the nabob of the peace concluded between Hyder and the Marattas, with fome faint sketch of the alliance formed be tween thofe powers and the Nizam against the English. This was not at first credited; but by the end of the year was too well confirmed. Although the nature and extent of the new confederacy were not exactly known, yet, as things ftood, a peace of any fort between Hyder and the Marattas, might have been confidered as the fignal of a war with the former. Though this feemed in fome fort to be understood at Madras, and that the ruinous confequences of an invafion of the Carnatic were fully difplayed in their correfpon→ dence with Bengal, yet that government relied fo much upon an accommodation between the other [D] 4 pre prefidencies and the Marattas, as the certain means of averting the evil, that it perhaps flackened their endeavours to provide for the laft extremity in cafe of failure. They did not believe that Hyder would have ventured upon a war, if the difputes with the Marattas were fettled (an opinion which, however, appears fufficiently problematical); and they perhaps depended too much upon the accommodating fpirit of the other parties. is right to act in all things with "prudence and forefight." 1780. Notwithstanding thefe circumftances, it appears by a letter from the prefident to the court of directors, in the following month of February, that all apprehenfions of a war with Hyder was then over at the prefidency. But a letter which Hyder fent in the following month to March 19, the prefident, was confidered by Admiral Sir Edward Hughes (who commandThe governor of Fort St. George ed the Britif fquadron in the Inhad already employed a private dian feas) as containing fuch eviperfon to convey a letter to and dent teftimonies of his hoftile difto open a fecret negociation with pofition, that he thought it his Hyder, hoping by a direct per- duty to difpatch a copy of it home fonal communication, to be able to the fecretary of ftate. This to fettle or remove the existing letter contained a fhort but exdifferences, and at any rate to ac plicit detail of various caufes of quire a real knowledge of his fen- complaint which he had exhibited timents. Hyder's anfwer to his against that government, from the letter, correfponded with the cold conclufion of the treaty in the and haughty manner in which he year 1769, to the prefent time, treated the bearer of it. He ob- and conveyed in a language and ferved, that when a friendship, manner, which not only thewed confirmed by a folid treaty, had that thofe injuries were fresh in fubfifted between the Company and memory, but likewife expreffed a him, he imagined it would daily ftrong fenfe of their not being yet increase, and not have been broken accounted for. It concludes with through, as he afferted it had been the following expoftulation: on our fide. He faid, that out of "When fuch improper conduct confideration for the friendfhip of " is purfued, what engagements the king of England and the Com- "will remain inviolate? I leave pany, whom he had confidered as "it to the judgment of you and one, but now thought otherwife," your council to determine, on he had not yet taken vengeance!" whofe part the engagements and He concluded in the following ab- "promifes have been infringed." rupt sentences: "It is no mat"ter! But if you, henceforth for "getting all treaties and engage "ments of the Company, ftill are "intent on breaking with me, "what advantage can attend writ"ing to you? - You are ac quainted with every thing; it He expreffed himfelt to the fame purpose, in a letter of anfwer which he had written a fhort time before to Bombay, relative to fome English gentlemen who had been imprifoned in his dominions, and whom he releafed upon the appli catino of that prefidency: he in formed formed them, after ftating his and he was fo deeply in arrear to complaints, that he had given his officers and troops, that all orders to his officers to oppofe by difcipline and order had long been arms any future encroachment on at an end, and mutiny and deferhis territories, by the government tion everywhere prevailed in his of Madras; but, as there were no army. His cavalry, in particular, differences between him and Bom- were totally ruined. They debay, he declared, that his refent- ferted, that is to fay, they marched ments fhould fall only on those who off at noon-day with their horfes were the authors of injuftice. and arms by whole regiments. His best regiment of horfe was, in thefe circumftances, recovered and brought back by the generosity and public fpirit of a British military officer, who advanced his whole fortune for the payment of their arrears. This gentleman being afterwards obliged to return to England for the recovery of his health, was exceedingly diftreffed for the money, which he had fo applied, until it was advanced on the nabob's account, by the government of Madras." Such were the indications of the future ftorin. As the fummer advanced, every thing was in motion in Hyder's dominions. Large bodies of his troops were aflembled on the borders of the Carnatic, particularly in the neigbourhood of thofe gauts, or difficult pafles through the mountains, which afford the only means to an army of penetrating into that country; great magazines were formed, artillery, and all the equipments of war brought forward; Hyder himfelf advanced from his capital of Seringapatam to the frontiers; and the most evident marks were difplayed on all hands of the approaching danger. In this ftate of things, the means of defence provided by the government of Madras and the Nabob of Arcot, in order to preferve the Carnatic, were not by any means fo abundant as might have been defired. It is neceffary however to relate the fituation of both. That prince, through the ill government of his affairs, and a dilipation of his treasures (for which it is difficult to account) was in debt to all the world; to the Company, to his army, and to individuals, He borrowed from all who would lend, and never paid. His garrifons were without tores, ammunition, or provifions; On the other fide, the government of Madras had a gallant and well-difciplined army, amounting to fomething about 30,000 effective men; and had been lately reinforced by the arrival of Lord, Macleod, with a new raifed regiment of a thousand men from England. But this force, which would have been fo confiderable in its effect, if collected and acting in a body, was rendered weak and inert, by its being broken into fmall parties, difperfed at great diftances, whether in quarters, garrifons, or upon various detached fervices. A confiderable party, but much more fo with refpect to the nature and value of the troops than their number, were, in this feafon of danger, fent to afsist Gen. Goddard in the Guzerat war. The application from Bengal for this reinforcement, were, were, however, too urgent not to be complied with. Others were in garrifon on the Malabar coaft; and a very valuable detachment was in the Guntoor circar, under the conduct of Col. Baillie. Thofe immediately in the Carnatic were difperfed in the manner we have be fore obferved. A fcarcity of money ufually fuperinduces every other want. This misfortune now prevailed; and the troops were generally deftitute of all thofe neceflaries and means which could enable them to take the field. Whether it proceeded from a fhame of expofing his ill conduct, or from fome ftrange pride or jealoufy, no account could be obtained from the nabob, either now or for fome years back, though earnestly urged by the prefidency, of his military establishment, or the ftate or number of his troops. It was, however, known, that the ufual eftablishment of his army at fome former periods, was about 35,000 men: a number which, if only in tolerable condition, that, joined to the Company's forces, would have fecured the Carnatic against any invafion. But indeed, the behaviour of the officers and troops, rendered their number of little confequence. It is to be obferved, that upon the repeated intelligence which the nabob conveyed of Hyder's defigns or movements, he was as conftantly urged and warned by the prefidency to be prepared for the worst that could happen; not only by having his army, forts, and garrifons, well fupplied and in good condition, but by discharging the large debts and arrears which he owed to the Company, and thereby enabling them to act with vigour in his fupport as well as their own.-His plea of inability and poverty, though treated as too incomprehenfible to be credited, brought out much fevere reproof from the prefident, relative to the unaccountable ill conduct which could poffibly produce fuch a state of his affairs. the The prefidency feemed however to have given no farther credit to the various intelligence received, than was neceffary for making it the ground of their remonftrances. All accounts of Hyder's defigns, and of the movements of his forces, were not only flighted, but at the laft, and when he had actually penetrated into the Carnatic, first intelligence of the invafion was treated with the higheft contempt at Madras; fo that the burning of Conjeveram, four days after his entering the country, and the arrival of fome of his horfe in the neighbourhood of Madras, were the firft evidences of danger that were admitted. Two members, however, of the council had repeatedly endeavoured to awaken the majority to a fenfe of the common danger; and particularly to collect the troops and adopt other measures of preparation, neceffary to the defence and protection of the country. Another member of the council, but not of the select committee, in a minute which he delivered a few days after the invafion, declared, without referve, That they had been long approaching to that unhappy state at which they were now arrived; that private mifinanagement, and not public calamity, had brought them to the brink of destruction; that Hyder had long treated them with neglect and infult; that he had had for feveral months been af- The two gentlemen of the fe fembling a large army on the left committee, whom we have frontiers, while his vakeel (or re- before mentioned (Mr. Johnson fident) was allowed to remain at and Mr. Smith) ftrongly oppofed Madras, to give him daily intelli- and protefted against the act of gence of the effect his motions had fufpenfion, which they represented upon that government, which re- as irregular, violent, and unjust. mained inactive, and had neither They declared that the reprerefolution to question him about fentation made by Mr. Sadlier, his intentions, or wifdom to pro- agreed in many particulars with vide against the danger. That their own fentiments; that this they had fuffered their troops to would fully appear from their remain scattered in different parts former remonftrances upon the of the country without ftores or indolence and negligence which guns; that their garrifons were not prevailed in that government with put in a state of defence; that no refpect to preparation and defence. pains were taken to replenish an In protefting against the violence empty treafury; and that their of the meafure of fufpenfion, they want of exertion on the imminence declared their apprehenfion, that of danger was equal to their want the terror of the example was calof timely precaution. culated to overawe the members of administration from a free declaration of their fentiments; they fupported their imputation of injuftice, on the ground that no fpecific charge was brought against Mr. Sadlier, and that he was not heard in his defence; and they ventured to intimate a fufpicion, that private refentment more than public utility had caufed the feverity exercifed against that gentleman. Thefe fevere strictures on the conduct of government, accompanied by many others not lefs fo, excited the warmest refentment of the prefidency. They pronounced Mr. Sadlier's obfervations to be illiberal reflections on the conduct and measures of government, and the whole minute to be an inflammatory declamation, which they attributed either to a fhameful weakness, or to the most unworthy motives; and laying hold of fome expreffions which they conftrued into a defign of towing difaffection among the people at large, and others which called in queftion the authority of the felect committee, they made them the grounds of a vote for fufpending that gentleman from his feat in the council, as well as from the Company's fervice in general. Nor did the matter reft there; but was followed by a challenge from the commander in chief of the forces in the Carnatic. Charges of neglect, with refpect to the garrifons, ftores, and the ftate of the army for taking the field, by no means diffimilar, though delivered in fofter language to thofe brought by Mr. Sadlier, were afterwards delivered in council by the commander of the forces himfelf. In the mean time Hyder Ally openly treated the conduct and councils of the government of Madras with fuperlative contempt. He publicly declared his determination to ruin the Carnatic, and to chaftife the English. Ile d |