united strength would effectually of the Peishwa, after you have secure them. The subsidiary force in particular, destitute of Europeans, and occupying an advanced position, may be liable to the necessity of acting under very unfavourable circumstances. Every view of our situation appears to me to require that your junction with Colonel Stevenson's force should be effected at the earliest practicable period of time, as that measure will secure, more than any other, the safety of the British troops, and the general success of the plans of govern ment. I have not noticed in the forego ing orders the conduct to be observed on your part in case of the opposition of any chieftain, and in particular of Jeswunt Rao Holkar, from whom we are led to expect most opposition to your proceedings. The instructions of the Governor General and Lord Clive contain no orders, and afford no positive rule to guide my determination on this important head. I infer, however, from the spirit of those instructions, that if the majority of the southern Jaghiredars, and the sentiments of the body of the people, are found to declare in favour of the restoration of Baajy Rao, the British detachment ought to persevere in the endeavours to reestablish his authority; and should the detachment, during the prosecution of that endeavour, encounter the hostility of any individual Jaghiredar, that they are to employ, in concert with the well-affected Jaghiredars, every practicable means to overcome his opposition. In the event, therefore, of any single feudatory opposing resistance to the restoration ascertained that the sentiments of the majority of the chieftains are favourable to that measure, I am of opinion that the instructions which I have received justify me in authorizing you to compel his submission. This authority must, however, be understood to apply to the case only of your experiencing hostility from any of the Mahratta chiefs, for the principle of his Excellency the Governor General's policy is, to avoid a war; and as his Excellency has directed me to bear this principle in mind as the rule of our conduct on every emergency that may arise, you will carefully forbear from the adoption of any measure that is likely to involve the occur. rence of hostilites with any of the parties of the Mahratta empire. The numerous considerations which recommend the early and expeditious advance of the detachment, render it inadvisable, in my judgment, to undertake the siege of Darwar. The reduction of that fortress might be attended with delays extremely detrimental to the success of our cause,and I do not apprehend that Bappojee Scindia, intimidated as he will be by the vicinity of the army under my command, and afraid to exasperate bis future treatment from the Peishwa, will attempt to molest your communications. I therefore consider it to be expedient that this fortress, notwithstanding the important advantage which would be derived to your operations from its possession at the present crisis of affairs, should be permitted to remain under its present Kelledar. It may, however, be proper that you should avail yourself of the impression pression which the advance of the British force will produce upon the minds of the people, to require of Bappojee Scindia his probable views. The instructions to Colonel Stevenson, which I have ordered to be furnished to you, will explain the measures prescribed to that officer. I have instructed him to communicate regular information of his proceedings and situation to you, and to obey your orders. When you shall have opened a safe communication with this officer's force, you will detach his Majesty's Scotch brigade to join it, and consider that corps from the time of its remo. val from your detachment, as attached to the establishment of the subsidiary force. Colonel Stevenson, according to the last letter which I received from that officer, was to be at Perauda on the 16th of Marah. I have written to the Residents at Poona and Hydrabad, informing them of your advance, and requesting them to communicate with you; and I am desirous that you should afford them every information regarding your progress that it may be requisite for them to know. You are aware of the importance of making me regularly acquainted with your operations, with the sentiments of the people, and the general state of affairs connected with the proceedings of your detachment. It will be particularly necessary for you to transmit to me the earliest possible information of such circumstances as may be expected to occur, to obstruct the progress of the detachment, either from the disinclination of the people in ge neral to the cause which it supports, or from the opposition of any individual chieftain. The army will take a position in the ceded districts ready to support your operations, when support shall appear from either of these causes to be necessary. I shall, on receiving information of the probability of serious resistance being opposed to your advance, anticipate this necessity by a movement of the army to support you. I have the honour, &c. &c. &c. (Signed) J. STUART. Head Quarters, Camp at Nersighur, 9th March, 1803. INCLOSURE (C.) (A true Copy.) (A true Copy.) Letter from the Governor General in Council, to the Governor in Council at Fort St. George; dated 4th April, 1803. To the Right Honourable Edward THE Governor General in Council has the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's official dispatch to the Governor General, No. 1b. dated the 15th of March, inclos+ I ing ing the copy of a letter from his Exceliency the Commander in Chief of the army of Fort St. George to your Lordship's address, in which his Excellency has detailed the arrangements, adopted under your Lordship's authority, for the formation and march of a detachment under the command of the Honourable Major-General Wellesley, towards Poona, in conformity to the instructions of the Governor General, addressed to your Lordship in an official letter under date the 2d of February. resources of the country through which the detachment will have occasion to march. Those supplies being princi pally derived from the resources of Mysore, it becomes an object of the utmost importance to provide, by every practicable precaution, against the decline of that active influence and energy, by which we have hitherto been enabled to apply the resources of Mysore to the exigencies of the army in the field. The activity and energy which have distinguished the conduct of the Executive Authority in Mysore, are principally to be ascri bed to the influence which MajorGeneral Wellesley has been enabled to establish in that country, by his judicious conduct of the British army stationed at Mysore. The preservation of that in、 fluence is inseparably connected with the continuance of Major. General Wellesley in the command of the British forces in Mysore, while that officer shall be employed in the immediate conduct of the operations of the detachment advancing towards Poona. Those arrangements appear to have been regulated by Lieutenant General Stuart, under your Lordship's orders, with the utmost degree of judgment and abi. lity, and to have embraced every object connected with the successful accomplishment of the service on which the detachment is employed. The Governor General in Council entirely approves of the selection of the Honourable Major-General Wellesley for the command of the troops detached wards Poona. The extensive local knowledge and influence possessed by that officer, and the confidence reposed in his approved talents, firmness, temper, and integrity, by the Mahratta chieftains on the frontiers of Mysore, render him peculiarly qualified to discharge the complicated duties of a command which will requirement of the service in which that the united exertion of considera- oficer is at present engaged, ble military skill, and great poli- With these sentiments his Excel, tical experience and discretion. lency in Council deems it to be The Governor General in Coun- proper to direct in this special cil observes, with peculiar satis- manner, that Major-General Wel fiction, the judicious arrange. lesley retain the military comments which have been adopted mand of Mysore until further infor securing to the detachment structions shall reach your Lordregular and sufficient supplies of ship from this government. Your provisions, independently of the Lordship will be pleased accord The Governor General in Council, therefore, considers Major-General Wellesley's continu ance in the military command of Mysore to be essentially neces sary to the successful accomplish Council further directs, that no alteration be made in any civil or ingly to instruct his Excellency the Commander in Chief on the coast, to frame, in concert with Major-military appointments in Mysore General Wellesley, such arrangements as may appear to be neces sary to enable Major-General Wellesley to exercise the military command in Mysore, while employed in conducting the operations of the detachment, and other public duties, within the Mah. ratta territory. If any officer should have been appointed to succeed Major-General Wellesley in the military command in Mysore previously to the receipt of this dispatch, his Excellency in Council directs that the command in Mysore be restored to Major-General Wellesley immediately upon the receipt of these instructions. The instructions which his Excellency the Commander in Chief on the coast has issued to MajorGeneral Wellesley, are framed with the greatest wisdom and prudence, and are entirely conformable to the views and intentions of the Governor General in Council. The state of the internal government of Mysore in all its branches, being intimately connected with the subject of these instructions, his Excellency in (including the appointment of all native officers, civil and military) without previous reference to the Governor General in Council, and without his express authority; and that no change be suffered to take place in any part of the existing system of the civil or military government of Mysore, without the previous sanction of this government. The Governor General in Council requests that your Lord. ship, in Council will be pleased to consider the instructions stated in this dispatch to be intended to form the basis of a permanent system for the future administra. tion of Mysore, and for regulating the extent and nature of the eontroul to be exercised over the affairs of that possession, by the Governor General in Council. We have the honour to be, Fort William, the 4th April 1803. (A true Copy.) INCLOSURE (D.) Governor General's Instructions to the Resident at Poona; dated 30th March 1803; and 6th Article of the Treaty of Hydrabad 1798. To Lieut.-Col. Close, Resident at Poona. Şir, ADVICES which his Excelleney the most noble the Gover nor General has received from Europe, of the possible renewal of hostilities between Great Britain and France, render it highly expedient, in his Excellency's 12 judg judgment, that you should avail yourself of any state of circum, stances which may afford an expectation of obtaining the Peishwa's consent to a modification of the 11th article of the treaty lately concluded between his Highness and the British government. 2. The means afforded to us by the terms of that article, for the exclusion of the influence and interest of the French in the state of Poona, even in time of war between Great Britain and France, are defective and precarious; and, in the season of peace, no restraint whatever is imposed by that article, which can preclude the danger of a future connection between the state of Poona and the French, through the agency of persons of that nation, or subjects of other European powers in the interests of France, residing within the Peishwa's dominions, or holding official situations under his Highness's authority. 3. His Excellency is anxious to remedy these defects, by obtaining the Peishwa's consent to the dismission of Frenchmen any who may now be residing within his Highness's dominions, and to the insertion of an article in the present treaty, in terms similar to those of the sixth article of the treaty concluded between the British government and his Highness the Nizam, on the 1st of September 1798, in the room of the 11th article of the late engagement with the Peishwa. 4. A transcript of that part of the sixth article of the treaty of Hydrabad, of September 1798, which relates to the subject of this letter, is inclosed for your information and guidance. 5. His Excellency desires that you will not neglect any opportunity which may be afforded you, for the accomplishment of this important object, at the earliest practicable period of time. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c. INCLOSURE (E.) Letter from the Resident with Dowlut Rao Scindia, to the Gover nor General; dated the 30th March 1803. |