82. A confiderable force, under any permanent impreffion on your empire in India; and no native power (excepting Tippoo Sultaun) is fo infatuated as to be difpofed to affift or receive a French army. the command of lieutenant-colonels Read and Brown, will co-operate with lieutenant-general Harris in the fouthern districts of the Carnatic and Myfore, 83. Under thefe circumftances, general Harris entered the territory of Myfore, on the 5th of March, with orders to proceed directly to Seringapatam. 84. Having thus fubmitted to your honourable court, according to the order of dates, a detailed relation of the events which have led to the war in which we are actually engaged, and having declared to you the motives and objects of my conduct, in every ftage of this important tranfaction, I muft requeft your permiffion to conclude this difpatch with fuch reflections as arife in my mind from the review of my past measures, and from the profpect of their ultimate confequences and permanent effect. 85. From the first disclosure of the nature and object of Tippoo Sultaun's embaffy to the Ife of France, every principle of juftice and policy demanded from your government in India, that an inftantaneous effort fhould be made to reduce his power and refources, before he could avail himself of the advantages of the alliance which he had concluded. The defect of means is the fole confideration which can juftify me for not having made that effort at the early period when its fuccefs would have placed the fecurity of your poffeffions on a foundation, which the invafion of India by a French force could not have impaired. 86. For, without the aid of fome native power, it is fcarcely poffible that the French fhould ever make 87. The progrefs of events, fince the date of my orders of the 20th of June, 1798, has not only confirmed the principles of juftice and policy, by which an attack upon the fultaun was, at that time, demanded, but has manifefted that the defigns of France, as well as of the fultaun, were of a much more extensive and formidable nature, than any which have ever been attempted against the British empire in India fince the hour of its firft foundation. 88. While the magnitude and danger of thefe defigns were gradually difclofed, I had the fatisfaction to feel that the means of averting them were augmenting in a proportion nearly equal, by the fuccefs of the negociations at Hydrabad, and by the advance of the military preparations, which I had ordered, throughout your poffeffions. 89. At the commencement of the month of February, the crifis arrived in which I was called upon to form my ultimate decifion on the important queftion at iffue with Tippoo Sultaun, and to determine the final refult of the whole fyftem of my measures. 90. On the one hand, the apparent establishment of the French army in Egypt, and the uncertainty of the state of our naval power in the Red Sea, rendered the danger ftillurgent from that quarter; while Tippoo Sultaun's repeated evafions of my propofals for negociation, combined with his embally to the executive directory of France, under the conduct of M. Dubuc, appear cd your 91. Your honourable court will determine, whether, in this state of affairs, my orders of the 3d of February, were, premature, and whether I fhould have been justified, on the 13th of February, in recalling thofe orders, for the purpose of admitting, at that late period, a negociation, which would have enabled Tippoo Sultaun to defeat every object of the armament of the allies for the prefent feafon, and would have afforded him ample time to reap the full benefit of his connection with France, before the feafon for befieging his capital should return. 92. In deciding thefe important questions, you will neceffarily confider what degree of reliance was to be placed on the fincerity of the fultaun's difpofition to conclude an amicable adjuftment with your government, at the very moment when he had actually difpatched, on an embafly to the executive directory of France, the commander of the French troops raised in the Mauritius, and admitted into the fultaun's service, for the exprefs purpofe of carrying on a war of aggreffion against your poffeffions in India. 93. The admirable condition of your armies on both coafts, and the unequalled perfection of their equipment in every department, added to the extraordinary fpirit and animation with which the campaign has been opened, afford every reafon to hope, that the iffue of the war will be speedily and profpe rous, and that it must terminate in a confiderable reduction of Tippoo Sultaun's refources and power. 94. The wifdom of your honourable court will anticipate the extenfive benefits which muft refult to your interefts, from an event now become effential to the peace and fecurity of your poffeffions in India, 95. The policy of the treaty of Seringapatam certainly was not to maintain Tippoo Sultaun's power in fuch a ftate as fhould leave him a conftant object of alarm and apprehenfion to the company that he has been juftly fo confidered for fome years paft, cannot be doubted by any perfon acquainted with the records of any of your governments in India. The prefent is the second crifis within the laft three years, in which the government-general has thought it neceffary to affemble the army on the coaft of Coromandel, for the fole purpose of checking his motions; and the apprehenfion of his intentions has obftructed our operations against our European enemies in India during the course of our prefent war. 96. The continuance of Tippoo's power on its actual fcale, and under fuch circumftances, must have proved to the company a perpetual fource of folicitude, expenfe, and hazard. But the engagement which he has contracted with the French, the public proofs which he has given of his eagerness to receive in Myfore as large a force as they can furnifh, combined with the prodigious magnitude of their preparations, and the incredible progrefs of their arms, evidently directed to the deftruction of the British power in India, form new and prominent features in our political fituation in this quarter of the world. 97. Admitting the wifdom of that policy, which dictated the prefervation of Tippoo Sultaun's power, at the clofe of the laft war with Myfore, the fpirit of our prefent councils must be accommodated to the variation of circumftances, and to the actual pofition, character, and views of our enemies. 98. In fuch a conjuncture of affairs, I am perfuaded that your honourable court will be of opinion, that no object can be deemed fo urgent, or fo neceffary to the fafety of your poffeffions, as the effectual reduction of the only declared ally of France now exifting among the native powers of India. 99. If Tippoo Sultaun had been difpofed to content himself with the quiet poffeffion of his prefent dominions; if he could have been brought to a fense of his own peril in forming a connection with the French, the reprefentations which I addressed to him would have produced an early and falutary impreffion. Whatever speculative opinions might have been entertained with refpect to his interefts, views, and power, the juftice and moderation of the British government would never have disturbed his tranquillity. But he refolved to attempt the recovery of his loft dominions, at the hazard of thofe which he ftill retains; and in the ardour of his paffionate purfuit, he overlooked not only the certain deftruction of his own independence, the inevi table confequence even of the most profperous fuccefs of any alliance with France, but also the predominant influence of the English Eaft India company, which would detect his treachery, and turn againft his own empire the ruin which he had meditated against theirs. 100. The fecrecy of his councils, the promptitude of his refources, his conftant and active ftate of equipment for war, added to the facility of his intercourse with the French through his remaining territories on the coaft of Malabar, form the most dangerous circumftances in the actual condition of his power and dominion, and conftitute his principal means of offence. 101. If fuccefs should attend your arms in this war, I entertain a firm confidence that thofe dangers will either be wholly averted, or fo confiderably diminished, as to afford to your government in India the profpect of durable fecurity and genuine peace. 102. I cannot clofe this letter without repeating to your honourable court the cordial expreffions of my entire fatisfaction in the zealous and honourable co-operation of lord Clive, as well as of all the members of this government. The beneficial effect of their cheerful and ready concurrence, in forwarding all my views, is manifeft in the rapid progrefs and perfect completion of the equipments of the army in the field, and furnishes a striking and falutary example of the ineftimable advantages of unanimity and concord among your fervants in India. I have the honour to be, honourable firs, with the greatest respect, Your most obedient Fort St. George, 20th March, 1799. Copy Copy of a Letter from Tippoo Sultaun to the Executive Directory. The Circar Condabad to the Executive In the name of the friendship which the Circar Condabad and his nation vow to obferve towards the French republic, a friendfhip and alliance which will endure as long as the fun and moon fhall continue to fhine in the heavens, and will be fo folid that the most extraordinary circumstances fhall never break or difunite either the one or the other. The English, jealous of the connection and friendship which for a long time reigned between my circar and France, have united themselves to the Mahrattahs, to the Nizam Ali Khan, and to my other enemies, for the purpofe of declaring war against me; a war as odious and unjust as that which had lafted for fome years before, and which was attended with fuch fatal confequences to me, by taking from me my finest provinces, three crores and thirty lacks of rupees. The republic is not ignorant of any of these unfortunate circumftances; and of my having endeavoured to difpute every inch of territory, which I was forced to give up to our common enemy. I fhould not have been compelled to make thofe cruel facrifices had I been af fifted by the French, my ancient allies; who, deceived by the perfidi ous projects of governor-general Conway, at Pondicherry, together with governor Campbell, at Madras, agreed to the evacuation of the place which they commanded. The French republic, by expelling the English from their rich poffef fions in India, will certainly repair the faults of their ancient government. Animated for a long time by these fentiments, I have communicated them to the government of the Ifle of France, through the medium of two amballadors, from whom I have juft had the high fatisfaction of re-. ceiving fuch anfwers as I wifhed for; as well as the republican colours from the chief of brigade Chapuys, and naval captain Dubuc, who have brought to me fuch fuccours in foldiers and officers as circumstances have permitted general Malartie and rear-admiral Sercey to fend me. I keep near me the former officer, and fend you the fecond in quality of an ambaffador, for the purpose, at the fame time that he demands your alliance offenfive and defenfive, of obtaining forces fufficient to attack and annihilate our common enemies. I will tranfmit to you, by his means, my standard, which, united to that of the republic, will ferve as a bafis of the alliance which the two nations are about to contract. I have alfo charged him to communicate particular orders to you. I join with him in the embaffy Sheik Abdoubraim and Mahomet Bifmilla, my fubjects, who are equally directed to reprefent me in all affairs which they have to tranfact with you. Whatever may be the circumftances in which the two nations may hereafter find themfelves, whether together or feparately in all their tranfactions, may the good, the glory, and the advantage of both be always the end of them! May their refpective fentiments be guaranteed guaranteed by the appearances of fidelity, and the folemn pledges given by each of them! and may the heavens and earth draw near to each other and unite, fooner than our alliance fhall experience the flightest alteration! Given at my palace at Seringapatam, July 20, 1798. Copy of Articles of Engagement propofed by Tippoo Sultaun to the Directory. Recapitulation of the demands which my ambafladors are to make of the executive directory at Paris: Article I. Ten or fifteen thoufand troops, confifting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. II. A naval force to carry on hoftilities on the coaft where our armies may be, in order to favour their operations, or reinforce them, if neceffary. III. The circar fhall furnish all warlike ftores and provifions to the armies of the republic, as well as horfes, oxen, and every neceffary article, with the exception of European liquors, which he has not in his country. IV. The orders of the king fhall be taken with respect to all the marches and military operations. V. The expedition fhall be directed against fome point of the coaft of Coromandel, and in preference against Porto Novo, where the difembarkation of the troops fhall take place; and the king shall first repair thither with his army, his intention being to commence his operations in the heart of the enemy's country. VI. The king demands, that notice fhall be given to him by the republic, in difpatching two cor vettes from Europe, at a distance of twenty days from each other, of the number of fhips and troops to be fent to him, that he may immediately enter upon the campaign, and make himself master of the coaft of Coromandel, before the arrival of the republican forces. VII. All the conquests made from the enemy fhall, with the exception of the provinces which the king has been obliged to cede to the English, to the Mahrattahs, and to Nizam Ali Khan, be equally divided between the two nations, and according to the refpective conventions; the fame divifion fhall take place of the enemy's veffels and the Portuguefe colonies, for the purpose of indemnifying the king for the expenfes of the war. VIII, If any difficulty fhall arife between the allied armies, each of them fhall poffefs the right of referring to their modes of juftice, according to their laws and cuftoms, and every difcretionary article shall be agreed upon in writing between both nation. IX. That whatever may be the wifh of the republic to make peace with England, or to continue the war, it fhall always confider the king as its friend and faithful ally, and include him in all its treaties, and communicate to him all its intentions. X. All French who now are in, or may come into the ftates of the king, thall be treated as friends and allies; and they fhall be empowered to come and go, and carry on trade, without being liable to any trouble or molestation, but fhall, on the contrary, receive every affiftance of which they may stand in need. XI. This article relates to bringing into the fervice of the fultaun fexeral |