His zalet Jung. Early in the negociation, and in the beginning of the year, Sir Thomas Rumbold, the prefident, ftated to the select committee feveral reafons, which fhewed it would be neceffary to fend a refident to the Nizam's court; among these were the following: the making an apology for the arrears due on the pefheufh, with a promife of payment as foon as it could conveniently be done; and the fettlement of the Guntoor circar. The prefident further obferved, that if no other confequence were to arife from it than the obtaining from fuch authority as could be depended on, that intelligence which now was received only by chance, and thereby being at a certainty with respect to the Nizam's views and intentions, and to any intrigues the French were carrying on with him, they were objects of fuch importance as fully thewed the propriety of the measure. The propofal being agreed to, Mr. Hollond was appointed refident at the court of Hyderabad.

part of Hyder's dominions.
courfe lay through the Cuddepah
province, a country newly con-
quered by Hyder, and which muft
neceffarily be fill in an unfettled
fate: a circumftance and fitua-
tion of things, which could not
fail to render the appearance of
foreign troops fufpicious, even be-
tween nations that were upon the
most amicable terms. Upon Har-
per's entering the Cuddepah coun-
try, he immediately gave notice
to Hyder's officers of his object
and destination; who were as rea-
dy in their answer, that he had
no right to march without leave
through their territories; that he
fhould accordingly be oppofed,
and the paffes barricaded against
him. He notwithstanding pur-
fued his course for fome days, un-
til arriving at the narrow pafs of
Atcour, lying between the hills,
be found the trees cut down acrofs
the way, other means of defence
and obftruction adopted, and a
confiderable body of men advan-
tageoufly posted to difpute his
paffage. He had no orders for
direct hoftility, if the measure had
otherwife been fafe or prudent;
but he had no great time to hefi
tate upon the matter, for he foon
difcovered that measures were tak-
ing on all fides for furrounding and
enciofing his detachment. In this
unexpected fituation, he found it
neceffary to give up the defign for
the prefent, and to fall back to
Aug. 14th,
Innaconda; where he
arrived, after spending
1779. fix days in Hyder's

country.

It may now be neceffary to fee what meatures were taken by the prefidency, to reconcile the Nizam to the treaty concluded with Ba

In the letter to the governorgeneral and fupreme council conveying an account of this appointment, which was written in the beginning of February, as mong fome obfervations on the probable confequences of the dif grace brought upon the Company's arms, by the late difafter which had befallen the Bombay army, they particularly take notice of the effect which it was likely to produce on the conduct of the Nizam, whofe avowed attachment to the court of Poonah, averfion. to Ragonaut Row, along with the ftrong remonstrances which he had prefeuted against the mealures pur

lued

than all other matters whatever, was its poffeffing the fea-port of Mootapilly, which afforded the only intercourfe that either the Nizam or his brother could have with the fea; thereby keeping a door conftantly open for French commerce, intrigue, and negociation in the Deccan, as well as for the introduction of arms, ammunition, artillery, and even troops, when the occafion fhould requirety that nation.

In procefs of time, various jea~ loufies fprung up, and differences arofe, between the Company and Bazalet Jung; as there likewife did, but in a ftill greater degree between that prince and the Nizam his brother. With respect to the Company, Bazalet was at different times charged with being, in a greater or leffer degree, connected with and under the influence of France. But what was particularly complained of, Under thefe circumstances, it was his receiving a body of troops was natural that the prefidency under the command of a Mr. of Madras fhould earneftly with Lally, into his fervice; which, to anticipate the poffeffion of the though compofed of vagrants and Guntoor circar; and it was rea- deferters of all the European nafonable that they fhould purfue tions, intermixed with the dege fuch moderate and temperate mea- nerate relics of the ancient Porfures as feemed likely to facili- tugueze, yet, being nominally tate that purpose. Overtures French, and conducted by officers were accordingly made, fo early of that nation, the meafure was as the year 1769, and afterwards of a nature which could not fail more than once renewed upon to give fome alarm and much the fubject; undoubtedly holding out fome terms of equivalent, exchange, or of yearly rent for the Guntoor. But the advantage's it afforded being equally understood on both fides, nothing conclufive was done; nor did the Nizam feem much to relish the fubject; who perhaps felt, that the granting of too much, was the fure means of producing ungrateful and difagreeable claims or applications for more. How ever that was, it was never once thrown out upon thefe occafions, nor did the idea feem to be entertained, whether in confultation or negociation, that any propofitions relative to a new fettle ment or arrangement of the Guntoor, were to be made to any other perfon than to the real fovereign, the Nizam.

offence to the prefidency of Madras. Strong remonftrances were accordingly made to Bazalet; and the justification or defence which he fet up, not affording entire fatisfaction, hints were thrown out, that fuch propofals would be made to his brother for the Guntoor, as could not fail of producing their effect.

In the mean time, the conquefts made by Hyder Ally on his nor thern frontier, and the rapid progrefs which he thereby made in extending his dominion towards Bazalet Jung's borders, as well in his patrimonial territories as his jaghire, filled that prince with apprehenfion and difmay. While Hyder was at a distance, he pretended that he hired the French troops as a protection against his defigns; but on his approach, it

was

was evident that he placed no reliance in the fecurity they fhould afford. It was faid, and is by no means improbable, that he was hikewife thoroughly weary of and highly difgufted with his new auxiliaries. But, however that was, about the close of the year 1778, he thought it neceflary to throw himfelf into the arms of the English for protection.

work. This wife and temperate advice was, however, overruled by the majority.

Such was this tranfaction, by which a treaty, including new arrangements of connection, re"venue, and territory, was concluded with Bazalet Jung, himself a subject, without the participation or confent of his brother and fovereign. The Nizam did not afterWhatever the operating motives wards by any means forget to were, he propofed, negociated, remind the prefidency, that they and concluded, directly from had violated the treaty by their achimself, and without the know- quifition of the circar; and that ledge or intervention of Ni- Bazalet was releafed from that zam, a treaty of obedience, which they had expressApril, 1779. friendhip, alliance, ly bound themselves to inforce with and, on their fide, of defence and protection, with the presidency of Fort St. George. By this treaty he difmiffed the French troops, and furrendered the Guntoor into the hands of the Company; they being bound on their part to its immediate and future defence, and to the payment of a prefcribed specific annual revenue out of it for life to Bazalet Jung. It seems also as if his other territorial poffeffions of Adoni, with fome neighbouring districts, were taken under protection.

It had been propofed in the council at Madras, upon the first opening of the bufinets, that, confonant to the fubfifting treaties between both parties, an account of the transaction as it then stood, of the offers made by Bazalet, the ime mediate motives which led to them, and those which ftill operated on both fides, fhould inftantly be tranfmitted to the Nizam, and that the treaty fhould of courfe be conducted and concluded with him, laying the propofals made by his brother down as the ground

their arms.

It may not be unworthy of notice, that the account of the commencement and procefs of this bu finefs, which was tranfmitted from Madras to the governor-general and fupreme council, was fo loofe and general in its terms, that no other information could be gathered from it, than merely that a treaty for granting the Guntoor, upon certain conditions, to the Company, was in a fair train of being brought to a conclufion ; but without the fmalleft fpecification with whom it was conducted, or by whom the grant was to be made. And it farther appears, that the treaty was concluded about ten months before any account of the tranfaction was tranfmitted to Bengal.

It had been obferved, that most of the tranfactions relating to land or revenues at Madras, had of late a reference to the interests of the Nabob of Arcot. In the present inftance, one of the first acts that deferved notice in the adminiftration of the new government, was

the

cordingly propofed that a letter fhould be written to Mr. Hollond, particularly inftructing him to use his utmost endeavours for the attainment of to defiracle an object. He acknowledged, at the fame time, that the fubject was very delicate, and should not be abruptly gone into; and that the opening of it to the Nizam, would require much management and addrefs on the part of Mr. Hollond, who muft by turns footh and work on his apprehenfions, as the occafion might require.

more than (what is never wanted) the tribute made good. He aca pretence for war and conquest. Upon receiving the Nizam's letter at Madras, with one from Mr. Hollond, containing an account of the very favourable and flattering reception which he met with, the prefident obferved to the committee, that he had always confidered the pefhcufh as difgraceful to the Company, and as acknowledgment which the Nizam had no right to demand. That the giving up of the Guntoor to his brother for life, was a fufficient condefcenfion from the Company:-That the grant from the Mogul was free and unconditional for the five circars; and the receiving them afterwards from the Nizam, on paying him an annual tribute, was a facrifice of the Company's rights. He obferved, that the time feemed favourable for throwing offe fo heavy a burthen; that the immenfe expences. which the Company were put to, both to the northward and in the Carnatic, rendered it neceffary that they should endeavour to relieve them as much as poffible.He was perfuaded that the Nizam was not fufficiently powerful to enforce the demand. At all events, they might with fafety make the attempt, and try to obtain a remiflion of fo unneceffary and fo improper a tribute, to which the Nizam had no legal title, and which could only have been originally agreed to, through the want of paying a proper attention to the Mogul's phirmaund; but if, in the progrefs of the bufinefs, the attempt fould appear impolitic, or attended with too much difficulty, the matter might then be dropped, and the payment of

The prefident's arguments feemed to be conclufive with the com mittee; and his propofal met with their full approbation. Hollond was inftructed not to mention any compromife, nor to ftipulate for the payment of any part of the pethcufh, until every endeavour to induce the Nizam to relinquish the whole had failed of effect; and he was likewife from his own. obfervation to learn, whether there were any points in which he wished that the Company fhould accede to, as a return for his giving up his claim to the pefhcufh. In the clofe, however, of the letter, they obferve to Hollond, that although, their wishes extended to an entire remiffion of the pefhcufh, and which was accordingly to be the basis of his first propofal, and to be fupported by his best endeavours, yet, they confefied, that without fomething of importance to tempt him, they could hardly expect that he would at once be brought to fo great a conceffion; but they hoped, that making the demand at that time in its full extent, they fhould the more easily obtain a confiderable abatement in.

the