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It gives us no fmall concern to understand, that a paffage In our History for the year 1773, fhould have been fuppofed to convey an imputation injurious to the honour and character of the Baron de Tott. Independent of our attention to historical truth, as well as to perfonal juftice, we too much regard the fingular talents and eminent abilities of that Nobleman, not to regret, however innocently, that we fhould in any manner, have afforded means for 'wounding his feelings; much lefs fhould we confent to its being understood, that we gave any sanction to a falfe and fcandalous calumny. It is impoffible, at this distance of time, to recollect any of the operative circumftances with respect to that paffage, or even what our own sense of the fubject then was. The Tranflator of his very curious and valuable Memoirs bas, in his Preface, along with the charge, candidly furnished almost every thing which it would be neceffary for us to fay upon the fubject, by quoting, from ourfelves, the uncertainty of the information which could then be obtained, relative to the circumftances of the Ruffian and Turkish war, and still farther, by his own subsequent acknowledg ment, that the calumny, to which the paffage in question is fuppofed to allude, however malicioufly raised, was publicly prevalent. We fhall only add, that we are in ourselves convinced of, that Guys, the French conful or deputy, and the real renegado, was the perfon to whom we really point ed, however the Baron's actions might at first have been mistakenly attributed to him. Time has cleared up the truth, and done ample juftice to his character.

THE

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Retrospective view of affairs in India. Benares. Transactions which led to the dependance of that country on the Eaft India company. The Rajah Bulwant Sing, having taken a decided part in their favour, in the war against his paramount lord, Sujah Ul Dowlah, his territories are fecured to him by the treaty of illahabad. Inveftiture of Cheit Sing, upon the death of his father Bulwant, and a new treaty concluded in favour of the family by Major Harper. A third treaty, in confirmation of the tavo former, concluded by Mr. Haftings, who is himself a party to it, and renders the company guarantees of the Rajab's poffeffions. Upon the death of Sujah Ul Dowlah, the Nabob vizier, the fovereignty of Benares is transferred by his fucceffor to the company. Extraordinary fubfidies demanded and levied from the Rajah, Cheit Sing, on occafion of the war with France, lay the foundation of thofe differences which took place between him and the government of Calcutta. A fupply of 2000 cavalry demanded from the Rajah. Charges of difaffection and contumacy laid against him. Governor general's progrefs from Calcutta, to fettle the affairs of Benares, and other countries. Proceeds up the Ganges to Buxar, where he is met by the Rajah, with great attendance and number of boats. Different accounts of the conference on the water. Rajah's vifit at Benares forbidden. Rajab taken into cuftody: refcued, and the fepoys, with their offficers, maffacred. He flies firft to Ramnagur, and from thence retires in the night to the fortrefs of Lutteefpoor. Ouffaun Sing appointed by the governor general to adminifter the affairs of the country in the place of the Rajah. VOL. XXVI.

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Ramjiewaun, garrifons Ramnagur for the Rajah. Scheme for the reduc tion of that place fruftrated by the rafness of Capt. Mayaffre: who is killed in an ill-judged attack, and the party repulfed with great loss. Country immediately in arms. Defign of attacking the governor general in bis quarters obliges him to retire by night to Chunar. Repeated propofals made by the Rajab for an accommodation, produce no effect. Embarrassment occafioned by the Nabob vizier's vifit. The commotion in Benares Spreads the flame in the adjoining countries. Cheit Sing's manifesto. Attack on the Rajah's camp at Puteetah. Great reinforcements arrive at Chunar. Bundoo Cawn, a native, propofes the means by which the Rajah's forces might, without much difficulty, be difpoffeffed of their firong holds. The Scheme adopted by Major Popham; who privately diffatches Major Crabbe, with a strong detachment, to penetrate the mountains, under the guidance of Bundoo Cawn, and attack the enemy in the rear, while he engages them in front. The defign jucceeds; Major Crabbe carries the ftrong pafs of Suckroot; the enemy abandon the fortress of Lutteef poor; The Rajah flies to Bidjeygur, and all his forces difperfe. Country immediately refumes its ufual tranquillity. Governor general returns to Benares; fettles the. government; appoints a new Rajah; and increases the revenue. Difturbances in the neighbouring countries quelled. Treaty of peace and alliance happily concluded with Madajee Scindia by Colonel Muir. The Rajah, Cheit Sing, totally abandons his country. Strong fortress of Bidjeygur taken, upon conditions, by Major Popham. Great treasure found, and fpoil made by the

army.

WHIL

HILE other parts of India were defolated by the prefent and by former wars, the fequeftered and happy country of Benares, generally had the fortune to escape the common cala. mity. Befides the fecurity de. rived from the great diftance of the fea, the facred character afcribed to that city, which had through many ages been confidered as the repofitory of the religion and learn. ing of the Bramins, could not but endear it in the highest degree to the Hindoos; and the foreign ravagers of India, if they paid no refpect, found it neceffary, at leaft, to fhew fome attention to the prejudices of the conquered. Hoftility indeed was not much provoked by a people, who, along with the most gentle and inof.

fenfive manners, poffeffed fuch a fpirit of induftry, as had given to a whole country, the face of a garden in the higheft ftate of culture and beauty; and whose labours were a common bene. fit to all, who either lived near or had occafion to approach them.

The Ganges, before it yet be. comes too vatt for health and fa. tisfaction, winding through the variegated face of fuch a country, could not but greatly heighten the picturesque beauty of the fcene; and lying, as it does, under the happiett influence of the heavens, it is not to be wondered at, that under fuch favourable circum. ftances, Benares had long been' confidered as the paradife of In. dia. The capital was not lefs

diftin.

diftinguished for its beauty, than eminent for its rank and confideration. But neither the falubrity of the air, nor the delights of its fituation, were more alluring to ftrangers, than the happy fecurity to perfon and property which it afforded. It accordingly became the coveted retreat of the people of all the Afiatic countries and religions, who weary of a bufy life, vexed by its difappointments, or apprehenfive of its dangers, wifhed to enjoy during fome portion of their lives, the tranquillity of a fecure and happy retirement.

The expences of the prefent war with Hyder Ally and the Marattas, in which all the Englith prefidencies were fo deeply, and one at least fo dangerously involved, rofe to fuch an height, that the wealth and revenue of Bengal, great as thefe were, proved unequal to their fupply. New fources were accordingly to be fought and the weak and the wealthy were doomed, as ufual, to adminifter to the wants of the ftrong and the warlike. The profecution of thefe means of fupply, led to the fubfequent calamities of Benares; and fuddenly plunged Mr. Haftings, the governor general, into a new war, at near 600 miles distance from the feat of his government.

For the better comprehenfion or illuftration of this fubject, it will be neceffary to take fome notice of the late ftate and government of that country, as well as of its relation to, and the means by which it became dependent on the Eaft India company.

The country of Benares lies far up the Ganges, not a great deal fhort of 600 miles, to the

north-weft of Calcutta. The river, without taking in its continual windings, points generally from the weft to the eaft in its courfe through it. Its extent from north to fouth, including the diftricts of Chunar and Gazypour, which are united with it, is about 150 miles; nor is it much lefs from east to west; but it is a good deal indented on the former fide by the province of Bahar. It was a part of thofe extenfive poffeffions, which the misfortunes of the court of Delli, enabled Sujah U Dowlah, the grand vizier of the empire, and nabob of Oude, to fecure the actual fovereignty and poffeffion of in his own family. The Rajah, Bulwant Sing, was tributary to Sujah Ul Dowlah, for the country of Benares, and its dependencies, at a certain ftated tribute or rent; for it is difputed, though indeed of little confequence, to which class it properly belongs.

In the war which broke out in the year 1764, wherein Sujah Ul Dowlah fupported Coffin Ally Cawn, who had been the murderer of fo great a number of English gentlemen at Patna, the Rajah Bulwant Sing, notwithftanding the relation in which he flood with Sujah, took a decided part in favour of the English, and rendered them effential and acknowledged fervices. As Sujah Dowlah was fo entirely ruined by the war, that he scarcely hoped to have been left in poffeffion of any part of his territories, it was in the power of the English to dictate the terms of peace. Thefe were, however, fo much in his favour, as to excite no small furprize at the time, both at home

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and in India; but it was, notwithstanding, held as a matter indifpenfably neceifary, not only with respect to honour, gratitude, and good faith, but to the real interefts of the nation and company, to provide for the Rajah's interefts and poff flions in fuch a Banner by the treaty, as thould effectually fecure him from the animofity and revenge of Sujah Ul Dowlah, which were well known to be boundless and implacable.

terms of the article, feemed to be bound only to Bulwant Sing's perfon, without any express provifion being made for the continuance of the zemindaries in the Rajah's family. It appears, however, from Lord Clive's corref pondence, that this was fully underftood by all the parties to be the clear intention of the article ; and the value and importance which was attributed to it by himself, and confirmed by the acknowledgment of the company at home, as well as by the prefidency of Calcutta, fufficiently thews that they all received and confidered it in the fame sense. Lord Clive paid little attention to the nicety of words in a compact with a man, whom he regarded at this time merely as an inftru"Toment of his own making, and the explanation of which would reft either with himself or the company.

When General Carnac was empowered by the prefidency of Bengal, in the year 1765, to negociate the preliminary articles of a peace with Sujah Ul Dowlah, this matter was accordingly particularly committed to his charge: and it was laid down as a fpecific article of his inftructions, Jecure Bulwant Sing in the poff fion of his country." By the fifth article of the treaty of Illahabad, which was foon after concluded by Lord Clive, although the moft extraordinary favours and advantages were in other refpects granted to Sujah Ul Dowlah, yet he was moft folemnly bound to continue Bulwant Sing in poffeflion of all the territories he held before the war, fubject only to the payment of the fame revenue as heretofore.

Confidering the immenfe objects which Lord Clive had at that time in act and in contemplation, it is no wonder that he did not pay all the attention to the wording of this article, which the prefidency, if it had been in their hands, would probably have done, and which the character of the vizier more especially demanded. The latter, by the

In fact, the English by being the mediators of this condition, became virtually its guarantees; and the ties between them and the Rajah, being founded on their mutual interefts and fecurity, were from thence indiffoluble. He looked only to them for protection against the malice and rapacity of a cruel and perfidious tyrant; while, on the other hand, his country afforded them, without any expence, a ftrong and excellent barrier on the fide of Oude, and would, as well as his forces, anfwer a' purposes of war and defence, as effectually as if it were their own.

When circumftances ferved, and the proper feafon was arrived, Sujah Ul Dowlah well knew how to turn to account this past error, or

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