ness's service can never be of much impress him with the propriety of (True Extract.) INCLOSURE (L.) Governor General's Instructions to the Resident at Poona; dated 1st September 1803. To Lieutenant Colonel Close, Resident at Poona. Sir, I AM directed by his ExcelJency the Most Noble the Governor- General, to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch, No. 106, dated 12th August. 2. His Excellency considers the modification of the treaty of Bassein, which his Highness the Peishwa has proposed, to be generally a considerable improvement of the terms of that treaty, with reference to the British interests. It appears to his Excellency, that those propositions must tend to augment the influence and ascendancy of the British power in the state of Poona, and to afford to the British government additional means of controuling the principal feudatory chieftains of the Mahratta empire. The addition of a regiment of cavalry to the subsidiary force stationed with his Highness the Peishwa, is, in his Excellency's judgment, an object of considerable importance, both in a political and financial point of view. 3. The possession of the territory proposed to be ceded in the province of Bundelkund, appears to his Excellency to be preferable, in a political view, to the Peishwa's original cessions in the south ern quarter of his dominions. 4. His Excellency considers the advantages to be expected from entertaining the proposed body of Mahratta cavalry in the pay of the British government, during the continuance of the present war, greatly to overbalance the temporary inconvenience of the expence attending that arrange ment. 5. The proposed reduction in the quota of troops to be furnished by the Peishwa in time of war appears to his Excellency to be immaterial, when placed in competition with the general benefits of the projected arrange. ment. 6. His Excellency considers those propositions to afford a satisfactory proof of the Peishwa's disposition to adhere to the faith of his engagements with the British government, and to repose with implicit confidence on the protection and justice of the British power. 7. The only article of the propositions which appears to his Excellency to be in any degree objectionable, is that which provides for the retrocession of the district of Colpar. The local situation of that district renders the possession of it by the British government an object of considerable importance to our interests on the western side of India. His Excellency, however, considers the disadvantages of that branch of the arrangement to be greatly counterbalanced by the benefits of the remaining propositions; his Excellency is therefore resolved to acquiesce in the Peishwa's proposal for the resumption of the district of Colpar, rather than relinquish the advantages of the proposed modification of the treaty of Bassein; at the same time, his Excellency is anxious. that every effort should be employed with a view to maintain that possession in the hands of the British government, and his Excellency accordingly directs that in concert with the Honourable the Governor of Bombay, and the Honourable Major-General Wellesley, you will endeavour to effect such an arrangement with Vittel Sook Deo, as he may consider to afford a compensation for the relinquishment of his Jaghire of Colpar. 8. It is possible that an arrangement, which should either transfer the dependence of that Jaghiredar from the Peishwa to the British government, or should entitle him to the British guarantee, may induce him to yield to us what he has refused to the Peish wa. 9. When this point shall have been finally adjusted, either by the concurrence of Vittel Sook Deo in the arrangement to be proposed to him, or by his absolute rejection of it, you are authorized without further reference to the Governor-General to conclude an engagement with the Peishwa, in the form of an additional article to the treaty of Bassein, on the basis of his Highness's proposal. You will, however, immediately signify to the Peishwa, his Excellency's general acceptance of the Peishwa's propositions. 10. Under the sentiments which his Excellency the Governor-General has stated with respect to the Peishwa's propositions, it is his Excellency's intention to adopt without delay, the measures necessary for giving effect to those propositions in relation to the province of Bundelkund. 11. On this occasion I am directed to apprize you that the occupation of that province by the British power is one of the objects comprehended in the system of political arrangement which his Excellency the Governor-General has deemed it expedient to prosecute in the present crisis of affairs, on the northwestern frontier of the Company's dominions. 12. By the inclosed extract from his Excellency's instructions to Mr. Mercer, the agent appointed by his Excellency for the purpose of conducting the intended arrangements in that quarter, under the superintendance of the Commander in Chief of the British forces in India, you will be informed of the measures adopted by his Excellency the GovernorGeneral for the occupation of Bundelkund, and of the grounds on which is founded his Excellency's expectation of the pacific accomplishment of that object. 13. His Excellency has directed that a copy of your dispatch, No 106, shall be immediately forwarded to Mr. Mercer, with information of his Excellency's acceptance of the proposed cession of a portion of the Peishwa's possessions in that province; and with instructions to employ the knowledge of this arrangement in the manner best calculated to expedite and facilitate the occupation of those possessions by the British power. 14. His Excellency directs, that you will procure the immediate transmission of the requisite orders from the Peishwa to the officers in charge of his Highness's territory in Bundelkund, for the transfer to the British government of the districts which may be se lected Jected under his Excellency the Governor General's authority to the extent of the proposed cessions. You will also be pleased to obtain duplicates of such orders, and to transmit them directly to Mr. Mercer, under cover, to the Collector of Illabad, provided you should possess the means of a direct and safe communication with that quarter of the British dominions, otherwise you will be pleased to transmit those orders to me. 15. You will observe, that the Governor-General is disposed to consider the propositions from the Peishwa, to which this dispatch refers, as an undoubted proof of his Highness's cordial satisfaction in the alliance with the Company; under this view, his Excellency wishes that if you should find the question relative to Colpar to be of great interest in the Peishwa's mind, you would endeavour to concede it in such a manner as may be most acceptable to his Highness, and may tend to confirm his Highness's favourable disposition. 16. It may be useful to apprize you, that the Governor General entertains no wish to reserve Amednagur, or any possession in the vicinity of Poona, for the Company or the Nizam; and that his Excellency is of opinion, that Amednagur ought, at a proper season, to be ceded to the Peishwa. Scindia must not be permitted to occupy it again under any conditions. It may be a question, whether the fortifications should be demolished. You will call Major-General Wellesley's particular attention to these paragraphs. 17. I am directed to inform you that the reference contained in the 6th paragraph of the dispatch to which this letter replies, will form the subject of a separate address. 18. You will be pleased to communicate a copy of these instructions to the Honourable Major General Wellesley, and to the Honourable Mr. Duncan. 19. A copy of these instructions will be transmitted to the Resident at Hydrabad. I have the honour to be, Sir, (Signed) N. B. EDMONSTONE, Fort William, Sec. to Gov. 1st Sept. 1803. Treaty between the Company and the Rajah of Bhurtpoor; Treaty concluded between his Ex celiency Lieutenant-General Gerard Lake, Commander in Chief of His Majesty's and the Honourable Company's Forces in the East Indies, on the part of his Excellency the Mast Noble Richard Marquis Wellesley, Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick, one of His Britannic Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Cap tain General and Commander is Chief of all the Land Forces The Rajah of Bhurtpoor is one of the principal and most powerful chiefs of the tribe of people called Jats.-EDITOR. serving serving in the British Possessions in India, and Governor General in Council at Fort William in Bengal; and Maharaja Bishomder Sewace Runjeet Sing Behauder. Art. 1. Perpetual friendship shall be maintained between Maharaja Bishomder Sewaee Runjeet Sing Behauder, Behauder Jung, and the Honourable Company. Art. 2. The friends and enemies of either state shall be the friends and enemies of both. Art. 3. The British government shall never interfere in the concerns of the Maharaja's country, nor exact any tribute from him. Art. 4. If an enemy should invade the territories of the Honourable Company, the Maharaja hereby engages to furnish to the English the aid of his troops in the expulsion of such enemy; and in like manner, the Honourable Company engages to assist the Maharaja with its forces, in defending his dominions against external attacks. The sincerity of this engagement is attested on the Holy Bi̟ble. Dated on the 29th day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and three, corresponding with the eleventh day of the month of Jemad-oos-Saunee, in the year twelve hundred and eighteen Hy ree. (A true Copy.) (Signed) N. B. EDMONSTONE. Governor General in Council to the Secret Committee; dated 21st December, 1803. With Inclosures (A.) to (C.) Received per Belle, 25th April, 1804. To the Honourable the Secret Committee of the Honourable the Court of Directors. Honourable Sirs, DURING the course of the negotiation with Dowlut Rao Scindia and the Rajah of Berar, previously to the commencement of the present war, the measures which, in the event of a rupture with the Mahratta states, it might be proper to pursue with respect to the subjects of His Majesty, serving as military officers in the armies of the hostile powers,claimed the early attention of the Governor General in Council. 2. It was then understood that the number of persons of this description in the service of Dowlut Rao Scindia, (exclusively of the subjects of France and of other EuVOL. 6. ropean states) was considerable, and the Governor General in Council was aware that they could not continue in the service of that chieftain, after the commencement of hostilities, without a violation of their allegiance to His Majesty. 3. No rational expectation could however be entertained, that those persons would speedily relinquish their respective situations unless some adequate provision were offered for their future main tenance; and as their original entrance into the service of the Mahratta powers was not a violation of any regulation of the British government, and had been, in some instances, encouraged by that government, the established principles of justice and humanity required |