5. The lady of Amrut Rao died lately in child-birth. The infant is also dead. His only remaining son, at present about six years of age, is by a former marriage. I have the honour to be, INCLOSURE (B.). Res. at Poona. Preliminary Propositions from the Peishwa, 25th October, 1802. A GENERAL defensive alliance to be formed between the two states; existing treaties to hold good; and the friends and enemies of either to be the friends and enemies of both. The Peishwa to subsidize a corps of British troops, consisting of six native battalions, with their proportion of artillery-men, ordnance, and stores, and his Highness to grant a Jaedâd for the subsistence of this corps, from his territories bordering on the Toombuddra. This corps to be permanently stationed in his Highness's territories, and to be employed only on defensive principles of action, and his Highness will not commit any act of aggression against any of the Honourable Company's Allies or Dependants. His Highness to grant immediately a Sunnud for the Jaedâd, and on this voucher the British government to proceed to take possession of the Jaedâd lands and posts, without making it known that the assump tion is made by authority from the Peishwa. The assumption completed, the British troops are to advance to Poona without publishing that they do so by authority from the Peishwa; acting in an amicable manner on the march to those who manifest a friendly disposition, and opposing and defeating those who may offer any resistance. In order to give full effect to this plan, his Highness the Nizam is to be solicited to cooperate in such a manner as that a powerful corps of his troops shall advance in concert from Hydrabad to Poona, on the same principles of march as those observed by the British troops. Subsisting differences between the Peishwa's court, and that of Hydrabad, to be adjusted on the basis of the treaty of 11th of Zeludjee, 1208 Fussilee; any differ ences which may arise with regard to the true intent and meaning of this instrument to be arbitrated by the British government, and both Sircars to abide by that ar bitration. The Sircar of hisHighness the Nizam shall have credit for the suns expended in the cooperation afforded by his troops. The Guickwar Sircar shall be required to co-operate agreably to the relations and practice which have long held between that Sircar and the Poona state. While the succouring armies approach towards Poona, his Highness the Peishwa will attend to his personal safety, and in case of necessity will retire to Bassein in the Koncan. He will be ready to join the British troops at such point as may be deemed secure and proper. Inasmuch as it will be his Highness's aim at all times to conduct his political measures in unison with those of the Honourable Company, it is accordingly agreed, on the other hand, that the subsidiary force will be permitted to be employed for the purpose of chastizing such of his dependants as are engaged in an obstinate rebellion against his authority; and it is further agreed that the Honourable Company's government will take no concern with any of his relations, servants, or subjects, with respect to whom his Highness is considered abso lute. It is further declared by the contracting parties, that this defensive alliance, which is mean for the preservation, permanent prosperity, and honour of the Peishwa's government, shall last and hold good as long as the sun and the moon shall endure. (A true Copy.) INCLOSURE (C.) Preliminary Propositions from the Peishwa; 25th October 1802. [Here is placed the Peishwa's Sicca.] Instrument. IN order that the English may essentially assist and support the Sircar of the Feishwa, and defend bis person, the Peishwa hereby subsidizes, from the English aforesaid, a corps of British troops consisting of six native battalions, with their proportion of artillery ; and his said Highness, for the purpose of subsisting and bearing the charge of the said carps, doth hereby cede to the English, forts and territories yielding an annual revenue of twenty-five lacks of rupees, to be furnished in part from the province of Guzerat, and part from the Carnatic, or the whole from either of those quar INCLOSURE (D.) Governor General's Instructions to the Resident at Poona, dated 10th (Secret) November 1802. receipt of your private and pub To Lieut. Col. Close, Resident at lic dispatches of the 14th, 24th, 25th and 26th ultimo. Sir, Poona. I AM directed by his Excellency the most noble the Governor-General to acknowledge the 2. His Excellency entirely ap proves the whole of your conduct during the late negotiation, in the course of which his Excellency considers considers that you have manifest ed great ability, firmness, and zeal for the public interests. His Excellency will hereafter enter fully into the detail of your late proceedings; for the present, his Excellency confines his communication to you upon the subject to those points which appear to require immediate notice. 3. His Excellency is satisfied that by the terms of the instrument which the Peishwa has executed and delivered to you, and by the declaration made to you under his authority, by Ragonaut Rao,as stated in the second paragraph of your private dispatch of the 25th ultimo, the Peishwa has in fact concluded a defensive alliance with the British government on the basis specified in your private dispatch of the 14th ultimo, and it is accordingly his Excellency's resolution to carry into immediate and complete effect that part of the engagement to which the British government is pledged. His Excellency, how ever, deems it to be extremely desirable that the Peishwa should execute, at the earliest practicable period of time, an engagement in the form of preliminary articles, specifically stating the fundamental principles and stipulations of the alliance, to serve as a basis for the conclusion of a definitive treaty as soon as the state of circumstances may admit. 4. It is his Excellency's intention to issue immediate orders to the governments of Fort St. George and Bombay, and to the Resident at Hydrabad, to make every practicable effort for the execution of VOL. 6. that part of the arrangement which depends on the speedy advance of the British troops, for the protection of the Peishwa's person, and for the re-establishment of his authority. 5. His Excellency relies on your judgment and discretion to concert with the Peishwa, and with the public authorities at the stations from whence the subsidiary troops will be furnished for the immediate occasion, the most expeditious mode of placing the Peishwa under the protection of the British troops. 6. His Excellency is anxious, if possible to avoid any hostilities with the troops of Jeswunt Rao Holkar, and with that view it may be expedient to apprize him of the general nature of the engagement concluded with the Peishwa; but the period of such communication must be regulated by your discretion. 7. It is proper to apprize you, that it is the Governor General's intention to avail himself immediately of the state of affairs at Poona, and of the defeat of Scindia's troops by Holkar, to renew overtures to Scindia for the purpose of inducing that chieftain to enter into the terms of the general defensive alliance concluded with the Nizam in October 1800. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c. (Signed) N. B. EDMONSTONE, Secretary to Gov. (A true Copy.) INCLOSURE (E.) Governor General's Instructions to the Resident at Poona; dated 22d November, 1802. (Most Secret.) 4. The immediate march of the To Lieut. Col. Close, Resident at Company's troops for the protec Poona. Sir, I AM directed by his Excellency the most noble the Governor General to acknowledge his receipt of your letters under dates the 28th, 29th, and 30th ultimo. By command of his Excellency I have now the honour to communicate to you his Excellency's detailed instructions for the guidance of your conduct in the present crisis of affairs in the Mah ratta state. 2. You will be apprized by his Excellency's commands, conveyed to you in my dispatch of the 16th instant, that his Excellency considers defensive engagements with the Peishwa to have been actually concluded, and that it is his Excellency's resolution to carry them speedily into effect. The expression, however, which respects the time of carrying thein into effect, must be understood with reference to actual and contingent circumstances combined with certain political considerations by which his Excellency deems it proper to regulate his proceedings on this important oc casion. 3. In fulfilling the obligation now imposed on us of re-instating the Peishwa in his government and restoring his authority, his Excellency is auxious, first, to avoid all contest with either Holkar or Scindia; and secondly, to refrain from checking the progress of the present warfare between those chieftains, for reasons kereafter assigned. tion of the Peishwa, in the present state of circumstances, might either occasion hostilities with Holkar, or, by depriving both him and Scindia of the object for which they contend, suppress the contest between them. It might pos sibly produce both those effects, by inducing Holkar and Scindia to compromise their differences, and to unite in a common cause against us; and although there can be little doubt of the issue of a contest between the British govern. ment and Holkar singly, or confederated with Scindia, his Excellency would consider any system of measures calculated to precipitate such an event, to be inconsistent with the pacific views which have uniformly regulated his conduct in seeking to combine the principal powers of Hindustan in a general system of defensive alliance and guarantee, unless such a course of proceeding should be indispensably necessary for the accomplishment of the main object of securing the effect of the defensive engagements now contracted with the Peishwa. In his Excellency's judgment that neces sity does not exist. Admitting that the Peishwa, having been reluctantly compelled by the exigency of his affairs to solicit the aid of the British government, would be anxious to annul his late engagements with the British power, if any other means were it for the re-establishment of his authority, it is not probable that in the actual state of affairs, the Peishwa would throw himself upon 5. It is not to be expected that the late success of Holkar can terminate the contest between him and Scindia, who will undoubtedly employ every exertion of his power to retrieve the disgrace and disadvantage of his discomfiture. The continuance of the contest between those chieftains must withdraw their immediate attention from the Peishwa's affairs, and must weaken the power and resources of both, and consequently afford to the British government an opportunity of fulfilling its engagements to the Peish wa, independently of both parties, and without hazard of opposition from either. It is evident, also, that such a situation of affairs will present the most favourable crisis for the accomplishment of his Excellency's views of defensive alliance with Scindia. For these reasons, his Excellency deems it to be the wisest policy to suspend the march of the British troops for the purpose of fulfilling the late engagements with the Peishwa, until the period of time which may be most favourable for that purpose, with reference to the considerations above stated. 6. In the mean time, his Excellency thinks it proper that the British troops to be employed on this occasion should be assem bled partly at Bombay, and partly within the dominions of the Nizam, and the ceded territory on the confines of the Mahratta country, and be holden in readiness to march at the shortest notice. 7. A further advantage of a delay in the advance of the troops may be, that it may perhaps enable you to improve the terms of the defensive alliance, by obtaining the Peishwa's consent to those conditions which he has hitherto ejected His Excellency is also desirous of taking advantage of this opportunity for the consolidation of our power and influence in Guze rat, by obtaining the Peishwa's recognition of our late engagements with the Guickwar, and his consent to our arbitration of his demands on that state. His Excellency accordingly desires that you will direct your attention to these objects, and that you will not neglect any favourable opportunity for the accomplishment of them. 8. The actual period of the advance of the troops must be left to your discretion, and must be regulated by local and incidental circumstances. His Excellency's instructions upon this point can only be of a general nature. Your conduct must be guided, in this instance, by the application of the principles and views above described to contingent events. 9. His Excellency is aware that it may be necessary to satisfy the Peishwa with regard to the causes of the delay which may occur in the march of the troops to his assistance, under the line of policy which his Excellency has judged it proper to adopt on this occa + F sion, |