the tranfactions which have paffed between me and the enemies of the Engl." In this circar, (the gift of Go!) there is a mercantile tribe, who employ themselves in trading by fea and land. Their agents purchafed a two-mafted velel, and, having loaded her with rice, departed with a view to trafic. It happened that he went to the Mauritias, from whence forty perfons, French, and of a dark colour, of whom ten or twelve were artificers, and the reft fervants, paying the hire of the hip, came here in fearch of employment. Such as chofe to take fervice were entertained, and the remainder departed beyond the confines of the circar; and the French, who are full of vice and deceit, have, perhaps, taken advantage of the departure of the fhip to put about reports, with a view to ruffle the minds of both circars. "It is the wifh of my heart, and my conftant endeavour, to obferve and maintain the articles of the agreement of peace and to perpetuate and ftrengthen the bafis of friendship and union with the circar of the company Bahauder, and with the circar's Maha Raja Saheb, Safe Munt, Pahwa Bahauder, and his highnefs the Nabob Afuph Jah Bahauder. And I am refident at home, at times taking the air, and at other times amufing myfelf with hunting, at a fpot which is ufed as a pleature-ground. "In this cafe, the allufion to war in your friendly letter, and the fol. lowing page, namely, that prudence required that both the company and their allies fhould adopt certain measures of precaution and felf-defence,' have given me great furprize. It was farther written by your friendly pen That as your lordhip is defirous of communicating to me, on behalf of the company and their allies, a plan calculated to promote the mutual fecurity and welfare of all parties; your lordthip propoles to depute to me, for this purpofe, major Doveton, who formerly waited upon me, and who will explain to me, more fully and particularly, the fole means which appear to your lordflip and the allies to be effectual for the falutary purpofe of removing all exifting miftruft and fufpicion, and of eftablishing peace and good understanding on the most du-rable foundations; and that, therefore, your lordship trufts I will let you know at what time and place it will be convenient to me to receive major Doveton.' It has been understood, by the bleffing of the Almighty, at the conclufion of the peace, the treaties and engagements, entered into among the four circars, were fo firmly established and confirmed as ever to remain fixed and durable, and be an example to the rulers of the age; nor are they, nor will they, ever be liable to interruption. I cannot imagine that means more effectual than thefe can be adopted, for giving stability to the foundations of friendhip and harmony, promoting the fecurity of ftates, or the welfare and advantage of all parties." To this letter from the fultaun the governor-general returned an anfwer on the ninth of January, in which he renewed the propofition for opening a negociation, and urged him not to delay his reply beyond the period of one day. The faltaun remained filent: at length, on the fifteenth of February, 1798, he intimated, by letter, to lord Mornington, that, being frequently dif pofed to make excurfions and bant, he was, accordingly, proceeding < upon upon a hunting excurfion, and defiring that he would difpatch major Doveton flightly attended. The advanced guard of the army was by this time ordered into the territory of Tippoo. To have delayed this, would have at once thrown the advantage, which the British then poffeffed, into the hands of Tippoo, and have rendered the fiege of his capital impracticable, during the prefent feafon. Intimation was given to the allies, of an intention to proceed immediately to hoftilities with Tippoo. The Nizam's army took the field, and took the proper fteps for forming a junction with that of Madras. This army confifted of fix thoufand native troops, nearly an equal number of the company's troops, fubfidized by his highnefs, and a great body of cavalry. It then joined that of Madras, under major-general Harris, about twent-four thousand ftrong, which entered the Myfore country, on the fifth of March, with orders to proceed immediately to Seringapatam. Thefe orders were executed with an alacrity in perfect confonancy with the fpirit by which they were dictated. No time was allowed for reflection, change of purpofe, or negociation. A great prize of the grafp of both the company and individuals. It might be loft through procraftination and parlies. In the mean time, the Malabar army, equipped and put in motion, with equal promptitude and judgement, under general Stuart, had, on the firft of February, marched from Cannanore, and afcended the Ghauts on the twenty-fifth. His army was divided into four different corps; and these moved fucceffively into fuch fituation as might enable him to form the earlieft poffible junction with the principal army. With the fame view he occupied a poft at Seedafeer, near to which there is a high hill, that commands a view of the Myfore, almoft to the environs of Seringapatam. From the fummit of this mountain, a party of obfervation, on the morning of the fifth of March, discovered an encampment to be forming between Seedafeer and Seringapatam. Be-* fore the evening this encampment affumed a very formidable appearance, and covered a great extent of ground. From the hill of obfervation, the whole of the army of this encampment was feen to be in motion: but their movements were fo well concealed by the woodiness of the country, and the haziness of the atmosphere, that it was impoffible to afcertain their object; nor, in fact, was this difcovered until they had penetrated a confiderable way into the Jungles, and commenced an attack upon our line, which happened between the hours of nine and ten. On the feventh, the enemy pierced through the Jungles with fuch fecrecy and expedition, that they attacked the rear and the front of our line almoft at the fame inftant. This difpatch prevented more than three of the Bombay corps being engaged, as the fourth, which was pofted two miles and a half in the rear, was unable to form a junction, from the enemy having cut in between them and Seedafeer. The communication was effectually obftructed by a column which, according to the reports of prifoners, confifted of upwards of five thoufand men, under the command of Bober Jung. On the eighth, fortunately before the enemy had accomplished their purpose, major-general Hartley had time to apprize the commander-inchief of their attack, and remained himfelf to give any affiftance that might be neceffary. The beft pofition was affumed for repulfing the enemy; and in this alarming fituation, the corps defended themselves with fo much refolution, that the fultaun's troops were unable to make any impreffion. The brigade was on every fide completely furrounded, and had to contend againft a vaft difparity of numbers, befides other difcouraging circumstances. As foon as general Stuart received intelligence of the perilous fituation of the right brigade, he marched to their affiftance with the flank companies of his majesty's feventy-fifth regiment, and the whole of the feventy-feventh. He arrived at about half paft two, at fome of the divifions of the enemy, who had penetrated into the rear, and poffeffed themselves of the great road leading to Seedafeer. The engagement lafted nearly half an hour, when, after a fmart fire of mufquetry on both fides, the enemy were completely routed, and fled with precipitation through the Jungles, to regain their column, which ftill continued the attack in front. On arriving at lieutenant-colonel Montrefor's poft, the general found his men overcome with fatigue, and their ammunition almoft exhaufted. At twenty minutes paft three, the enemy retreated in all directions. A junction was formed between the Bombay and the main army. Tippoo Sultaun, by the encampment at Periaptam, and by haraffing the march of general Harris, had ufed all the means in his power for preventing this junction in vain. He deftroyed the villages, and laid waste the country, in front of the English army. But as he did not fufficiently fpread the tracts of devaftation, his purpose of defeating our army was defeated, as general Harris, by a flight deviation from the common road, reached his deftination at the time he wished, and without any material interruption: Tippoo having abandoned the open country, and taken refuge in his capital and fortrefs of Seringapa tam. On the fixteenth, general Stuart, with the Bombay army, croffed the Cavery, and took up a pofition extending from its northern bank towards the Edgal: while general Floyd, with the left wing and cavalry, moved to the Delawayery, beyond Myfore, to cover a party fent out the preceding night to collect cattle and fheep, and to examine the new fort of Myfore. The party returned with confiderable fuccefs on the evening of the fixteenth, and encamped near the line of general Harris. Meafures were immediately taken by the general for erecting batteries, and preparing for the attacking of Seringapatam. The batteries being finished, they began to batter in breach on the thirtieth of April, and had, on the evening of the third of May, fo much deftroyed the walls against which they were directed, that the arrangement was made for affaulting the place next day, when the breach was reported practicable. The troops intended to be employed were ftationed in the trenches early on the morning of the fourth, that no extraordinary movement might lead the enemy to expect the affault, which general Harris had determined fhould be made in the heat of the day, as the time beft calcuted to enfure fuccefs, for their troops would would then be leaft prepared for making oppofition. At one o'clock, the troops moved from the trenches, crofled the rocky bed of the Cavery, under an extremely heavy fire, paffed the glacis and ditch, and afcended the breaches in the fauffe-brdye and rampart of the fort, furmounting, in the moft gallant manner, every obftacle in their way, and were completely fuccefsful. nently diftinguished from all the families, or dynafties, that have ever appeared, in fuch quick fucceflion, in Hindoftan, by a more extenfive adoption, cultivation, and application, of European arts and arms, than had been known before in the dominions of any native power in Afia. Thofe who are fond of parallels between illuftrious characters, may find many points of refemblance between Tippoo, the fon of Hyder, and Hannibal, the fon of Hamilear; both, at once fubtle and falfe, yet brave; both, ftudious of the know Refiftance continued to be made, from the palace of Tippoo, for fome time after all firing had ceafed from the works. Two of his fons were there, who, however, on the aflu-ledge of their times; both trained up rance of fafety, furrendered to the troops furrounding them; and guards were placed, for the protection of the family, moft of whom were in the palace. It was foon after reported, that Tippoo Sultaun had fallen. Several other chiefs were alfo flain. Measures were immediately adopted, to ftop the confufion, at firft unavoidable, in a crowded city taken by affault. The princes were removed to camp. Immediately, fearch was made for the fultaun's body, which, after much difficulty, was found, late in the evening, at one of the gates, under a heap of flain, and foon after placed in the palace. The corpfe was, the next day, recognized by his family, and interred, with all the honours due to his rank, in the maufoleum of his father. Thus, after a short, but brilliant career, fell the houfe, or dynafty, of Hyder. It was noble, in proportion to the lownefs of its origin (for Hyder Naig was at first only a private in the Myforean fervice), fplendid in its progrefs, and not inglorious in its fall. It is emi by their fathers in hoftility to the firft power of the age; both exciting the vengeance of all nations against that power; and, in this career, taking a wider range than that which ufually bounded the views of even ambitious and conquering princes: Hannibal, extending his intrigues from the Pillars of Hercules to the Red Sea; Tippoo Saib, from the nations to the caft of Caucafas, not only to Conftantinople, and other feats of power on the Mediterranean, but even to Paris. It would feem that indignation and refentment, against overbearing power and ambition, is, in the loftieft minds, the livelieft paffion. It was, probably, by fuch feelings, more than a calm confideration of the general welfare of the United Provinces, and of Europe, that the great king William III.. was animated to fuch invincible and heroic oppofition to the ambition of Louis XIV of France. It is unneceffary to obferve, that, notwithflanding all thefe refemblances, there was no comparifon between the abilities of Tippoo, who was guided more by paffion than found judgement, judgement, and the renowned Car- abfence of Zemaun, grafped at the reins of government. thaginian. On the reduction of Seringapatam, and the excition of Tippoo, lord Mornington refolved to make fuch arrangements as might eftablish the British influence and authority in the fubdued country.Commiffioners, appointed on the part of the company, and alfo in behalf of the nizam, on the twentyfourth of June, promulgated a fcheme of partition and fettlement. The capital, with its fortrefs, and the island in which it is fituated, with fome extenfive diftricts, including Mangalore, and a very confiderable extent of lea-coafi, were allotted to the English. A confiderable portion was affigned to the nizam. And a feparate territory was fubjected to the fway of the Mihiffour Maha-Rajah Kifhennai Wuddiar, a defcendant of the ancient rajahs of Myfore, whofe throne had been feized by HyderAli. The elevation of this prince, to the mufnud, took place in due form on the thirtieth of June, a day which the fuperftition of the brachmans had felected as the moft aufpicious for that purpofe. The fons of Tippoo were taken into the protection, that is, the cuftody, as well as care of the English. But the hoftile defigns and movements of Zemaun Shah, against our fettlements in India, would not have been difcontinued, in confequence of the fall of Tippoo Sultaun, if they had not been repreffed by formidable military preparations, which he did not choofe to encounter. In 1796, he had advanced, with a large army, against our fettlements, as far as Lahore, when he was called back, by a rebellion, headed by his brother, who, in the The fatisfaction which a native of Britain derives from a review of this profperous ftate of our affairs in India, hoftile combinations and defigns confounded, territory extended, and revenue increafed, is not, in the liberal and ingenuous mind, altogether unmixed with a painful recollection of the blood they coff, though that of an enemy, and of a princely family overthrown and reduced to a fate of dependence on their enemies. Confiderations of political expediencey do not in every breaft, and at all times, fuperfede moral fentiment. But if thofe confiderations alone were of weight, ftill the refentment, jealoufy, and new hoftile combinations, which are fo frequently excited by conquefts, might, perhaps, be deemed worthy of calculation, As a pleafing contraft to advantages gained by force, we hall conclude our chapter, on Briti India, for 1799, by an account of profperity arifing from a plan con ceived in a fpirit of moderation, juflice, patriotif, and, indeed, univerfal philanthropy. The prince of Wales's ifland, in the entrance of the flraits of Malacca, is happily fituated for the facilitation and convenience of trade with China, and other places to the eastward of China. It is of no inconfiderable extent, being thirty miles in length, and, on an average, about ten or twelve in breadth. The climate is mild and falubrious; and both climate and foil fitted not only for the production "of provisions, but allo of pepper, nutmegs, and other fpices. It is within ten days failing of Madras: to which place, from Ceylon, a |