Page:A Brief History of the Indian Peoples.djvu/195

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THE FIRST MYSORE WAR.
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claimed a right of control over the decisions of the Bombay Government, strongly disapproved of the treaty of Surat. But when war actually broke out, he threw the whole force of the Bengal army into the scale. One of his favourite officers, Colonel Goddard, marched across the peninsula of India from sea to sea, and conquered the rich Province of Gujarát almost without a blow. Another, Captain Popham, stormed the rock-fortress of Gwalior, which was regarded as the key of Hindustán. These brilliant successes of the Bengal troops atoned for the disgrace of the convention of Wargaum in 1779, when the Marathas had overpowered and dictated terms to our Bombay force; but the war was protracted until 1781. It was closed in 1782 by the treaty of Salbái, which practically restored the status quo. Raghubá, the English nominee for the Peshwáship, was set aside on a pension; Gujarát was restored to the Maráthás; and only Salsette, with Elephanta and two other small islands, was retained by the English.

War with Mysore, 1780-1784.—Meanwhile, Warren Hastings had to deal with a more dangerous enemy than even the Maráthá Confederacy. The reckless conduct of the Madras Government had roused the hostility of Haidar All of Mysore and also of the Nizám of the Deccan, the two strongest Musalmán powers in India. These attempted to draw the Maráthás into an alliance against the English. The diplomacy of Hastings won back the Nizám and the Maratha Rájá of Nágpur; but the army of Haidar Alf fell like a thunderbolt upon the British possessions in the Karnatik. A strong detachment under Colonel Baillie was cut to pieces at Perambakam, and Haidar All's Mysore cavalry ravaged the country up to the walls of Madras. For the second time the Bengal army, stimulated by the energy of Hastings, saved the honour of the English name. He despatched Sir Eyre Coote, the victor of Wandiwash, to relieve Madras by sea, with all the men and money available, while Colonel Pearse marched south overland to overawe the Rájá of Berar and the Nizam. The war was hotly contested, for the aged Sir Eyre Coote had lost his energy, and the Mysore army was not only well-disciplined and equipped, but skilfully handled by Haidar and his son Tipú. Haidar died in