in the spring of 1774; the Rohillas, who were well led and fought bravely, would soon have disposed of the vizir's army, but they could not stand against the English troops, and after some gallant charges they were defeated. Hafiz Rihmat Khan was killed fighting courageously at the head of his men, and the short-lived power of the Afghan confederacy was utterly broken. Rohilkhand was annexed to the possessions of the vizir, who thereby acquired the country lying east of the Upper Ganges up to the Himalayas, with a strong frontage on the river against attacks from the west.
The result, from the point of view of English political interests, was to complete our defensive position toward the northwest by substituting a safe and submissive ally for untrustworthy neighbours upon an important section of the barrier, and it is certain that the plan succeeded. For many years afterwards our northwest frontier remained undisturbed, until, in the beginning of the nineteenth century, the English took up ground beyond it. Nevertheless, this advantage was gained by an unprovoked aggression upon the Rohillas, who sought no quarrel with us, and with whom we had been on not unfriendly terms; nor is Warren Hastings's policy in this matter easily justifiable even upon the elastic principle that enjoins the governor of a distant dependency to prefer above all other considerations the security of the territory entrusted to him.
The Rohilla campaign was the only war directly planned and undertaken by Hastings; although he was constantly engaged during seven stormy years, begin-
