HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
were obliged by the threatening 
aspect of affairs to take measures 
for their safety. Of these, the two 
most considerable were the Mahrat- 
tasandthe Nizam; andthough there 
existed an hereditary enmity betwixt 
the two; altho’ they differed inlaws, 
in institutions, and in religion,— 
urged by the common danger, they 
forgot or suspended their quarrels, 
and joined in the closest alliance. 
The confederates, confident from 
their union and their strength, hop- 
_ ed to humble the power of Mysore, 
and were probably by no means 
averse to arupture. They were not, 
however, under a necessity of seek- 
ing an occasion and pretext for the 
commencement of hostilities. 
In the summer of 1788, Tippoo 
marched his army down the Ghauts 
towards the Malabar coast, evi- 
dently with hostile designs against 
the Rajah of Travancore. He first 
attempted to detach him from the 
alliance of the English, and to per- 
suade him to throw himself under 
his protection. ‘* Who,”’ said he, 
“ever found good faith in Euro- 
peans!”’ He then encouraged the 
Rajah of Cochin, one of his tribu- 
taries, to lay claim, upon some anti- 
quated pretence, to part of the 
ground upon which the lines are 
built to defend Travancore on the 
north, the only quarter on which 
it is accessible to 2n invading army. 
It appeared that he was fired with 
the design of getting possession of | 
the kingdom; which would have 
made him absolute master of the 
whole Malabar coast ; and enabled 
him at any time, with ease, to in- 
-vade the Carnatic. 
_ Alarmed at his danger, the Rajah 
dispatched a messenger to Madras, 
to inform the English government 
of the movements of Tippoo. Sir 
Archibald Campbell sent some 
[197 
troops to his assistance, and de- 
clared, that if Tippoo should attack 
the lines of Travancore, it would be 
consideredon the part of the English 
as paramount to a declaration of 
war. These steps were approved 
by the supreme government of Ben- 
gal; and Tippoo, awed by this stea- 
dy opposition, withdrew his troops 
and returned to Seringapatam. 
The following summer, how- 
ever, produced a plausible pretence 
for executing his scheme, and 
spread the flames of war all over 
India. The Dutch, from the vici- 
nity of Cochin to Mysore, trembled 
for their most valuable possession. 
They had in the last century con- 
quered from the Portugueze two 
ports, Cranganore and Jacottah, 
which lay betwixt Cochin and My- 
sore. These they offered in sale to 
the Rajah of Travancore, foresee- 
ing that, if he should be so foolish 
as to accept the offer, they would 
thus guard their possessions with the 
British Aegis. The Rajah, thinking 
that they would strengthen his bar- 
rier to the sea, rashly concluded the 
baryain. Tippoo was, or pretend- 
ed to be, highly incensed at this 
transaction, He asserted that he 
was feudal sovereign of that part of 
the Malabar coast, and that of 
course no transfer could be made of 
the property without his leave first 
asked and obtained: and upon the 
Rajah’s refusal to relinquish the pur- 
chase, he marched with a powerful 
army to the frontiers of Travancore. 
The kingdom of Travancore, by 
nature, on the north, is extremely 
defenceless; but, about fifty years 
ago, strong lines were constructed 
for its defence. They consist of a 
ditch 16 feet broad, and 20 deep, 
with a thick bamboo hedge inserted 
in the middle of it; a slight parapet, 
a good rampart, and bastions nearly 
{O] 3 flanking 
