198 | 
flanking each other. ‘Tippoo, de- 
termined to strike a sudden blow at 
the root of the Rajah’s power, on 
the 29th of December attacked the 
eastern extremity of the lines, and 
attempted to take them by storm: 
He at first carried every thing be- 
fore him; but the fortune of the 
day soon changed: the Travancore 
troops, who had fled at his approach, 
rallied from their confusion, and the 
Mysorean army was repulsed with 
great slaughter. The Sultan himself 
made a narrow escape. In the re- 
treat he was thrown from his horse 
into the ditch, where he was severe- 
ly bruised. Galled at his disappoint- 
ment and disgrace, he is said to 
have made a vow never again to 
wear his turban till he had taken 
the lines of Travancore. Accord- 
ingly he sent to Mysore for supplies 
of troops and battering-guns, and 
prepared to besiege them by regu- 
Jar approach. 
As soon as these transactions were 
known to the government of Ma- 
dras, the conduct of the Rajah in 
making the purchase on so preca- 
Mous and invidious a title, was cen- 
sured in the severest terms; and 
Mr. Holland, the president, warned 
him to desist from his ambitious de- 
Signs. At the same time the govern- 
ment remonstrated with Tippoo 
against the impropriety of his pro- 
ceedings in thus attacking their 
friend and ally, whom they were 
bound todefend. They proposed that 
the difference should be settled be- 
twixt him and the Rajah in an ami- 
cable manner; and offered to send 
commissioners to meet an equal 
number appointed by him, whose 
decision should be final to both par- 
ties. Tippoo returned a polite an- 
Swer ; saying, that he should be very 
happy to have a personal confer- 
ence with an English commissioner; 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1792. 
and that he had no doubt of being 
able completely to make good his 
title, and to justify his conduct. 
But though both parties seemed 
thus amicably inclined, both were 
bent upon war. The time had now 
come, which they had so eagerly 
longed for, when each might hope 
to realize his views. 'Tippoo had a 
fair pretext for beginning hisscheme 
of conquest, and a fair prospect of 
going on inavictorious career. Tra- 
vancore he considered already as his 
own. From that kingdom he might 
- easily cross over to the Coromande} 
coast, drive the English from the 
Carnatic, pursue them from Bengal, 
and extirpate them from India. 
The juncture was still more favour- 
able to the views of his enemies. 
The English had formed a close al- 
liance with the Mahratta states and 
the Nizam of the Deccan. Their 
own affairs were in a state of unex- 
ampled prosperity. At any former 
period they. would have met with 
powerful opposition from France in 
their designs upon Tippoo. Now 
they had nothing to fear from that 
quarter, as she was sufficiently em- 
ployed in attempts to regulate her 
internal concerns. 
Little progress was therefore 
made in negociating a reconcilia- 
tion; but vigorous preparations for 
war were carried on all over India. 
During the spring of 1789, the 
Rajah of Travancore, though of 
himself completely unable to cope 
with the power of Mysore, shewed 
no disposition to yield,—being pro- 
bably encouraged to persevere by 
the government of Bengal, and as- 
sured of protection and support. 
He even went so far, in the begin- 
ning of May, as to make an attack 
upon Tippoo’s camp. He was beat 
back with loss; and the Mysoreans 
next day commenced offensive 
operations 
