222] 
with determined perseverance on 
both sides. Fresh troops then 
poured out of Seringapatam; but 
they were met by a reinforcement 
sent by General Abercrombie; 
‘and after an obstinate and bloody 
battle, the English remained mas- 
ters of the disputed ground. 
An the mean time the siege was 
going forward, with great vigour, 
on the north side of the river, and 
promised soon to be brought toa 
‘fortunate conclusion :—the batte- 
ries had played for several days, 
and considerably damaged the 
works of the ‘fort. A plentiful 
supply of materials was procured 
from the.island; and, by the 23d of 
February, the second parallel was 
completed, and the ground marked 
out for the breaching batteries. 
On'the night of the 23d, a little 
island in the river, at a small dis- 
tance from the fort, was taken pos- 
session of, and a redoubt was con- 
Structed on it. Not a doubt was 
now entertained of the speedy sur- 
render, or capture by assault, of 
Seringapatam ; and the soldiers al- 
Feady considered as their own, the 
immense treasures which it .con- 
tained. 
Diligent preparations were mak- 
ing by General Abercrombie and 
Col. Stuart, for attacking the fort 
on the south and the east; Major 
‘Cuppage, having reduced almost 
all.the forts to the south of Serin- 
gapatam, was soon expected with 
large supplies. The arrival of the 
Mahratta army, under Purseram 
Bhow, was looked for every mo- 
ment; and such arrangements had 
been made, that, if a blockade 
should become necessary, the army 
would be plentifully supplied with 
provisions for many months, 
Such was the state of affairs 
terms. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1792.- 
when, ‘on the morning of the 24th 
of February, orders were suddenly 
issued to desist from hostilities. 
Although, for the sake of not in- 
terrupting our narrative, we have 
forborne to mention it, a negocia- 
tion for peace had been for some 
time going forward. Soon after 
the arrival of the English army be- 
fore his capital, the Sultan, becom- 
ing alarmed, liberated Lieutenant 
Chalmers, and the other officers 
taken at Coimbatore; and charged 
them with letters to Lord Corn- 
wallis, suing for peace. The pro- 
gress of the siege becoming more 
and more alarming, he again re- 
newed his solicitations ; when, at 
last appearing in earnest, his.Lord- 
ship, with the representatives of the 
Mahrattas, and the Nizam, agreed 
to his proposal for the appointment 
of commissioners, to settle the 
In consequence several 
meetings were held betwixt the 
15th and the 20th; but at these 
little was effected, as Tippoo still 
hoped much from the arrival of 
Cummer Ud Deen Cawn, whom 
he daily expected with large sup- 
plies from Bednore; and as. his 
proud mind was not yet sutliciently 
humbled by adversity, to agree to 
the hard terms proposed to him. 
At last, on the 24th, his affairs ap- 
pearing desperate, being impor- 
tuned by all his friends, and fear- 
ing sedition within the fort from 
farther obstinacy, he submitted; 
and the preliminary articles of 
peace were signed. These were, 
first, That he should cede. one half 
of his. dominions to the allied pow- 
ers: secondly, That he should pay 
three crores, and thirty lacks of ru- 
pees: thirdly, That he should un- 
equivocally restore all the prisoners 
which had been taken by the My- 
soreans, 
