206 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S04. 



could only tend to the purpose of 

 impeding the operation of the treaty 

 pf Basscin ; — and would evince the 

 desire of Scindia, to regain by 

 force his ascendancy in the 

 councils of Poonah, and con- 

 sequently to force the peishwa 

 to a violation of his engagements 

 ■with the British goyernment. — 

 At the same time, colonel Collins 

 required Scindia to state the nature 

 and objects of his preceding negoti- 

 ations with Holkur and the rajah of 

 Berar ; and apprized him, that if lie 

 refused these requisition^, (^vhich the 

 critical situation of public alTairs, 

 no less than his own policy in per- 

 severing in his warlike preparations, 

 rendered it at once so reasonable, 

 as well as expedient to make) the 

 gOTernmcnt he represented would 

 be compiled in its own defence, to 

 adopt measures of precaution on 

 every boundary of Scindia's domi- 

 nions. It raust also here be added, 

 that colonel Close presented Scin- 

 dia, at this interview, with a copy 

 of the treaty of Basscin, for his pe- 

 rusal, which, when the latter had 

 attentively read, he explicitly de- 

 clared, " that it contained no stipu- 

 lations injurious to his interest." 

 To tlie.se firm, but tentperatc, de- 

 mands, in a full court, and in the 

 Biidst of his courtiers and ministers, 

 Scindiah thought proper to reply, 

 *' that lie could not atiord the satis- 

 faction demanded, until a meeting 

 should have taken place between 

 him and the rajah of Berar, when he 

 (the embassador) should be inform- 

 ed, WilETllKR IT W EKK PEACE OH 

 WAR. 



This menace, certainly unpro- 

 voked, and not at ad justified by 

 any part of the condutt of the JJri- 

 tish government, necessarily induced 

 the gpvernor-geueral, without the 

 • 1 



slightest dejay, to take effe6rua! 

 measures to vindicate the dignity of 

 his government^and for the protefting 

 the dominions of its allies. Accord- 

 ingly, private instructions were sent 

 to general Lake, the commander in 

 chief, at Cawnpore, to assemble an 

 army on the north-west frontier of 

 the province of Oude, in order to 

 check or counteract the obvious de- 

 signs of the Berar rajah, and of 

 Scindia. The former chieftain had 

 a(Stually arrived witliin one day's 

 march of Scindiah's camp, at Check- 

 ly, on the frontier of the territory 

 of the nizam, w here, on the follow- 

 ing morning, these chiefs had an 

 interview ; after which, their con- 

 duct bore a decidedly hostile ap- 

 pearance, and their constant evasion 

 of the just demands of the British 

 government, too strongly evinced 

 their determination to resist them. 



The Berar rajah and Scindiah now 

 briskly negociated with Ilolkar, 

 using every argument that bore up- 

 on his interests, or could work upon 

 his passions, ta induce him to join 

 the confederacy they wished to fcyin 

 against the company and its allies, 

 and, at the same time, used every 

 efibrt in their power to detach the 

 peishwa and the nizam from their 

 alliance with the English. Nor did 

 their hostile spirit less appear in the 

 orders which gi'iieral Perron re- 

 ceived at this period, diretring him 

 to take sucli measures with his ar- 

 my, as to enable it to take the field 

 at the shortest notice, with a view 

 to an eventual rupture with the 

 British government. 



Every hour brought fresh proofs 

 of the inimical disposition of the 

 confederated chieftains. On the 

 17th of June, the governor-general 

 recfivcd positive information, that 

 Scindiah hjid addressed letters to th& 



twa 



