HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



233 



not only a part, but the grand 

 springand principle. Tliat authority 

 is of the longest duration to which 

 men submit from inclination and 

 choice. It was in the spirit of equi- 

 ty, moderation, and beneficence, 

 that Mr. Jonathan Duncan always 

 conducted himself in the public ser- 

 vice. " This," said Sir J. Macpher- 

 son, on the occasion of introducing 

 Mr. Duncan to lord Cornwallis, 

 is '• the gentleman who enabled 

 me to carry on my administration 

 to the satisfaction of the natives: 

 free access to their petitions, and a 

 reference of them to his investiga- 

 tion, they estimate from experience 

 as justice."* 



In the Guzzarat possessions 

 extorted from Scindia, and in the 

 Paish, were districts annexed to 

 Bombay by the treaty of Bassein, 

 as well as those ceded by the Gui- 

 cowar, the company's authority 

 was fully established to the great 

 benefit and contentment of the 

 people. And while the people 

 in all the districts ceded by the 

 Guicowar, soon became sensible 

 how much they had gained by 

 the transfer ; the inhabitants of 

 his reserved dominions participated 

 with their chief, in the advantages 

 resulting from his alliance with the 

 company. The Guicowar was ex- 

 tricated from circumstances of 

 imminent danger. His authority 

 was openly resisted by a rebellious 

 member of his own family, coun- 

 tenanced by a seditious rabble of 

 soldiery, ill paid and worse dis- 

 ciplined, and his finances were 

 verging to irretrievable ruin. 



The liberal and timely interpo- 

 sition of the Bombay government 

 with money and troops, soon re- 

 stored his independence; and the 



reforms introduced in his exche- 

 quer by the recommendation of 

 his ally, effectually relieved that 

 department from every embar- 

 rassment. Instead of a revenue 

 not exceeding 700,000/. to meet 

 an expenditure very considerably 

 above a million sterling, he now 

 enjoyed a rental of above 800,000/. 

 subject to disbursements not 

 amounting to 630,000/. His army 

 was entirely new modelled ; their 

 heavy arrears were paid up ; and 

 the most turbulent corps, consist- 

 ing of Arab mercenaries, disband- 

 ed. Thus his military charges 

 were reduced from upwards of 

 500,000/. lavished chiefly on a 

 lawless and tumultuary gang of 

 foreigners, to about 300,000/. ex- 

 pended in maintaining a useful 

 and effective body of his own 

 native subjects. 



These improvements, and others 

 still in a state of progression, in 

 concert with the Bombay govern- 

 ment, produced a general subor- 

 dination to the Guicowar's autho- 

 rity throughout his territories. 

 He resumed his importance as a 

 member of the Mahratta confedera- 

 cy ; he was happy and safe from 

 all enemies at home and abroad ; 

 with a near prospect of a clear 

 surplus revenue of 250,000/. an- 

 nually to meet contingencies. 



These were the fruits of the 

 company's friendship administered 

 by the Bombay government. The 

 conduct of their ally also corre- 

 sponded in all respects with their 

 just expectations, and both parties 

 appeared to proceed with a 

 genuine regard to their mutual 

 stipulations. 



The system of retrenchment 

 prescribed by the directors, and 



every 



See Vol. XXXIV. (1792) Hisx. Edr. p. 225. 



