78 



MODERN HISTORY. 



[Part VI. 



A.D. 



1799. 



once to save the life of the king of Kandy\ and to pro- 

 mote tlie pohtical interest of Great Britain. 



The reception of an " armed British force in tlie 

 central capital " he regards as so " highly essential to 

 British interests, that he will not endanger the success 

 of the negotiation by any over-strictness in the terms 

 on whicli it is to be obtained."^ His principal object 

 now is, he says, to collect siicli a military force in the 

 island, as would enable him to despatch to Kandy " a 

 body of troops capable of effectuating all the objects of 

 the intended treaty, and of subduing by its own strength 

 any opposition which it may experience." ^ " As to 

 the king's dignity," he adds, " I shall never conspire to 

 take it away, but if he loses it I shall give myself as 

 httle concern as when he usurped it — and shoidd the 

 Adigar succeed witliout any concurrence of mine in 

 dethroning liim, I suppose you would make no objection 

 to having the said Adigar as a vassal." It is obvious 

 that the sentiments thus privately expressed to the 

 Marquis of Wellesley are at variance with the simul- 

 taneous declarations of Mr. North to the Adigar, as stated 

 on his authority by Lord Valentia.* 



In 1800 the programme already sketched out was 

 agreed on, and the Adigar took his departure for Kandy, 

 to obtain the formal assent of the king to the entrance 

 of so unprecedented a body of troops in tlie suite of an 

 ambassador.^ He was to be asked to allow 1000 men 



^ " I am certain tliat if the troops 

 are not sent, and if tliey are not put 

 into possession of the capital, the poor 

 king would be deposed, if not mur- 

 dered, or that he would be di-iven 

 into ago-ression against us, which I 

 hope will excuse me in your eyes and 

 in those of the world for not being so 

 delicate as I othei'^\-ise should about 

 forcing his inclination or abridging 

 his power." — ^Ir. Notith to the Earl 

 of MoRXiXGTON, 4th Feb. 1800. — 

 Wellesley MSS., No. 13,807, p. 75. 



2 Mr.' North to the Earl of Mobn- 



rxGTON, 2oth Dec. 1799. — Wellesley 

 3ISS., No, 18,867, p. 65. 



3 Ibid. 



* See Lord Valextia's Travels, 

 ch. vi. p. 294. 



^ Writing to Lord Mornington, 

 3rd February, 1800, Mr. North avows 

 that one object he had in view for 

 despatching the Adigar on this errand 

 was fu test his inflitence over the king. 

 " If he has it," he continues, '^lown 

 I shall have little scruple in taking 

 this the only measure which can pre- 

 serve the king's life and prevent a 



