Chap. III.] 



TEEASON OF THE ADIGAR. 



79 



to " escort " General MacDowall, but Mr. North intimates a.d. 

 tliat tliere would in reality be 1,800, and that tliey might 1800. 

 eventually be raised to 2,500.^ 



Still anxious for self-justification on the plea that the 

 presence of the Englisli army would save the life of the 

 king, Mr. North persuaded himself that the step he had 

 resolved on was the only one to avert an invasion of tlie 

 British territory by the Kandyans. So frank had tlie 

 Adigar been in discussing this step, as an expedient to 

 precipitate hostilities, that he had asked, " What would 

 be considered as a sufficient aggression ? and with how 

 many men he Avas to invade the low country, to compel 

 the British governor to take up arms ? I therefore can- 

 not but think," says Mr. Nortli, " that a very minute 

 attention to diplomatic forms would be sacrificing the 

 reahty of justice for the sake of its appearance ; and as the 

 troops will only interfere for securing the government 

 establislied by the existing power, I do not imagine that 

 the most rigid pubhcist could find fault with wliat I am 

 about to do. It is, however, impossible that I should 

 not feel anxious and uneasy in conducting so singular a 

 busines 



a " 2 



The influence of the Adigar was sufficiently powerful 

 to overcome the scruples of the king, and permission 

 was granted for the advance of the ambassador with his 

 formidable escort.^ But the scheme so elaborately con- 



civil war, as well as an aggi-ession 

 against us, into which it is the in- 

 tention of this Lord Smuhrland to 

 hurry his poor master, that ho may 

 overturn him." — WcUesIey MSS., No. 

 13,8G7, p. 72. 



' Ijord Valentia, cli. vi. p. 28G. 



^ Mr. North to the Earl of Morn- 

 INGTON, 7th Feb. 1800(7/;/V/.,p. 70). 



^ This was announced to the Mar- 

 quis of Wellesley in the following- 

 terms by Mr. North, 16th INIarch, 

 1800 : — " The decision is made, and 

 General MacDowall set out with his 

 escort on Wednesday last. The 

 Adigar, liofjorum hwf/e turpinxiinm! 



is to meet him at Sitavaca. Only 

 fancy if one of our ministers were to 

 behave so about King George, and 

 oblige the Abbd Sieves to stipulate 

 for his life ! I hope that I have not 

 done wrong, but I am not yet cer- 

 tain whether I have acted like a good 

 politician or like a great nincom- 

 poop."— Welh-slc;/ MSS., No. 1;},8G7. , 

 The march of this embassy has been 

 described with gi'eat minuteness by 

 Percival, p. 37(3, and by Cordiner, 

 vol. ii. ch. vi. p. 287. There is also 

 an interesting account of it in tlie 

 MSS. of M. JoTXViLT.E, who accom- 

 panied the expedition in tlie capacity 



