•lia- WESTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 



from thefe two towns, and even fend it to the coafts of Arabia. 



As late as 1695 the Arabs of Majcat were in fuch ilrength as to 



come with their fleet, pkinder the country, and burn the two 



towns, notwithftanding the Canbarians have a hne of earthen 



forts, each garrifoned with two or three hundred men, as a 



defence againft free-hooters. The Portuguefe had a fadtory 



here, notorious, as I fear all their colonies are, for the exceflive 



debaucheries of both clergy and laity. 



avder's GREAT Aydcr Alii with all his abilities, entertained a moft grand, 



but vifionary plan, not only of becoming fovereign of the 



Indian feas, but of even retaliating on the Engli^/h^ the feveral 



invafions they had made into India. In order to become a naval 



power, he invited fliipwrights from all countries, and under 



them trained a number of his own fubjedls. He had in his 



own dominions abundance of materials ; and he fixed on Man- 



galore as his great dock, and military naval port. He has 



hitherto been unfortunate. In 1768, the place was taken by a 



fleet fitted out from Bo7nbayy and nine great fliips and feveral 



leffer were brought away *. Ayder foon recovered his port : 



and, irritated at the difgrace, redoubled his efforts to reftore his 



navy, and carry his great defign into execution. By the year 



1781 he had almofl finiflied fix Ihips of the line, and feveral 



frigates and floops. He had heard fomething of the folidity 



and ftrength of the waters of the European feas, fo under the 



notion of combatting with oceans of ice, he firengthened his 



ihips with planks of great thicknefs t. But we did not permit 



• Annual Regifter, 1768, p. 67. t War in Alia, p. 506. 



I Avder 



