84 CON'QUEST OF MYSORE. 



treaty formed with the nizam. He had been instructed to 

 take the earliest opportunity of demanding from this prince 

 the cession of Guntoor, one of the Northern Circars, con- 

 sidered necessary for completing the circuit of that import- 

 ant territory. The claim now mentioned was founded on 

 the agreement of 1768, originally concluded with a view to 

 offensive war against Hyder, and to a partition of his do- 

 minions. This pretension was somewhat exorbitant, con- 

 sidering that the treaty had been repeatedly broken ; that 

 war had since been waged between the two parties, and 

 peace twice concluded with Mysore without any regard to 

 its stipulations. A military force, however, was despatched 

 to support the claim, which the nizam showed a very re- 

 markable and unexpected facility in granting. Hatred and 

 fear of Tippoo had at this time overcome all other consider- 

 ations, and he readily agreed to execute the conditions of 

 the treaty relative to Guntoor, provided all the others, in- 

 cluding extensive cessions promised to him from the ex- 

 pected spoil of his enemy, were also inserted. The gov- 

 ernor-general could not grant this to the full extent, but he 

 acceded to the proposal in case future circumstances should 

 admit of its fulfilment. At the same time, agreeably to 

 treaty, a subsidiary force was to be sent to the nizam, and 

 Bi curities were introduced that it should not be employed 

 against certain other powers. No such saving clause being 

 added in reference to the sultan, the negotiation with respect 

 to him bore altogether B hostile character. 



While actuated by these dispositions, Lord Comwallis 

 was probably gratified by learning that Tippoo, by his 

 attack on the Travancore wall, had afforded a regular 

 ground on which to declare war. He made a most indig- 

 nant reply to the presidency at Madras, who, expressing 

 their opinion that this prince still desired peace, were them- 

 selves entering into treaty, and making no preparation for 

 hostilities. In fact, the Travanore affair, though it called 

 for attention, does not seem to have pressed so closely on 

 any British interest that an attempt might not have been 

 made to adjust it by pacific arrangements. The marquis, 

 however, announced that it ought to have been considered, 

 and must still be viewed, as al once placing the two powers 

 in a state of hostility. He had determined to repair to 

 Madras and take the command in person ; but changed 



