f 



150 MAKRATTA WAR. 



sive and statesman-like views which were soon much 

 wanted to direct the affairs of the confederation. 



Even before the death of Nana, the court of Poonah had 

 been placed for some time in a critical situation. It had 

 been united in a triple alliance with Britain and thenizam, 

 against the power and pretensions of the house of Mysore, 

 and had repeatedly co-operated, though in an irregular 

 and unsatisfactory manner, with the English in their Wan 

 with that dynasty. Lord Comwallis, though he had much 

 reason to complain of the conduct of their army, forbore 

 showing any resentment, and granted to them a third, or 

 equal share with the company and the nizam, of the ceded 

 territory. When Marquis Wellesley afterward entered 

 upon the last and decisive contest with Tippoo, he called 

 upon the Mahratta government to fulfil the stipulations of 

 this alliance. By that time, however, they had begun to 

 cherish a deep and not ill-grounded jealousy respecting the 

 rapid progress of the British power; and although they 

 chose to temporize, their wishes were now decidedly in 

 favour of Mysore. Nana strongly shared this feeling; yet 

 he decidedly objected to any measure which might commit 

 the state in a war with so formidable a nation. But Sindia 

 and the peishwa, those young and ardent spirits, embraced 

 with enthusiasm the cause of the sultan ; and it is believed 

 that a resolution had been formed to espouse his cause, 

 when they were petrified by the intelligence of the fall of 

 Seringapatam, the death of its ruler, and the downfall of his 

 formidable dynasty. Then indeed every effort was made 

 to excuse their inactivity as allies, and to explain away 

 every symptom of a hostile intention. 



Though the remissness on the part of the Mahrattas had 



been undeniable, Marquis Wellesley declined showing any 



resentment ; he even set apart for them a portion of the 



partitioned territory. But he determined to avail himself 



of his present commanding position to establish if possible 



an effective control over this great and turbuient state. He 



tendered to them the share in the spoils of Mysore, coupled 



with the condition that the peishwa, on terms similar to 



• of a treaty just arranged with the nizam, should 



ive a British subsidiary force, ceding a portion of terri- 



the clear revenue of which might be sufficient for their 



maintenance. By this arrangement it was obviously in- 



