TREATIES WITH SINDIA AND HOLKAR. 173 



system, finding it was firmly established by the supreme 

 power, judiciously sought to carry it into effect on the most 

 advantageous footing. He managed, with great address, 

 to draw the first overtures from Sindia ; and as it had been 

 determined to yield all the points in dispute, no difficulty 

 was found in the conclusion of a treaty on the 23d No- 

 vember, 1805. The Mahratta leader obtained the highly 

 important fortress of Gwalior, which he made his residence 

 and capital ; the Chumbul was fixed as the boundary 

 between his possessions and those of the British, who 

 agreed to dissolve their alliance with the Rajpoot princes 

 and others whom he claimed as tributaries. This last 

 measure was in accordance with the new political system ; 

 yet in the case of the Rajahs of Boondee and Jyepore, 

 who on the ground of this connexion had performed im- 

 portant services, it was considered as scarcely compatible 

 with national faith. 



Holkar, after being deserted by his ally, retreated with 

 the wrecks of his army into the western provinces to seek 

 refuge among the Seiks. They refused to receive him ; 

 and, being closely pursued by Lord Lake, he would have 

 been reduced to extremities had he not been saved by the 

 new policy which the military commanders were compelled 

 to observe. No sooner did he ask for peace than it was 

 granted, on terms so advantageous as allowed him to regain 

 almost all that he had lost during the war. 



Amid this general dissolution of defensive alliances, 

 those formed on the great scale with the nizam and the 

 peishwa necessarily came under consideration. The con- 

 nexion with the latter, founded on the treaty of Bassein, 

 and out of which the late war had arisen, was described 

 by the company as one which they were desirous to re- 

 linquish. Yet even Sir George Barlow, when he came to 

 consider the proposed measures, could not but view them 

 as fraught with extreme peril. To dissolve the alliance 

 with these potentates, and to withdraw the troops by which 

 they were at present overawed, would have been to relieve 

 the greater part of the powers of India from British control, 

 while they were still animated by the most hostile feelings 

 towards her ; it would, in fact, have been to lay the foun- 

 dation of a future confederacy for her downfall. The 

 peishwa, likewise, notwithstanding his general aversion to 



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