636 Retrofped? of Dameftic 
The execution of this part is not altoge- 
ter fuch as we could have wifhed it to 
have been. There are many repetitions 
and digreffions, and Mr. Maurice has 
even gene fo tar as to infert feveral long 
quotations from his own works. It dif- 
plays, however, as all Mr. Maurice’s hif- 
torical produtions have done, a wide 
range of refearch, and a powerful com- 
mand of language. 
““ Notes relative to the late Tranfac- 
tions in the Mabratia Empire. Fort Wil- 
liam, December 15, 1803.2 With an 
Appendix of official Documents; and alfo 
fix Engravings illuftrative of feveral Bat- 
_ tles, from Drawings taken on the Spot. 
The tranfa&tions which have recently 
taken place, and are now going on, in 
this newly- founded Empire, are of a very 
interefting nature. That Britith influ- 
- ence, difpenfing falutary laws, promoting 
arts, fcrences, and general civilization 
among the immenfe population of the 
Fait, fhould be ftill more widely diffuled, 
may ve highly defirable, But it is a quef- 
tion that admits of difcufion, whether 
the extent of our influence is commenfu- 
rate with that of our territory, and whe- 
ther our attempts at an inordinate increafe 
of the latter do not actually diminith the 
former, if not endanger its very exiitence. 
Since the tranfaétions took place to which 
Lord Wellefley's notes refer, our arms in 
the Eaft have fuffered fome very alarming 
checks ; but, interefted as every Briton is 
for the fuctefS of his country’s arms, 
whenever and wherever they are reforted 
to, he muft fill feel a deeper intereft in 
thehenour of his country, and the affur- 
ance that they are only retorted to on juik 
and neceflary occafions, will ever be a high 
gratification to him. 
Dowlat Rao Scindia inherited frorn his 
uncle Madajee Scindia the attachment he 
has ever fhewn to the French. It was 
about the year 1784 that Monf. de Boig- 
ne gave vuphs« commiffion in the Compa- 
ny’smilttary fervice at Madias, and pro- 
ceeded, by leave of Mr. Hafings, towards 
Ruffia, by the way of Iraan and the Caf. 
pian fhore. He croffed the Jumna at the 
_ ¢ritical period when Madajee Scindia was 
fiiuggling te obtain the perfon cf the VMio- 
gul, as a preliminary to the Empire of 
Hindofan. De Boigne offered bis mili- 
peri fervices: they w-re eagerly accepted, 
ana proved cf fo much value, that Scin- 
‘dia was enabled to fubdue the Seiks, chaf- 
tife the Rajpoor Princes, maintain poffe 
fion of the imperial city of Delbi, the 
fortrefs of Agra, and the perfon of the 
Emperor. By, é 
Literature.—Hiftory, 
Scindia, as a reward for thefe fervices, 
and in order to defray the expence of them, 
gave a vait territory to de Boigne, as 
jaidad or military governor, and granted 
hima confiderable jaghire or perfonal 
eftablihment. De Boigne enjoyed almoft 
regal fplendour and regal power, when 
the death of Scindia, in 1793, gave him 
abfolute independence ; for although he 
called himielf the ‘fervant of Madajee’s 
fucceffor, Dowlat Rao, and the flave of 
the blind Emperor, Siah Aulum, the re- 
prefentative of the Houfe of Timur, yet 
there is reafon to believe that his views of 
perfonal aggrandizement extended up to 
the very throne of Aurungzebe. 
Ona fudden, however, this ambitious 
adventurer complained that his conftitu- 
tion failed him ; and in 1796 returned to —, 
Europe, leaving M. Perron (a young 
French officer of great merit, whom, with 
many others, he had collected for the fup- 
port of his interefts), at once the depofi- 
tory of his power and the hoftage of hig 
return. pas 
_ By the. treaty of Amiens, Pondicherry 
was reitored to the French: this gave Bo- 
naparte the right of fending to India a 
formidable body of chofen men, under 
pretext of colonial detence. Asa part of 
the desachment, 200 young men of re- 
f{peCtable connections, and who had re- 
ceived a thoroughly miliary education, 
went out as private foldieas, although 
provided wih the equipment of officers ; 
anc were intended, it is prefumed, to mi. 
grate fingly, or in very imall parties, to 
the Manratias, where Perron was expeét- 
ing them, and had prepared advantageous 
htuations. Not .only thefe 200 officers 
were deftined for the ‘ervice cf Perron’s 
army in alliance with the Mahrattas, but 
the greateft part of the private men alfo 
were to be employed as ferjeants, bombar= 
diers, and gunners, | 
‘The annual revenues of the countries 
fubjeé&t to M. Perron, devived parily from 
forms of taxation, are fiated to have 
amounted to 1,700,0001. flerling: they 
were levied in a diffri€t extending toward 
the Jeit bank of the Indus, through the 
Punjaub, and comprehending Agra, Del- 
hi, end a-Jarge portion of the doab of the 
Jumna and Ganges, on the north-weftein 
frontier of our Hindoftan.. 
“¢ The exittence of M. Perron’s power, 
however,” fays Lord Wellefley, < was 
rot the caufe of the prefent war in India; 
although in the event of a continuance of 
the war with France, it might have proved 
highly dangerous to the Britith interefis, — 
and muft have eccafioned difcuffion with 
Scindia, 
