relations, I am convinced that the security of the British interest in that quarter of India, indispensably requires the permanent continuance of an able and experienced political Resident at the court of Mysore. I have hitherto reluctantly submitted to the necessity which has occasioned the absence of Mr. Webbe from his station of Mysore; I therefore deem it to be essentially necessary that a person, duly qualified, should be immediately and permanently ap pointed to succeed to that office, which will be vacated by the nomination of Mr. Webbe to the Residency of Nagpoor. 8. The critical state of the British interests, as connected with the affairs of the Mahratta empire, and the nature of our recent engagements with the Peishwa, render the presence of the British Resident at Mysore, at this period of time, an object of still more urgent importance to the public interests. With reference either to the permanent duties, or to the immediate object of that appointment, it is indispensably necessary that the person who may be nominated to that situation should be intimately acquainted with the condition and interests of the several states and chieftains composing the Mahratta empire, with the whole course of the late transactions in the Deccan, and with my views and sentiments with regard to the whole system of our political arrangements in that quarter of India. 9. The complete information possessed by Major John Malcolm, on all those important points, added to the zeal, judgment, and ability, which have distinguished the conduct of that officer in various important poli. tical stations, qualify him, in a peculiar degree, for the situation of Resident at Mysore. 10. The knowledge which I possess of the sentiments of your Lordship, with respect to Major Malcolin's qualifications, leaves no doubt on my mind of your Lordship's entire concurrence in the selection of that officer for the situation of Resident in Mysore. I therefore request that your Lordship in Council will be pleased to issue Major Malcolm's appointment to that office, on the date of Mr. Webbe's nomination to the Residency at Nagpoor. 11. Major Malcolm will immediately proceed to Fort St. George, for the purpose of taking charge of his appointment. Your Lordship has been apprized, by private advices from me, of the intention which I had formed of proceeding to Fort St. George, for the express purpose of regulating, with more facility and effect, the course of the military and political proceedings connected with the actual state of the Mahratta empire. The tenor of the advices recently received from Colonel Close, and from Hydrabad, appearing, however, to reuder the expediency of my departure less urgent, and the exigencies of the public service in this quarter of the British dominions requiring my immediate attention, I trust, that the inconvenience of my absence from Fort St. George in the present crisis, may be supplied, in a considerable degree, by the communications of Major Malcolm; whose instructions from me will enable him to state to your Lordship distinctly my sentiments and intentions with regard to the present state of the affairs of Poona: I accord Governor General's Instructions to the Resident at Poona; dated the 11th February, 1803. To Lieutenant Colonel Close, Resident at Poona. Sir, By command of his Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General, I have now the honour to communicate to you his Excellency's sentiments and instructions on the subject of Jeswunt Rao Holkar's propositions, agreeably to the intimation contained in the 5th paragraph of my letter to your address of the 3d instant. 2. His Excellency concurs in the opinion expressed by his Highness the Peishwa, that Jeswunt Rao Holkar's propositions are, for the most part, utterly inadmissible. 3. The rights of Cashee Rao Holkar, as successor to his father, the late Tuckogee Holkar, are founded on the most indisputable grounds, and could not be abrogated without a gross violation of every principle of honour and justice; the demand of Jeswunt Rao Holkar, therefore, for the surrender of Cashee Rao, and for the investiture of Khunay Rao, togetuer with every other demand founded on that claim, ought to be decidedly rejected. 4. His Excellency observes, that, adverting to the independent authority possessed by Dowlut Rao Scindia, under the actual constitution of the Mahratta empire, such of Jeswunt Rao Holkar's demands as refer exclusively to Dowlut Rao Scindia, cannot be adjusted by the mediation of the British authority, without the consent of Dowlut Rao Scindia to submit those demands to our arbitration. His Excellency, however, deems it to be both unnecessary and inexpedient to suspend the negotiation with Jeswunt Rao Holkar, until the determination of Dowlut Rao Scindia upon that point can be ascertained. It is unnecessary, because Jeswunt Rao Holkar's refusal to admit the Peishwa's retura to Poona, unless his Highness and the British government shall consent to guarantee certain concessions on the part of Scindia, would indicate, in the actual circumstances of the case, a resolution to reject any terms of accommodation which could be reasonably reasonably offered to Holkar by the Peishwa, under the security of the British power. 5. It is inexpedient, because the delay occasioned by a previous reference to Scindia would afford time and opportunity for intrigues, which might endanger the security of our late arrange ments with the Peishwa, and would indicate an apprehension of Holkar's power, and a degree of consideration for Holkar's pretensions and relative station, injurious to the dignity both of the Peishwa and the British government. 6. His Excellency is therefore of opinion, that terms of accommodation between the Peishwa and Holkar, limited to the extent of those which the Peishwa is authorized to grant, and which it may be consistent with the dictates of policy and justice to concede, should be immediately offered to Jeswunt Rao Holkar's acceptance. The proffered terms should partake equally of firmness and concession. His Excellency does not possess sufficient information to enable him to suggest the precise nature and extent of the concessions which the Peishwa is authorized to grant to Holkar, and which it might be expedient to yield. This point must necessarily be determined by communication between you and his Highness. His Excellency is, however, of opinion, that it might be advisable for the Peishwa to agree to pay to Holkar a considerable sum of money, on the condition of his immediately withdrawing his army from Poona. His Excellency is aware of the Peishwa's present, inability to command resources sufficient for that purpose: his Excellency will, therefore, be disposed to authorize the government of Bombay to guarantee a loan for that purpose, provided that the payment of a sum of money to Holkar should be necessary to secure that chieftain's voluntary departure from Poona. It may also be a matter for your consideration, whether the grant of a fort, with a Jaghire, might not be offered with advantage by the Peishwa to Jeswunt Rao Holkar; if such an establishment could be secured to him, the tranquillity of the Deccan would be cheaply purchased by their sacrifice. 7. That part of Holkar's propositions, which stipulates for amnesty on the part of the Peishwa, appears to his Excellency to be unobjectionable. 8. Every assurance should be afforded to Holkar, that the utmost influence of the British government, and of the Peishwa, will be exerted to effect an accommodation between Holkar and Scindia, on terms as favourable to Holkar as may be practicable, consistently with the principles of equity, and with the just rights of Scindia. 9. It will be proper at the same time to explain to Jeswunt Rao Holkar, the injustice of his demand for the surrender of Cashee Rao Holkar, and for the investiture of Khundy Rao; and the unreasonableness of his requiring, as the condition of his submission to the legitimate authority of his Sovereign, the guarantee of his Highness for the satisfaction of his demands on Dowlut Rao Scindia. 10. These propositions and remonstrances should be accompanied by a requisition to Holkar, in the name of the Peishwa and of the British government, to with draw draw his troops immediately from Poona, and to refrain from any opposition to the arrangements which have been made for the restoration of the Peishwa to the Musnud of Poona; and Jeswunt Rao Holkar should at the same time be apprized, that, in the event of his rejecting the just and reasonable terms offered by the Peishwa to his acceptance, under the guarantee of the British go vernment, the allied forces of the Company, the Peishwa, and the Nizam, will be employed to compel his submission to the just authority of his Sovereign. 11. The representations and propositions to be made to Jeswunt Rao Holkar should be accompanied with an offer to Scindia, on the part of the British government, to arbitrate the differences subsisting between him and Jeswunt Rao Holkar. You will accordingly be pleased to transmit to Dowlut Rao Scindia, at the period of time above specified, a proposal to that effect, either directly, or through the Resident with Dowlut Rao Scindia, who may be expected shortly to arrive at that chieftain's camp, as may appear to you to be most advisable, advising the Resident at the same time of the adoption of that measure. 12. It does not appear to his Excellency, that the course of proceeding prescribed in this dispatch will tend to produce an accommodation between Scindia and Holkar, for the purpose of opposing, by force of arms, the completion of the late arrangement for the Peishwa's restoration: Scindia is aware of the danger to which his possessions in the north-west of Hindustan will be exposed, in the event of his placing himself in the condition of an enemy to the British power. Uncombined, therefore, with the object of inducing the Peishwa to relinquish his engagements to the Musnud of Poona, without the intervention of the British power, it is not probable that Scindia will be disposed to compromise his differences with Holkar. The proposed system of measures, therefore, appears calculated rather to preclude than to promote such a compromise, by placing beyond attainment the only object which can reasonably induce Scindia to desire it. 13. It does not appear to his Excellency to be probable that Holkar will venture to oppose the united arms of the Company, the Peishwa, and the Nizam, unless assured of the active support and co-operation of Scindia; his Excellency, therefore, entertains a confident expectation of the peaceable accomplishment of our late arrangements with the Peishwa, by the course of proceeding sug gested in this dispatch. 14. You were apprized in a former dispatch, that his Excellency was solicitous to act in concert with Dowlut Rao Scindia, in restoring the Peishwa to his døminion. In the present crisis of affairs, however, it would be impolitic to postpone the actual restoration of the Peishwa to the Musnud of Poona, with a view to that object. It may be expected, that the complete accomplishment of the late arrangements with the Peishwa will promote the success of his Excellency's ultimate object, of comprehending Dowlut Rao Scindia in the general system of defensive alliance: any measures, therefore, calculated to expedite and ensure the former, will will be proportionably favourable to the accomplishment of the latter object. While Scindia entertains any hope of disuniting the Peishwa from his connection with the British government, it is not probable that Scindia will consent to conclude defensive engagements with the British government. In every point of view, therefore, it is expedient that the measures to be adopted for the return of the Peishwa to Poona, under the protection of the British power, should be prosecuted with the least practicable delay. 15. I am directed to take this opportunity of informing you, that his Excellency has received from Fort St. George, copies of the original of your dispatch, No. 62, dated the 5th ultinio, inclosing a transcript of the treaty concluded with the Peishwa, and of your dispatch, No. 63, dated the 9th ultimo. The original of both those dispatches, with their original inclosures, have been detained at Fort St. George, in the expectation of his Excellency's arrival at that Presidency. A ratified copy of the treaty is forwarded to you under a separate cover, by the present dispatch. 16. I am directed to observe, that the contents of your dispatch, No. 63, appear to his Excellency to confirm the propriety of the sentiments and instructions detailed in this letter. 17. I have the honour to transmit inclosed, a copy of his Excellency's instructions of this date to the Resident with Dowlut Rao 'Scindia. 18. A copy of this dispatch will be forwarded to Fort St. George, and to the Resident at Hydrabad. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, (Signed) N. B. EDMONSTONE, Fort William, Sec. to Gov. 11th February 1803. INCLOSURE (H.) Governor General's Instructions to the Resident with Dowlut Rao Scindia; dated the 11th February, 1803. (Copy.) (Secret Department.) To Colonel Collins, Resident with I am directed by his Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General to transmit to you, for your information and guidance, the inclosed copy of his Excelleacy's instructions to the Resident at Poona, of this date, and to communicate to you the following observations and instructions. 2. Dowlut Rao Scindia's ac ceptance of the proposals which you have been directed to offer to him, on the subject of concluding defensive engagements with the British government, will necessarily include that chieftain's consent to our arbitration of the differences subsisting between him and Jeswunt Rao Holkar. In the event, however, of Scindia's rejection of those proposals, it is possible that he may still be disposed to accept the mediation of the British government with respect to that particular point; and, in any event, his Excellency deems it proper |