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Letters from General Perron to the French Commandant of the Fort of Alligur; one dated the 1st September, 1803, and the other without date.

Inclosure (D).

Mon cher Monsieur,

IL est bien naturel que quand une armée veut prendre une place qu'elle en fasse l'assaut, et le remède que vous me demandez est aussi naturel, c'est a dire, de la defendre jusqu'a la derniere goutte de sang. Je viens d'apprendre avec beaucoup de peine que Monsieur Longeroft a été admis plusieurs fois dans le fort, que veut dire cela ?-Quelle conjecture dois je former au sujet d'un procédé si etonnant ?-Je vous ordonne ni d'admettre ni ce Monsieur ni aucune personne qui que ce soit, ni d'entendre aucune proposition qui regarde à la capitulation du fort. Mettez des pièces partout, jettez vos yeux partout, encouragez les troupes, soyez soyez encouragé vous même, parceque vous me paroissez d'avoir le plus grand besoin. Est ce que ces Monsieurs peuvent faire un chemin si vîtement pour entrer dans le forte --ou est ce qui voulez faire le chemin vousmême ? Songez a votre honneur, rapellez à votre memoire les petits forts Sarcené, Bidjegur, Kutchoura, &c. et rappellez les observations que vous

avez fait vous même. Faite pa« roître par vos actions, la verité de vos professions, ou si non, tout le monde dira que le Colonel Pedron a parlé beaucoup, mais qu'il n'a fait rien. En peu de jours vous verrez une grande armée sur la plain d'Alligur: non pour ecouter les argumens de Monsieur Longcroft, mais pour donner une preuve de leur verité et de leur fidelité.

Je suis, &c. &c. (Signé) C. PERRON, Kanna Gunge, 1st September 1803.

(Translation.) My dear Sir,

It is very natural that when an army would take a place, they should make an assault; and the remedy you demand of me is equally natural-that is, to defend it to the last drop of blood. I have just now learnt, with much concern, that Mr. Longcroft has been admitted into the fort several times.-What does this mean? What conjecture should I form upon the subject of a proceding so uncommon?

I order you not to admit that

gentle

gentleman, nor any other person whomsoever ; nor to listen to any proposition regarding the capitulation of the fort. Place cannon every where; cast your eyes every where; encourage the troops, be encouraged yourself, for you appear to me to have the great est need of encouragement! Are these gentlemen enabled so speedily to effect a passage into the fort, or are you willing to make a way for them yourself? Think of your honour; recall to your memory the little forts of Sarcené, Bidjegur, Kutchoura, &c. and recollect the remarks which you yourself have made.

Evince by your actions the truth of your professions, or the world will say, that Colonel Pedron has talked much, but done nothing.

Within a few days you will see a large army on the plains of Alligur; not to listen to the arguments of Mr. Longcroft, but to give a proof of their virtue and fidelity. I am, &c.

(Signed) C. PERRON. Kanna Gunge, 1st September 1803.

Inclosure (E). A Monsieur Le Colonel Pedron, &c. &c. &c.

Monsieur,

Vous aurez reçu la réponse que vous devez faire aux propositions du Général Lake. Je n'aurois jamais cru que vous auriez pensé pour un instant a faire des capitulations, c'est sur vous peutêtre que depend la fortune de tout ce pays, ou la liberté ou l'esclavage. Souvenez vous que vous êtes Francois, et ne faites rien a tarnir le caractère de votre nation. J'espere en peu de jours ee

faire partir le Général Anglois aussi ou peut-être plus vêtement qu'il est venu. Soyez tranquil à ce sujet la, ou l'armée de l'Empereur ou l'armée du Général Lake sera entrée devant le fort d'Alligur, s'il ne le trouve pas necessaire de s'en aller avant que notre arriveé, pour prendre soin de son propre pays. Runjeet Sing, le Rajah de Lahore, a passé le Soutlege avec une armée de 25,000 hommes et me joindra en quatorze ou quinze jours. Le Nizam Alee Khan est mort; son fils a retiré son armée, et declaré la guerre contre les Anglois. Il n'y a rien a craindre, faites votre devoir, et defendez le fort pendant qu'il reste une pierre sur une autre.-Encore une fois souvenez vous de votre nation! des millions ont leurs yeux fixés

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You will have received the answer you are to make to the propositions of General Lake. I never could have believed that for an instant you could have thought of a capitulation. Upon you perhaps depends the fortune of all this country; either liberty or slavery.

Remember you are a Frenchman; and let no action of yours tarnish the character of your nation.

I hope in a few days to send back the English General as fast, or perhaps faster than he came; make yourself perfectly easy on this subject. Either the Emperor's army or the army of General Lake shall find a grave beR 2

fore

fore the fort of Alligur, if the General does not find it necessary to take his departure before our arrival, in order to guard his own country.

Runjeet Sing, the Rajah of Lahore, has passed the Sutlege with an army of 25,000 men, and will join me in fourteen or fifteen days.

Nizam Ally Khan is dead; his

son has withdrawn his army, and declared war against the English. There is nothing to fear. Do your duty; and defend the fort while one stone remains upon another! Once more, remember your nation! the eyes of millions are fixed upon you.

I am, &c.

C. PERRON.

INCLOSURE (F.)

Governor General's Letter to the Commanding Officer of the Nor thern Division of the Army;

To Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, commanding the Northern Division of the Army, &c. &c. &c, Sir,

You have been apprized by my Military Secretary of my general views and intentions with respect to the occupation of the province of Cuttack.

2. You have been informed that a force will be detached from Bengal to act under your command, together with the force which you may be enabled to collect from the Northern Sircars, in consequence of the orders signified to you by my Military Secretary. The force from Bengal will embark in the course of a day or two, and I have directed returns of it to accompany these instructions.

3. You are directed to assem· ble at Ganjam, from the division of the army under your command, a force of not less than fifteen hundred native infantry, and to increase that force, if practicable, consistently with the tranquillity of the Northern Sircars.

4. With the force which you

dated the 3d August, 1803.

have assembled under those or ders, and with the detachment from Bengal, you will enter the province of Cuttack, and proceed to Juggernaut.

5. In passing the frontier of the Mahratta territory, you will use every possible means to con ciliate the inhabitants, for which purpose you will issue the procla mation which accompanies this dispatch; you will also promise protection to the persons and property of all those who shall remain in their possessions, and shall not attempt to act against the British authority, declaring that no person shall be molested except such as may appear in

arms.

6. The situation of the pilgrims passing to and from Juggernaut will require your particular attention; you will be careful to afford them the most ample protection, and to treat them with every mark of consideration and kindness.

7. On your arrival at Juggernaut, you will employ every pos sible precaution to preserve the

respect

respect due to the Pagoda, to the religious prejudices of the Bramins and pilgrims. You will furnish the Bramins with such guards as shall afford perfect security to their persons, rites, and ceremonies, and to the sanctity of the religious edifices; and you will strictly enjoin those under your command to observe your orders on this important subject with the utmost degree of accuracy and vigilance.

8. The Bramins are supposed to derive considerable profits from the duties levied on pilgrims; it will not therefore be advisable, at the present moment, to interrupt the system which prevails for the collection of those duties; any measures calculated to relieve the exactions to which pilgrims are subjected by the rapacity of the Bramins, would necessarily tend to exasperate the persons whom it must be our object to conciliate. You will therefore signify to the Bramins, that it is not your intention to disturb the actual system of collections at the Pagoda. At the same time you will be careful not to contract with the Bramins any engagements which may limit the power of the British government to make such arrangements with respect to that Pagoda, or to introduce such a reform of existing abuses and vexations, as may hereafter be deemed advisable.

9. You will assure the Bramins at the Pagoda of Juggernaut, that they will not be required to pay any other revenue or tribute to the British government, than that which they may have been in the habit of paying to the Mahratta government, and that they will be pro. tected in the exercise of their religious duties.

10. In every transaction relative to the Pagoda of Juggernaut, you will consult the civil commissioner whom I have named for the settlement of the province of Cuttack.

11. You will understand that no part of the property, treasure, or valuable articles of any kind contained in the Pagoda of Juggernaut, or in any religious edifice, or possessed by any of the priests or Bramins, or persons of any description attached to the temples or religious institutions, is to be considered as prize to the army. All such property must be respected as being consecrated to religious use, or by the customs or prejudices of the Hindoos. No account is to be taken of any such property, nor is any person to be allowed to enter the Pagodas or sacred buildings, without the express desire of the Bramins.

12. You will leave a sufficient force in the vicinity of Juggernaut, under the command of an officer whom you will particularly select, and in whom you can place perfect reliance, for the due execution of the directions contained in these instructions.

13. You will then proceed to the town and fort of Cuttack, in the reduction of which places the same precautions are to be employed for the prevention of plunder, and for preserving the inbabitants from all violence and op pression. You will employ similar precautions in your march through the country, In order to form the basis of rules for the conduct of your army during its progress, my Military Secretary has been directed by me to for ward a Memorandum, to which I desire to point your special attention.

14. You

14. You will endeavour to open an immediate communication with Midnapore and Jellasore, at the earliest practicable moment.

15. It is desirable to establish posts at Ballasore, and from thence to Jellasore, for the purpose of ensuring the line of communication with Bengal.

16. You will afford the most vigilant and effectual protection to the Dawk Peons and to the Dawk Chokeys, and you will use every endeavour to secure a free intercourse between Cuttack and your army, and also with Ganjam ; your first object should be to secure the free and safe passage of the Dawk.

according to the best and most recent authorities.

20. I have reason to believe that a considerable proportion of the province of Cuttack is occupied by chieftains or Zemindars, who have been enabled, by the weakness of the Mahratta government, to render themselves independent of the Mahratta power, or who yield to it a partial obedience. Considerable tracts of country contiguous to that province are also possessed by chieftains who acknowledge no superior authority, or who are merely tributary to the Mahratta state. I deem it necessary that such of those chieftains or zemindars as are subjects of the Mahratta government, and have revolted, should be required to acknowledge subjection to the 18. In establishing your posts British power; with other chiefat Juggernaut and Cuttack, you tains who may possess the means. will use the necessary precautions of embarrassing your progress, it to secure your army from any may be advisable to negotiate ensurprise from the side of Nag-gagements on terms favourable to pore. It is my intention, as soon as I shall learn the intelligence of your arrival at Cuttack, to detach a force of no less than

17. You are at liberty to detain the ships which convey the troops to Ganjam.

200 Sepoys by sea to occupy Ballasore, and I shall also strengthen the post of Jellasore, whence, as soon as the season shall admit, I propose to direct a battalion of Sepoys to advance into the province of Cuttack, and to join your army.

19. I have selected Captain Blunt, of the Bengal Engineers, to act as engineer and surveyor on the present service, as he has surveyed the province of Cuttack, and possesses much local information. I refer you to Captain Blunt for detailed information respecting the route from Ganjam to Cuttack; in the mean while my Military Secretary is directed to transmit to you a map of the road,

their interests, without requiring their absolute submission to the British authority.

21. I have appointed Mr. J. Melville to be Commissioner for the affairs of Cuttack. The object of this appointment is to provide, in the most effectual manner, for the speedy settlement of the revenues of the province of Cuttack, and to afford you the aid of a civil officer of government in conducting any negotiations with the officers and subjects of the government of Berar, or with any of the independent chieftains of the province of Cuttack.

22: I have furnished Mr. Melville with special instructions with respect to the settlement of the revenues of the country, and I direct that you afford him every assistance which he may require

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