IT T has been our fortune to trace our unhappy civil diffentions down from their original caufes and earliest appearance, nearly to the point of their ultimate conclufion, in the feparation of Great Britain and her colonies. In this courfe, which conftantly required all the labour and attention we were capable of beftowing, we were, by degrees, unwittingly led into the execution of a work far beyond our ability and powers; and upon which we could scarcely have ventured, had we foreseen its extent and difficulty. We were led into the history of a war of fuch a magnitude, as would have afforded a full fcope to the genius of the firft writers :-a war, by far the most dangerous in which the British nation was ever involved; of the firft rank in point of action and event; but of ftill wider importance, when confidered with a view to its actual or probable confequences. It has already overturned thofe favourite fyftems of policy and commerce, both in the old and in the new world, which the wifdom of ages and the power of the greatest nations had in vain endeavoured to render permanent; and it seems to have laid the feeds of ftill greater revolutions in the history and mutual relations of man kind. Unequal Unequal as we were to the task, and under all the obvious difficulties and disadvantages attending the writing and publication of hiftory immediately on the heel of action, we have fortunately had no occafion to regret our temerity. The increasing favour we experience from the public at home, and the distinguished reception which our work meets with abroad, not only in those extensive parts of the world where the English language is vernacular, but wherever the general affairs of mankind are fo far known as to be interefting, and are admitted to become fubjects of free difcuffion, have fully qualified all our apprehenfions, and amply repaid our labours. In thefe circumftances, inftead of repining at any expence of labour or time, it will ever be our pride that we happened to be the early and faithful re- corders of events of fuch magnitude and celebrity, and that we have been at any period capable of producing a work which has met with fuch general approbation. The repeated complaints which have been made, relative to the delay of the prefent publication, has compelled us to the painful neceffity of running more into egotism, and bringing ourselves more forward upon this occafion than ufual. As it may now be hoped that the return of the public tranquillity will afford fome confiderable relaxation of our labour (for we shall claim none with refpect to care and affiduity) fo, by degrees, a due punctuality as to the feafon of publication, will be a neceffary confequence. THE Retrospective view of affairs in the Eaft, which led to the late alarming and dangerous fituation of the British empire in India. State of the native powers, with refpect to each other, and to the Eaft India Company. Greatness of the Maratta empire; and nature of its power, refources, and government. Infant Ram-Rajah depofed, and a government of minifters, called the Paishwaship, fubftituted in his place. Ragonaut Row being obliged to abandon Poonah and his country, for the affaffination of his nephew the young Paishwa, flies for refuge to Bombay. Protection afforded to Ragonaut; lays the foundation of all the fubfequent. wars with the Marattas. Treaty of friend/hip and alliance between the Eaft India Company and Hyder Ally, concluded at Madras in the year 1769. Refufal to furnish Hyder with the fuccours ftipulated by treaty in his fubfequent ruinous war with the Marattas, eftranges that prince from the Company, and occafions his embracing French connections. Treaty concluded at Bombay with Ragonaut Row. War entered into with the Marattas for his refloration to power. Ifland of Salfette, Baroach, and other places conquered. Treaty of Poonah, by VOL. XXV. [4] which which Ragonaut is to be given up, and the new conquefts are confirmed to the Company. New fyftems of policy adopted. Ragonaut Row is ftill protected, and various intrigues entered into for a revolution in the Maratta government in his favour. New demands to be made upon the court of Poonah, the rejection of which are to be deemed violations of the late treaty. Strong military force, under Colonel Leflie, fent across the continent from Bengal. Proceedings of that detachment; Leflie dies, and is fucceeded by Colonel Goddard. Propofals for a treaty with Moodajee Boola, the Rajah of Berar, for placing him at the head of the Maratta empire. The court of Poonah refusing to comply with the new demands, the British refident is withdrawn, and the Bombay army landed on the continent, in order to accompany Ragonaut Row to that capital. The army being furrounded, and all means of retreat cut off, a capitulation takes place. Moderate terms impofed by the Marattas in the treaty of Worgaum. Ragonaut Row is given up, and the army conducted by a body of Maratta horfe to the fea-coast, where it embarks for Bombay. THE THE fuccefs which attended the British arms in the year 1778, by the taking of Pondicherry, and the entire reduction of all the French fettlements in that part of the world, feemed, along with the powerful armies in the hands of the East India Company, and the naval force destined to their fupport under Sir Edward Hughes, fully fufficient, not only to fecure their prefent tranquillity, but to lay fuch a foundation of ftrength and profperity as could not eafily be fhaken. They were now freed from their only European competitor, and from a most active and enterprizing neighbour, whofe fpirit of intrigue, as well as power, whether in war or in peace, would conftantly afford matter of jealoufy, if not of apprehenfion; and as wars and conquests had not originally been propofed as the end of that inftitution, and were rendered still lefs fo by the ftate of affairs in Europe, it was fuppofed that it would require no great refinement in policy or in conduct to preferve fuch a balance between the native powers, as, without en gaging much in their particular quarrels, would enable the Company to become the arbiter of India, and tend equally to the general tranquillity, and to the maintenance of their own fuperiority. It was accordingly hoped at home, and afforded no fmall confolation in the most alarming fituation which we had ever yet experienced, that, however Great Britain might have been overborne in that very unequal conteft which fhe was doomed to fuftain in every other quarter of the globe, yet, that her dominion and commerce in the East being happily free from the contingencies of war, ftill remained whole and unimpaired; and might prove an unfailing refource of wealth and of ftrength in the worst event. Such were the hopes of the public, and fuch perhaps the fpeculations of statefien. But the affairs of nations, their adverfity and fuccefs, often depend upon unforeseen circumftances, which political fagacity cannot always provide againft. The experience of ages has fhewn that it is exceedingly difficult |
