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interests and power in India, the north-western frontier of Hindustan must have long appeared to present the most vulnerable point of our extensive empire.

The condition of the power of the Seiks, as well as that of the Mahrattas, of the Rajpoots, and other petty states, offers considerable advantage to an invading enemy from the more remote northwestern countries of Asia, or from

possessions of Agra, Delhi, and the western and southern banks of the Jumna, enable him to command nearly the whole line of the western frontier.

In the event of any considerable accession to Scindia's power, or in the event of his forming any connection with France, or with any enemy to the British interests, the actual position of his territories and forces in Hindustan would furnish

the banks of the Indus; and it is advantages to him in an attackTreat

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unnecessary to remark to your Excellency's judgment, experience, and knowledge, that the violence and rapacity of the Afghan tribes, or of the Asiatic nations inhabiting the northern and western coun-tries of Asia, might have pursued objects of invasion in that quarter which might have occasioned considerable embarrassment to the British power in India.

the Company's dominons.

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Formidable as the power of Scindia might have become in the event. of any accession to his strength, a danger more urgent and more direct in all its consequences, has grown out of the decline of Scindia's local authority in Hindustan, and has recently assumed a more alarming as pect in proportion to the accumulated embarrassments of Scindia's circumstances in the Deccan, and to the general decay of his resources and power.

The regular infantry in the service of Scindia, under the command. of European officers, is supported by funds derivable almost exclusively from the territorial possessions of

A sense of this danger concurred, with other motives, to induce me to conclude those arrangements with the Nabob Vizier, which terminated in the treaty of Lucknow, and which secured a considerable augmentation of the military, political, and financial resources and power of the British nation on the north-western fron-that chief situated between the Jumtier of Oude. na, the Ganges, and the mountains of Cumaion.

The result of that happy settlement has certainly afforded a great accession of security against the dangers which menaced the stability of our empire on that side of India.

But the local position of Scindia's territories, the condition and nature of Scindia's military force in Hindustan, and the corrupt and profligate councils of that weak, arrogant, and faithless chief, still constitute a serious danger to the British inter. ests. The territories of Scindia between the Jumna and the Ganges interrupt the line of our defence in that quarter, and some of his principal posts are introduced into the centre of our dominions, while the

A considerable portion, if not the whole of this territory, has been assigned to M. Perron, a French officer, who has succeeded M. Deboigne in the chief command of Scindia's regular infantry.

M. Perron has formed this territory into an independent state, of which Scindia's regular infantry may be justly termed the national army. That force is now stated to amount

to

The inhabitants of the districts comprehended in M. Perron's Jaghire, consider that officer as their immediate Sovereign; while the troops, supported from the revenues

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of the countryjitegard M. Perron as the immediate executive authority from which the army is to receive orders, subsistence, and pay.Pos sessing such means, M. Perron dictates with the authority of a sove reign state of superior rank, and with the vigour of efficients military power, to the petty states occupying the country to the south-ward of the Jumna,and, by the terror of his name and arms, holds in abject submission the Rajpoot states of Jynagur and Jeypour, together with the Ghauts and the state of Gohud, extending his influence even to Bon delkund, and to the country occupied by the Seiks.

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Scindia retains no efficient con troul over. M. Perron, or over his regular troops; various instances must be familiar to your Excellency's knowledge, in which M. Perrow has either openly disobeyed or systema tically evaded the orders of Scindia, especially in the late crisis of that chief's affairs.

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M. Perront has for some time past manifested a systematic disposition to remove all British officers from the command of Scindia's regular infantry, and stol introduce French officers under his own immediate patronage link. bra

M. Perron is supposed to have amassed a considerable fortune, and your Excellency is intimately sac. quainted with his anxious desire to pretive to Europe, and to dispose of his actual command, and of his territorial possessions, to somesperson of the French nationed to go!689820q

To these considerations, it is important to add, that M. Perron is in possession of the person of the up[fortunate emperor Shah Aulum, and consequently is master of the mominal authority of that unhappy prince; M. Perron, therefore, may transfer this valuable, possession, together with his property of any other discription, to any French adventurer

or officer who may be enabled to complete such a purchase!

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Thus the coincidence of various extraordinary and uncontrolable ac. cidents, the weakness of Scindia's personal character, the rapacity and profligacy of his ministers, who have engaged him in pursuits of aggrandizement, avarice, and ambition, at a distance from Hindustan in the Deccau, at Poona, and in the sầuthern provinces of the Mahratta empire; the treachery of many of his chiefs, whose interests consist in diverting his attention from the affairs of Hindustan to those of the Deccan, and the recent shock which his pow. er has received from Holkar, have contributed to found an independent French state on the most vulnerable part of the Company's frontier.se 98

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Under the influence of a succes. sion of French adventurers, this state. must be exposed to evely intrigue of the French in India, and even to the ambition and hostile spirit it of the French nation; hor could an instrument of destruction, more kifully adapted to wound the heart of the British empire in India, be prèsented to the vindictive hands of the Chief Consul of France.org Yong

This French state actually holds possession of the person and nominal authority of the Mogul, maintains the most efficient army of regular native infantry, and the most powerful artillery how existing in India, with the exception of the Company's troops, and exercises considerable influence over the neighbouring states, from the banks of the Indus to the confluence of the Jumina and the Ganget. M to noisjuber ads 2:7105 shIn the supposition of the most intimate and established comfection of amitys and alliance between Scindia and the British power, in the event even of Scindia's accession to the treaty of Bassein, and to the general defensive alliance with the Company,

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it is impossible to suppose that this French state would co operate with cordia lity in suppert,of the British inte the aid of this state could be least expected in the case which would most urgently demand it, and which would require the most active operation of the principals of the ge neral defensive alliance.mid bygeyas In the the event of an attacks from France upon the British dominions or power in India, it could not be expected that a French state, erected under the nominal and ostensible su pices of Scindia in Hindustan, would afford any substantial aid to the ally of the British power in abcontest against France, even if that ally should be disposed to assist us in such a crisis boost of bsjudertons

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On the other hand, no doubt existsthat Scindia would receive the most zealous aid from the same state in any attempt which he might be disposed to make, either for the reduction of the British or for the aggrandizement of the French power in India. ce also

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In addition to these remarks, your Excellency is apprized that the vicinity of M. Perron's regular infantry operates as a constant drain upon the population of the Company's provinces, and diminishes the sources of our agriculture, manufacture, commerce, and revenue, as well as of our recruits for the army in that quarter.

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even of alliance with Scindia, the necessity of providing for our own security would justify formal demand for the removal ofman danger so imminent from the frontiewofour dominions. The refusal of Scindia to comply with such as demand wouldsafforda just ground of war against that chief; and any trug or false pleas of inability on the parts of Scindia to controul the movements onto reduce the power of this French state, would authorise and require the British government to assume the protection of its own territories,gand to remove, with its owne hand, the proximate cause of insecurity and alarm. Your Excellency will therefore be pleased to understand, that the most desirable ob"ject im prosecuting hostilities against Scindia on the north-western frontier of Hindustan, appears to me to be, thenelitire reduction of M. Perron's regular corps. This operation necessarily includes the capture or destruction of all his artillery and military stores, and especially of all arms of European construction.

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Connected with this object, and with every principle of security bearing relation to it, is the occupation of the whole tract of country forming the Doab, between the Jamna and Ganges to the mountains of Cumaon, and similar considerations will require the occupation of Delhi and Agra, and of a chain of posts on the western and southern banks of the Jumna, from the mountains of Cumaon, to Bundelkund, sufficient. to secure to the British power the free navigation of the Jumma, and the possession of both banks of that river. It is not my desire to extend to actual possessions of the Company beyond the line of the Jamna, including Agra and Delhi, with a continued chain of posts to the westward of the Jumma, for the purpose already described.

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and intention is to establish the system of the Company's government in all its branches; but whatever connections may be formed beyond that line to the westward and southward of the Jumna must be regulated on the principle of defensive alliance or tributary dependence, in such a manner as shall form between the actual possessions of the Company and the Mahrattas, a barrier of petty states exercising the internal government of their respestive dominions in alliance with the Company, and under the protection of our power.

In drawing this line, I am aware of the position of the Jaghires of Sumroo's Begum, situated between the Jumna and the Ganges. For this special case I have accordingly provided in my instructions to Mr Mercer. It is certainly necessary that the Jaghires of Sumroo's Begum should ultimately be brought under the immediate government of the Company.

It is highly important to secure the possession of the person and no minal authority of the Mogul against the designs of France. The Mogul has never been an important or dangerous instrument in the hands of the Mahrattas, but might become a powerful aid to the cause of France in India, under the direction of French agents.

The person and authority of that unhappy monarch have been treated by the Mahrattas, and by M. Perron, with the most barbarous indignity and violence; and it would contribute to the reputation of the British name to afford an honourable and tranquil asylum to the fallen dignity and declining age of the King of Delhi. It would also be necessary to extend our protection to his Majesty's Heir Apparent, and to any of the royal family who might otherwise fall into the hands of France.

force would afford us the means of forming alliances with all the inferior states beyond the Jumna, for the pur pose of enabling us, in the first instance, to prosecute the war with the greatest advantage; and finally, by forming a barrier composed of these states, to exclude Scindia and the Mahrattas altogether from the northern districts of Hindustan.

It is extremely desirable that Bun. delkund should be ultimately placed under the immediate authority of the British government; such an arrangement would afford great additional security to the rich province and city of Benares, and would effectually check whatever power might remain to the Rajah of Berar, or to any other Mahratta chief in that quarter.

Reviewing these statements, your Excellency will observe, that the most prosperous issue of a war against Scindia and the Rajah of Berar on the north-western frontier of Hindustan, would, in my judgment, comprize,

First, The destruction of the French
state now formed on the banks
of the Jumna, together with all
its military resources.
Secondly, The extension of the
Company's frontier to the Jum.
na, with the possession of Agra,
Delhi, and a sufficient chain of
posts on the western and south-
ern banks of the Jumna.
Thirdly, The possession of the
nominal authority of the Mo.
gul.

Fourthly, the establishment of an

efficient system of alliance with all the petty states to the southward and westward of the Jumna, from Jynegur to Bundelkund.

Fifthly, The annexation of Bundelkund to the Company's do. minions.

The result of such an arrangement

The reduction of M. Perron's would destroy the influence of the

French

French and of the Mahrattas in the northern districts of Hindustan, and would enable us to commence the foundation of such an intercourse with the Seiks, and with the tribes inhabiting the Punjab and the banks of the Attock, as might furnish suf. ficient means of frustrating any at-, tempt of an invading enemy from the western side of the Indies.

Anecdotes of the late NAWAB of Oude.

IN

From the same.

Lucknow, March 1. 1795.

English; from a two-penny deal board painting of ducks and drakes, to the elegant paintings of a Lorraine or a Zophani; and from a little dirty. paper lantern, to mirrors and lustres which cost 2 or 30oal. each.-Every year he expends about 200,000l. in English goods of all sorts. He has above 100 gardens, 20 palaces, 1,200 elephants, 3000 fine saddle horses, 1500 elegant double-barrel guns, 1700 superb lustres, and 30,000 shades of various kinds and colours! Some hundreds of large mirrors, and clocks, and gi randoles : he lately bought four mirrors, which were the largest that had ever been made in Europe, of course in the world; they were ordered expressly for him, and were made up in London, where they cost 8000l. they were 12 feet long and 6 feet broad within the frame, of single sheets of glass in elegant gilt frames; he bought them and sent them to his repository, where they will repose in peace and unnoticed, until the time of the religious feast called the Mohurrum, when they will be displayed with the rest of his mirrors, lustres, and girandoles, &c. in the grand hall of a grand religious edifice, called the Emambarra, which cost a million sterling in building, and which is the largest building in Lucknow. Some of his

N this letter I will give you an historical sketch of the present Nawab of Oude, called Asuf-udDowlah. He is the eldest son of the famous, or rather infamous, Shujah ud Dowlah, the former Nawab of Oude, who was conquered by the arms of the British East India Company, directed by the invincible Clive. The founder of the family that reigns at present in Oude, was Sadut Khan, a Persian soldier, who came to Delhi to seek his fortune, and who raised himself to rank, riches, and power, by his sword and his policy. Shujah-ud-Dowlah was the son of Sufdur Jung, who was married to this Sadut Khan's daughter, and I believe was of the family of Sadut Khan. Shujah ud Dowlah died in 1775, leaving the character of a bold, cruel, enterprising, and rapa-clocks are curious; richly set with cious prince. Asuf-ud-Dowlah, his son, succeeded to the government, by the assistance of the East India Company; he is mild in manuers, generous to extravagance, affably polite, and engaging in his conduct; but he has no great mental powers, though his heart is good, considering the education he has received, which instilled, the most despotic ideas; he is fond of lavishing his treasures on gardens, palaces, horses, elephants, and above all, on fine European guns, lustres, mirrors, and all sorts of European manufactures, more especially July 1806.

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precious stones, which play tunes
every hour, and having figures in
them in continual movement;
pair of these clocks cost him
30,000l. His museum is curious,
rich, and ridiculously displayed;
you see a wooden cuckoo clock,
which perhaps cost a crown, along
side of a rich superb clock which
cost perhaps the price of a diadem ;
an elegant landscape of Lorraine
beside a deal board painting of
ducks and drakes; a superb lustre
of 40 or 50 lights, which cost per-
haps 4 or 5oool. hung up near a

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