of Mysore was practically added to the
increasing empire of Great Britain, but brought her into hostile
contact with the empire of the Mahrattas. This was founded by Sivagi
in the previous century, and extended from Delhi to a tributary of
the Krishna, and from Gujerat to the Bay of Bengal. Its leading
chieftains were, speaking generally, the Peishwa at Poona, the Rajah
of Berar, Scindia in the Northern Deccan, Holkar about Malwa, and
the Guikowar about Gujerat. Touching these were the tributary state
of the Nizam, the conquered Mysore, and the rest of the Carnatic and
other territories that had succumbed to the growing land-hunger of the
British Company.

The former governor of Seringapatam, now Lord Wellesley, was
Governor-General of India. The perpetual antagonism of the native
rulers among themselves gave him the same opportunity of assisting the
one against the other as had fallen to his predecessors. He availed
himself of the political chance as they had, but not to the same
extent. There was a greater knowledge arising of Indian affairs, due
possibly to the former action of Warren Hastings, and the prominency
his impeachment by Burke in the House of Commons had given to these
matters, and possibly also a growing popular interest in the political
conduct of our rule in the great peninsula.

There was still the danger of French intervention and assistance.
France, in those days, stood as an always possibly active opponent of
the East India Company, as Russia does now of the Imperial Government
of the same land.

Wellesley’s policy was rather one of subsidised alliances with the
native princes than the active assistance of one against the other
in local wars. Doubtless the practical result was much the same. The
dominant power, in the long-run, absorbed the feeble units, to all
intents and purposes, as fully as Clive and his successors had by war
brought vast territories under the British rule.

The Peishwa made the first overtures. He wanted to regain his lost
pre-eminence, and by the treaty of Bassein it 