'History of the Province of Gohud' [‎21r] (41/72)

41
ally of the British Government, by conclnding with him the
Treaty of 1782, Scindiah was nothing more than a servant
of the Peshwah. After the conclusion of the Treaty, Scindiah
was elevated to the position of an independent Prince, with
a British Resident at his Court, and at once commenced
pushing on his schemes of ambition towards Hindostan.
Placing a servant of his own, Ambujee Anglia, in charge of
the Fortress of Gwalior and the conquered territory of
Gohud, Scindiah advanced with his troops towards Delhi,
and forced the Emperor to assign him the provinces of Agra
and Delhi. By degrees he increased his army, and possessed
himself of all the territory between the Sutlej and Allahabad,
in addition to his provinces in Malwah and the Deccan. His
armies, commanded and disciplined by French officers, the
bitter enemies of the British, consisted of sixteen battalions
of infantry, five hundred pieces of cannon, and one hundred
thousand cavalry. Feeling now that he was in a position
to cope with the British, he threw off all his assumed friend
ship for the Government, and demanded from the Govern
ment in Calcutta the arrears of chouth, which he asserted
was due to him for the provinces of Bengal and Bahar.
It was solely in consequence of the tortuous policy
followed by Warren Hastings * that Scindiah was enabled
so speedily to attain to such a pitch of power, and to assume
so menacing an attitude towards the British Government.
"By tacitly waiving the stipulations which Warren Hastings
had obtained in favour of the Rana of Gohud, the Governor-
General allowed Scindiah to effect the reduction of all the
country lying between Gwalior and the Jumna River. Had
the British Government adhered to the Rana, and protected
him from the resentment and ambition of the Mahrattas,
Scindiah would never have formed the design of passing
the Chumbul River without conquering the Rana, which
Scindiah could never have done unless the Governor-
General had stood aloof; he would never have been able to
* Col, Kirkpatrick to Lord CornwaUis, Ben. Sec. Coun., 20th July 1787.