"حياة ومراسلات اللواء السير جون مالكوم، قائد فرسان وسام الطُهر، المبعوث السابق إلى بلاد فارس وحاكم بومباي؛ من رسائل ومذكرات غير منشورة. في مجلّدين. المجلد II." [‎٢‎٥‎٨] (٦٥٤/٢٧٥)

THE SURRENDER OF THE PEISHWAH.
Asseer till after the rains—the difficulty of even half blockading
it, and the agitated state of the country—and then let the lord
pronounce the article I purchased was worth the price I paid; and
he will find it proved I could not get it cheaper,
" There are, however, other grounds, which I can never abandon^
that recommend this course on the ground of policy—our own dig
nity, considerations for the feelings of Badjee Rao's adherents, and
for the prejudices of the natives of India. We exist on impres
sion ; and on occasions like this, where all are anxious spectators,
we must play our part well or we should be hissed. I have your
opinion in my favor; I have Ochterlony's, Elphinstone's, Jenkins',
and many minor men's; and I think I shall yet force an assent from
head-quarters. But they foolishly enough committed themselves,
knowing, as they stated at the time, their instructions would te
too late ; they did not think any circumstances could enable him
to have more than two lakhs, and he was to be watched, restrained,
and I know not what. My system is all opposite; I am either
for the main-guard, or a confidence that gives you a chance at
least of the mind, the only other security except the body. You
shall have a short narration of my proceedings. I grieve for your
decay of vision, and none of your arguments will persuade me it
is not at this moment a public misfortune; but you should not
remain a moment longer than you can help in India, and give up
labor; the warning is too serious."
On all these points he discoursed more fully in a long
and very able public letter which he addressed to Mr.
Adam on the 19tli of June. He declared, in the first
place, that tlie condition of Badjee Rao was not so
desperate at the beginning of June but that he might
have protracted the war, with no hope assuredly of
eventual success, but with the certainty of keeping our
armies for some time in the field at a ruinous expense to
the State:
" From the facts I have enumerated; there can be no doubt that
Badjee Rao had the power of protracting the war till next fair
season, and that the mere circumstance of his continuing the con
test would, till that period, have kept almost all India unsettled.