dispatch from the sultaun reached Calcutta, filled with the most treacherous professions of attachment, and complaints of the military preparations by the English; and, after another long interval, an answer was received by Lord Mornington to his two letters, in which this faithless prince congratulated the governor-general on the glorious victory of Aboukir, and expressed his firm hope "that the English, who ever adhere to the paths of sincerity, friendship, and good faith, and are the well-wishers of mankind, will at all times be successful and victorious; and that the French, who are of a crooked disposition, faithless, and the enemies of mankind, may be depressed and ruined." He positively denied that any secret correspondence had ever been carried on between him and the French, and expressed his surprise at the military preparations avowedly made by the governor-general; but declined to receive Major Doveton, declaring, "that no means more effectual than the engagements already entered into, could be adopted for giving stability to the foundations of friendship and harmony."

Lord Mornington returned an immediate reply to the sultaun, January 9, 1799, informing him, in very explicit terms, of the accurate advices which he had received, of his secret transactions with the French, and of his flagrant violations of the subsisting treaties. "Even under all these "Even under all these circumstances of provocation," said his lordship, with laudable moderation, "we are ready to renew and confirm the bonds of amity on such conditions as shall preclude the continuance of those jealousies which must subsist so long as a final and satisfactory adjustment of all the causes of suspicion shall be delayed." He then called upon the sultaun to assent to the immediate admission of Major Doveton, as a measure advantageous to all parties.

After waiting, with exemplary patience, twentyfive days for an answer, the governor-general at length, on the 3d of February, ordered the army to begin its march towards the Mysorean territory. The reply of Tippoo Sultaun was received at Madras, February 13. After the usual professions of attachment, he declared himself (but in cold and distant terms) willing to admit Major Doveton's embassy, but desired that he might come unattended.

On the 22d of February, the governor-general published a declaration, very ably re-capitulating the reasons which compelled him to engage in hostilities with the Sultaun of Mysore. It stated, "that the governor-general waited with the utmost solicitude for an answer to the reasonable and distinct proposition contained in his letter of the 9th of January; that the sultaun, however, remained silent, although apprised that dangerous consequences would result from delay. In the mean while, the season for military operations

1799.

had already advanced to so late a period, as to BOOK III. render a speedy decision indispensable to the security of the allies. It must be evident to all CHAP. XV. the states of India, that the answer of the sultaun has been deferred to this late period of the season, with no other view than to preclude the allies from the benefit of those advantages which their combined military operations would enable them to secure. The allies are therefore resolved to place their army in such a position as shall afford adequate protection against any artifice or insincerity, and shall preclude the return of that danger which has so lately menaced their possessions. Retaining, however, an anxious desire to effect an adjustment with Tippoo Sultaun, Lieutenant-general Harris, commander-in-chief of his majesty's and the honorable company's forces on the coasts of Coromandel and Malabar, is authorized to receive any embassy which Tippoo Sultaun may dispatch to the head-quarters of the British army, and to concert a treaty on such conditions as appear to the allies to be indispensably necessary for the establishment of a secure and permanent peace."

A very fine and well-appointed army was now, through the indefatigable exertions of the governor-general, seconded by the efforts of the civil and military departments, not only formed, but put in motion. This army was commanded by officers of great courage, skill, and experience; and, being in a short time joined by the troops of the nizam, they marched forward in full confidence of success. But, while General Harris approached the eastern frontier of Mysore, the sultaun had himself commenced hostilities on the western side, by the attack (March 6) of General Stuart, who commanded the Bombay army, while yet in the territory of the peshwa, and encamped on the high mountain of Sedaseer. Upon this occasion the sultaun received a severe repulse; and, on being informed that General Harris, with the grand army, had entered Mysore, he forthwith returned to the defence of his own country.

By this time the allies had penetrated as far as Bangalore. On the 23d, as the British commander approached Sultaun-pettah, a cloud of dust to the westward announced the vicinity of the Mysorean army; retiring, as the allies marched forward, the enemy attained, on the 27th, the heights of Malavelly, from which they were, on the same day, driven with considerable loss. On the 3d of April, the army came within sight of the lofty towers of Seringapatam, having hitherto experienced, to the general surprise, a resistance altogether trivial. By reports from the sultaun's camp, it was understood that he was extremely dejected and undetermined; and that his plans of defence had been as suddenly abandoned as they were hastily formed. On the 5th, the Bri

On the 9th of April, being apparently alarmed at his situation, Tippoo Sultaun had the effrontery to write, in the following terms, to the commander, General Harris:-" The governor-general, Lord Mornington, sent me a letter, the copy of which is inclosed-you will understand it. I -have adhered firmly to treaties: what, then, is the meaning of the advance of the English army, and the occurrence of hostilities? Inform me." In reply, the sultaun was properly referred to the previous letters of Lord Mornington, and the declaration of war on the part of the allies.

On the 14th of April, the Bombay army, under General Stuart, crossed the Cavery, and took a strong position on its northern bank. That river, which separated the camp from the fort of Seringapatam, was at this time almost dry, and its bed a naked rock. The armies of the allies having now formed a complete junction, and the enemy's advanced works beyond the river being taken, the sultaun made another attempt to arrest the progress of the siege by negociation, and wrote a second letter to General Harris, desiring him to nominate commissioners, and open a conference for peace. In answer to this overture were sent the preliminary articles of the only peace that would now be granted him. These were, to cede half his territories in perpetuity to the allies; to pay two crores of rupees by way of indemnification for the expences of the war; to renounce all connection with France; to receive ambassadors from the allies; and give hostages for the performance of these stipulations. Such were the severe terms which the perverse obstinacy of the sultaun had now made it necessary for him to accept, or by the refusal to risk bis life and crown. For some days he maintained a sullen silence; but, a vigorous sally of the garrison on General Stuart being repulsed, and the guns of two towers on the western side dismounted, the unfortunate sultaun, on the 28th, made another and last effort to retard the operations of the siege, by declaring, in reply to the notification of General Harris, "that he wished to send ambassadors to open a conference for peace.-The points in question," said he, “are mighty, and cannot be brought to a conclusion without the intervention of ambassadors. I am, therefore, about to send two gentlemen, who will personally explain themselves to you."

He was immediately informed, that no ambassadors would be now received, unless he sent a

part, at least, of the specie demanded, and the hostages required for his sincerity. The sultaun, reduced to despair by this answer, seemed determined to bury himself under the ruins of his capital; and, as if to shut every avenue to future negociation, he barbarously ordered the prisoners he had taken to be put to death; a circumstance not mentioned in General Harris's public dispatches. The fire of the batteries, which began to batter in breach on the 30th of April, had, on the evening of the 3d of May, so much shattered the walls, that a general assault was deemed practicable. The troops were accordingly (early in the morning of the 4th) stationed in the trenches, that no extraordinary movement might occasion alarm; and, in order to take the enemy by surprise, it was determined to make the attempt in the heat of the day, the season of indolence and repose. At one o'clock, the troops under General Baird moved from the trenches, and, crossing the rocky bed of the Cavery, under a beavy fire from the stupendous works which defended this great and magnificent capital, passed the glacis and the fossé; then ascended the breaches with the most heroic gallantry, surmounting every obstacle which the valor of the enemy could oppose to their progress. In a short time all was confusion and consternation, and the British colours were displayed on the summit of the breach. Resistance continued, however, to be made from the palace of Tippoo for some time after all firing had ceased from the works: two of his sons were there, who, on assurance of safety, at length surrendered. It was at the same time reported that Tippoo Sultaun was slain. The most active measures were immediately adopted to put an end to the horrors of the assault, and diligent search was made for the body of the sultaun, which was with difficulty found, encompassed and almost covered with heaps of dead: it was conveyed to the palace, and, being recognized by the family, was the next day interred, with the honors due to his rank, in the mausoleum of his father.

Thus, after a short but brilliant career, fell the house or dynasty of the celebrated Hyder Ali Khan. On the ensuing day, Kerim Saheb, the brother of the late sultaun; Abdul Khalic, the elder of the princes formerly hostages with Lord Cornwallis; and, in a short time, the remainder of the family of Tippoo, surrendered themselves, and demanded protection. The dominions of the sultaun were disposed of in conformity to an arrangement soon after concluded upon by the conquerors. To the company were allotted the province of Canara; the districts of Coimbatore and Daraporam, with an extensive district extending along the Malabar coast, including Mangalore; also the fortress, city, and island of Seringapatam: to the nizam was assigned a large tract of country contiguous to his own dominions: and to

the Mahrattas, who had taken no active part in the war, were, by a liberal policy, given Soonda, Harponelly, and a portion of Bidenore: the fortresses belonging to the latter were, however, retained in the hands of the English, and a strong barrier opposed to the future incursions of that powerful and warlike people, extending from the eastern to the western Ghauts.

On a careful investigation it was found that the surviving representative of the ancient royal Hindoo family of Mysore, expelled by the ligh fortune of Hyder Ali from the throne, was a boy of five years of age. To him it was deemed both just and politic to restore the kingdom of Mysore, which was, by the late partition, comprised nearly within the same limits by which it was bounded previous to the usurpation of Hyder; and by an article of the treaty of Mysore, the dependency of that kingdom upon the British government was formally recognised, and the right of British interference distinctly acknowledged. Thus the interests of the infant Rajah Kishennai Wuddiar, were said to be identified with those of Great Britain; and, at all events, such interference were better exercised openly and avowedly than in the way of clandestine and unauthorized coercion. The family of Tippoo Sultaun were, in a short time, removed to Vellore, in the Carnatic, and an annual revenue, amounting to about 600,000 rupees, was allowed for their future maintenance. In another hemisphere, the British arms were equally successful, and a flourishing settlement was wrested from the hands of the Dutch. A body of troops having been collected in the islands of Grenada, St. Lucie, and Martinico, by Lieutenant-general Trigge, were embarked soon after on board a small squadron, consisting of two lineof-battle ships and five frigates, under the command of Vice-admiral Lord Hugh Seymour. On their arrival off the mouth of the river Surinam, August 20, Governor Frederici was summoned to surrender that colony; but, as he had requested forty-eight hours to consider the proposal, measures were taken to force him to an immediate compliance. Accordingly, the depth of water not being sufficient for the line-of-battle ships, the troops were removed into the small craft; and these, with four frigates, having anchored two miles further up, a detachment landed and took possession of the redoubts and battery at Bram'spoint, which had been previously abandoned. At length, the capitulation being signed and ratified, the armament proceeded to New Amsterdam, which was occupied immediately; and, in the course of two days more, the tower of Paramaribo and the neighbouring forts were garrisoned by the troops. Thus a flourishing and extensive settlement was obtained, by Great Britain, without firing a single gun; but the colonists reaped nearly all the advantages arising from this event;

for, while the English government was at the ex- BOOK III. pence of their protection, they found a good mar-ket, and a ready conveyance for those commodi- CHAP. XV. ties which would otherwise have remained in their possession.

The commercial relations of France, in reference to other countries, and even its own colonies, were become very difficult, owing to the superior naval force of Great Britain. The direc tory sent out General Hedouville to be governor of St. Domingo, soon after it was evacuated by the English; but this island still evinced indications of a spirit of independence, in order to the re-establishment of that authority which justly be longed to the parent country. The general finding, on his arrival, that all the genuine powers of government were vested in Toussant, very soon returned to France, having made some fruitless attempts to induce the people to rally round the constitutional act. When he departed, Toussant immediately sent his own aid-de-camp with dispatches for the directory, criminating Hedouville, maintaining his own attachment to France, and hoping that St. Domingo, "delivered from the dangers to which it had been exposed, would continue its progress under the protection of constitutional laws, and the auspices of that liberty which it had obtained." This native chief (who has been mentioned in a former book) succeeded in a wonderful degree in tranquillizing the island; but General Regaud, another native chief, whose influence in the southern departments was very great, and whose name has already appeared in this work, strongly opposed Toussant, when some bloody engagements took place between them, which having proved detrimental to Regaud, an order was received from the directory, making choice of the other as governor of St. Domingo, which immediately restored the peace of the island.

During this year, the British navy continued to display its wonted zeal and superiority; the names of St. Vincent, Nelson, Smith, and Mitchell, having made the English flag respected in Syria, Egypt, the Mediterranean, on the coasts of Spain, and in the ports and shallow seas of Holland. Notwithstanding the fleets of the two allied powers appeared at one time fearless of a contest, yet it was deemed more prudent to return to port, and be exposed to the mortification of a blockade, than to experience the vengeance of so formidable an adversary. Few actions, therefore, between single ships, remain to be recorded in the naval occurrences of this campaign.

On the 28th of February, an action was fought by Captain Edward Cooke, in the Sybille of 44 guns, off the sand-heads of Bengal river, against La Forte, of 50 guns. After a close and spirited engagement, of near two hours duration, at the conclusion of which the republican ship had lost

1799.

BOOK III. all her masts, she struck her colors, and was immediately taken possession of; but it is greatly to CHAP. XV. be lamented, that the gallant English commander received a mortal wound during the fight, and survived his victory but a few days.

1799.

Another action was declared by Admiral Earl St. Vincent (a consummate judge of this species of merit) to be " equal to any enterprise recorded in the naval history of Great Britain." Captain Peard, of the Success, during a cruise in the Mediterranean, happened to chase a Spanish polacca into the harbour of La Selva; and, as there was no appearance of any batteries, it was determined to cut her out. He accordingly sent in his ship's boats for this purpose, under the command of Lieutenant Facey, who was in the barge, assisted by Lieutenant Stupart in the launch, and Lieutenant Davison, of the marines, in the cutter. On their arrival, June 9, they immediately attacked the enemy, which proved to be an armed vessel, called the Bella Aurora, mounting ten carriage guns, and having 113 men; surrounded by a netting, and supported by a small battery and a large body of musketry on the shore. Notwithstanding these formidable means of defence, the engagement commenced, in the face of day, on the part, of only forty-two men, who, after entering the prize sword in hand, carried her out in triumph. In the course of this year, five sail of the line, one ship of fifty-two guns, one of forty-two, and another of forty, were taken from the French, and two of thirty-six from the Spaniards, besides many vessels of inferior force, no less than twenty frigates, corvettes, and luggers, belonging to France, and ten to Spain, being either taken or run on shore; but not so much as a single frigate or sloop of war was lost by the English.

Le Généreux, of seventy-four guns, and La Ville de Marseilles, were captured, with Admiral

Perée, by Rear-admiral Lord Nelson's squadron, in the Mediterranean. Le Guillaume Tell, Le Athenienne, and Le Dego, all of sixty-four guns, were taken at Malta; also La Vengeance, of fifty-two, by La Seine of forty-two, Capt. Milne, after a gallant action in the Mona passage.

The Dutch navy was almost extinguished this year. In addition to the twelve ships surrendered by the gallant Storey, and an equal number, which surrendered within the Texel, the Batavian republic lost a fifty-gun ship, viz. Hertog Van Brunswick, in the straits of Sunda; and as the sailors were obviously disaffected to the new government, all further exertions by sea were wholly interdicted.

While twelve ships, belonging to the Emperor Paul co-operated with the British fleet in the German ocean, the Turco-Russian squadron, commanded by the Captain Bey, Cadir Bey, and Vice-admiral Oreschakoff, after conquering Cerigo, Zante, and Cephalonia, appeared before Corfu. Having landed a body of men on the little island, called Lo Scoglio di Vido, it was carried after a short resistance; on which an attack took place on the out-works of the adjoining town, and fort St. Salvador was captured by the allies. A flag of truce was then sent by the commanding officer of the French garrison at Corfu, to the Russian vice-admiral, with proposals for delivering up the place; in consequence of which the garrison was admitted to a capitulation, March 2. The Leander, of fifty guns, which had been captured by a French seventy-four, soon after the action of the Nile, (1798) and which happened to have anchored in the harbour of this place at the time of the surrender, was soon after, in a very handsome manner, restored by the Emperor of Russia to the service of Great Britain.

We shall now call the reader's attention to the domestic situation of France, which, during the progress of summer, seemed to be approaching fast to some eventful crisis. In the latter part of the preceding book, the directorial revolution has been slightly mentioned; as the particulars have been reserved for the commencement of this.

It had long been the subject of profound meditation to subvert the directorial government; but no method had yet presented itself which could be pronounced free from desperate hazard. It must be observed, that the liberty of the press had been placed under the special protection of the directory, in conformity to a law of the 19th Fructidor. The council of five hundred ventured at last to declare, that under this pretext many egregious abuses had been perpetrated, by the agents of those who were in power, and who from this security set denunciation at defiance. A message was sent to the directory on the motion of Boulay de la Meurthe, who had once been its zealous advocate, implying that the council fully expected such information as the constitution prescribed, at this critical and alarming juncture. An address to the nation at large was published at the same time, on the motion of Français de Nantes, which was considered in the light of an appeal to the country against the despotism and usurpation of the executive power. The directory were not blind to the approaching storm. The current of public opinion ran strongly against them; and their own destruction would probably have been accelerated by any fresh acts of violence against the councils. Sieyes was regarded as the head of the opposition, the vengeance of which was chiefly levelled against the directors Merlin, Lepeaux, and Treillard; for Barras, considering it more prudent to second the views of Sieyes, had already come to a good understanding with the leaders of the opposition, who like

wise carried on a secret and confidential inter- BOOK IV. course with the chiefs of the military force in and near the metropolis.

As the council had received no reply to their message on the 15th of June, 1799, it declared itself permanent, and nominated a commission of eleven members, to which it imparted very extraordinary powers. As the director Treillard was a man of a mild and pacific disposition, both unqualified and unwilling to take part in those scenes which appeared to be fast approaching, a pretext was devised for removing him from the office of a director, which he embraced with eagerness, and resigned his office, which was filled by Gohier, president of the tribunal of revision; and the council had now a majority even in the directory itself.

An act of accusation against Merlin and Lepeaux, the two refractory directors, was next proposed; but previous to the adoption of this measure, they were invited by the council to give in their resignation. This plan was adopted after some acrimonious language, and they left the palace of the Luxemburg amidst the curses of the people. Two persons, at once obscure and insignificant, were chosen in their room, viz. Roger Ducos, and Moulin, who, it was imagined, would neither dispute nor oppose the will of Sieyes, as might have been the case with men of more talents and consequence. Français de Nantes presented a report from the committee of eleven, in which was delineated in glowing colors the late directorial government, many of whose vile instruments were denounced, in a particular manner Scherer, who had fled from the just vengeance of the law and of the people. General Bernadotte succeeded him as war-minister, and Scherer, as the reader has been already informed, was promoted to the command of the Italian army.

The council received a message from the new

CHAP. I.

1799.