A History of the Mahrattas v2.c35.5

v2.c35.5

To the report of their proceedings up to the 31st March, the Bombay Government, on the 12th August, received a reply from Bengal, dated on the 31st May. Long before that time the minds of the President and members of the Supreme Government were in a state of strong excitement, caused by those well-known controversies between Warren Hastings and his council, which afterwards occupied so much of the time and attention of the British Parliament.² But on the present occasion President and members united in a violent condemnation of the Bombay measures; they declared the treaty with Rugoba invalid, and the Mahratta war ‘impolitic, dangerous, unauthorized, and unjust’; they protested against the Bombay Government for all consequences, and peremptorily required them ‘to withdraw their forces to their own garrisons, in whatsoever state their affairs might be, unless their safety should be endangered by an instant retreat.’ The Governor-General and Council also intimated their intention of sending an agent of their own to open a negotiation with the ruling party of the Mahratta state, and desired the Bombay Government to retain possession of Salsette and Bassein, but on no account to form any treaty without their previous sanction.