A History of the Mahrattas v2.c37.57

v2.c37.57

General Goddard was to besiege Bassein as soon as the season permitted: the European part of his army was sent down to Salsette by sea, the battering train was prepared in Bombay, and the Sepoys were to march by land. Early in October the whole of the disposable force at Bombay and in the neighbourhood, consisting of five battalions, was placed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hartley, who was instructed to drive out the enemy’s posts and cover as much of the Concan as possible, so as to enable the agents of the Bombay Government to collect a part of the revenues and secure the rice harvest, which is gathered at the close of the rains. There is perhaps no part of Mr. Hornby’s minute more expressive of the distress under which that government laboured, than that where, alluding to the field force they were preparing, he observes, ‘Our troops will better bear running in arrears when employed on active service, and subsisting in the enemy’s country,’ for it is a principle with the British Government and its officers in India, than which nothing has more tended to the national success, always to consider the peasantry under their strictest protection. As General Goddard advanced to invest Bassein, it was intended that Colonel Hartley should then take up a position a little to the east of that fortress, and prevent the Mahratta army from attempting to raise the siege.