A History of the Mahrattas v2.c54.2

v2.c54.2

The treaty of Salbye, by which Mahadajee Sindia was acknowledged by the British Government as head of an independent state, and the policy of Warren Hastings, which permitted him to extend his power on the side of Hindoostan, had a great effect in weakening the power of the Peishwa and in hastening the decline of the Mahrattas, by dissolving that community of interests which was the mainspring of their union. Previously, however, to the treaty of Bassein, if we except the engagements entered into by the Gaekwar with the English, the visible changes in the Mahratta government were wrought by domestic feuds, originating in the intrigues of some of its principal members : first, of Nana Furnuwees and Sindia to supplant each other ; next, of Bajee Rao to overturn the power of both ; and finally, of the Mahratta chiefs, Sindia and Holkar, to obtain by force a control over the Bramin court, similar to that which the Peishwas had established by policy over the head of the empire.