New History of the Marathas v2.c32.33

v2.c32.33

9. The British Menace.—The President of the Bombay Council while giving instructions to Thomas Mostyn whom he nominated his ambassador to Poona, wrote, on 16 November 1767, " The growing power of the Marathas is a subject much to be lamented and has not failed to attract our attention as well as that of the Presidencies of Madras and Fort William."⁵ In fact much more did Madhavrao lament and apprehend the growing power of the British during the latter part of his short regime. Both looked upon each other as the most potential enemies of the future : and Madhavrao was all along keenly alive to the fast increasing danger. The British had already planted their power in Madras and Bengal, and now deplored that they could not make a similar headway in the west! During 1761 when Nizam Ali threatened an attack upon Poona, R'rao sent his agent Govind Shivram to Bombay asking for military aid. Govind Shivram returned with certain stipulations upon which the British agreed to lend a military contingent. Thereupon Raghunathrao sent counter proposals with Baji Gangadhar ; but as the British demanded in return for such help the cession of Bassein and the whole of the island of Salsette, Raghunathrao found this unacceptable and wrote a biting reply to Bombay that Bassein could never be parted with. The danger of the Nizam's invasion had already passed and the British aid was no longer needed.