New History of the Marathas v3.c37.s2.72

v3.c37.s2.72

At the moment of his arrival he was indeed shocked to learn that Nana Phadnis, his colleague and sworn brother, should have been so frightened at his visit as to request Cornwallis for a loan of the Bombay Regiments then returning from Mysore to their station, as if he meant to start a civil war in the capital to put down the only man (Sindia) who could have saved the State in its extreme peril. It is this tragic attitude of the Poona Government of calling in foreign help to sustain its power, which Mahadji most bitterly resented and did his best to counteract. Says P. E. Roberts, “Sindia persuaded the Peshwa that a serious mistake had been made in the late war in supporting the British Power against Tipu and urged a closer connection with him.”⁴