Fall of the Mughal Empire v1.c9.s6.14

v1.c9.s6.14

Lord Cornwallis was so impressed by the value of Orissā to the Company "in its rendering the communication complete between Bengal and our dominions in the Karnātak" that he authorised C. W. Malet, the British envoy at the Marātha Court, to try to obtain this province in exchange for some other British territory with a money compensation for the difference in value between the two. To induce the Marāthas to give up the holy city of Jagannāth, he authorised Malet to agree to "grant particular privileges or even exemption from all Government duties to Marātha subjects on pilgrimage to Benāres, Gayā, and Allahabad, and to Jagannāth when surrendered to us." He even offered to furnish Malet "with the means of making very liberal presents in money, to any of the (Marātha) ministers who should give a decisive assistance in forwarding the accomplishment of the object in question". Ultimately Lord Cornwallis realised that it was "absolutely impossible ever to obtain Katak directly from the Bhonslé family by any other means than by force," and his negotiations, like Clive's before him, fell through. (Ross, Cornwallis Corres. i. 366, 411, 453.) That force it was left to Wellesley to apply.