Fall of the Mughal Empire v4.c56.s13.8

v4.c56.s13.8

Finally, after the war had raged for a month, Ambāji opened secret negotiations with the British for saving his personal estates and wealth by the surrender of his forces. At the end of September 1803, he sent Ināmullah, the news-writer of Resident Collins posted in his camp, as his envoy to General Lake for the express purpose of communicating to the Commander-in-chief his proposals for consolidating his interests with those of the Company. In reply the Governor General empowered Lake, in a letter dated 19th October, “to guarantee Ambāji in the fullest independent possession of such territory as may be assigned to him, without exacting from him any revenue or tribute whatever, except a subsidy proportioned to the military aid which he might contract for”. The British, however insisted on the following conditions; hence no bargain was struck: