Administrative System of the Marathas c21.s3.31

c21.s3.31

The Peshwas had their own factories for manufacturing cannons and cannon balls. Captain William Gordon writes on June 30th, 1739: "I visited the foundry, where I saw many coehorns and bomb shells said to have been cast there, and a form of a thirteen-inch mortar. I was told they make such with great ease, and have learned the art of running iron for making shot." ²⁷ Tone says of Sindhia's firelocks, "His are very excellent ones far superior to the ordinary European arms to be met with in the Bazars." A cannon-ball factory was established at Ambegavan near Votur in Prant Junnar in 1765-66 and a new factory was established at Poona four years later for manufacturing cannons. Unfortunately the Marathas relied mainly on the English and the Portuguese for the supply of artillery and munitions. Maratha officers were often commissioned to purchase these from Bombay ²⁸ while the Portuguese undertook to supply the Peshwa with artilleries of the latest type.²⁹