The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c10.28

c10.28

Though Shivaji had employed Portuguese agents for purchasing artillery and ammunition for him, there is no mention whatever of these necessary articles of war in his two treaties with the Portuguese Government; but that does not necessarily mean that the Portuguese dealers were unwilling to supply their powerful neighbour with these requisites of war. Sambhaji, however, was at first more fortunate than his father, for both the English and the Portuguese were willing to sell these much needed commodities to him. On 10 February 1681-82, the Surat authorities wrote to their Bombay subordinates: ‘If Sambajee Rajah should desire anything from you, wee shall not forbid you oblidging him but be cautious and private in such a case’.¹ The Portuguese Government was equally willing to oblige Sambhaji. In a letter addressed to him on 28 July 1682, the Viceroy informed the Maratha Prince that he could purchase his munition and arms from Portuguese territories. He wrote: ‘After the envoy Esaji Gambhir Rao had delivered to me Your Highness’s letter, he informed me that Your Highness had ordered two farms under the jurisdiction of Bicholy and Curalle to manufacture powder and purchase artillery, sulphur, saltpetre and other things ordered to be manufactured in the ports of Canara and Malabar, requesting me to direct the Captains of the Armada of this State not to obstruct those ships (carrying munition) and to let them, and also the provision that Your Highness’s subjects may take from Canara for the ports of Vingurla and Banda, pass freely. As I desire to maintain friendship with Your Highness, I have given to Your Highness’s envoy the necessary order to that effect, in conformity with Your Highness’s request’.² Sambhaji’s good relations with his Portuguese neighbours did not last long, and it is needless to say that during the critical period following his death the Marathas had hardly the time or the opportunity of making their own guns, though a portion of their powder and shot had always been manufactured in the country. In the second decade of the eighteenth century the Marathas still depended on the Europeans for their supply of artillery. Early in his reign Shahu had applied to Sir Nicholas Waite, Governor of Bombay, for arms and ammunition, and in 1713 Kanhoji Angria had sent the following requests to Governor Aislabie: ‘If I have occasion for powder and shott you shall supply on my paying for the same. I desire also a place to make powder for which I shall send saltpetre and brimstone’.³ To both of these requests, however, an answer in the negative was returned. It is not at all difficult to understand why Kanhoji was unwilling to part with the guns of the ships he had captured, though he was willing to restore the vessels.