The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c10.37

c10.37

³ Livros dos Reis Visinhos (Goa), Vol. X. It should not be supposed that the Marathas relied on the Portuguese alone for their supply of artillery and ammunition. The Government often sent their agents to purchase guns and war stores at Bombay, and provincial Governors also followed the example of their masters. One Balaji Mahadev was sent to Bombay to purchase guns in 1753-4 (Peshwas’ Diaries, Vol. III, p. 179) and again in 1764-5, 36,000 balls were sought from Bombay, (Peshwas’ Diaries, Vol. IX, p. 328). The Bombay Government were reluctant to supply their neighbours with war stores, as will be apparent from the following extract from Bombay Public Consultations, Range CCCXLI, No. 14A, pp. 334-5, dated 23 July, 1745. ‘When Mr. Sedgewicke was at Bassen in April last the Maratha Governour (Sancrajee Punt) acquainted him he should be much obliged if we would spare him about ten thousand shot of different sizes, as also some Cohorn shells and Granadoes, since when Sancrajee wrote the President to the same import. As the giving him an entire refusal may create some disgust and the sparing him large shott and . . . is by no means proper, the President proposes to the Board let him have about one hundred and fifty hundred weight of shot from 11 lb. to 4 lb. weight at the price the black . . . and to write him accordingly, making a proper excuse for not assisting him with larger shott or any shells.’