The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c15.148

c15.148

Tulaji also was aware of the designs that the Peshwa had against him, but, like his brother Sambhaji, he was no diplomat. Although tentative proposals for peace were made by him from time to time, no systematic or serious effort was made to compose his differences with the Portuguese until 1755, when he found himself on the brink of ruin. In 1748 and 1749, Tulaji was at peace with the Governor of Goa; in the previous year he had even sent one Rudraji Dhulap to Goa to negotiate an alliance;³ but the resources at the disposal of the Viceroy were so very inadequate that he was forced to return a non-committal reply. In 1749, a naval action had actually commenced between Tulaji’s fleet and a Portuguese frigate, when Captain Antonio de Britto Sancho received information from the Maratha Admiral that he had commenced the attack without knowing the nationality of the frigate, but, as he was on friendly terms with the Portuguese, he would no longer interfere with its journey.⁴ In 1751, however, Tulaji captured two boats belonging to Portuguese subjects; in the following year he renewed his proposals for an alliance against the Sardesai of Kudal, but did not hesitate at the same time to attack the frigate *Mizericordia* off Calicut in December. In the five hours’ fighting that followed, the Angria’s fleet suffered severely from the Portuguese fire¹ and had to retire. These occasional defeats, however, made little impression on his power, for in 1753, a Portuguese writer compared him with the Hydra² which was furnished with a fresh head from every wound inflicted on it. The Marchioness of Tavora rightly wrote that his policy was uncertain and regulated by the needs of the moment.³