The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c15.15

c15.15

Kanhoji had not the genius or imagination of Shivaji. But the Maratha navy had been an active unit for nearly forty years when he succeeded to the chief command. Its aims and objects were well known and clearly defined. The Maratha merchantmen were to be protected from the pirates who infested the Malabar coast, Maratha subjects were to be protected against the depredations of the Sidi and the sovereignty of the sea was to be secured for the Maratha State. It was, however, no easy task and Kanhoji had to contend against no less than five rivals, the Sidi of Janjira, the Savants of Wari, the English of Bombay, the Dutch at Vingurla and last but not least the Portuguese of Goa. The Sidis demanded his attention first. They had taken the fullest advantage of the Mughal occupation of Maharashtra and had re-established their dominion on the mainland. It was Kanhoji’s duty to drive them back to their island retreat and recover the lost possessions of his master. The Sidis were no longer so formidable at sea, as they once had been, but the Maratha fleet consisted of no more than eight or ten small vessels, as we learn from Conde de Ericeira, when Kanhoji was called upon to assume its command.² Money was, therefore, needed for additional ships and for the enlistment of more men for the army; and money could be obtained in one way only, namely, by exercising the sovereignty of the sea as Shivaji and his sons had done and compelling alien traders to purchase Kanhoji’s *cartaz*. This at once brought him into conflict with the Portuguese.