The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c15.157

c15.157

Various conjectures have been made as to the cause of the Peshwa’s attitude towards Tulaji. It has been suggested that Tulaji had failed to send the annual tribute and had further insulted the Peshwa by mutilating his messenger. It has also been hinted that Tulaji was a cruel persecutor of the Chitpavan Brahmans and that Balaji Baji Rao was consequently actuated by feelings of revenge. But the apologists of Balaji Baji Rao conveniently forget that fifteen years before the joint Anglo-Maratha assault on Suvarnadurg the Peshwa had provided for a Portuguese alliance against Angria in his treaty with that nation concluded at Poona in 1740. It should also be remembered that the docility of Manaji did not save him from unfair and unjust treatment. The Peshwa regarded the Angrias as possible rivals whose maritime power placed them in a position of special advantage. He could enforce his will on the Dabhades, on the Gaikwads and the Bhonslas but the Angrias were beyond his reach. That was the sole reason of his alliance with the English. The English, of course, welcomed this opportunity of removing the only power who could challenge their supremacy of the sea; but the Peshwa gained practically nothing and only set a bad example to the other Maratha chiefs by co-operating with a foreign nation against one who claimed to be a subject of the Satara Raja. The story of Tulaji’s fall need not detain us long. Negotiations for an alliance between the Peshwa and the Governor of Bombay had been opened early in 1755, and a treaty was concluded on 29 March. But both allies had been busy with their military preparations and within three days of the conclusion of the pact Commodore James left Bombay with his fleet. Their first objective was Suvarnadurg and a joint attack was promptly made. After very little resistance the fort capitulated on 3 April, but the Angria’s fleet had already effected its escape. The Peshwa was eager to finish the war that year; but his fleet, though numerically considerable, was no match for that of Tulaji and he had to rely absolutely on the co-operation of the English squadron for the reduction of the Angria’s naval stronghold. The English Commodore and his official superiors at Bombay were unwilling to expose their vessels to the fury of the monsoon and Gheria, the principal headquarters of Tulaji, was, therefore, left unconquered when the campaign of the year came to a close.