The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c15.34

c15.34

These terms were accepted by Kanhoji, as they imposed little or no sacrifice on him. If his ports were to be thrown open to the Bombay traders, he at any rate obtained similar concessions from the English; and this no doubt was to the mutual advantage of both parties. The English, it is true, refused to supply him with 'powder and shott' and did not consent to give him a place for manufacturing powder, while to a proposal of mutual military assistance in times of need they gave only an evasive answer. But as regards 'mariners and inhabitants of Bombay that of their own free will will serve him' the English promised 'not to hinder them'; and they also consented to another request of his 'that his Groabs and Galevatts have free liberty to come and return to and from this port (of Bombay) without impediment'. Kanhoji was henceforth to desist from interfering with all ships coming to or going from Bombay; but complete immunity was granted only to vessels belonging to the Company and their subjects, while foreign vessels that came to or sailed from Bombay would be safe only within a certain specified distance. He obtained a further undertaking from the English that they would convoy foreign vessels only 'out of sight' of Bombay after which, as the tenor of the correspondence indicates, Kanhoji would be free to deal with them as he pleased. The most important clause of the treaty was the fifth which obliged the English not to permit foreign ships or vessels to fly their colours.¹ It was the interpretation of this last term which led to hostilities a few years later between Kanhoji and the English.