The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c15.81

c15.81

The ill-success of the Anglo-Portuguese expedition undoubtedly contributed to Kanhoji's prestige, and he was soon free to seek his enemies at sea. On 14 March 1722, Goa received the news of a naval victory he had scored. His fleet, consisting of four Pals and twenty Gallivats, had attacked two English Pals between Chaul and Rajapore. One of the two English vessels was burnt and the other was put to flight.⁴ About the same time Angria captured a big English ship richly laden with coins and valuable goods. But his success was by no means uniform; for one of his ships surrendered to the English near Henery sometime between March and October. In October 1722, Kanhoji sailed in person with five thousand men from Kolaba, leaving his eldest son in charge of the government. The Portuguese say that he openly declared that he would not return so long as the name of the English was heard on that coast.¹ It does not appear that he achieved anything. He tried his best to conclude an offensive alliance with the Portuguese against his enemies of Bombay. The Portuguese Government was notoriously short of funds and would not embark on a policy of aggression, although their relations with their former allies were far from friendly, but Kanhoji offered the Viceroy whatever financial assistance he might require and was ready ‘to swear perpetual friendship on the head of his sons’. Jealous as the Portuguese were of their prosperous European neighbour, they were nevertheless more suspicious of the rising power of the Maratha Admiral, and they promptly composed their differences with the English.²