The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c16.23

c16.23

The last achievement of the Peshwa’s fleet was the capture of Ximpi⁵ in 1791. The Portuguese Government had planned to forestall the Marathas and occupy the stronghold of Piro on their own account, but in the name of their protege the Raja of Sunda, Babu Rao Saloc,⁶ the Maratha Admiral, took possession of the neighbouring island of Ximpi with two big *Pals* of three masts, two *Ghurabs* and 4 *Gallivats*. As Ximpi was fortified both by nature and by art and was deemed almost impregnable, the Portuguese were greatly surprised at its speedy reduction by the Maratha fleet. After this the Maratha fleet proceeded to Onore, where it divided into two squadrons. One of these started for the north, while the other waited at the port with the intention of capturing a ship belonging to their enemy, Tipu Sultan.¹ On the whole, it may be safely asserted that the record of the Peshwa's fleet was neither great nor glorious, and, while the Maratha horseman had left a reputation behind him, the existence of the Maratha sailor will hardly be suspected by the average student of Indian History today.