The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c17.45

c17.45

It is true that such interference with free navigation, though admittedly based on a common custom, doubtless caused great hardships to merchants of all nationalities. Shivaji himself had at different times to solicit passports for his own ships from the Portuguese and the English.³ In 1670 he had tried to secure his ships from Portuguese interference by a treaty. The Portuguese, however, positively refused to allow any vessel but small rowing craft and grain-boats to ply without their cartaz. In 1782 Raghuji Angria of Kolaba suggested that Portuguese merchantmen of Goa, Daman and Diu should take his cartaz, while vessels belonging to his subjects should similarly purchase Portuguese passports. But the Governor of Goa answered: 'I am unable to accept this Article and it is impracticable, for the Crown of Portugal has the sovereignty and the dominion of the sea of Asia by first occupation and conquest, by possession and immemorial custom, and we cannot compel the subjects of the Majestic State to take the *cartazes* of any other potentate’, but as the Portuguese Government were no longer able to maintain the supremacy they once enjoyed in Indian waters, he added: ‘I desire to preserve amity with the Magnificent friend on terms that will not be very onerous to either party. I shall not do anything to your merchants even if they do not possess my *cartaz*. In the same manner the fleet and the ships of the Magnificent ally should not interfere with the merchants of the Majestic State even if they do not possess the *cartaz* of the Magnificent ally.’¹ Three years earlier, the Portuguese had renounced by treaty their right of enforcing *cartazes* on the Peshwa’s ships. Thus, by peaceful negotiation the antiquated and clumsy custom of interfering with free navigation by the maritime states of the Malabar coast was being gradually abolished.