The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c18.11

c18.11

When self-interest prevailed so much over considerations of national welfare, it is no wonder that the Maratha chiefs should frequently fail to exploit the differences of their opponents by wise diplomacy and effective and timely aggression. We have already seen how Holkar was busy with some unimportant operations in Rajputana, while Abdali was destroying Sindhia’s army in detail. During the First Maratha War the fighting was invariably carried on in the Maratha territories while those of the English were left undisturbed. An invasion of Bengal from Nagpur was often talked of but never carried into effect because the Bhonsla judged it inexpedient to take any vigorous step when his personal interests were not at stake. When the English were involved in a war with Hyder Ali and eager to have peace on honourable terms, the Marathas failed to profit by their difficulties, because there were differences in their own ranks and Mahadaji Sindhia wanted early peace. The Second Maratha War again found the great chiefs divided and disunited; the English secured the moral advantage and the prestige of the Peshwa’s support, and while Sindhia and Bhonsla were beaten, Holkar still preferred to watch and wait, although the ultimate consequences of defeat were no longer obscure at that moment.