ed with the ftores of the magazine, and a large proportion of the entrenching tools, having been drawn and carried almof all the way by the foldiers,

A few days after, we had the fatisfaction to learn, by private accounts from the army on which we could depend, that Lord Cornwallis had, on the 15th of May, attacked and defeated Tippoo's whole force, taken four of his guns, and driven him, with all his troops, under the walls of Seringapatam. This finguiar victory was more honourable to the British arns, as the cnemy had been forced from the heights, where he was ftrongly pofted. Lord Cornwallis's account of the action has not yet reached

us.

Our next advice was by an exprefs from Lieutenant Colonel Oldham, in which he ftated, that he had received a letter from Lord Cornwallis, dated the 22d of May, advifing, that" the want of forage, provifions, and the reduced ftate of the cattle, had rendered it neceffary for the army to return immediately to Bangalore." Lieutenant Colonel Oldham added, that "his Lordship, for want of bullocks, had been under the neceffity of destroying the battering train."

We are much concerned to obferve, that the wants of the army had at length forced his Lordship to relinquish, in the midst of victory, the object of his enterprize; but, forefeeing that much might depend on immediate exertion, we loft not a moment in iffuing our orders for collecting all the bullocks that could be procured in the country under our management, and for tranfport ing to Amboor, for the ufe of the army, ample fupply of grain and other provisions.

We advifed Lord Cornwallis of the steps we had taken for the relief of the army, and expreffed our hope, that, by the exertions we were making, added to thofe of Capt. Alexander Read, whom we had before fent with a detachment into the Myfore country to procure fupplices, his Lordship would find his diftrefs confiderably relieved on his arrival at Bangalore.

On the 7th inftant, we were informed, by private advices from Camp the 26th of May, that the Maratta army had joined Lord Cornwallis that evening, and that great hopes were entertained of relief by this means in the article of provifion.

On the roth inftant we received a letter from his Lordship, dated the 24th ultimo, ftating that the rapid deftruction which the late heavy rains and the want of forage had occafioned among his cattle, in addition to the very unexpected obstructions to a junction with General Abercromby, owing to the badness and almoft impracticability of the 3 ມ VGL. XIV. No. 84.

for the fetting in of the Monfoon, but allo to defroy the heavy iron guns, which, for the laft feveral marches, had been drawn almoft by the foldiers; that the famine which had prevailed among his followers had likewife increafed his difficulties, by creating an alarming deficiency in the public ftock of provifions; which could not be wondered at, when it was understood that rice fold in the Buzar for a Pagoda a Seer, (about 2lbs.) and that under this confidera-. tion, it was not to be expected that Maiftries and bullock-drivers would be able to withstand the temptation of plundering the bags committed to their charge on every march.

His Lordfhip concluded by moving, that he had been obliged to remain near Serin gapatam to fecure the retreat of General Abercromby, who had advanced to Periapatam; but that he should march on the 26th to Bangalore and Vencatagherry. He requested that we would order every bul lock that could be procured, to be fent ime mediately to Amboor, that he might be able, without lofs of time, to furnish fupplies for the troops, and to replace fuch part of the ftock at Bangalore as he might be obliged to make ufe of during the march.

We informed Lord Cornwallis, in reply, that, from the exertions which had been made by Government, there was the great, eft probability that we fhould have at Amboor, in the courte of fix weeks, or twe weeks at fartheft, fix thoufand draught and twenty thoufand carriage bullocks (the number required by his Lordfhip) and that there were at prefent in the neighbourhood of that place 1,787 draft and 3,477 carriage bullocks.

A few days ago we received two letters from his Lordhip, dated the 31ft ultimo and 5th inftant. By the former we were advifed, that he marched on the 26th towards Bangalore, but that on coming to the ground where he propofed so encamp, he was greatly furprised to hear that the two Marratta armies, commanded by Hury Punt and Purfuram Bow, (both of which he had every reason to believe was at the diflance of 150 miles) were then actually within a day's march, and that Furfuran Bow's fon, with the advanced guard, was in fight: That this unexpected event had naturally occafioned a total change of his plan, efpecially as he found that the chiefs, although they had heard that the attack of Sering apatam had been neceffarily poftponed till the conclufion of the rains, entertained no idea of retreating towards their, own frontier, but were difpofed to co-ope rate heartily with his, Lordship in diftreffing, Tippoo, and cutting off his refources. That

they

they had further affured him, at the firft meeting, that they had it in their power to relieve the greatest difficulties under which he laboured, viz. the want of grain and of bullocks. That he felt tolerably confident he fhould procure a fufficient number of the latter in their camp to anfwer his immediate exigencies, but that their fupplies of grain, through the means of Benjarries, were fo precarious, and the authority of the Chiefs over thefe people, even if they kept their word in endeavouring to exert it, fo inefficacious, that he was very apprehenfive he fhould be held, for a confiderable time, at leaft in a wretched dependence on the Maratta Buzar, where he would not only be obliged to pay an immenfe price for a feanty fubfiftence, but be expofed at all times even to the rifk of a total failure.

His Lordfhip thought it, however, fo great an object to keep 30,000 Maratta horfe in the neighbourhood of Tippoo's capital, that it was to be attempted almoft at all hazards; and that he had already in his converfation with the chiefs paved the way for leading them toward the Sera country and the vicinity of Bangalore, as foon as the fafety of the fupplies, which were following Purfuram Bow, thould admit of his moving fo much to the left.

His Lordfhip added, that feveral letters had been written to him by the Maratta Chiefs during their match, to give him notice of their aproach, but that no letter from either of them had reached him until the day of their arrival, which he confidered fingularly unfortunate, as he would have adopted a very different plan of operation if he had known eight or ten days before that he could have depended upon the junction of fo powerful a force.

The concluding paragraph of the letter ftated, that General Abercromby had march ed from Periapatam on the 23d of May, and was proceeding towards the head of the Gaut, without any interruption from the enemy, leaving four iron eighteen pounders, which his cattle could not remove, and which he could not totally destroy, at Periapatam, as well as a fmall quantity of provifions and ftores; and that the General expected to defcend the Gaut on the 27th.

Lord Cornwallis's letter of the 5th inftant advises us, that it was his Lordfhiy's intention to move the next day towards Negamungaium, to which place the Benjarries of the two Maratta armies were to direct their march, and which, as well as the roads leading to it from the northward, it was confequently very neceflary to take great care to protect. That Tippoo still remained with his whole force 'near to Seringapatam, and that no judgment could be formed until the Cavery was on the point of becoming unfordable, which would be the cafe

in a few days, whether he (Tippoo) would determine to make head against the confe derate armies in that quarter, or endeavour to disturb the fouthern provinces.

His Lordship preffed us not to lofe fight of the great object of providing bullocks and grain, and of fending fupplies of arrack and camp equipage to Amboor: That thefe, and various other measures, he conceived to be abfolutely neceffary, upon the fuppofition that the war might continue longer than we expected; for that although Tippoo had repeatedly expreffed an earnest defire for peace, his Lordship was by no means con vinced that the enemy was prepared to make the facrifices that the confederates might think they had a right to expect.

Lord Cornwallis proceeded to inform us that his wants in money would be preffing and extenfive; that the fupply of the army during the rains and its equipment for the field, exclufive of the corps under General Abercromby, could not be estimated at less than between thirty and forty lacks of rupees; and he defired us therefore to take our measures accordingly. He added, that he would have us confider whether it would not be advisable to take fome affistance from the treasure fent out on the Company's fhips, which was deftined for China; and that whatever we might refolve upon, would have his fanction. In the mean time he defired that we would fend feven or eight lacks of rupees to Vellore, to fupply the wants of the army, as foon as the communication was fecured,

It was a peculiar fatisfaction to us at this time to reflect, that we had actually in our treasury the full amount of what his Lordfhip reprefented to be neceffary for him during the rains, and for the fubfequent equipment of his army, notwithstanding the ample advances made for your investment.

We have been thus particular in detailing to your Honourable Court the tranfactions of the war, because the subject is important; and we can readily conceive the anxiety you must feel to receive advices by every opportunity.

We have the pleasure to inform you, that the fort of Copoole furrendered to the Nizam's army on the 17th of April.

Extract of a Letter from the Prefident and Council at Fort St. George, in their Political Department, to the Court of Directors, dated July 14th, 1791,

We fhall now refume the narrative of the military operations on this coast fince the 21ft ult. the date of our laft address on this subject.

On the 30th of last month we received a letter from Lord Cornwallis, dated the 14th, in which he informed us that the Cavery ris

been regularly paid, and our garrifon and civil eftablishment had been alfo paid up, fo that we were fully prepared to supply the pecuniary wants of the army during the rains, and to re-equip it for the enfuing campaign.

Since writing the above, we have received letters from his Lordthip, under date the 28th ult. and ift and 2d inft, copies of which we have the honour to forward as numbers in the packet.

Your Honourable Court will obferve, that it was his Lordship's intention to. approach near enough to Bangalore to enable him to depofit the fick in that place, and to avail himself of the large fupply of provifions collected by Captain Read; after which he meant to proceed to the reduction of Ouffoor, and to place the troops in fuch a pofition as to exclude Tippoo completely from all the principal northern paffes leading to the eastward from the Myfore country.

The great fatisfaction expreffed by his Lordship at the efforts of this Government to affift in the arduous and important cause in which your arms are engaged, affords us the most fenfible pleafure; we feel the neceffity of extraordinary exertions at this critical juncture; and your Honourable Court mav rely upon our affurances, that we will moft heartily co-operate with the Governor General in every matter dependent upon us, to enable him to profecute the war with the atmoft vigour, and, we fincerely hope, with the moft fignal fuccefs.

Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornwallis to Sir Charles Oakley, Bart. dated Camp near Seringapalam, May 16, 1791.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to inform you, that I had an opportunity yesterday of attacking Tippo, and of giving him a total defeat. The vicinity of Setingapatam, and the batteries which he had erected on the northfide of the ifland, faved his army from deftruction. His lefs of men, howevor, muft have been very confiderable; and, befides a number of colours, we took four pieces of

brafs cannon.

The difficulties of my own fituation, in refpect to forage and provifions, and particularly on account of the advanced feafon cf the year, are not much relieved by this event, and indeed are very ferious; and the obftacles which this river prefents to a junction or co-operation with General Abercromby, and which had never been defcribed in any written or verbal account of it, appear at prefent almoft infurmountable.

I am, with greatest esteem and regard,
SIR,
Your moft obedient humble Servant,
(Signed) CORNWALLIS.

A true Copy, (Signed) Gen, PARRY, A&t. Dep. Sec.

Copy of a Letter from Earl Cornvallis to Sir Charles Oakley, Bart. dated Camp at Magri, June 28, 1791.

SIR,

We arrived here this morning, and r fhall probably remain in this neighbourhood, for the purpof of thoroughly reconnoitring the forts of Severndroog, and of giving the Mahrattas an opportunity of employing heir numerous cav lry and followers in fearching the extenfive Jungles for the large quantities of cattle and grain, which are faid to have heen collected in them from the adjoining country.

After accomplishing thofe objects, I shall approach near enough to Bangalore to enable me to depofit the fick in that place, and to obtain a fupply of fome articles of military flores

1

I am at prefent in hourly expectation of hearing that Captain Read has arrived there with a large convoy of provifions; and, if I am not difappointe, my inten tion is to avail myfelf of that fupply, and proceed direly to reduce Ouffore, and to place our armies in fach a pofition as to exclude Tippoo completely from all the princip.1 Northern Paffes leading to the Eaftward from this country.

I hope these me. fures will perfectly fecure our own communications, and that they will alfo put it in my power to make the further arrangements that I intended, respecting the troops of the Allies, without any material inte ruption.

I am informed, that Tippoo has taken the advantage of our being detained to the Weftward for the protection of the Mahratta communications, to detach some cavalry and infantry towards the Barramaul; but I think it highly probable, that, upon his being acquainted with the direction of our movements, he will foon recal them.

You will, I am fully perfuaded, use eveamply with cattle; and I must recommed, ry exertion in your power to provide us that thofe which have been procured to the Southward of the Coleroon may be brought to the Prefidency as foon as poffible, to be employed in transporting grain and other articles that we may want from thence; and I must particularly request, that ho pains be fpared to engage the greateft poffible number of drivers to attend them; as it s to the deficiencies in that clafs of people in the army that our late loffes of cattle are principally to be attri buted.

In addition to the fum that I formerly mentioned, you will oblige me by dispatching, without delay, fix lacks of rupees to Vellers,