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 508

IlISTOKY OF INDIA.

[Book III.

A.I). 1755.

Hostilities vosumed.

Mysore threatened.

assist him, began to meditate an expedition again.st Madura and Tinnevelly. Strange to say, the Madras presidency, as if they had already regarded the treaty as a dead letter, were no sooner applied to than they agreed to furnish '> Eur-opeans and 2000 sepoys for this expedition. The French rernonstrat<5d against this proceeding as a violation of the truce ; hut as they were thern.selves setting a similar example in the Deccan, little attention was paid to their remonstrance.

The nabob and his brother, Maphuze Khan, who was now acting as his repre- sentative in the countries south of the Coleroon, joined the expedition with 1000 horse; but the detachment was commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Heron, an officer lately anived from England. Major Lawrence had previously left for Madras with the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the king's service — an honour which, so far from rewarding him according to his merit, did not even compen- sate for the marked slight which he received when Colonel Adlercron, as his superior officer, superseded him in the chief command of the Briti.sh forces in India. The expedition set out in the beginning of February, 1755, and, after some detention and loss among the Colleries, one of whose polygars made a vigorous resistance, gained undisputed possession of Madura. Tinnevelly made no resistance, and all the surrounding country professed submission to the nal^ob. It was soon found, however, that the submission was only nominal. The tri- bute promised was not paid, and the whole amount of revenue realized fell far short of the expenses of the expedition. In consequence of this unexpected and most unsatisfactory result, a rigid inquiry was instituted, and Colonel Hunter, convicted of having increased his private fortune by presents obtained at the sacrifice of his public duties, was dismissed the sei'vice.

During these transactions the Mysoreans, who had continued to linger at Seringham, in the hope that force or intrigue might yet put them in possession of Trichinopoly, suddenly marched off" to meet a double danger which was threatening their own territory. Balajee Rao had appeared on the frontiers with his devastating Mahrattas, and at the same time Salabut Jung was advan- cing at the head of an army to exact alleged arrears of tribute. Pai-t of this army consisted of the French battalion headed by Bussy, who in consequence found himself in a very awkward position. By the terms of his service he could not refuse to follow Salabut Jiuig on any expedition which it pleased him to undertake; and yet how could he, as the avowed servant of the French Company, take part in an expedition against the Mysoreans, with whom they had long been and stiU were in alliance ? From this dilemma Bussy relieved himself by dexterous diplomacy. By acting as a mediator between the parties he induced the Mysoreans to accept Salabut Jung as a protector against the threatened Mahratta invasion. Balajee Rao, thus intimidated, was easily bribed to desist from his intended invasion ; and Salabut Jung, after encamping under the walls of Sei'ingapatam, consented to an aiTangement which gave him a large sum in