Page:Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan.djvu/175

Rh payment of over three millions of rupees, the release of all prisoners, and the delivery of two of his sons, named Moíz-ud-dín and Abd-ul-Khálik, as hostages. Tipú, after consulting his principal officers, assented to the general tenor of these terms, and duly signed the contents of the document submitted to him, remitting shortly afterwards a million of rupees in part payment of the sum stipulated. But when he found that the province of Coorg was mentioned in the detailed list of the territory which was to be severed from his control, his rage knew no bounds. For a long time he refused to sign the final treaty, and it was only when he saw indications of the siege being recommenced, and was told that the negotiations would be broken off, unless he at once accepted the proffered terms, that he at last gave way.

In estimating Lord Cornwallis' policy, it must be remembered that soldiers are ordinarily more generous than other negotiators to a conquered foe, and that he deprecated a further conflict which would entail a great sacrifice of life. Moreover, he was probably fettered by restrictions placed upon him by the E. I. Company, who, while unwittingly founding an empire, were still walking in commercial leading-strings. Tipú was undoubtedly an usurper, as his father had been before him; the lawful Mysore Rájá, though a captive, was still alive; and Tipú had not hesitated to avow himself the implacable enemy of the English. The Sultán was hemmed in on all sides, and Seringapatam must inevitably have fallen had the siege