Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/568

 548 WELLINGTON commercial interests of India, and made advan- tageous treaties with the nizara, the rajah of Tanjore, the sultan of Muscat, and the shah of Persia. In 1801 he sent an expedition to take part in the attack upon the French in Egypt. He also negotiated treaties securing the British possession of the frontier provinces of Oude, and the sovereignty of the Carnatic from the foot of the Mysore mountains to the coast of Coromandel. These new accessions brought Wellesley into contact with the powerful Mah- ratta chieftains, united by common danger, be- tween whom and the English war soon broke out. The British army was divided into two bodies. The principal one, under the command of Gen. Lake, defeated on Aug. 29, 1803, the native forces under command of the French general Perron, drawn up before Alighur, stormed that fort Sept. 4, and on Sept. 11 again vanquished the enemy at Delhi, which city was surrendered the following day. The second division of the English army, under Gen. Arthur Wellesley, marched into the Dec- can, and by the brilliant victory of Assaye and capture of Gawilghur forced the rajah of Berar to submit to a peace. Much complaint was expressed in England, however, not only at the vast expense of these movements, but at alleged acts of oppression toward the native rulers; and Lord Wellesley tendered his re- signation, which was not accepted. In the mean while new hostilities broke out early in 1804, with serious disasters. In August, 1805, Lord Wellesley set sail for England, having been superseded by Lord Cornwallis. In the house of commons articles of impeachment were fruitlessly presented against him by Mr. Paul. In 1808 he was sent to Spain as am- bassador, but was recalled in 1809, and became secretary of state for foreign affairs, which office he resigned early in 1812. In 1821 he was made lord lieutenant of Ireland, and his decided opinions in favor of Catholic claims led to great disturbances. In spite of much bitter opposition, especially from the Orange- men, Lord Wellesley greatly improved the internal condition of that country. On the accession of his brother, the duke of Wel- lington, to the head of the English ministry in 1828, he resigned on account of their disagree- ment on the Catholic question. He accepted office in the ministry of Earl Grey formed in 1830, in 1831 was made lord steward, and in 1833 was again appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland. This office he resigned when Sir Robert Peel became premier, and on the for- mation of the second Melbourne ministry in 1835 accepted the office of lord chamberlain, but in the course of the same year retired al- together from public life. The " Despatches, Minutes, and Correspondence of the Marquis Wellesley during his Administration in India " (5 vols. 8vo, 1887-'40) was published at the expense of the East India company; and in 1838 appeared his " Despatches and Correspon- dence during his Mission to Spain " (1 vol. 8vo). R. R. Pearce edited his "Memoirs and Corre- spondence" (3 vols., London, 1846). WELLINGTON, a W. central county of On- tario, Canada, drained by Grand river ; area, 1,278 sq. m. ; pop. in 1871, 63,289, of whom 23,981 were of Irish, 18,557 of Scotch, 16,385 of English, and 3,134 of German origin or de- scent. It is traversed by the Grand Trunk and the Wellington, Grey, and Bruce railroads. Capital, Guelph. WELLINGTON, a seaport city of New Zealand, capital of a province of the same name com- prising the S. part of North island, and since 1866 of the colony, on Lambton harbor, an inlet of Cook's strait, 78 m. (150 m. by water) E. of Nelson; pop. in 1875, 10,507. It was the first settlement of the New Zealand com- pany (1839-'40), its fine harbor, Port Nichol- son, giving it great advantages. The principal buildings are the government house, houses of legislature, and cathedral. It is an Anglican and a Roman Catholic see, and there are 14 churches, a colonial museum, botanic garden, theatre, masonic and odd fellows' halls, gas and water works, three banks, and a weekly and two daily newspapers. The town is con- nected by railway with Upper Hutt, 18 m. dis- tant. The principal exports are wool, tallow, timber, and gum. WELLINGTON, Arthur Wellesley, duke of, a British soldier, born at Dangan castle, county Meath, or in Dublin, on or shortly before May 1, 1769, died at Walmer castle, near Deal, Eng- land, Sept. 14, 1852. He was the third son of Garret, first earl of Mornington, descended from the families of Wesley or Wellesley and Cowley or Colley, both of Anglo-Saxon origin, but long settled in Ireland. He was educated at Eton and the military school of Angers, France, and in 1787 was commissioned en- sign. In January, 1795, as lieutenant colonel, he commanded the brigade which covered the retreat of the British force from Flanders. In 1796 he went as colonel with his regiment to India. In 1799, in the war waged by his broth- er (see WELLESLEY) with Tippoo Sultan, he took part in the victory of Malaveli and in the storm- ing of Seringapatam, and was appointed gov- ernor of Mysore. In April, 1802, he was made major general. In 1803, in the Mahratta war, he occupied Poonah and took Ahmednuggur ; on Sept. 23, with 2,000 British and 2,500 na- tive troops and 18 guns, defeated a force of 26,000 infantry, 30,000 horse, and 100 guns at Assaye ; and on Nov. 29 routed the Mahrattas at Argaum. He returned to England in March, 1805, and soon after entered parliament. In 1807 he was appointed chief secretary for Ire- land, but accompanied the expedition which captured the Danish fleet at Copenhagen, com- manding a part of the land force, received the thanks of parliament on his return, and re- sumed his office. In April, 1808, he was made lieutenant general and put in command of the force for the Peninsular war. He landed at Mondego bay Aug. 1, marched toward Lisbon,