DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25987#0038
8
VIEW OF THE ORIGIN AND CONDUCT
Sovereign : for although the presumption was already sufficiently
powerful, that the ambassadors would not have ventured to
transgress the limits of their commission in a matter of such mo-
mentous importance, as the conclusion of offensive engagements
with the French against the English East India Company, it yet
remained a question whether Tippoo Sultaun would venture openly
to avow proceedings which could not fail to expose him to the
just resentment of the British Government.
This question was immediately solved: for the Sultaun without
hesitation permitted the French force to land publicly at Man-
galore ; and, far from manifesting the least symptom of disappro-
bation of the conduct of the embassy in any part of the negotiation,
he formally received his ambassadors, and the officers and prin-
cipal persons in their suite, with public and extraordinary marks
of honour and distinction: and, finally, he admitted the greater
part of the French force, raised for the express purpose of making
war upon the East India Company, into his service.
By this public and unequivocal sanction, he must be considered,
not only to have personally ratified the engagements contained in
the proclamation of the Governor-general of the Isle of France,
but to have taken the preliminary measures for accomplishing the
design which the ambassadors had avowed in his name.
Tippoo Sultaun, therefore, having actually concluded offensive
and defensive engagements with the French against the East India
Company; having collected, by the aid of the French, a force
openly destined to carry those engagements into effect; having
applied to the Executive Directory of France for a more powerful
VIEW OF THE ORIGIN AND CONDUCT
Sovereign : for although the presumption was already sufficiently
powerful, that the ambassadors would not have ventured to
transgress the limits of their commission in a matter of such mo-
mentous importance, as the conclusion of offensive engagements
with the French against the English East India Company, it yet
remained a question whether Tippoo Sultaun would venture openly
to avow proceedings which could not fail to expose him to the
just resentment of the British Government.
This question was immediately solved: for the Sultaun without
hesitation permitted the French force to land publicly at Man-
galore ; and, far from manifesting the least symptom of disappro-
bation of the conduct of the embassy in any part of the negotiation,
he formally received his ambassadors, and the officers and prin-
cipal persons in their suite, with public and extraordinary marks
of honour and distinction: and, finally, he admitted the greater
part of the French force, raised for the express purpose of making
war upon the East India Company, into his service.
By this public and unequivocal sanction, he must be considered,
not only to have personally ratified the engagements contained in
the proclamation of the Governor-general of the Isle of France,
but to have taken the preliminary measures for accomplishing the
design which the ambassadors had avowed in his name.
Tippoo Sultaun, therefore, having actually concluded offensive
and defensive engagements with the French against the East India
Company; having collected, by the aid of the French, a force
openly destined to carry those engagements into effect; having
applied to the Executive Directory of France for a more powerful