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the Earl of Tyrconnel, also a Peer of that kingdom, who made it his residence till 1807, when he sold it to Charles Rose Ellis, Esq. who occupied it until 1816, when it was purchased by Government for the country residence of his Serene Highness Prince Leopold, and his consort the Princess Charlotte.

When Lord Clive purchased Claremont it was his original in

tention to raise a structure according to the rules of Indian architecture, after a model of one of the gateways and wings of the palace at Dehly; but his better taste prevailed, on being told that, if he persisted in it, he would certainly be called the "Great Mogul."-I am, Sir,

YOUR CONSTANT READER.

To the Editor of the Asiatic Journal.

SIR,-In answer to the inquiry of the gentleman who signs himself an East India Proprietor (page 432, vol. iv.), it will no doubt be satisfactory to him and your readers to be informed, that the invaluable records of the Company, as well as every other part of the property deposited in their house in Leadenhall-street, are secured, as far perhaps as human prudence can secure them, by very excellent regulations for the extinction of fires in the different offices, and by an establishment of watchmen in the house who watch through the night; and, once in every quarter of an hour, go through all

the various passages and avenues upon every floor of the building to ascertain that it is in perfect safety.

The Company also possesses several good fire engines which are kept on the premises in a state of

constant readiness for use in case of alarm. To the above precautions the Court of Directors have recently added a strong room, conmodel for the exclusion of fire and structed upon the most approved damp, in which the original char

ters and muniments of the Company are to be deposited.

T. E

To the Editor of the Asiatic Journal.

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sive of other advantages in point of revenue and commerce.

A recital of some of the operations that occurred in that part of the Mahratta war by the British troops, under the command of the late Major General (then Lieut. Col.) Harcourt, may be interesting to your readers, together with some general account of that most interesting province; I have therefore been induced to arrange a few memoranda upon that subject, for which much allowance must be made at this time, thirteen years having elapsed since the events occurred, consequently during so long a period much has been forgotten; but I shall endeavour to acquit myself under such circumstances, as far as a well disposed inclination will

admit of. The length of the province, extending in a N. E. direction from Ganjam to Jellasore, is about three hundred miles, and from the sea coast at Point Palmyras west to the Birmull Gaut, or Pass, is about two hundred miles.

The aspect of the country upon the sea coast and to the westward of it for about twenty miles, is low, covered with wood, totally inundated from the sea at spring tides; into this extent of swamp and forest the numerous rivers that have their sources at very considerable distances, among the woods, hills and mountains to the westward, discharge their streams, in many channels, similar to the Deltas of the Ganges and Burramputer rivers at the bottom of the Bay of Bengal, but on a much smaller scale. At a distance of about twenty miles from the sea coast the country rises considerably, with a fertile, dry, healthy soil; and at about twenty miles more to the westward the country is elevated into bills, mostly covered with thick forest, abounding in valuable wood for building, some yielding resin, and various valuable woods, highly eligible for the purpose of the cabinet-maker and for dying. The wood produced on the sea coast is principally the Soondry, from which wood-oil is extracted, and the Janool.

Under the ancient Hindoo government this province was generally governed by the Rajah of Pooree or Jagannath, much divided under various subordinate tributary chieftains. At the period when Muhammedanism was introduced into Hindostan, one of the Mussulman leaders, well known by the designation of Callapar, invaded Cuttack; a desperate battle was fought between his followers and the Rajah's army, who was defeated and fled with the idol into the woods and wilds to the westward, but not until the idol had received considerable marks of their fury: but it subsequently was brought back to the temple, terms being adjusted at this time with the Mussulman government at Cuttack. I have been informed the Mahrattas expelled the Mussulman government about 1738, in whose possession the city and province of Cuttack continued until 1803.

In August 1803 an arrangement for at. tacking the province was made under the presidency of Fort St. George, and for this

purpose a part of the northern division of the army under that presidency was ordered to be in readiness to proceed on that expedition from Ganjam. A detach ment, consisting of two companies of his Majesty's 22d regt. and a part of the 20th Bengal Nat. Inf. together with some ar tillery and civilians, joined from Bengal by sea, amounting altogether to about four hundred and fifty Europeans and two thousand Native Infantry, with six field pieces and one iron heavy twelve-pounder. This force moved about the 10th of Sept. 1803, from Pidghy, near Ganjam, upon the narrow sandy space, about a mile wide, inclosed by the sea on their right hand and the Chilka Lake on the left, to Manickapatam, where the lake communicates with the sea, in a channel about a mile wide; attended by a fleet upon the lake of about one hundred boats, that they had equipped at Rhumba to transport some of the military stores, with provisions, fuel, &c. It was at Manickapatam that the first opposition was expected, but the Mahratta officer in charge of this frontier retired without making any opposition. This very important occurrence enabled the detachment, not only to cross the Manickapatam river unopposed, but also to proceed and take possession of the town and temple of Jagannath,* the sacred will of the idol having been first ascertained by the officiating high priest, by sending an infant into the temple, through whose innocent mind he was pleased to communicate his determination to place himself under the protection of the British government. This event happened about the 18th Sept. when the weather, which had hitherto been fair, soon changed, and became tempestuous and wet, with torrents of rain. At this place were landed, with great difficulty and exertion, some battering ordnance and stores from Bengal; but to move them was impracticable for want of cattle, and the only piece of ordnance to be used in reducing the forts and city of Cuttack was the iron twelve-pounder before mentioned. The bullocks being small, fifty of them carefully yoked could hardly move it. The usual artillery yokes and tackle sent from Bengal were so large for those

Jagannath is an epithet of Vishnu, compounded of the Sanskrit words Jagat the world, and Náth Lord: Lord of the world.-Ed.

animals, that in training them they jumped through the yokes; and by very respectable authority the government was informed, such was the difficulty in equipping the detachment with draught and carriage bullocks, that they were, comparatively with the animals of similar kind in Bengal, not bigger than rabbits. The temple containing the idol is an ill formed mass of decayed granite, about four hundred feet high, situated not far from the sea, at the S. W. extremity of the town; a most unhealthy dirty place, principally inhabited by an ill looking, sickly population, chiefly Brahmins,with others attached to the various departments dependent upon the idol.

The detachment marched from Jagannath on the 24th of Sept. about three o'clock in the morning, the weather cloudy, threatening a tempest, which commenced about sun-rise, with thunder, lightning, and a deluge of rain. The tract pursued by the troops (for road there was none) was over a soft, loamy soil, intersected by numerous ravines and rivulets, generally fordable, or nearly dry, but the rain soon swelled them to a great depth. Upon their banks the Mahratta forces took post, and disputed the passage all the way to Ahmedpore, a distance of about fourteen miles. The officer in command of the advance greatly distinguished himself that day for his judgment in directing the operations in crossing those torrents, and the passage of the whole of them was effected, after some delay, with little loss; but at the intended ground of encampment it was necessary to dislodge the Mahratta army, who had got possession of it. Since the rain commenced falling, it was the only well raised, dry spot of sufficient extent to receive the camp. After a contest the Mahratta forces were compelled to relinquish it, but from the inclemency of the weather the camp equipage and stores, and ordnance, did not all come up for two days, when the storm abated, and not without considerable damage to the ammunition and grain.

After the encamping ground was in possession of the officer commanding the advance, and the usual posts established for guarding the camp, which was surrounded by a good deal of wood, the troops not on duty took refuge under such shelter as could be obtained from Asiatic Journ.-No. 25.

trees and other cover, and the tempest raged with great violence the whole of the succeeding night and day. But dreadful to relate, on relieving the sentries, many could not be found, and the unaccountable cause was not ascertained until daylight on the following morning, when many of their mangled bodies were discovered in the skirts of the adjoining woods, partly devoured by leoparis, with which this part of the country was greatly infested. The raging of the clements prevented their cries or any resistance they might have made being heard, and the darkness of the night favoured the couching of these voracious beasts, who must have sprung upon and seized their prey without being previously seen.

The detachment was not prepared to move from Ahmedpore until the 1st Oct. The path lay through a country very much inundated, and the next encampment was taken up about eight miles in advance on the road leading to Cuttack, and was the only dry spot of ground that could be discovered of adequate extent for the purpose. It was soon ascertained that the damage to the grain and ammunition stores, arising from the inclemency of the weather, and against which no precaution could provide, was considerable; but situated in a country highly celtivated and well inhabited, supplies of provisions were obtained from it in abundance, the peasantry exhibiting a most satisfactory degree of confidence reposed in the British troops and their commander amidst the horrors of warfare. But to remedy the loss of ammunition was not so easily effected, notwithstanding all the books in the detachment were estimated, how far they would contribute in the article of paper, to replace the damaged musket ammunition.

The Mahratta army having taken up a position about five miles distant on the road to Cuttack, an unsuccessful night attempt was made to surprise them; but the intelligence proving incorrect, the anxious commander,after wandering about the whole night with a large proportion of the force under his command, returned to camp about daylight in the morning without finding one enemy, and all who were out that night will long remember the many deep sloughs and inundated rice VOL. V.

C

fields that were waded through on that dark excursion. However, about the 3d of October, after crossing about five miles of country mostly covered with water, the Mahrattas were at length discovered, and they approached to meet the advanced guard sent out to explore the country for another dry spot to encamp ou. They came forward on both flanks of our small force with infantry and cavalry, and maintained a contest for several hours, and then retired, having sustained some loss. Ours was not great, certainly not so much as might have been expected from the numbers of the enemy, reported to be at least ten thousand horse and foot; but their principal force was reported very much to exceed this amount, and with some artillery were encamped in a strong position near Muckundpoor, about five miles further on the road towards Cuttack, in which about one thousand men from the detachment completely surprised them the following night, and notwithstanding the loss was not great on either side, the confusion and alarm created in the Mahratta army was prodigious, and they did not halt or collect again until they reached Cuttack, distant about twenty-five miles. The weather now cleared up, and the detachment advanced into a higher and dryer country and took possession of the town of Peeply. It was here the Rajah of Jagannath, whose fortress lay distant about fifteen miles to the westward, proposed to make common cause against the Mahrattas, dividing the spoil; but the commander returned no answer further than assurances that no enmity was intended, and that if he, as a tributary chief to the Mahratta government, did not act against the British forces, no injury would be offered to him. But with this he did not appear satisfied, expecting at least a good slice of the country contiguous to Peeply, including a part of the space through which the Dawk road lay; but no further communication took place for the present, and the detachment advanced to Cuttack, and encamped about the 12th Oct. on the south bank of the Cutjoory (a branch of the Mahanuddy river), about one mile wide, fortunately for the detachment at this time easily fordable. No time was lost in crossing the river, with the intention of attacking the Lolbaug fort on the opposite

bank, which was found to be abandoned. by the enemy,and a reconnoissance was immediately made upon the Banobatty fort, distant about a mile and a half, situated upon the south bank of the main branch of the Mahanuddy river. The enemy were actively employed in burning all cover in the vicinity of the fortress, but their endeavours were unavailing, for their governor had inconsiderately permitted very substantial stone and mud walls to be erected within fifty yards of the mar gin of the ditch, which was found to be of considerable width, from thirty to one hundred and thirty feet, twenty feet deep, and full of water, in which an ancient stock of alligators had increased a numerous progeny from distant periods. The fort was of a rectangular form, containing an area of about eighty acres, inclosed with double stone walls of various dimensions, and a large square cavalier in the centre, considerably elevated, to command the adjoining country. Where the ditch was narrow the walls were very high, the exterior none less than twenty-five feet, and the interior some as high as fifty. The garrison was reported to consist of about two thousand men, mostly Arabs and Sikhs, and they had about twenty pieces of ordnance of various description mounted on the walls. The only avenue leading into the fort was through three gateways, well built, and defended with numerous picturesque stone battlements; a solid stone causeway was here laid across the ditch leading to the outer gate, which the enemy were actively employed in breaking up, and with the stone building up the outer gate, leaving for ingress and egress only a very small wicket; and in the work they had so far advauced, that no time was to be lost in interrupting them. A part of the garrison mounted guard outside the fort gateway and bridge to cover the party working upon it. The artillery was brought to open upon the fort the ensuing morning at daylight, under cover of some buildings and batteries hastily constructed. Their fire soon compelled the guard at the gateway to retire into the fort, and the working party to abandon their object of closing it; but they had covered a very strong pair of doors with large masses of stone to the height of ten feet, leaving a wicket open six feet raised from the ground, to which a

plank was placed for ascent and descent, which could at any time be drawn inside the wicket and the door closed.

Where the walls were not formidable the ditch was sixty feet wide, so that the greatest difficulty was to cross the ditch-to fill it up was impracticable; the commander of the detachment therefore determined to attempt the gateway by forcing the wicket, a storming party of about one thousand men being ordered upon this service, with a six-pounder. After some discharges the fastening to the door gave way and it opened, upon which an officer and some men advanced to the wicket,ascending the plank, when a contest took place, in which the serjeants' long pikes were found to be of critical importance, in reaching the enemy placed on each side within, defending the entrance with their sabres. The storming party succeeded, and entered singly through the wicket; fortunately, as they advanced to the second gate, a gun placed for its defence missed fire, when the party rushed forward, and finding the third gate open penetrated into the body of the place, in which a severe conflict lasted for about two hours, with much carnage, as few prisoners were taken. Many of the garrison fled in all directions, swimming across the ditch, and joined a body of horse about five miles distant, commanded by Ballajee Koonjur, the Mahratta provincial commander-in-chief, who had very wisely removed the government treasure from the fort and placed it on elephants, to be ready for a speedy flight whenever the fort might fall. This officer had in former times been opposed to British troops, and from experience then obtained, saved the treasure. The force under his conimand was reported to amount to about one thousand five hundred horse and foot, about two hundred of the former well mounted and armed. To obtain this treasure now became a very interesting object, and all the force that could be spared and equipped was sent in pursuit with as little delay as possible; and although great exertions were made, and some of the exhausted elephants fell into the possession of the pursuing detachment, the treasure escaped, and the Mahrattas, after ascending the Birmull Gaut at the western confines of the province, fled with it to Nagpoor. The detachment took post at the bottom of the Gaut for about

three weeks, and were after that time severely affiicted with the forest ague; of about eleven hundred men which that force consisted of, about five hundred very soon died, the remainder in a very debilitated state were with difficulty removed to Cuttack, where both Europeans and natives were sadly debilitated for many months. Thus terminated the operations for the reduction of the capital and the S. W. part of the province. Doubtless the rainy season and inundated state of the country prevented the Mahratta horse from being as active as might have been expected, and the province altogether was contemptible.

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About the end of September a force was sent from Bengal to attack the northern part of the province. At the town and factory of Ballasore, situated in a flat country, the river is deep but narrow, its banks marshy, and at the mouth the bar is shallow, but passable at spring tides for vessels drawing about fourteen feet. The troops and stores were conveyed in vessels to within about four miles of the town, when they landed and marched to the fort and factory, which they got entire possession of after a long contest, but with little loss. A battalion of native infantry and a detachment from the governor-general's body guard marched from Jellasore, and soon joined at Ballasore, and continued their route Cuttack, and then entire possession was obtained of all that part of the province under the immediate government of the Mahrattas. But extensive tracts remained to be settled, appertaining to the tributary Rajahs, who professed submission but tendered no tribute; and the Rajah of Jagannath continued to assert his claim to some districts situated between the city of Cuttack and Jagannath, and endeavoured to obtain possession by force; upon being resisted, his troops laid waste all the adjoining country with fire and sword. The trouble and confusion continued, under the most patient forbearance on the part of the British government, with endeavours to settle the Rajah's expectations in an amicable manner, until November 1804, when the horrid opelties perpetrated by the Rajah's officers ou some prisoners taken in an action with his troops, by mutilating our native soldiers, which, added to the outrage of de

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