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PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ADVERTISER.

Wol. VIL]

. LITERATURE. ‘Tlic Land qurael, accord' '

_ . mg to the Cosmo! unlit flbralia mitotic, agguhggcob. By Aasxurnlit Karma, 1). 3’ unsynagps.’ 8w: iiiburgh. Wbyte and. (.0. London The subject of this volume could not fail to were in-

-.teresting, it treated by a writer of even ordinary compe- .tency. But Dr. Keith is far from being an ordinary wri- .ter, and on the themes discussed in his present work ;he is peculiarly athome.

ius. ‘ We cannot better indicate the course which Dr. ;Keith has here marked out for himself than by extract-

.tng the followmg passage front the “ Introduction 2” “ The covenant of works and the covenant of grace have . Often divided Christian theology between them, us in some res- pects they rightly may. But there are other more defined cove- nants In the word of God, to which it becomel believers to have .respect. That which God made with Abraham, of promise and .ofgrace, is everlasting, and knows no other termination than that of the heavens and of the earth. “ In the subsequent pages the perpetuity of that covenant con-

cerning the land, and its connection with. that which was made .vvjth the Israelites when the Lord brought them out tingypl and wwth the new and everlasting COVellflllt which be will make ,with .the liouse ofIsrael and with the house of Judah, and tiler with tbeeuveniiut which the Lord made with David concerning his yl‘irone, is in the first place brought within the view ofthe reader. .I he borders ofthe land, not as it was iinciently possesSed, but as u: of the Lord, naturally form the immediately succeeding theme

which is treated at so great length as to demand an apologyl But so little was the writer aware, ere he entered on the inves- tigation, ofthe tiill extent,especially on the North, of the Scrip- tural boundaries of the promised land, that, when requested, at a grecent date, to 'mark their limits, for the construction ofa map, he .drew a line a little in the north of Hannah, conscious that it was included ; but unobservnrit then of the precise Scriptural defini- tion of the entrance into Hamath, he drew it regardless of any en- trance,oii any natural border whatever, across a d--uble chain of

.mountains. This obvious error led to a closer examination. ‘nnl soverigns of the Mahratta Empire

And now he can plead only the novelty of the topic in extrusi- wfor tliislengtlienod illustration. for which, if he mistake not. a few Words may henceforth suffice. without the hazard of a repe- ;tition ofthe error.

.“In the sequel of the volume, proof is adduced. from its alt 51iiltory and actual condition, ofilie goodliness ofthe land ; of its natural fertility, not impaired but increased; and also of the facility with which its fallen cities may be raised from their foun- dation, and forsakcni-ities, though not fallen. even cities still .existing, :hough without inhabitants. and houses still standinu, ,though withqu man, may be repaired, or restered to dwell in.“3 From this outline it may be inferred that the work is ,partly argumentative and partly descriptive. The argu- mentative portion is itrai'ily directed to the establishment .of these two positions,—that the covenant with Abra- .hain having set apart Canaan as the “everlasting pesess- ,ion" of his seed, the JeWs shall be literally restored to their own land ; and that the boundaries of the promised land extend far beyond what the. people of Israel former- ly inhabited, and far beyond the limits usually suppo- sed. On the “ literal restoration” he writes with great .carnestness. “ So numerous, clear, and positive,” says he, “ are the prophecies which declare the final restora- tion of the Israelites to the land oftheir inheritance, that :the denial ofit may well seem to be an impeachment of the truth of God, in regard to the very thing on which be staked his faithfulness.” We should not wonder if ,tnany were brought over to Dr. Keith’s Opinions by his . geasoning on this point. The fact that in recent times :tl'ie doctrine of the literal restoration has been ad- ,vocated chiefly by the Millenarian writers, has prejudiced ,not a few against it; but there is no necessary connec- -.tionbetween it and the Personal Adveni,or any ofthe other peculiar opinions of that party. There are, unquestion- jpbly, numerous scriptures which do not seem equally in- ;telligible on any other supposition, and, as Mr. Wiitson ,has strikingly observed, “ three things are certain : ;the Jews themselves expect it ; they are preserved by ,the providence ofGod a distinct people, and their coun- ;try, which. in fact, is possessed by no one, is preservad :for them." Dr. Keith’s reasonings , on the second posi- ,tion—-that the land of promise was not a small or con- itemptihle country, but a widely extended one,——-arelex- d display great research and Gmlcal

ceedingly able, an talent of a high order. This portion of the work has and will, we doubt

also much of the charm of novelty, ,pot, be read with more than‘common interest. 0 The natural fertility and ancient populousness of the -land of Israel are well described, and an ably compiled summary of the history of Syria during the middle ages is given. The ruins of Syria are also desc:ibed, wrth af- fecting contrasts of what the land now is with what it once was. There are also maps, and a number of beau- tifully executed engravings on steel illustrative of the subject. On the whole, we can cordially recommend this work to the best attention of our readers. They cannot fail to be both gratified and instructed in its perusal.—Lon- 'dim Watchman, March 6.

GWALIOR. _ tinction of cones powerful Empire claims it is probable that few of our conversant with the history of terest a short account of the hat Empire which rose upon

The final ex :8 particular notice; and .readers are so intimately :India as not to read with in Empire of the Mahrattas—i _ . . ,the ruins of the Empire of Timour, spread its dominion .Q'et’ the greater part of Hindostan, seriously threatened ,the subversion of the British sovereignty in that country, .afi'orded to our great hero the first field for displaying his matchless abilities as a commander, and having received .from him, and from his coadjutor General .Lake, a fatal ,blow, has from that time been gradually sinking under British ascendancy, till its last relic ofindopsndaiice has {been loat at Gwalior. .

The Mahratta Empire, from its first rise to I“ fill" .oxtinction, boasts a period of about I80 years. I! Y“ founded between the years 1660 and I670 by Sevajee. an able and ambitious man, descended from one of the most ancient of the Hindoo princes. His father was a

eneral in the service of :he Mussulman Prince Ibraham Adil Shah, sovereign of Beejapur, from whom he had obtained in perpetual-sovereign tsrah, besdes a valuable jaghir

' l at conferred b I sovereign . kinda! fond. it"t‘ho’ territory so ginferrod, and

llcgiancs to his Prince.

' Inglis, l’rince upon one who govern Coioys its revenues, yet owns a

,ithrew off It ipeudant prince. itered overthe provinces in the centre and south 0 :part enjoying a barbarous independence, part serving as mercenaries in the armies ofthe different Indian States

,Sevajee gradually collected I.

ty the principality of Sat- in tbo Carnatic.‘ To

I

CHARLOTTETOWN. SATURDAY. MAY 4, 1344..

these possessions, Seva _be the subject of it Mu

s l ' the distractions which 3“ man. and taking advamage 0

is allegiance, and declared himself an in The Mahratta hordes were then scat fIndia

piwerful monarchy. ed by his son, Sarnbajee, who, inheriting his father’s ta-

nine years. He was succeeded by his son Sabajee, a feeble prince, under whom the Mahratta sovereioniy WOUld probably have sunk, had it not been for the talaents of his minister, Ballajee. This person having gained a complete ascendency over the mind of the prince, per- suaded him to appoint him minister for life, with the title of Peishwah, or supreme magistrate, and to delegate to him all the civil authority of the State. So firmly did he establish his influence, that at his death, his eldest son succeeded him without opposition; and inheritino his father’s talents, with far more of energy and amb: tion, he in effect usurped all the powers of Govern- ment.

Ilaving secured the fidelity of the army, he assumed the state of a sovereign prince, arid fixed his ciurt at Poonah, near Bombay, while Sabajee, now in the decline of life, confined himself to his capital of Sattarah, where his descendants regularly succeeded to his title as nomi- Meantirne, the Mahrattas had been gradually extending their dominions, till they had spread over the fittest provinces of Hin- dostan.

Like him, four of the most powerful of the mili- tary chiefs converted their jaghirs into sovereign states. Boonsla, in Berar; Holkar, in part of Malwa; Scindeab in the Candeis, and the remainder of Malwa; and Guikwar in Gugerat, assumed independent authori- ty in the districts which they had ruled as viceroys. Still however they owned a nominal fealty to the Rajah of 'Sattarab, and acknowledged the authority of the I’emhwa’h, as the executive authority of the Empire. I‘lius, in the course of twenty-five years, the simple and absolute monarchy established by Sevajee had become a confederacy of five independent states, with the Rajah ofSattarah for their nominal chief, and the Peishwah for the acknowledged head; each chief exercising full sove- reignty in all that regarded his own separate interests, while the general political interests of the empire were committed to the Peishwah.

The Mahratta Empire, at the close of the last century, extended from the mountanis of Cashmere in the North, to the river Tumbndra in the South, 970 miles, and in extreme breadth, front the Bay of Bengal to the gulf of Cambey, 900 miles. Its population was about forty millions, of whom nine tenths were Hindoos, and its re- venues about £I7,000,000 sterling. The efficient mili- tary force of the whole Empire was about 2I0,000 ca- valry, and 96,000 infantry; btit in addition to these were clouds ofirregular cavalry—the troops furnished by the Silladars, or armour bearers; the volunteers, who found their owrt horses, arms, and accoutrements, and the pindarees, or marauders, who lived by mere plunder. The, Mahratta horses were excellent, and themselves well skilled in their management. Plunder was a legi- timate occupation. There was even an annual cere- mony of plundering a field, in which the Peishwah took the lead, and plucked the first‘handful, which was the signal for all his followers to imitate his example, and strip the field in a moment -

It appears strange that so loose a confederacy should stand so long—still more so that the sovereignty of the five States which composed it should constantly remain in the families ofthe chiefs who founded them. Yet the Maltratta Empire continued to increase in extent and power, till. jealous of the increasing influence of the British, it ventured on wars which led to its destruc- tion.

Without alluding to the earlier disputes and treaties between British India and the Malirattas, we may ob. serve, that in the first war with Tippoo Sahib, in I700, the Peishwah was our ally: and in the consequent parti- tion of 'I‘ippoo’s territories, received a considerable ac. cession to his dominions. Neither Scindeah,,tior Boon- sla however were parties to this alliance, and the former was hostile to it. '

Of all the Mahratia chiefs, Scindeah was by far‘the

' most formidable, partly from holding the person, and ex-

ercising the authority of the Mogul, who, fallen and helpless as be was, still possessed influence as the repre- sentative of the house of Timour, which had ruled Hin- dostan for centuries; and partly from having in his pay a powerful army, trained and oflicered by Frenchmen, and scarcely inferior to the Company’s native troops. The Mogul, Shah a rebel, who put out coming to the Mogul’ er, and put him to deat tored the Mogul to his throne, a state prisoner, took possession of ding the cities of Agra and Delhi, name. This occurred in I790. he had greatly ex plined forces an same advantage hours as the Company have al Indian wars. For his army, Boigns, a native of Savoy. years in the'Russian armies, Company’s'service, and in I783 was up in the body guard of Lord Macartneyq ' . foreigner would have little chance of rising in .the

pany’s service. he relinquished it,

his eyes; but Mahsjec Scindeah,

I“ succeeded, but disdaining to to Mahajee Scindeah, who gave him an appointment,

then prevailed in Beejapur, be employed him to organise a force. lie accordingly de- formed an army of 38,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry,

. them almost‘all or i h' l- ' ‘ ‘ -

We question whether an Isl] d d - ‘ "er ‘5 4711]. §Ctlldvah assrgned to him the revenues of a - V i‘ ‘” l" . and alter some reve d ‘ ~ - . . “ ex

“on,” author 0 . . t, . rses, an many successes tenstve district ‘ i '

.33“ Bub. ‘ f. we'd“ could Prod“ce a "93"” on the llwer lhe. armies ofthe Mogul Emperor, Aurungzebe and was succeededl'yull'dlllg £l ‘63"‘000 a 3"" De BOILING

. jet: in al respects equal to that now befrire,llle dlsclpliiied forces of the Pnrtuauese he founded a Perron m "5 command by a FrenCh 0mm", M.

lh (I rR ' He still contented himself with: I

8 It 0 o . . sea, or gnverlrr-lnaehnff sallii'filt‘y, all?! made that Olly his army attracted the attention of other native princes; and ' e '9 'n ’80. and was summed-1‘ Holkar, the most powerful of the Maliratta Confederacy,

;:::,0mf:i;‘i;taei::d his pnuyer, till he was assassinated byjihree fourths of whom were French. The Nizam of the “fines 0 Altrungzebe. after a reign of; Deccan also formed an army of I4,000 men, oflicered by

Allan, had fallen into the hands of

s assistance, made the rebel prison- h. But while he ostensibly res- he in reality kept him as his dominions, inclu- and governed iii his In the next four years tended his dominions; his well disci- d formidable artillery giving him_the over the irregular troops of his neigh- ways possessed in than

he was indebted to the skill of M. De who, after serving for some went to India to enter the pointed an officer

Fearing that a Com-

and obtained letters

f and soon discovering that he was the man he wanted.

-land retained in his service above 300 Europeans; and , constructed a foundry, which enabled him before his re- turn to Europe in I788 to increase his force to 270 guns, of which I50 were brass. To pay his forces with regu-

Tlie streugih'which Scindeah derived from such an

lafier Scindeah, sought eagerly for European oflicers,

Frenchmen But the danger which threatened the An- glo-Indian Empire fromthe increase of French influence in the Courts and Armies of the most powerful Native Princes was averted by the energy ofthe Marquis Wel-

[No. 357.

was covered with 6Sgtins, and protected with entrench- ments. Gen. Lake's force was only 4,500 men, but be attacked the enemy,Sept. Iltb, and totally routed them, taking all their cannon. The French leaders surren- dered prisoners, and the city of Delhi was taken. The unfortunate Mogul, aged, feeble, and blind, was rescued from the degrading thraldom he had long suffered, ad during the small remainder of his life, he was treated with royal honors, and enjoyed comfortsto whicirbe Ind been for many years a stranger.

From Delhi, Gen. Lake marched upon Agra, which was besieged, October 10th, and taken oaths lath. Specie to the amount of £280,000 was found here. At the same time, a detachment tinder Col. POWell had marched into Bundilcund, and having defeated the ana- my’s‘ force there, secured the submission of that valuable province. ‘ .

There remained now but one hostile army in the North of Ilindostan, and against this Gen. Lake march- ed from Agra, October 27th. Following the enemy by forced marches, he came up with him on the morning of Nov. Ist, near the village of Laswarée His force was

lesle‘y. He compelled the French officers in the Nizam's service to surrender, sent them out of India, and acqui~l red complete ascendancy in the Nizam’s Coiiricils;' while Tippoo, the most inveterate enemy ofthe Britislm was conquered and killed.

The immediate cause of the downfall of the Maliratta. Empire was a rivalry which sprang up between Scin- deah and Holkar. Sciiideah. exercising the authority, and possessing the person of the Mogul. sought to ob. tain a similar ascendancy over the Peishwah. The con- sequence was a war between these two chiefs, and Hol- kar marched an army, defeated on the 25th of October, l802, the combined force ofScindeah and the Peishwah, and took Poonah. The Peishwah fled, on which Holkar issued a declaration that he had abdicated his authority, and installed Ainrut Ran, acreature of his own, in his place; Meanwhile the PeishWah reached Bissein with only 30 followers, and there finding his afl'airs despe- rate, he concluded atreaty wiihthe British Government, by which he placed himselfunder their protection The Duke of Wellington, then Major General Wellesley, was sent with l'2,000 men to restore him to his domi- nions. He entered the :Vlahratia territory on the IQili of March, l803. and as Amrut Ran threatened to burn Poonah on his approach. he pushed forward with his ca- valry only, and reached Poonah, 60 miles, in 32 hours. Ai‘mut Rao fled, and the Peishwah was restored.

The eagle eye of Napoleon had marked the Maliraitn States as the allies by whose aid he hoped to strike a deadly blow st England, through her Indian Empire, and the anxiety of their chiefs to obtain French officers for their troops ofl'ered the efl'ectual means. After the tree- ty of Amiens, iii the beginning of 1803, an expedition was sent out, under Admiral Linois, of six ships of .war, conveying I400 of the best troops of France, with 200 young gentlemen who had been regularly educated in all the branches of military science, and a numerous stafl'. This expedition reached Pondichorry during the most critical period of the negotiations between the British Government and Scindeah; but the Marquis Wellesley's vigilance baflied the scheme. He kept Pon- dicherry so strictly watched both by sea and land, that not a man could leave it to join Scindeah’s forces. Ur- gent remonstrances were sent complaining of the manner 1 in which a friendly territory was watched in time of‘ peace, but before a reply could be received, the war with France was renewed, and the whole party were made prisoners.

While the negotiations were proceeding with the Peishwah, Scindeali was using every effort to form lll‘ alliance ngainstthe British. He had been in correspon-1 dence with Tippo Sahib ; and ifIndia had been rtiled at that time by a statesman with less foresight and than the Marquis Wellesley, there would certainly have been a general and formidable confederacy, aided and directed by France, against which it is Very doubtful if‘ the Anglo-Indian Empire could have stood. As it was, he penetrated the designs of the difl'erent hostile powers, and beatlhem in detail. Scindeah formed an alliance with the Rajah of Berar, early in IS03, and they both negotiated with Holkar and other chiefs to join them, avowedly with the object of driving the English from India. Preparations were therefore made for war on the extensive scale which the formidable powrrr of the con- federates demanded. Two principal armies were formed, the one under General Lake, to act in Northern India, destroy the Gallo-Mahratta force, and liberate the Mogul; the other, under Major General Wellesley, to act against the forces of the confederates in the South. where they had marched a powerful army underthe pretence of pro- tecting the Peishwah. Two smaller armies were assem- bled, the one, the Bombay army, in the pmvince of Gu- jerat, the other on the eastern side of Hindustan to in- vnde the province ofCuttuck, belonging to the Rajah of Borar. The whole force thus called into action was 50,000 and 60,000 men. To Major General Welles- ley was committed full powers to negotiate with the enemy. '

Hostiliiies com

menced in 03 beginning of August. General Lake immediately entered the territories of Scindeah to attack M. Perron’s army, encamped near Ally Ghur. The enemy waited his approach, and then avoided a battle, a step which appears to have created much dissatisfaction and despondency in the enemy's ranks. Ally Ghur, a very strong fortress, and most im- portant from being the grand depot of M. Perron's mili- tsry stores, was stormed Sept. 4th with a loss of59 killed and 206 wounded on the part of the beseigers, and of 2000 killed of the garrison. The fortress was com- manded by a French officer, M. _Pedron. Three months after, M. Perron abandoned the service of Scin- dealt ; the fall of Ally Ghur, the loss of confidence ofthe Prince. and the dissatisfaction of his own oflicers, having compelled him to that step.

Having secured Ally Ghur, General Lake marched towards Delhi. An army of 19,000 men, under the French commander'Bourguien were drawn up to defend it. Each flank of the army was covered with a swamp, sothtt the front was the only assailable part, and this

'enemy to an action.

decision ‘ had twice before proposed in

l

j established beyon

9000 regular infantry, and 5000 cavalry, with a large body of artillerymen and 72 guns. A desperate battle took place, in which the British lost 300 killed and wounded, but the enemy were totally routed, and all their cannon and stores were taken. This finished the war in Northern India. General Lake was deservedly raised to the peerage, bythc title of Baron Lake of Delhi and Laswaree.