Copy of a Letter from Tippoo Sultaun to the Executive Directory.

The Circar Condabad to the Executive Directory, refprefenting the French Republic, one and indivifible.

In the name of the friendship which the Circar Condabad and his nation vow to obferve towards the French republic, a friendthip and alliance which will endure as long as the fun and moon fhall continue to fhine in the heavens, and will be fo folid that the most extraordinary circumftances fhall never break or difunite either the one or the other. The English, jealous of the connection and friendship which for a long time reigned between my circar and France, have united themselves to the Mahrattahs, to the Nizam Ali Khan, and to my other enemies, for the purpose of declaring war againft me; a war as odious and unjuft as that which had lafted for fome years before, and which was attended with fuch fatal confequences to me, by taking from me my fineft provinces, three crores and thirty lacks of rupees.

The republic is not ignorant of any of thefe unfortunate circumftances; and of my having endeavoured to difpute every inch of territory, which I was forced to give up to our common enemy. I fhould not have been compelled to make thofe cruel facrifices had I been af fifted by the French, my ancient allies; who, deceived by the perfidious projects of governor-general Conway, at Pondicherry, together with governor Campbell, at Madras, agreed to the evacuation of the place which they commanded, The French republic, by expelling

the English from their rich poffeffions in India, will certainly repair the faults of their ancient government.

Animated for a long time by these fentiments, I have communicated them to the government of the Isle of France, through the medium of two ambaffadors, from whom I have juft had the high fatisfaction of receiving fuch anfwers as I wished for; as well as the republican colours from the chief of brigade Chapuys, and naval captain Dubuc, who have brought to me fuch fuccours in foldiers and officers as circumstances have permitted general Malartie and rear-admiral Sercey to fend me.

I keep near me the former officer, and fend you the fecond in quality of an ambaffador, for the purpose, at the fame time that he demands your alliance offenfive and defenfive, of obtaining forces fufficient to attack and annihilate our common enemies. I will tranfmit to you, by his means, my ftandard, which, united to that of the republic, will ferve as a bafis of the alliance which the two nations are about to contract. I have alfo charged him to communicate particular orders to you.

I join with him in the embaffy Sheik Abdoubraim and Mahomet Bifmilla, my fubjects, who are equally directed to reprefent me in all affairs which they have to tranfact with you.

Whatever may be the circumftances in which the two nations may hereafter find themselves, whether together or feparately in all their tranfactions, may the good, the glory, and the advantage of both be always the end of them! May their refpective fentiments be

guaranteed

guaranteed by the appearances of fidelity, and the folemn pledges given by each of them! and may the heavens and earth draw near to each other and unite, fooner than our alliance shall experience the flightest alteration!

Given at my palace at Seringa

patam, July 20, 1798.

Copy of Articles of Engagement propofed by Tippoo Sultaun to the Directory.

Recapitulation of the demands which my ambaffadors are to make of the executive directory at Paris: Article I. Ten or fifteen thousand troops, confifting of infantry, cavalry, and artillery.

II. A naval force to carry on hoftilities on the coaft where our armies may be, in order to favour their operations, or reinforce them, if neceffary.

III. The circar fhall furnish all warlike fiores and provifions to the armies of the republic, as well as horfes, oxen, and every neceffary article, with the exception of European liquors, which he has not in his country.

IV. The orders of the king fhall be taken with refpect to all the marches and military operations.

V. The expedition fhall be directed against fome point of the coaft of Coromandel, and in preference against Porto Novo, where the difembarkation of the troops fhall take place; and the king fhall firft repair thither with his army, his intention being to commence his operations in the heart of the enemy's country.

VI. The king demands, that notice fhall be given to him by the republic, in difpatching two cor

vettes from Europe, at a distance of twenty days from each other, of the number of fhips and troops to be fent to him, that he may immedi ately enter upon the campaign, and make himself mafter of the coaft of Coromandel, before the arrival of the republican forces.

VII. All the conquests made from the enemy fhall, with the exception of the provinces which the king has been obliged to cede to the English, to the Mahrattalis, and to Nizam Ali Khan, be equally divided between the two nations, and according to the refpective conventions; the fame divifion thall take place of the enemy's veffels and the Portuguefe colonies, for the purpose of indemnifying the king for the expenfes of the war.

VIII. If any difficulty fhall arife between the allied armies, each of them fhall poffefs the right of referring to their modes of justice, according to their laws and customs, and every difcretionary article fhall be agreed upon in writing between both nation.

IX. That whatever may be the wifh of the republic to make peace with England, or to continue the war, it fhall always confider the king as its friend and faithful ally, and include him in all its treaties, and communicate to him all its intentions.

X. All French who now are in, or may come into the states of the king, fhall be treated as friends and allies; and they fhall be empowered to come and go, and carry on trade, without being liable to any trouble or moleftation, but fhall, on the contrary, receive every affiftance of which they may stand in need.

XI. This article relates to bring ing into the fervice of the fultaun

feyeral

feveral French artifts and mechanics, skilled in cafting cannon, in paper and glass making, with fome engineers and builders.

Given in my palace of Seringapatam, under my fignature, that of my prime minifter, and authenticated with the ftate feal, on the 20th of July,

1798.

Copy of a Letter from Dubuc to the Rajah of Travencore's Minifier at Aleppo.

My lord,

I expect, with impatience, the arrival of fome veffels from India, to hear from you, and to learn from you that your health is perfecty reestablished, if, as it has been reported here, it has been in a bad ftate.

As the means of fending intelligence to India are very fluctuating, I take the opportunity of a veffel which is failing for the coaft of Coromandel, to write to the prince Tippoo Sultaun, with whom I have the honour to correfpond. I requeft he will be pleafed to communicate my letter to you, after having caufed it to be tranflated into the Oriental language, that it may not be neceffary for you to fhow it to any one.

I have often confidered, in my own mind, why your prince was not in alliance with the fultaun; and in recollecting that the great nabob, Hyder Ali, his father, had been the friend and ally of Ram Rajah, I was aftonifhed that that friendship, which had been deranged by fome event, had not been renewed. It is very common in Europe for a power which has been at war with its neighbour to become its friend and

ally. You have been at war with the Pacha. I feel the fincereft conviction that every refentment fhould be forgotten; that all former difputes fhould be configned to oblivion; and that it is the duty of the two princes to enter into a treaty of alliance and friendship, in a way folid and suitable to their reciprocal interefts. Were I in India, I fhould give you, as well as the fultaun, fuch fubftantial grounds for that proceeding, that I am confident my withes would be fulfilled; but it will be peculiarly your glory to unite thefe two powers. You are the counfellor and the friend of your king; you direct his affairs fo advantageoufly, that if you find this alliance profitable (and I do not doubt but you will), it will be fufficient for you to propofe it to him, and the two princes will readily come to a good understanding.Should my hopes be gratified in this refpect, my joy will be complete, for you will be confidered our ally in becoming that of a prince who has been for a long time uited with France. I pray heaven to grant you long and happy days; and that thofe of your king may be profperous, is the fincere with of your fervant and friend,

Mal. Defcombre, Ile de France, March 5, 1798.

few days. They have been four months on their journey, and you may judge of their dispatch and of their punctuality in their fervices to you. The Hircarrahs whom I difpatched to you, on the 11th of laft month, returned yesterday with your majesty's answer of the 29th of the fame month, and I haften to fend them back, as they are very faithful perfons, and I with them to be liberally rewarded. The perfon who was to have furnished the money has not made his appearance, and I fear there will be confiderable difficulty in getting them paid. I think it indifpenfably neceffary for you to expedite an order for taking up immediately all the money which is at Mercieu's, and to annex it to a letter of credit, as I had requested of you, on the republic. The importance of my miffion is fuch, and the refult of it must prove fo advantageous to your majesty, that I cannot too often repeat, money must be confidered as nothing when affairs of fuch immenfe moment are carrying on. It will be neceffary for me to depart, and without money I cannot. In all countries money is the finew of war; and if your majesty does not with to be ruined by the English, and lofe the affiftance of your good friends the French, give ine a fufficent demonftration of your confidence in giving me the proper means of proceeding. Socars with money will not be ftopped, more particularly if it be in pagodas with ftars. Ufe difpatch in fending it to me, and I fhall inftantly fet off. The cloths are not yet come, and I have dispatched people to forward them. I request your majefty will authorize me to take a year's falary in advance, as you promifed me, in order to provide for

the fubfiftence of my family in my abfence, fince the fix months for which I have been paid expire on the 8th of next month, and I have been compelled to expend every thing in my poffeffion. The Englifh having taken my fhip and my property, you will confider my demand juft in every point of view, when you reflect that my family are in a foreign country, deprived of every refource. I once more repeat my earnest defire, that your majefty will give me full powers in that refpect, and order me immediately to be provided with the neceffary funds. The Hircarrahs have promifed to return within thirty days, and I fhall be abe to depart in forty. It would be prudent to have fome other Hircarrahs here, that you may receive intelligence every eight days. I beg leave to recommend earneftly to you the Ouaquil, who is not fufficiently paid, and has received nothing for eight months paft. He also should have a palanquin; for the envoy of a great prince, fo truly noble and generous as you are, ought not to walk on foot like a cooly. Are you content with my conduct? Speak candidly. You know how much I am attached to you, and you fhall have certain proofs of my fidelity. I befeech your majefty to countenance, with your bounty and protection, my good friend and colleague, general Chapuys. See him often, and the more you fhall fee him the more you fhall know that he is worthy of your efteem, as a man of honour and prudence.

I have learned, that your majefty has written to the government of Madras and to lord Mornington. What will be the ifflue of their answer? Be on your guard against

them;