The  Sultaun  had  now  no  apprehension  about  the  fort,  for  he  had
been  surrounding  it  with  another  wall  and  ditch,  and  the  gates
had  been  strengthened  by  outworks.  There  never  was  a  time
when  all  his  prospects  were  so  bright,  when  the  political  con-
dition of  India  suggested  movement — ^when  all  the  native  princes,
by  one  exertion  on  his  part,  might  be  incited  to  make  common
cause  against  the  English,  and  when,  by  the  proposed  expedition
against  Manilla,  the  British  forces  would  be  much  reduced,  both
at  Madras  and  in  Bengal.  It  was  at  this  hazardous  moment  that
the  genius  of  Lord  Mornington,  guided  by  the  sound  views  of
the  political  agents  at  the  various  courts,  decided  upon  the  line
of  action  to  be  pursued.  The  French  interest  in  India  was  to  be
annihilated  at  all  hazards ;  therefore,  after  a  preparatory-  treaty
with  the  Nizam,  an  English  force,  by  rapid  marches,  arrived  at
Hyderabad,  and  joining  the  subsidiary  force  there,  surrounded  the
French  camp,  which  was  found  to  be  in  a  state  of  previous
mutiny  against  its  officers.  The  whole  submitted ;  and  a  blow,
moral  as  well  as  physical,  was  struck  against  the  French  influ-
ence, from  which  it  never  recovered.
