HISTORY

EARLY ENGLISH AND FRENCH ESTABLISHMENTS

EARLY ENGLISH AND FRENCH SETTLEMENTS.

As early as 1611 the English East India Company had directed their attention to Dabhol with a view to the establishment of a factory, but they were opposed by the Portuguese. Sir Henry Middleton with three ships went there in February 1612, and stayed some little time, receiving great civility from the Sidi Governor and procuring some trade. But the company's settlement at Surat was for some years sufficient for their requirements. In 1618, further attempts were made to trade at Dabhol, and in 1624 and for two or three years afterwards difficulties both with the Dutch and the Moghals caused a proposal that the factory and establishment should be removed there from Surat, as the inhabitants had made most friendly offers of accommodation and protection [In consequence of Middleton's honourable treatment of the Mokha Junk, the Governor of Dabhol, offered the English free trade and as their position in Surat was most uncomfortable, they thought of removing to Dabhol (1616). In 1618, the English made further attempts to trade. In 1624 there was again a proposal to move to Dabhol from Surat. Milburn, Oriental Commerce, XI, 152 and XII, p. 155.]. This was not carried out, but ten years later a firman for a factory at Dabhol was asked for and refused and no further attempt seems to have been made[In 1624, the English were received by the Dabhol people with much honour. Then a scuffle arose and the English took to their guns and set fire to the town. The people fled but encouraged by a Portuguese factor and some others, came back and drove the English to their ships- Bom. Gaz. X, 330 c/f. De La Valle's letters, III, 130. Three years later (1626) Herbert describes the town as with low houses terraced at the top, and with nothing to boast of but an old castle and a few temples-Ind. Ant. III, 102.]. In 1638-39, the First Free Traders or Interlopers, the association of Sir William Courten, established a factory at Rajapur, in Ratnagiri district and when, owing to the great power of the Dutch, in the following year the English East India Company desired a place which would be secure from them and capable of fortification, Rajapur was recommended as the best after Bombay. In 1649-50, the Musalman Governor offered the trade of this town to the President at Surat because of the bad character of the interlopers, who had incurred heavy debts there. But just about this time Courten's association was incorporated with the East India Company, so that the factory at Rajapur continued on the same footing as before [Jaitapur is the outlet for the sea traffic from Rajapur, and the place of call for coasting vessels. Mandelso (1638) mentions it under the name Shitapur as one of the best harbours, the island sheltering it from all winds. Ogilby (1670) calls Cetapur, one of the chief Konkan ports; and at the beginning of the 18th century, Hamilton, (1700-1720) speaks of Rajapur harbour as one of the best in the world (It was burnt by the Sidi and Moghal fleet in December 1676)-Hamilton, New Accounts, I, 241.Nairne, 120.].

In 1660 and 1670, Shivaji plundered the town of Rajapur, sacking the English factory. In the terms of a treaty with Shivaji, the factory was again established but it was never profitable. Though several other factories were abandoned by the English, they had retained the one, at Rajapur. Though Shivaji had punished the factors for furnishing the Bijapur king with war stores, and the factors were imprisoned, until a ransom was paid, Shivaji and Sambhaji after him always professed to be very anxious to have a factory at Rajapur. But it did not succeed and in 1676-77, its withdrawal was resolved on owing to the continual extortions of the Marathas. Shivaji, however, would not let the factors go and the establishment was not withdrawn till 1681. It was for the fourth time opened in 1702 but after about ten years was finally withdrawn [It was here that able but unfortunate Sir John Child, afterwards (1682-1690) President of the East India Company, spent several of his first years in India. The factor at Rajapur was his uncle and according to Captain A. Hamilton who never lets a chance of abusing him pass, Child drew the notice of the company to some irregularities on his uncle's part and in reward at the early age of twenty-four, got himself appointed his uncle's successor. Hamilton, New Account, I, 241-242. ].

The French factory was probably started about 1667[Nairne states that the French factory at Rajapur was established in 1670. Konkan 121. The first French factory was established at Surat by merchants who started for Surat on 15th October, 1667-Milburn's Oriental Commerce, I, 381; Hatalkar states the year as 1668- (Hatalkar, o.c. 5) and the year for French factory at Rajapur as 1668-Hatalkar o.c. 6]. It was also sacked by Shivaji in 1670 and whether it was again opened is not known. It was closed before 1710.

In June 1696, there was an indecisive engagement off the Vengurle rocks between the Dutch and five French ships. The Dutch retired to Goa and the French to Surat[ In 1670 the Rajapur factory is mentioned as then a French factory, Bruce, Annals, II, 285. Nairne, 122.].

After the decline of the Portuguese, the Dutch still held their fortified factory at Vengurle, but do not appear ever to come into collision with the English, in the district. There was, however, great jealousy between the two nations, and in the treaty concluded with the Marathas in October 1756, the first article provided that the Dutch should be excluded from the Maratha dominions, and another article forbade their admission to Danda-Rajapur[ Nairne, 122 c/f. Aitchison, Treaties, III, 17.].

The Maratha-French relations date from the very year of the establishment of the French settlements in India. The Karwar factors in the English factory, writing on the 16th December 1668, report to the headquarters at Surat, " they (the French) have settled at Rajapur and have met Sevagy, who have them some clothes and a firman to trade freely in all his ports[Hatalkar, o.c. 7. ]". In fact, Francois Martin seems to refer to this very point when he records in his diary that on arriving at Calicut (17-January, 1669), on his way to Surat, he met Massieurs Faes and J. Boureau, who informed him that " they had been to Rajapur and had seen there Raja Shivaji who received them well and gave them permission to trade and establish themselves in his lands [Ibid.]".

The Siddi of Janjira had become a source of constant trouble to Shivaji. He had on numerous occasions plundered and burnt villages and towns under the Maratha rule and had subjected the inhabitants to inhuman treatment. He could carry on his predatory activities with ease from his castle of Danda-Rajapuri on the main land. It was quite natural therefore that Shivaji should set his heart on reducing this stronghold. But for achieving this objective he wanted help from the European nations, particularly in the supply of arms and ammunition. Even as early as February 1663, Randolph Taylor and others had observed, "The Raja (Shivaji) would gladly afford the (English) Company any place convenient for them in his possession, with several other advantages, if they would assist him in taking the Danda-Rajapuri castle ". This fact is further corroborated by the dispatch from Bombay to Surat, dated 13th November 1673, " If the French have sent down so many guns and so much lead to Rajapore, Sevajee will be able to arm out a notable fleet against the Siddy". The Dutch offered to assist Shivaji with their whole fleet but they made it a condition that he should help them to oust the English from the island of Bombay. Shivaji could not accept the proposal[ Ibid, 8. ].

The French were the only European nation who found it convenient to help Shivaji with arms and ammunition. A dispatch from Bombay to Surat of 5th September 1670, hints at the possibility of Shivaji buying lead or guns from the French factory at Rajapur. Another dispatch, dated 6th November 1673, reports, "The French have sent a pink down to' Rajapore with 2,000 maunds of lead and 88 iron guns from lb. 3 to lbs 17 weight[ Ibid.]."

M. Baron, a director of the French East India Company had all along maintained good relations with Shivaji ["The Maratha chief", he wrote to Colbert, " shows great esteem for the (French) Company". M. Blot, another director of the French Company, mentions the same fact: " If he (Shivaji) returns to sack Surat, he will have great respect for the French flag "-Hatalkar, o.c. 9.]. In 1672, he entered into secret negotiations with him. The negotiations, however, did not materialise. In 1675, while on his way to Surat from Pondicherry, Baron stayed for some weeks at Rajapur. There he had several meetings with the Maratha minister, Annaji Datto, from whom he learnt about Shivaji's ambitions in the Karnatak. During his stay at Rajapur, M. Baron also made an attempt to form an alliance between Shivaji and Bahlol Khan, the Commander-in-chief of the Bijapur forces and later on Regent of Bijapur. Baron wrote to Martin at Pondicherry to find out from Sher Khan Lodi, the Bijapur Governor of Walikan-dapuram, his views on this subject. The latter, from his past experience of relations existing between Shivaji and the Bijapur Government thought that any idea of forming an alliance between them was in the nature of an impossibility. All the same he suggested that if Shivaji would undertake on an oath called '' Shaligram " to' observe strictly the terms of the treaty that would be concluded with Bahlol Khan, he (Sherkhan) would gladly play the role of the mediator. Francois Martin reported to Baron his conversation with Sherkhan. Probably, the French director realised the futility of the undertaking and abandoned the project.

As things stood, even the English had grown jealous of the friendly attitude of the Marathas towards the French [Abba ' Carre', a Frenchman, had a very happy experience about Shivaji's officers. In 1668, Abba ' Carre ' passed through Shivaji's ports. He remarks "We were treated (by Shivaji's men) in a manner which was beyond our expectation ". In 1673, ' Carre' on his way to Rajapur, had occasion to halt at Chaul for some time. The Maratha commandant of the fort, when informed that ' Carre' was a French man, treated him with great hospitality. At the time of Carre's departure from Chaul, he gave him letters to his officers recommending them to give him safe conduct through the Maratha territory. Once again, while on his way from Surat to St. Thome, ' Carre' passed through Shivaji's dominions and every where received nothing but courtesy from Shivaji's officers and troops-Hatalkar-Foot note, o.c. p. 10.]. They explained on one occasion (27th June, 1673), that the Marathas had released a French " Hay' which they had captured, while they refused to show the same favour to the English. Again, on the occasion of Shivaji's visit to Vehgurle on March 21, 1675, the Rajapur Factors wished to have an interview with the Maratha king for the redress of their grievances. But they met with considerable difficulties before they could gain their objective. The French on the other hand, easily obtained an audience with Shivaji. In spite of their treaty with Shivaji (June 12, 1674), the Engilsh had failed to carry out the terms of the agreement, in that they were still hesitating to supply him with arms and ammunition and had allowed the Sidi to carry on in the port of Bombay [Hatalkar, o.c. 11.].

SHIVAJI.

In the middle of the 17th century the western sea-board was in the possession of the Moghals in the north. After the Nizam Shahi kingdom of Ahmadnagar was finally annexed by the Moghals in 1636, the sea-board which formerly belonged to that kingdom passed into the possession of the Bijapur kingdom. But in this territory were also situated the Portuguese possessions along the fringe of the sea-board and Janjira, the Abyssinian Admiral's impregnable naval station. In this very territory began the career of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha national State [He began his naval career by beginning ship-building at Kalyan but its outlet to the sea was completely blocked by the Portuguese possession. We hear the first mention of Shivaji in a letter of the Portuguese Viceroy to his king in the middle of 1659 wherein he writes that one Shivaji, son of Shahaji, has conquered the territory inland to the Portuguese seaboard from Bassein to Chowl and has become powerful-Rev. Sabino D'Souza "The struggle between the Portuguese and the Marathas on the Goa border" (1659-1763), 7.

Jervis, Konkan, 90.].

After his victory over the Bijapur general, Afzalkhan, on 10th November 1659, Shivaji captured the fort of Panhala and marched into the district [The Konkan by 1636 was divided into four Subhedaris or districts. The first extending from ' the Vaitarna river to the Nagothana river was under the subhedar of Kalyan, the second under the Habshee of Janjira, in farm, with reservation of his own immediate Jagir, the half of Rajapur taluka. This extended to the Savitri river. The third was the subhedari of Dabhol, extending to the Dewgurh or Gurnyee river, the fourth was confined to the Vadi Savants-Jervis, 90, 63.]. He started taking " possession of all forts ' and inland towns". The Bijapur officers abandoned their places and took refuge in Rajapur. As Rajapur was in fief of the Bijapur noble Rustam-i-Zaman who was friendly to Shivaji, the place was for the time spared [G. S. Sardesai, o.c. I, 128; J. Sarkar, Shivaji and his Times, 74, 219; Balkrishna, 58-60.

Salabat Jung (Sidi Jauhar) had approached the English factors of Rajapur for ammunition and some English gunners who could create have among the defenders of Panhala. Revington. the chief of the: factory with his assistants Mingham and Gifford came with an efficient heavy gun and ammunition to help Salabat Jung. This wanton interference of the English merchants of Rajapur gave offence to Shivaji's as their European gunnery proved highly effective and made Shivaji's position altogether untenable-G. S. Sardesai, o.c. I, 132; J. Sarkar, o.c. 219-220; Balkrishna, 68.].

The Portuguese viceroy had ordered his captains not to allow Maratha ships to come out of Kalyan, Bhivandi and Panvel into the sea but notwithstanding these orders, Shivaji's ships found their way to the south. Shivaji, from this base, conquered the whole of the present Ratnagiri district within four years [Rev. Sabino D'Souza, o.c. 8, G. S. Sardesai, o.c. I, 122; J. Sarkar, o.c, 85; Balkrishna, Shivaji the Great, 47.].

The three powers of the Southern Konkan-Bijapur, the Sidi, and the Savants, then united against the invader. At the same time a Maratha army appeared within four hours' march of Vehgurle but had to retire under the attacks of the Desai of Kudal [J. Sarkar, o.c. 221.].

Early in the following year, 1661, Shivaji again marched in the district and captured the coast from Danda-Rajapuri to Kharepatan. Dabhol surrendered in February 1661 and was placed under a Governor of Shivaji [Nairne, 68. The Sidis purchased Shivaji's friendship by handing over to him their posts of Tala, Ghosala and Rairi, of which Shivaji personally took posses-sion during his southern tour in 1658. Thereupon Shivaji visited the shrine of Hareshvar and proceeded to Rajapur with a view to helping the Savant of Kudal 'whom Rustam-i-Zaman had attacked during the summer of 1658. The Savant was also a scion of the Bhonsle family and in his extremity has appealed to Shivaji for help. Shivaji then personally toured the whole region of South Konkan and established his post at Rajapur. G. S. Sardesai, New History of the Marathas, I, 121.]. The small state of Palvan was annexed. Sangameshvar, next fell into his hands. Shivaji advanced further into the district to Rajapur and Kharepatan passed into his possession [J. Sarkar, o.c. 83; Balkrishna, o.c. 60-68, 131-162.

The Savants having submitted to him, that part of the Konkan, south of Salshi Mahal i.e. the whole of the present Malvan sub-division and a part of the Vadi districts was left under their exclusive management, and the revenue system there remained unchanged-Nairne, 68.

Shivaji probably in the early months of 1661 conducted a regular raid, plundered Nizampur, put down the chief of Palvan, near Dapoli, captured Dabhol from its owner surnamed Dalvi, worshipped at the shrine of Parashuram near Chiplun, proceeded to Sangameshvar, also a rich port then and stationing there two of his trusted officers Tanajl Malusare and Pilaji Nilkanth, himself suddenly appeared before Rajapur-G. S. Sardesai, o.c. I, 138; 'J. Sarkar, o.c. 83.].

The Rajah of Shringarpur was next defeated and his state was annexed in April 1661. For the protection of the Palvan region, Shivaji fortified Chirdurg naming it Mandangad. The fort of Palgad was also constructed by him at this time, while after the conquest of Shringarpur, the neighbouring fort Prachitgad was repaired and maintained in strength [Most of the forts are supposed to be the work of Bijapur kings (1500-1660), raised in the 16th century and in the 17th century repaired and strengthened by Shivaji. Shivaji more than any of its rulers attached importance to hill forts, every pass was commanded by forts and in the closer defiles, every steep and overhanging rock was held as a station from which to roll great masses of stones, a most effectual annoyance to the labouring march of cavalry, elephants and carriages. It is said that he left 350 of these posts in the Konkan alone-Orme, Historical Fragment, 93.

G. S. Sardesai, o.c. I, 138-39, J. Sarkar o.c. 84.

At this time Shivaji caused a survey to be made of the coast and having fixed in Malvan as the best protection for his vessels and the likeliest place for a stronghold, he built forts there, rebuilt and strengthened Suvarnadurg (1660), Ratnagiri, Jaygad, Anjanvel (Gopalgad), Vijaydurg (1653), Sindhudurg or Malvan (1664)-G. S. Sardesai, o.e. 122; Nairne, o.c. 63, 68; Jervis, o.c. 92. Father Navarette sailed from Goa on the 16th November 1670 and in the passage up the coast lay some days in sight of Dabhol, which he says, is a strong and handsome fort belonging to Subagi (Shivaji)-Orme, Historical Fragments, 206. Shivaji prepared vessels at all these places-Nairne, 68. Sindhudurg at Malvan was constructed out of the plunder of Surat- G. S. Sardesai, o.c. I, 149; Failing in his efforts to take Janjira from the Sidi, Shivaji chose Malvan with its rocky islands and deep-blocked harbour as his coast headquarters. Besides the main fortress on the larger of the outer islands, he fortified the smaller island Padmagad and on the main land opposite the town and at the mouth of the creek about a mile and a half north, built the forts of Rajkot and Sarjakot. Shivaji was anxious for grain to store his forts and so be able to move his troops without baggage. Jervis, o.c. 110.].

While the Sultan of Bijapur was engaged in his campaign against the Rajah of Bidnur in 1663, Shivaji marched from Kolhapur to Vengurle. He occupied the place and left a garrison of 2,000 soldiers there. The Bijapur authorities tried to form a junction with the Savant of Vadi and other Rajahs in the area to drive Shivaji out of Rajapur and Kharepatan. But their efforts did not succeed. It was at this time that Rajapur finally passed into the hands of Shivaji [During this time (1670), proceedings were going on in the Konkan with a view to the capture of Janjira. The historian Khafi Khan was then in that district and has given a long account of what took place, but it need only here be said that Shivaji was himself present in this year and that Fateh Khan the Sidi who was in the Bijapur interest, abandoned Danda-Rajapur and took refuge in Jafijira and was willing to surrender even that. But three of the other Sidis prevented this and having deposed Fateh Khan put themselves and the State under the protection of the Moghals-Sir H. Elliot. VII, 289; Nairne 69; J. Sarkar, o.c. 250.

Note-When early in 1660 Shivaji's men came upon Dabhol, that port had in it three trading vessels belonging to Afzalkhan. Muhammad Shariff, the Governor of Dabhol conveyed these ships quickly to Rajapur into the custody of the English factory. The British would not give these ships to Shivaji's agent. When Shivaji arrived at Rajapur, the chief of the factory, Remington ran for safety but Doroji seized the goods and detained the second officer Gifford on 20th January 1660. However, Rustam-i-Zaman pleaded for the English. Thereafter the English assisted Salabat Jung. Remington, Mingham, Gifford and their interpreter Velji went to Panhalgad and opened fire in July 1660 and Shivaji appeared at Rajapur in the following March and Randolph Taylor, Richard Taylor, Gifford, Ferrand, Richard, Napter and Samuel Bernard were immediately put under arrest. Shivaji stationed a competent officer, Raoji Somnath to manage the affairs of Rajapur,-G. S. Sardesai, o.c. I, 140-141; J. Sarkar, o.c. 220, 319-327. The English factory at Rajapur was reopened in 1675-J. Sarkar, 332. Sardesai o.c. I, 151, Orme puts it in 1670 and 1674-Orme, Historical Fragments, 22, 26, 40, J. Sarkar, o,c 223. ].

Earlier, Lakhan Savant, the chief of Kudal, had on the first appearance of Shivaji, in south Konkan, submitted to him. But in 1664, he appealed to the Sultan of Bijapur to assist him in fighting Shivaji. Accordingly the Bijapur general Khawas Khan arrived in the district and engaged the Marathas in October 1664. The Bijapuris were worsted in the beginning but fighting stubbornly, they repulsed the Marathas, not without heavy loss to themselves. Kudal was recaptured by Lakhan Savant. Shivaji now attacked and destroyed the Bijapur detachment under Baji Ghorpade hurrying to the assistance of Khawas Khan. Baji Ghorpade, fell in this encounter. The Khan was in no position to withstand his attacks. He fled from the district to Chandargarh in the uplands. Lakhan Savant fled from Kudal which was now placed under the charge of Krishna Savant. The Bijapur generals made an effort to reconquer South Konkan, at a time when the Marathas were fighting the Moghals under Jaising. They recovered Dabhol from the Marathas only to lose it in the same year 1664, when Shivaji had made peace with the Moghals and marched against Bijapur; Muhmmad Ikhlas Khan, the Bijapur general held Kudal for some time but had to abandon it as he had to hasten to the defence of Bijapur. During the course of this war (1666), Rustam-i-Zaman, the Bijapur general succeeded in retaking Kudal, Banda and other places and held them for some time [J. Sarkar, o.c. 225-228, 337. Shivaji made an unsuccessful attempt to conquer the territory of Goa by a stratagem in October 1668; but the suspicion of the Portuguese Viceroy was roused and he insulted Shivaji's ambassador. On hearing of it, Shivaji assembled an army of 10,000 foot and 1,000 horse threatening to invade the Bardes and Salsette districts of Goa, in person. From the north of Rajapur he marched to Vengurle inspecting all his forts in that quarter " changing their men and putting in (fresh) provision and ammunition " and then in December returned to Rajgad as he found " the Portuguese well prepared to give him a hot reception ".-J. Sarkar, o.c. 234-35.

While Shivaji had been to and escaped from Agra Annaji Datto, who was Deshpande of Sangameshvar, had charge of the Dabhol Subha, Moro Pingale, the Peshva of Rajapuri and Raygad-Jervis, 92.

In March 1672, Shivaji marched from Raygad with 10,000 men, levied a large contribution from the Dekkan and returned to Raygad without interruption-Orme, 30-31; In October, 1673, the troops from the Sidi's and the Moghal ships landed in the Nagothna river and laid the villages waste, but Shivaji's troops arrived unexpectedly from Raygad and inflicted a defeat on the Sidi-Orme, 38-39; Shivaji in April 1674 returned to Raygad and in June was crowned there with great pomp-Orme, 40; After the rains, Moro Pandit came down to Kalyan with 10,000 men and sent to Bassein to demand Chauth from the Portuguese. At the same time, a fleet from Mushat appeared before Bassein with 600 Arabs, who plundered villages. At the end of the year Shivaji with reinforcements having joined Moro Pandit, the whole army marched up the Ghats towards Junnar but after ravaging the country, they returned to Raygad in Feb. 1675-Orme, 38, 45, 46, 47-After the rains of 1675 a large Moghal fleet came from Surat to Bombay and proceeded down the coast as far as Vengurle, which they burnt. By this time, Shivaji's fleet put to sea from Vijaydurg and Rajapur but did not fall in with the enemy. A Moghal force at the same time came down to Kalyan and threatened districts south of Bombay but soon after returned above the ghats. On this Shivaji's troops returned to the area.-Orme, 51, 54. J. Sarkar maintains that arriving at Rajapur on 22 March 1675, Shivaji spent three days there ordering 40 ships to go to Vengurle with all speed and there wait for troop commands. Next he marched to his town of Kudal and on April 8th, laid siege to Phonda, the most important Bijapuri fort near Goa- J. Sarkar, 239.].

But this occupation proved to be of a short duration. With the capture of Phonda on the 6th May 1675[Shivaji himself followed his army in the month of March visiting Rajapur on the way, where he kept his magazines of war for his southern territories in the Korikan-Orme, 51, 52; J. Sarkar, o.c. 240.] and the occupation of the district of Kanara, further south by Shivaji, in 1675, the hold of Bijapur on Kudal, Banda and other places in the extreme south of the district came to an end[ However, the usual operations on the coast were continued notwithstanding Shivaji's absence, on account of his expedition to the Karnatak. Moropant took 10,000 men against Janjira in August, 1676 and in October, Sidi Sambal set out on a cruise of retaliation. He burnt Jaitapur at the mouth of the Rajapur river in December 1676, but Rajapur itself was too well defended to be attacked and in the meantime Moro Pant's attack on Janjira. had been beaten off. In the following season, 1677-78 the Sidi's fleet plundered on the coast as usual. In revenge for this, Maratha ships and men were sent to Konkan in July 1678-Orme, 64, 70, 72, J. Sarkar, o.c. 257. In March 1680, Shivaji and the English made an agreement against the Sidi fleet. J. Sarkar, 259. Towards the close of November 1679, a Maratha army of 12,000 men assembled near Rajapur. They fired the town on 26th and set out on 20th for Burhanpur-J. Sarkar. 315.].

SAMBHAJI.

Sambhaji succeeded Shivaji in 1680 A.D. He drew the wrath of Aurangzeb, upon himself for giving asylum to the emperor's son Akbar [Sambhaji punished with great vigour those who led the opposition against him, and Annaji Datto, the late Governor of Ratnagiri district was one of the first who was imprisoned and soon afterwards put to death. His place was taken by Kalusha who eventually displaced the regular revenue officers and farmed out the district.-Nairne, 76; Orme, 96, 105, Jervis, 108.

In May 1681 Sultan Akbar, the fourth son of Aurangzeb, having been in rebellion against his father, fled with 400 Rajputs to Sambhaji and arrived at Pali near Nagothna on July 1st, where he remained and was treated with the greatest respect till Sambhaji came down in September, and they returned together to Rayagad-Orme, 105, 107. Sambhaji gave him a house and fixed allowance but after a time began to treat him with less respect-Elliot, VII, 309, 312; Rev. Sabino D'Souza, 16; V. S. Bendre, Sambhaji Maharaj Yanche Charitra, 186, 199; Sardesai, 296.]. Aurangzeb now descended in the Deccan with a large army and the later Moghal-Maratha conflict, destined to last till the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, began.

The district suffered from the Moghal invasion early in the reign of Sambhaji. In 1683 [In the beginning of 1683, the English Company's ship President on her voyage up the coast was attacked off the Sangameshvar river by some Arab vessels which were afterwards found to be in Sambhaji's pay. The President lost eleven men killed and thirty-one wounded-Orme, 120. At this time, Sultan Akbar went to the Dutch factory at Vengurle with the intention of leaving the country, but was prevailed on to return. Orme, 125.], Moazzam, the son of Aurangzeb descended into the Konkan with a large army. He brought the area stretching from Goa to Vengurle under his control [When Sultan Moazzam with 40,000 cavalry, forced the ghats, Sambhaji, sensing that his force could not stand before them in the field, left garrisons in his strongholds and retired with the main body of his army to Rajapur, between which and Goa are six rivers-Orme, 132, 133. The prince sacked Vengurle as a punishment for its former protection of Sultan Akbar, but the Dutch successfully defended themselves in their fortified factory-Orme, 133.]. But the difficulties in that area increased greatly. And the prince decided to return to Ahrnadnagar. The Moghal army suffered much from fatigue, pestilence and the harassing tactics of the Marathas ["On reaching the village of Sampganv the fort of that place was invested (by Moazzam). The besiegers showed great bravery and took the fort in two days. The air of the place did not suit the invaders. The enemy swarmed around on every side, and cut off the supplies, on one side was sea, and on the two other sides were mountains full of poisonous trees and serpents. The enemy cut down the grass, which was a cause of great distress to man and beast and they had no food but cocoanuts and the grain called Kudun which acted like poison upon them-Elliot, VII, 314.]. Earlier Sambhaji's invasion of Goa, and the Portuguese-Maratha conflict also affected the southern parts of the district [Nairne, 78; Orme, 134, 141-45.]. In 1689, Sambhaji, on his return journey from Malkapur to Raygad was staying at Sangameshvar [Sambhaji spent his time between Panhala, Vishalgad and Sangameshvar and was at last abandoned by Sultan Akbar, who in October 1686 found at Rajapur a ship commanded by an Englishman and sailed in her to Persia about the middle of 1689-Nairne, 78, V. S. Bendre, o.c. 211; Ind. Ant. II, 320.]. He was surprised and captured by the Moghal general Muqrrab Khan (February 1689). He was taken to Aurangzeb and executed under his orders (March 1689)[A small party of Moghal cavalry set off from Kolhapur and having got close to Sangameshvar, before the alarm was given, succeeded in capturing Sambhaji. Khafi khan says that he had two or three thousand horses with him and was told of the approach of the hostile force, which consisted of two thousand horse and a thousand foot, but would not believe it. This may be true and yet they may have been quite unavailable for help, as Sangameshvar is so closely hemmed in between the hills and the creek that in the supposed absence of danger the guard would probably be at some distance. Only two or three hundred of the Moghal force surprised Sambhaji and Kalusha with a party of the Marathas tried to save him, and was himself wounded-Elliot, VII, 338; Orme, 163, 305; G. S. Sardesai, I, 313-14; Jervis, 109; Nairne, 78-79. ]. This was a serious blow to the Marathas. The Sidi of Janjira, now officially recognised as the Admiral of the Moghals, occupied Anjanvel and Suvarndurg[ Nairne, 79. In the south Rajaram did what he could but Suvarndurg and Anjanvel in the north had passed out of the hands of the Marathas into those of Habshi-Jervis, 109. The Habshi had added by 1699 the lower fort namely Padkot to Anjanvel fort-Jervis, 92. ]. In the south, Khem Savant by a policy of friendship with the Moghals increased his territory[ Rev. Sabino D'Souza, 26. Phond Savant, fearful of Bharatgad failing into the hands of a chief by name Bavdekar cut the great well through rock and finding water, built the fort in 1701, only three or four miles from Malvan and immediately afterwards the Pant of Bavda built Bhagavantgad on the other side of the river-Nairne, 79. ]. The Portuguese, although a decadent power at this time, took advantage of the Maratha reverses, and attacked the Maratha fleet and burnt three ships, the largest of thirty-two guns and carrying three hundred men in 1695 A. D. at the mouth of the Rajapur river [Nairne, 80; Shortly after 1697, Dabhol was given to Shirke family, Ind. Ant. II, 280.

By 1697, when the whole coast was given up to piracy, the notorious English pirate, Capt. Kidd appeared in these seas to add to the general terror. On one occasion he escaped from a Dutch and English Squadron and got to Rajapur, and off that port plundered a Bombay vessel. His ship was the adventure galley of thirty guns and thirty oars, and with a crew of 200 Europeans-Nairne, 81. c/f Bruce, III, 237, 271.].

The district thus continued to suffer till the end of Aurangzeb's reign. At the time of the death of Aurangzeb, Kanhoji Angre was in command of the Maratha fleet. He adhered to the side of Tarabai in her efforts against Shahu, who had now returned to the Maratha homeland from the Moghal camp [Shahu advanced as far as Rarigna, south of the Phonda ghat and laid siege to that fort and Tarabai, widow of Rajaram, fled to Malvan. Shahu however, did not descend into the Konkan and Tarabai, in 1710, having collected a force and being supported by the Savants, again went up the ghats and established herself at Kolhapur-Nairne, 81.

Orme says that Kanhoji held Suvarndurg against Shahu and that the latter built the Harnai forts in order to reduce him to obedience but Kanhoji took them. This must probably have happened between 1707 and 1713. The Marathas in 1707 equipped a fleet of 60 vessels under a leader independent of Angre to cruise between Bombay and Goa, partly to oppose the Arab pirates, who were now thoroughly organised and had now ships carrying 30 to 50 guns. Between 1712 and 1720, four actions are recorded between the Portuguese and the Arabs, the first of which was at the mouth of the Rajapur river-Orme, History of the Military Transactions, I, 407-409.

By 1680, the naval officer at Kolaba was Shivaji Gujar. Kanhoji Angre was the son of Tukoji who served first under Shahaji and then under Shivaji distinguished himself in the naval engagements against the Sidis and in 1690, was promoted to the post of Second in Command of Rajaram's fleet. In 1694 he was made ' Sarkhel'. After the death of Sidhoji Gujar in 1698, Kanhoji became the admiral of the Maratha navy-Apte. The Maratha Navy, (Bom. Uni.) 240.]. But in 1713, mainly due to the persuasion of Balaji Vishvanath, the Peshva of Shahu [Balaji Vishvanath, a Chitpavan of the family of Bhat and town of Shrivardhan, a little north of Bankot was the chief agent in the negotiations which led to the final arrangements and this was the first important service of the great man, who was soon appointed the Peshva-Nairne 82.], Kanhoji acknowledged Shahu as the king of the Marathas. He was confirmed as Admiral of the Maratha fleet and placed in charge of the coastline from Kolaba to Vengurle, with control over the inland of Palgad, Rasalgad, Kharepatan and Rajapur [G. S. Sardesai o.c. II, 25, 26; Nairne, 82; Orme, History, I, 408.].

ANGRES.

Kanhoji Angre soon made his power felt in all directions with the Maratha fleet now dominating the coast, the English, Portuguese and the Sidis all tried to attack Kanhoji and weaken his power, but without any success. The attack on Vijaydurg, Kanhoji's main naval station, by the English and the Portuguese on 17th June 1718 ended in miserable failure [G. S. Sardesai o.c. II, 25, 26; Nairne, 82; Orme, History, I, 408.]. The English made another attack on Vijaydurg in 1720 A.D. This too resulted in failure. The English and the Portuguese carried out a joint expedition against Kolaba, the principal seat of Kanhoji. The attack failed and they had to withdraw with heavy losses [To reduce Angre's power, the English attacked Vijaydurg not less than seven times and Khanderi not less than three times, not to speak of their march on Kolaba in combination with the Portuguese. But each time they received a reverse. Apte, 243.

Apte, 243. The Portuguese burnt sixteen of Angre's vessels in the Vijaydurg river, but they could do nothing against the port-Nairne, 87.

Expedition against Angre-Bombay Castle, 6-9-1720; 10th September 1720; 13th September 1720; 8th October 1720; 15th_ October 1720; 24th October 1720; 13th November 1720-Shrivastava, Arigres of Kolaba in British Records, 5-6.

Khem Savant had too invaded, Arigre's country and destroyed it as far as Rajapur and four of Arigre's grabs were sunk in Rajapur river-Bombay Castle, Monday, 24th October 1720-Shrivastava, Arigres of Kolaba in British Records, 6,].

In 1724, the Dutch attacked Vijaydurg with a total strength of a thousand sailors and soldiers. Rudraji Anant, the commandant of the fort let the Dutch make the landing and then attacked them vigorously. The Dutch had to retreat with heavy losses [Apte, Ibid. The Dutch attacked Vijaydurg with a fleet of seven ships of the line, two bomb ketches and some land forces but they succeeded no better than the others. Nairne 86.].

Kanhoji died on 20th June 1729 [Surendra Nath Sen; The Military System of the Marathas, page 189.] A.D. Till his death he was the master of the entire coastal area, excepting Dabhol and Anjanvel held by the Sidis of Janjira. In 1731, the district was divided between the ruling houses of Satara and Kolhapur. All area south of Vijaydurg was taken over by Kolhapur while the territory north of Vijaydurg came into the possession of the Rajas of Satara [Vijaydurg itself of course remained with the Angres. The Sidi had still retained the districts of Mahad, Raygad, Dabhol and Anjanvel.].

The Savants of Savantvadi in the south were now growing in importance. Lakhan Savant had, after being driven out by Shivaji come to terms, undertaking to him at Kudal that he would neither build nor repair any forts and that he would entertain no large body of troops. Lakhan Savant died in 1665 and was succeeded by his brother Phond Savant, who in turn was succeeded by his son Khem Savant in 1675. Phond Savant who maintained a large army had made territorial gains by his policy of assisting the Moghals. He adhered to the cause of Shahu, and was, as a result confirmed, in his possessions. He died in 1704 and was succeeded by his nephew, Phond Savant.

After the death of Kanhoji, of his sons, Sekhoji, succeeded him at Kolaba, while Sambhaji took charge at Suvarndurg, Sekhoji did not rule long. After his death, on 29th August 1733 [G. S. Sardesai, II, 139. The English formed an alliance with the Savants of Vadi, against Sekhoji in 1730. But it turned futile. In 1730, Sekhoji captured two merchant ships of the Portuguese, Apte, 244; Shrivastava, Letter No. 55, p. 16.], disputes broke out between his brothers Sambhaji and Manajl and were resolved only by division of the estates. The territory from Suvarndurg to Vijaydurg continued with Sambhaji who was given the title of Sarkhel, while Manaji was allotted the share held by Sekhoji namely the territory north of Suvarndurg with headquarters at Kolaba [G. S. Sardesai, II, 177. By the Peshva's appearance on the scene, a treaty was concluded between the brothers. A new title of ' Vajarat mab' was conferred upon Manaji while Sambhaji continued to hold the hereditary tide of "Sarkhel", Apte, 245, Shrivastava, 16.].

To check the growing power of the Maratha fleet, the English in 1730, formed an offensive and defensive alliance, with Savantvadi. They agreed that neither should attack the ships of the other, that the British wrecks should receive all the aid and assistance, that their ports should be open and free to each other for trade, that they should join to attack the sons of Kanhoji, and that the British should supply the Sar Desai with war-like stores and artillery. The Marathas now declared war on the Sidis of Janjira. The immediate cause of the hostilities was the sudden and unprovoked attack of Sidi Saat, the Janjira general on the important temple of Parashuram, near Chiplun, in 1727. Property was plundered, the idols were desecrated and the priests and laymen alike were subjected to atrocities [G. S. Sardesai II, 136.

The offensive and defensive alliance of the British with Phond Savant in 1730 and with Sidis in 1733 had no particular result. But in December 1738, Commodore Bagwel with four grabs was cruising in search of Sambhaji's fleet and on the 22nd came upon nine of his grabs and thirteen gallivats issuing from the Vijaydurg river. They stood up the coast but the Commodore immediately bore down on them and they took refuge in the Rajapur river, displaying all their flags. They ran up the river further than the English could follow them and the Commodore could only give them a few broadsides, which, however, did much damage and killed their admiral. In 1740, Sambhaji took possession of Bharatgad, Bhagvantgad and the greater part of the Vadi possessions in the Salshi province. Nairne, 88; in 1740 Sambhaji threatened Kolaba itself. But Peshva's timely help saved Manaji, The English too, had at this time come to help Manaji with their squadron-Apte, 246. Manaji rendered some help to the Peshva army during 1737-39, when it was attacking the Portuguese at Bassein. Apte-246. Shrivastava Letter No. 84, p. 31. It was reported that by December 1735 that Sambhaji and Khem Savant had come to terms-Shrivastava, letter No. 94, p. 29.].

It took some time to organise the campaign. The main objects of the war were to release the Maratha capital Raygad from the Sidi's control, capture of Anjanvel and Govalkot, and if possible the occupation of Janjira and the extinction of the Sidi's power. In June, Raygad fell to the Marathas. However, the death of Sekhojl Angre in 1733, and the disputes for succession between his brothers affected the campaign. The campaign was conducted in a desultory fashion throughout 1734 and 1735 near Bankot and Govalkot. But the blow from the Marathas came in 1736. Chimnaji Appa. suddenly attacked Sidi Saat, the Janjira general as he lay encamped near Revas. In the fight that ensued at the villages of Chari and Kamarlee, Sidi Saat, fell fighting, together with his colleague Sidi Jakul and 1300 followers. The Sidis concluded peace with the Marathas. Of their main landports, only Anjanvel and Govalkot remained with them [G. S. Sardesai, II, 140; Shrivastava, Letter No. 89, p. 29.].

The disputes between Manaji and Sambhaji, notwithstanding the division of Kanhoji's estates agreed upon, continued and led to open clashes. In 1737, Manaji, with the help of Peshva, repulsed an attack by Sambhaji and the Portuguese. In 1740, when Sambhaji's fleet appeared before Kolaba, the English came to Manaji's help and drove off Sambhaji south of Suvarndurg [Manaji's relations with the Peshva, too, steadily deteriorated. The relations between Sharikarajipant Phadke and Manaji were not friendly either. Manaji had captured a ship of a certain merchant by name, Nathas, in whom Shankaraji was interested. As an answer to this move Shankaraji captured a ship of Kharepatan possessing Manaji's permit. Manaji demanded its release through Chimnaji Appa. But shrewd Shankaraji explained to Chimnaji how it was a question of right rather than the mere release of a ship. In 1744, Peshva's men took the fort of Bhairavgad belonging to Manaji. To retaliate, the latter dispatched three ghurabs and thirty galbats to Bassein to impede the Peshvas armada-Apte, 247-Foot note. Manaji was amicable towards Tulaji, his brother and successor of Sambhaji- Manaji died on 13th September 1758. Ibid, Shrivastava, Letter No. 183, p. 63; Letter No. 188, p. 67; Letter No. 195, p. 69. Letter of Shahu Raja to the President, Bombay, Shrivastava, Letter No. 202, p. 77 (Received by the Messenger on 8th October 1740); reply to Shahu Raja, letter No. 202, p. 77.].

Sambhaji died on 12th January 1741 [Surendra Nath Sen; The Military System of the Marathas, p. 198.]. His estate was claimed by Manaji who was at Kolaba. This claim was disputed by Sambhaji's half brother Tulaji. Shahu, the king of the Marathas, declared that he would confer the Sarkhelship held previously by Sambhaji on any one of the Angre family who would capture Anjanvel and Govalkot [G. S. Sardesai, II, 139.]. Tulaji undertook the campaign and captured Anjanvel and Govalkot on 25th January 1745 [Ibid, II, 140, 247.

Shahu was highly gratified at this success and named the places Gopalgad (Anjanvel) and Govindgad (Govalkot). But these names did not come into popular use. The places still go by their old names-G. S. Sardesai, II, 247. Foot note; Apte, 248; Shrivastava, Letter No. 314, p. 121.

Anjanvel was blockaded by Angre's fleet but the fleet escaped to Suvarndurg on the appearance of the English fleet, however, Balajl Bajirao Peshva wrote to the President, Bombay. Shahu Raja also wrote to that effect, Shrivastava, Letters No. 313, 314, 315, 316, 317; pp. 120-122.]. With the capture of these two places by the Marathas, the Sidis lost all their possessions in the district[G. S. Sardesai, II, 140.].

Tulaji succeeded his brother Sambhaji to the command of the Maratha fleet, south of Suvarndurg. He had his headquarters at Vijaydurg. He very soon, came into conflict with the Peshva, then bent on gaining complete possession of the Maratha fleet. The Portuguese who had lost Bassein in 1739, were trying to get back their possession and readily found out the enemies of the Peshva. They came to terms with Tulaji against the Peshva. The Savantvadi Desals were also victims of Tulaji's aggression.

Soon after his accession Tulaji attacked the Savants, took Bhagvantgad and Bhairavgad, crossed the Kudal river, defeated the Savants at Bambardi and compelled the Savants to cede two-fifth of the Salshi revenue. At the same time the Portuguese seized five of the southern districts, together with the fort of Yeshvantgad. At this time the Savant, Ramchandra was a minor with his uncle Jayaram, acting as a regent. The Savants struck back and in 1745, the five districts were recovered and for a time, Bardes was also taken. Three years later, in 1748, Tulaji was defeated with heavy loss at Kudal, was pursued as far as Sangva ' near Ratnagirl and his country was laid waste. Bharatgad and the districts between the Kudal and the Garner rivers were recovered and the third raid of Tulaji was successfully beaten off.

Besides attacking Savantvadl which was under the protection of the Peshva, Tulaji, started depredations openly in the Peshva's territory. At the end of 1747, he captured, Mudagad, south of the fort of Vishalgad. The Peshva, the Pratinidhi, the Amatya of Bavda and the Savant, all came to terms and continued to drive him out. The fort Mudagad was recaptured in April 1748[G. S. Sardesai, II, 247. ].

The Peshva now decided to put an end to this intolerable situation, arising out of the Portuguese-Tulaji combination. His aim was to bring Tulaji under his control and prevent him from joining hands with the enemies of the Marathas[Shrivastava, Letters No. 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 369-372. ].

Instead of dealing with Tulaji alone, the Peshva took the extraordinary step of joining hands with the English who seized this opportunity of weakening the Maratha. fleet.

The treaty between the Marathas and the English arrived at, on the 29th March 1755, was in the following terms:-

(1) that both the Maratha and the British navy should be under the complete control of the latter;

(2) that whatever ships would be captured from the Angres should be divided half and half between the two;

(3) that after Tulaji was overcome, the Marathas should cede to the British Bankot and its fort Himmatgad, afterwards named Fort Victoria together with five villages in that neighbourhood;

(4) that the British should prevent any succour going to Tulaji through the sea;

(5) that whatever treasure, ammunition, guns or supplies would be captured or found in the forts and places belonging to the Marathas, should be equally shared.

(6) if the British and the Marathas should jointly attack Manaji Angre, the island of Khanderi should be ceded to the British [G. S. Sardesai, II, 343-345.

Agreement between Richard Brouchier and Ramajipant for concerted action against Tulaji Angre and division of territory-Shrivastava, Letter No. 362, p. 135; Letter No. 367, p. 138.].

In the combined Anglo-Maratha operations, the fort of Suvarn-durg was the first to be captured. Captain William Jones was appointed by the Bombay Council to head the expedition [Suvarndurg at this time had fifty guns mounted and the three forts on the shore eighty between them-Nairne, 90-92.

Commodore James made sail for Suvarndurg on 22nd March 1755 with the Protector of 44 guns, a ketch of 16 guns and two bomb vessels. The Maratha fleet of seven ghurabs and sixty gallivats with 10,000 men on board, joined him and sailed to Kumbharu Bay. Ramajlpant had, too, proceeded by land route. Apte, 193-198, 249.

Ramajipant sent from Suvarndurg, land forces to take Bankot and Himmatgad and intended going against Dabhol and Jaygad in a day or two, after 12th April 1755. Shrivastava, Letter No. 364, p. 136.]. Ramajlpant, the Peshva's subhedar at Kalyan, accompanied him. The fort surrendered on the 3rd April 1755[Surendra Nath Sen; The Military System of the Marathas, p. 205.], when the Peshva's generals Jivaji Gavli and Khandoji Mankar supported the operations from the land. Two other generals, Shamsher Bahadur and Dinkar Mahadev invaded Ratnagiri which was captured on the 18th February 1756. The Peshva's troops had earlier captured Anjanvel and Govalkot on the 14th January 1756 [Ramajipant had attacked and carried the forts of Kanakdurg, Fategad and Goa-Shrivastava, letter No. 365, p. 137. Instruction of Nana to the English to help Shamsher Bahadur in Ratnagiri-Shrivastava, letter No. 365.

Dinkarpant attacking Ratnagiri, hence, Commodore James was instructed to lay off large British fleet that port to prevent Angre from throwing in succour-Shrivastava, Letter No. 366, p. 137; Orme, History, I, 407-417.

Five days after the fall of Suvarndurg, Commodore James arrived at Bankot. The fort surrendered on the first summons. Com. James handed over the charge to the Marathas and at the end of the rains (October), the fort and nine neighbouring villages (Velas, Veshi, Bagmandla, Shipola Kuduk, Panderi, Peva, Kumble and Dasgaon) were ceded to the British and its name changed from Himmatgad to Fort Victoria. Nairne, 92.

William Andrew Prince was appointed chief of the ports of Hammuttgurr and Bancote with five villages to the southward of Marbana river and three to the northward with all the dependencies, with reference to the third article of agreement with the Peshva. Shrivastava-Letter No. 368, p. 138.].

The allies now turned to Vijaydurg [Shrivastava Letter Nos. 369, 370, 371, 372, pp. 139-141. Apte, 198-200.

The whole united fleet consisted of four ships of the line of 70, 64, 60 and 50 guns, one of 44, three of 20, a grab of 12, and five bomb-ketches, fourteen vessels in all. Besides the seamen, they had on board a battalion of 800 Europeans with 1,000 sepoys under the command of Lieut. Colonel Clive. Ives says that Maratha army consisted of 5,000 or 6,000 horses and as many foot. Their fleet was three or four ghurabs and forty or fifty gallivats, and was lying in the Rajapur creek (about four miles north of Gheria), the small fort of which they had taken before the English fleet arrived. Clive landed at Vijaydurg about 9 p.m. on 12th February 1756- Ives account-Nairne, 94; Orme, History, I, 407-417 (414).]. On the request of the Government of Bombay, the Madras authorities sent troops under Captain Clive and a naval force under Admiral Watson to join the operations.

On the 7th February 1756, fourteen British ships of war with a force of 800 English troops and a thousand Indians left Bombay under Clive and Watson, all by the sea route. They arrived before Vijaydurg on the 11th February. The firing started on the 12th. At four in the afternoon of the same day, a chance shot falling on one of Angre's ship set fire to his entire fleet and in a short time all the seventy ships belonging to him were burnt to ashes [A little after four o'clock, a shell fell into ' Restoration', which set her on fire and very soon after, Angre's whole fleet was on fire and they were all destroyed-Shrivastava-Report of Charles Watson, Letter No. 371.

Account given by Ives, who was surgeon on board Admiral Watson's ship at the taking of Gheria-Nairne, 89, 93-95; Orme, History I. 407-417.]. On the 3rd, the English took possession of the fort. They found in the fort 250 guns, ten lakhs of rupees in cash, six brass mortars and about four thousand pounds worth of goods and valuables [Captain Forbes took possession of the fort. Charles Watson had sent for Ramajipant to discuss terms about Tulaji- Shrivastava-Report of Charles Watson from 'Kent', on 14th February 1756, Letter No. 371, pp. 141-142; Letter No. 372.

According to Nairne, "There were found in it 200 pieces of cannon, six brass mortars, and a great quantity of ammunition and military and naval stores of all kinds. The money and effects of other kinds amounted to 1,20,000 pounds sterling", p. 94. After admiral Watson's death in the following year, the E. I. C. erected a monument to him in Westminster Abbey and a pillar commemorative of the capture of Suvarndurg is still standing at Shooter's Hill near London-Nairne, 95; Orme, History, I., 407-417.].

Tulaji surrendered to the Marathas. He had been seeking peace terms which were unheeded. The British now demanded the surrender of Tulaji which the Marathas refused as they had no orders from the Peshva to that effect. The British similarly refused to hand over the fort to the Marathas [Shrivastava, Letters No. 370, 371, 373, 375, 376, 380, 382.

After Tulaji's subjugation the Province of Vijaydurg was placed under the admirality of Anandrao Dhulap and Suvarndurg in charge of Ramji Mahadeo. The charge of Suvarndurg was given to Haripant Phadke after Ramji's death-Apte, 249.].

After the Peshva had protested to the British for continued possession of Vijaydurg, the allies came to an agreement on 12th October 1756, by which Vijaydurg was handed over to the Marathas, in lieu of Bankot and ten villages to be ceded to the British [Articles of agreement settled by Thomas Byfeld and John Spencer Esquire on the part of East India Company with Balajl Bajirao Pant Pradhan- Shrivastava, letter No. 383.

On his arrival at Gheriah (Vijaydurg) on 26th October, Crommelin had delivered over the fort to Govind Sevram Pant, with 125 guns and 7623 shots and given him 5 Barrels and 171 filed cartridges. Shrivastava, Letter No. 150.]. The Portuguese wanted to exploit the operations against Tulaji to their advantage. They had sent a small force to his help. They also attacked the Maratha post on Phonda, south of Goa on the 28th June 1756. However, the Portuguese attack had failed. The Portuguese Governor, Cont. De Alva was killed and the Portuguese lost their guns and arms to the Marathas.

Tulaji remained in detention of the Marathas till his death in 1786 A.D. [Tulaji, however, had proposed to the English to raise disturbance in the Maratha country provided he was given Gheria (Vijaydurg) in November 1768-Shrivastava, Letter No. 389. But his sons declared that these letters were not from their father, hence the President at Bombay took no notice. Ibid.

Raghuji Angre (1764-1793) appealed to the English for help in April 1746 because, Ramjl and Visajl Pant had collected a body of men in his neighbourhood-Shrivastava, Letter No. 390. Raghuji had imprisoned Sadoba, the pretender- Ibid. Letter No. 391. Bhau Pandit (Sadoba) marched from Ratnagiri, by 1776, and after taking many forts got as far as Rajmachy upon the Ghat where he had a battle with the Peshva's army, in which he obtained a victory-Raghujl's letter to President, Bombay dated 1st November 1776-Shrivastava, Letter No, 392. Raghuji was threatened by the English who demanded Sadoba. Ibid. Letter, No. 395. Raghuji captured ' Chichester' and Gallivatwolf'-Apte, p. 250 for Raghujl's help to Peshva in arresting Sadoba.].

FIRST ANGLO-MARATHA WAR.

In 1774 A.D. the first Anglo-Maratha war broke out. It lasted till 1782 A.D. shortly after the treaty of Salbaye had been concluded, the Maratha Navy, in ignorance of the conclusion of the treaty, attacked the " Ranger ", a small brig of 12 guns under the command of Lt. Pruanthen on its way to Calicut. The attack took place on 8th April, 1783, on the coast near Ratnagiri. "The fight was long and fierce. The shot fell thick. The assailants boarded by hundreds. The deck was strewn with the English dead and dying ". Five officers and 28 men were lost on the British side. The Marathas lost eight distinguished men and about 75 wounded. Dhulap captured five English vessels and took them to his port of Vijaydurg [G. S. Sardesai, III, 122.

In 1774, five or six Portuguese merchantmen sailed from Goa to Surat convoyed by a sixty-four gun ship, but were attacked by the Marathas, the frigate put to fight, and the rest taken into Gheria. In 1780, a ship carrying despatches from the Court of Directors was taken off the coast and carried to Vijaydurg and the officer was sent as a prisoner to Rasalgad- Naime, 107.

The English ship ' Ranger', accompanied by three Shibars and a batela, with ammunition, men and seven captains of note on board, was sailing from Bombay to Calicut. Near Ratnagiri, the English squadron was attacked by the Maratha Navy. The Ranger had 12 guns, the English ships were too strong for the groups inspite of their terrific fire. The Marathas boarded the English vessels and cut their crew in a stubborn melee. The English ships were captured with great loss of men to them. In great triumph Anandrao carried the trophy to Vijaydurg. But he had to return the prize after the Treaty of Salbaye-Apte, 252.

The Ministerial party headed by Nana Phadnavis was very powerful at Poona court This Balaji Janardhan Bhanu, alias" Nana, was a native of Velas, a village adjoining Bankot and within three or four miles of Shrivardhan, the birth place of Balaji Vishvanath, the first Peshva. Nana's brother Gangadhar was subhedar of Vijaydurg, and there built the temple of Rameshvar, which is remarkable by its gloomy position, and by the road down to it being cut through the solid rock at a very steep incline- Nairne, 103; Haripant Phadke was a native of Guhagar, as was Gangadhar Shastri, later, murdered at Pandharpur; the Patvardhan chiefs of Miraj originally came from the village of Ganpatipule near Ratnagiri; the Ghorpade chiefs of Ichalkaranji from Mhapan near Vengurle; the chiefs of Ramdurg and Nargund of the Bhave family were also Korikanl Brahmans and Bajirao's second wife was of the Oke family of Guhagar if not herself a native of that place.]."

As the treaty had been concluded, of which the Maratha. fleet was not aware, on the protest of the English, the Marathas restored the ships and the goods that had been seized and declared the incident closed.

In 1765, a force under Major Gordon and Captain Watson took the forts of Malvan and Redi. Naming it Fort Augustus, the Bombay Government meant to keep Malvan; but as it did not pay, on his promising not to molest their ships, to give security for future good conduct, and to re-pay losses and charges to the amount of £38,289 12s. (Rs. 3,82,896), Malvan was made over to the Raja of Kolhapur; similarly, on his promising to keep the peace and pay a sum of £20,000 (Rs. 2,00,000), Red! was at the close of 1766, restored to Khem Savant, the Vadi Desai. The £20,000 (Rs. 2,00,000) were raised by a thirteen years mortgage of the Vengurle revenues, and to induce the mortgagee, Vithoji Kumti, to advance the amount, Mr. Mostyn, besides procuring two Vadi hostages was obliged to promise that a small factory should be established at Vengurle and the English flag hoisted [Grant Duff, III, 70.]. The hostages escaped, and the mortgagee's agents were driven from their revenue stations. At the end of 13 years, though they had prevented the mortgagee from recovering the revenue, the Savants demanded the district. This was refused and Vengurle was attacked and taken on 4th June 1780, with a loss to the English of much private and some public property [Nairne, 106-107.].

THE SAVANTS.

Proud of this success and of the marriage of Khem Savant with the niece of Mahadji Shinde, the Savants renewed their piracies, and joined by the Kolhapur fleet, caused grievous losses to trade [In 1786, the Raja of Kolhapur himself took a large army into the Konkan, stormed Bharatgad, Nivti (a well known fort on the coast between Malvan and Vengurle) and Vishalgad which commands the most level part of the southern Konkan. On account of the Savants getting assistance from Goa, he evacuated Nivti and Vengurle but appointed mamlatdars and other officials to the rest of the newly conquered territory-Nairne, 108.]. In 1792, finding that an expedition was organised to punish him, the Raja of Kolhapur offered to indemnify all who had suffered from his piracies, and to allow the company to establish factories, at Malvan and Kolhapur [Grant Duff, III, 72. Shrivastava, Letter No. 400.]. These terms were accepted; but next year the complaints of the traders were as bitter as ever. Meanwhile in 1785, war broke out between the Savants and Kolhapur, and with varying success lasted for 23 years. In 1793, except Malvan, the whole of the south coast was in the possession of the Savants [In 1792, while these events were in progress, the Bombay Government had prepared an armament against Kolhapur, but this was not despatched, as a treaty was made by which the English were allowed to have a factory at the island of Malvan (Sindhudurg) and to heist their flag there till all claims were paid. Nairne c/f. Aitchison's Treaties, VI, 94.].

In May 1790, a force left Bombay to co-operate with the army which had first invaded Tipoo Sultan's territory. It was disembarked at Sangameshvar, and after halting there five days marched up the Amba Ghat.

Although there was artillery with it, a second detachment went by the same route in the following November. The entrance to the river Jaygad was at this time defended by forts on each side. A wall of communication ran up the side of the hill on the south shore from a battery of eleven embrasures on a level with the water, which like the other fortifications was in very bad repair. The factory at Fort Victoria was found useful during this war as the Resident purchased) and received from Poona between eleven and twelve thousand bullocks and sent them down the coast for the use of the army [Nairne, 108].

In October 1802, on account of the victory of Yeshvantrao Holkar over Shinde, Bajlrav II left Poona. Having released Madhavrao Raste from Raygad, he went down to Mahad. He had with him six to eight thousand men, and at his request, an English vessel was sent down to Bankot to take him up to Bombay. He wished to send his family and the families of his attendants to Suvarndurg, but the Commandant refused to receive them. Grain for the subsistence of his force had to be sent from Bassein and Bombay, this being the year of great famine. The Sar Subhedar of the Konkan, Khanderav Raste, joined him at Mahad. About November 22, Holkar with his army came down the Par Ghat, when the Peshva fled to Suvarndurg, while some of his followers took refuge in the English factory at Fort Victoria. Suvarndurg, however, was found to be in a defenceless condition and the Peshva, therefore, embarked in one of his own vessels escorted by two belonging to Bombay Government. By the time the Peshva had arrived at Bassein, Holkar with 5,000 troops, had taken, with very little resistance, Raygad and Suvarndurg and in the latter, the Peshva's family [Col. Close who had been awaiting the Peshva's arrival in Bombay with Mount Stuart Elphinstorie then his assistant went to Bassein immediately on his arrival and there on December 31 was concluded the Treaty of Bassein. Nairne, 110-11.].

Being supported by the British, the Peshva was quick to take vengeance on the chiefs, whose armies were much reduced. A Maratha force was sent against Suvarndurg on account of the killedar Hari Ballal Kelkar having thrown off his allegiance, and after an unsuccessful investment a small British force was encamped at Kelshi, eight miles north of Suvarndurg, and the garrison of the island was said to be 800 men, Arabs and Marathas, but it was eventually surrendered without resistance and 200 native infantry put in until the orders of the Peshva should be received [Manuscript Records-Nairne, Konkan, 111 ].

In 1803, however, the Portuguese overran and permanently annexed the districts of Dicholi, Sankli, Pedna and Phonda. In 1806, Kolhapur took Bharatgad or Masura and Nivti and in return the Savants worsted the country, re-took Nivti and Redi, and laid siege to Bharatgad. Coming in strength, the Kolhapur troops raised the siege and carried the war into the Vadi territory. At Chahkal, a pitched battle ending in favour of Kolhapur, was followed by the siege of Vadi. But Lakshmi Bai, the regent of Vadi, by inducing Siddojirav Nimbalkar of Nipani to enter their territory, forced the Kolhapur troops to retire. Next year (1809), Phond Savant, the new Vadi chief, was defeated by Mansing Patankar, the Kolhapur general; he was pursued and his lands laid waste as far north as Rajapur. In 1810, the Kolhapur troops were again forced to leave the Konkan, and Redi and Nivti fell into the Savant's hands [Nairne, 112. The piracies of both these powers had continued unchecked and their serious import to Bombay Presidency may be judged by the fact that Duke of Wellington only two days after the battle of Assaye wrote (with his own hand as was usual to him) a short despatch on the subject to the Bombay Government-MS. records, Nairne, II. Two brothers named Bapuji and Hiraji, who were remembered by persons then living by 1883, as having spent their last days at Malvan in great poverty, were, when young, noted for the cruelty and daring of their piracies-Foot note, Nairne, 112.].

In 1812, as part of the settlement between the Peshva and the southern Maratha jahgirdars, the Rajah of Kolhapur ceded to the British Government the harbour of Malvan, including the port and island of Malvan or Sindhudurg and its dependencies [Hamilton, Description of Hindostan, II, 217. Lord Minto brought them under his power by taking possession of their principal ports and thus preventing their wartime depredations. Chaudhari, 169; Nairne C/F Aitchison, Treaties, VI, 97, 129.].

A similar treaty was entered into by Phond Savant in 1812, on 3rd October, by which the Savant ceded the fort of Vengurle to the British and engaged to give up all his vessels of war [Chaudhuri, 169. Nivti was left to the Savants but a guard of British troops was stationed there to see that no piratical vessels made use of the port. From this time till the cession of the whole Konkan, the Bombay Government kept a civil and military establishment both at Malvan and Vengurle. The cession brought to an end the troubles of the district from the Kolhapur State, but the Savants by their internal quarrels kept the country in confusion for several years-Asiatic Journal, VIII, 78-79. Hamilton, Description of Hindostan, II, 217.].

Shortly afterwards, Phond Savant III died and during the minority of his son, Khem Savant IV (1812-1867), alias Bapu Sahib, Durga Bai acted as the regent. In 1813, Durga Bai[ This ambitious lady had been always hostile to the British Government and played a tortuous part in the confused politics of the third Maratha war. Mill says that she was unable to check the depredations committed by the armed bands of her State on the territories of the Bombay Presidency- Chaudhuri, Ibid.] seized the forts of Bharatgad and Narsiriggad, which some few years before had been wrested from Vadi by Kolhapur. The British had, meanwhile guaranteed to defend the Kolhapur territory against all attacks, and as Durga Bai obstinately refused to give up the forts, a British force under Colonel Dowse recaptured them and restored them to Kolhapur. In consequence of Durga Bai's refusal to cede the Kolhapur forts and to exchange some districts north of the Kudal river for the lands held by the British south of that river, war was declared and the districts of Varad and Maland seized[ An expedition under General Keir (1819) marched into the interior of the country and reduced the fortresses to submission-Chaudhuri, 169.]. At this time the widow of Shriram Savant caused fresh trouble by putting forward a person who claimed to be Ramchandra Savant, who, she alleged, had not been murdered in 1807. Her cause found many supporters who moved about the country plundering, on their own account. Such mischief did they play that many of the people, leaving their homes, sought safety in British and the Portuguese territories [Hamilton, Des. of Hindostan; II, 218.].

Durga Bai, now brought to great straits, offered to adjust all causes of quarrel, if the British Government would intervene on her behalf. Her proposals were declined. But even without British help her party was again successful, and order was, for the time, restored. In 1807 in consequence of a Portuguese raid into Usap, the Portuguese fort of Terekhol was plundered. In revenge, the Portuguese attacked Redi, but after a fruitless siege of twenty-seven days, were forced to withdraw. About this time, the Vadi nobles who held the forts of Banda, Nivti and Redi, became unmanageable set the chiefs' authority at naught and plundered in all directions including the surrounding British territories.

At the close of the struggle between the British and the Peshva (September 1816) the transfer of the whole of the Konkan was promised to the British. Thana was handed over, but as it was the native country of the Peshva and of almost all the chief Brahman families, the cession of Ratnagiri was delayed. After the battle of Kirkee (1st November 1817), arrangements were made for its conquest. Suvarndurg was, without difficulty, taken in November 1817 by a force under Col. Kennedy [At the end of November, a detachment of Artillery and of the Marine Battalion (XXIst Regiment N. I.) under the orders of Captain William Morrison of the IX Regiment, was employed in reducing the fort of Suvarndurg which surrendered on the 4th December 1818. The Governor in Council, in General orders of the 20th December, was pleased to express his high sense of the conduct of the detachment upon the occasion. Though opposed by very superior numbers, the energy of this small force succeeded in surmounting every obstacle, escalading and taking in open day, with a party consisting only of fifty sepoys and thirty seamen led by Capt. Campbell of the IXth Regiment and Lieut. Dominicette of the Marines, the fort of Kandah (Kanakdurg) notwithstanding the heavy fire of the enemy. This gallant and successful enterprise having completely intimidated the enemy, the two other forts of Goa and Janjira, were abandoned during the night. Bom. Gaz. X, 339-340 c/f Service Record of H. M.'s XXIst Regiment N. I. (Marine Battalion)]. Early in 1818, he reduced Mandangad and other forts in the present Dapoli sub-division, and shortly afterwards Ramgad, Palgad and Rasalgad in Khed. Already in January, Col. Prother advancing from the north-east had taken Pali and Bhorap [In January 1818, the force under Col. Prother, consisting of 380 Europeans, 800 Native Infantry and a battering train, took Karnala and within a month afterwards the forts of Avchitgad, Songad, Pali which was bombarded for two hours and Bhorap, the last, a strong place, the fall of which hastened the surrender of the Pant Sachiv to the British authority. Nairne, 116 c/f Blue Book, 128, 177, 245. It was cannonaded for twenty-four hours before surrendering and an immense store of provisions found in it Ms. records, Nairne, 116.

About the same time Mandangad, where there were two forts with a triple stockade in the space between, was taken by escalade by small force from Suvarndurg under Colonel Kennedy and here a seaman was killed and nine or ten sepoys wounded-As. Journal, VI 320; Nairne, 116. c/f Blue Book, 208.]; and Col. Imlack, from Malvan occupied Salshi and Devgad, and taking Siddagad, Bhagvantgad and Achra, secured the southern frontier [Siddagad, at first was unsuccessfully attacked, but with the help of a detachment of the 89th Regiment, which put into Malvan on account of adverse winds, a second attack was successful-As. Journal, VI, 320. Bhagvantgad made some resistance.]. Anjanvel, at the mouth of the Vasishthi, Govalkot and other strong-holds in Chiplun were taken on May 17th. In June the Ratnagiri Deshmukh's surrender of his forts, and the Dhulap's cession of Vijaydurg, completed the conquest [By force under Col.-Kennedy, Bairamgad, Bhavangad, Purangad, Jaygad Satavli were taken-As. Journal, VI, 418; VII, 67; IX, 123 (Report on Vijaydurg).].

During the final British war with the Peshva (1817), Durga Bai threatened to invade the British territory, and tried her best to aid the Peshva's cause. Even after the overthrow of the Peshva, her raids into the British territory did not cease. The war against Savantvadi could be put off no longer, and on 4th February 1819, a British force, under Sir William Grant Keir, took the forts of Yeshvantgad and Nivti [The force consisted of a wing of the 89th Regiment, 2½ battalions of Native Infantry and three troops of Native Cavalry and Artillery, Nairne, 127.]. At this time Durga Bai died, and the regency was divided between the two surviving widows of Khem Savant III. The new regents gladly accepted the British terms. A treaty was concluded in which the British promised to protect Savantvadi, and the regency acknowledged British supremacy, agreed to abstain from political intercourse with other states, to deliver to the British Government persons guilty of offences in the British territory, to cede the whole line of sea coast from the Karli river to the Portuguese boundaries, and to receive the British troops into Savantvadi [Aitchison, Treaties, IV, 436-448, Chaudhuri, 169.]. A British officer was also attached to the state as a political agent.

Chatursihg, the brother of the Raja of Satara had for several years carried on predatory operations against the Peshva, but he was taken prisoner in 1812 by Trimbakji Dehgale. After Chatursihg's imprisonment, an imposter carried on the rebellion in his name and the Ramoshis under him were very active in taking forts and plundering the country and the districts of Suvarndurg and Anjanvel suffered most from their raids. In the beginning three or four bands of Pendharis descended into the Konkan, intending to sweep the whole coast. One band completely sacked some large villages near Suvarndurg [Nairne, 114; Khobarekar, Ingraji Sattevirudha Maharashtrantil Sashastra Uthav, 27; 17. Asiatic Journal III, 626 (ref. The Bombay Courier, June 1817) IV, 315 (ref. Bombay Courier, March 1, 1817). The Bombay Government kept open communications, but a despatch from General Smith near Poona to the Commander-in-chief in Bombay had to be sent round by Bankot. Nairne c/f Blue Book, 119, 129.].

Bajirav, three or four years before his deposition had built a palace at Guhagar, six miles south of Dabhol, both as a hot weather retreat and to enable him to perform his religious rites on the sea-shore. He visited it for some years in succession, his route being down the Kumbharli ghat and through Chiplun [The greater part of the palace at Guhagar was pulled down shortly after the British took the Konkan, and the materials used for the Government buildings at Ratnagiri-Waddington's MS. report, Nairne, 114.].

Koli Outrages. (1828-30, 1839 and 1844-48).

The Kolis infested the country both above and below the Sahyadri in the Thana district but they were scattered over the whole area, from the borders of Cutch to the western ghats [Towards the end of 1824, the Kolis of Gujarat raised a formidable insurrection' burning and plundering the villages and carried their depredations near the vicinity of Baroda-Chaudhuri, Civil Disturbances in India, 167.]. Ramji Bhangria, a Koli police officer of the Government resigned his service as a protest against a Government order, stopping his levy of fifty rupees. There was also acute discontent among the Kolis, as most of them were out of employment consequent upon the dismantling of the forts. Inspired by the successful revolt of the Ramoshis of Satara (1826-29), the Kolis under Bhangria, raised the standard of revolt in 1828 and committed excesses. A large body of troops was employed against them. A detachment was posted in Konkan and another up the ghats while mobile parties entered into the interior of the hills, surprised them in their hiding places and suppressed the rising.

But the warlike Kolis were a terrible menace to the British rule. Early in 1839, bands of Kolis plundered a large number of villages in the Sahyadri ranges. All the turbulent elements of the hills joined them. This time, they were led by three leaders, Bhau Khare, Chimnajl Jadhav and Nana Darbare who seemed to have harboured some political motives. The rising of the year 1839 was not merely the usual explosion of the hill tribes; the reduction in the Poona garrison lately made, led them to believe in the depletion of the British troops in that district, and consequently they made bold enough to work for the restoration of the Peshva. and the insurgents even declared themselves as Government in his name. Prompt action by British officers averted a crisis [The rebels planned an attack on the Mahalkari's treasury at Ghode, but they were intercepted by Rose, the Assistant Collector of Poona. The insurgents, 150 in number, besieged the place throughout the whole night. Meanwhile Rose attacked and dispersed the band and followed up his success by capture and arrest of the Kolis, 54 of whom were tried and punished with varying terms of imprisonment and some were even hanged, including a Brahman named Ramchandra Ganesh Gore-Chaudhuri, 168.].

Again in 1844, the Kolis under the leadership of an outlaw named Raghu. Bhangria and another leader, Bapu. Bhangria commenced depredations on a wider scale [In Purandhar, similar lawless acts were committed by a large gang under the lead of the sons of Umaji, the noted leader of the Ramoshi disturbances of 1825-Chaudhuri 169.]. As the situation was going out of control, a detachment of Native Infantry was quartered at Junnar in May 1845, and military out-posts were placed at Nana and Malsej passes to check the movement of the rebels up and down the Konkan [In 1846, some of the rebels were rounded up, but Raghu Bhangria eluded the vigilance of the police. He had great influence over the minds of the people and lived on blackmail practised on Poona and Thana villages. On 2nd January 1848, he was caught by Lieut, Gell and a party of police in a very clever way, and subsequently hanged. The sons of Umaji, Tukya and Mankala were finally captured in 1850, which completed the discomfiture of the Koli rulers-Chaudhuri, 169.].

The new king Khem Savant, installed in 1822, was said to have been unable to check the turbulence of the lawless elements in his state, making demonstration of British forces necessary in 1830, 1832 and 1836. On each occasion, the British extended their power over the state by the expedient method of imposing upon the king, a minister, and a measure of reform. They also appropriated to their use the whole of the Vadi customs on the plea of covering the expense of British troops employed in the defence of the state. Eventually the British Government forcibly deposed Khem Savant because of his inability to keep order, and assumed the reins of Government. The administration of the state was left in charge of a political superintendent who was supported by a local corps under the command of British officers. But disaffection was very acute and many of the turbulent nobles fled to Goa from where they planned for the recapture of the Vadi fort which was very nearly accomplished in 1839, as a result of a surprise attack made on the fort. The country was smouldering with sedition. This synchronised with the Kolhapur insurrection [Chaudhuri, 165-The Gadkari rising of Kolhapur (1844).] of 1844. The Vadi malcontents and the garrison of the Manohar fort [Situated about 35 miles north-west of Belgaum.], broke out by committing many depredations including the looting of grain shops. A detachment under Major Benbow was paralysed. But Lieut. Col. Outram with four companies of the 11th regiment Native Infantry defeated the insurgents in the Akripass. The position of the rebels was immensely strengthened when Phond Savant, a leading noble of great power, and his eight sons joined the disaffected elements. Even Anna Saheb, the heir-apparent, made common cause with the rebels by assuming a pompous royal style, and collecting revenues from villages. The insurgents consequently became so bold that they also opened negotiations with the officers of the tenth regiment. By 1845, the whole country was in utter disorder; there was no security even in places near British outposts[ Chaudhuri, 170; Khobarekar, 32-36. One of the Savantvadl insurgent leaders attempted to raise the people of Malvan against the British Government-Nairne, 130.].

The Government adopted very stringent measures and martial law was proclaimed, and three detachments were placed in three different parts of the district; but the insurrection could not be stamped out. It appears that Subhana Nikam, a leader of consequence held Malvan in the west, Daji Lakshman organised a strong resistance in the north, and Har Savant Dingankar defended the Ram Pass Road in the east and while the movement was gaining strength, fresh leaders appeared on the scene. Gradually, however, the British army brought the situation under control. They engaged the rebels at different places successfully, particularly at Rangna fort. Col. Outram took the fort of Manohar, scattered the rebels in different directions who sought safety in Portuguese territory. The common people on promise of pardon returned to their normal occupations. All Anna Saheb's claims on the Vadi State were declared forfeited; his dominions were also annexed. In 1850, the Government decided to support him and his family with a fixed allowance. The younger sons of Phond Savant were allowed to return to Vadi and were pardoned for their contumacy, but his other grown up sons Nana, Baba and Hanumant remained under watch in Goa.

THE 1858 REBELLION.

In February 1858 [The Konkan was affected by the revolt of 1857, by a wing of the Native Infantry Regiment which mutinied at Kolhapur being at Ratnagiri and the fears entertained that the mutineers would march down. A steamer was sent to take away the ladies and children from Ratnagiri but no disturbance took place. The revolutionary, afterwards known as Nana Saheb, was the son of a poor Brahman of Vengaon, a village in Karjat, and was adopted at the age of four by the Peshva Bajlrav, but once he went to live with his father in Northern India, Konkan had no more to do with him. Nairne, 130. But the Ratnagiri district " holds a race of men who in 18th century conquered nearly the whole of India, and who show no signs of degeneration, and no one can for a moment suppose that the progress of education and science will leave the country of the most intelligent and industrious of Indian races unknown and unimproved "-Nairne, 131.

The Native infantry at Ratnagiri had to hand over arms to the British officers-Khobarekar, 43-44.

Ramaji Shirsat the leader of the Kolhapur revolutionaries had escaped. The Superintendent at Kolhapur and Savantvadl declared prizes to trace him. The Savantvadl police finally shot him dead in the jungles of Pavashi village in the taluka Kudal Khobarekar, 44.], during the mutiny, three sons of Phond Savant headed a rebellion in Savantvadl, starting from Goa where they had settled since 1845. They appeared in Canara at the head of a large body of insurgents. The insurrection was patently political in character as the rebels manifested a disposition to overthrow the Government. In its extent it raged all along the forest frontier from Savantvadi to Canara. Police posts and customs houses were burnt to the ground, the insurgents garrisoned a strong position on Darshanigudda hill on the Canara border and carried on a kind of guerilla warfare. Captain Schneider of the Bombay Army drove them back to Goa. Subsequently Nana Savant gave himself up to the Governor-General of Goa. Yet other leaders of the rebel confederacy namely Bastian and three brothers Raghoba, Chintoba and Shanta Phadnavis persevered in hostilities and maintained themselves in the forests of Canara. In an action of 5th July 1859, Chintoba was killed, but the survivors confronted Lieuts. Giertzen and Drevar in a sharp action. After considerable exertion they were dispersed and finally crushed in December 1859 [Chaudhuri, 171.

Appasaheb of Jamkhindl too was kept as political prisoner in the Ratnagiri fort till 7th January 1859. On the proclamation of Queen Victoria, on that day, he was released with no conditions-Khobarekar, 74. His servant Aba Devdhar, however, was never allowed to enter south Maharashtra- Ibid.].

Mary Sophia Marcia and Ellen Harriet, the wife and daughter of Arthur Malet of the Bombay Civil Service, with thirteen boatmen and attendants were drowned on the bar of the Savitri river on the night of the 6th December 1853 [Bom. Gaz. X (1880), 322.].

During the cyclone of the 15th January 1871, a small steamer, the General Outram, was wrecked off Ambolgad, a few miles north of the Jaitapur light.

1859-1960.

Exclusive of the seven towns of Ratnagiri, Malvan, Vengurle, Masura, Chiplun, Harnai and Rajapur, the district of Ratnagiri was in 1878-79, provided with 103 schools or an average of one school for every twelve inhabited villages. Ratnagiri and Vengurle libraries had special buildings. Three Marathi weekly lithographed newspapers were published by 1880 onwards. Two, the Jaganmitra ' Friend of the world' and Satyashodhak ' Truth Seeker', in the town of Ratnagiri, and one, the Malvan-Samachar and Vengurle Vritta ' Malvan and Vengurle News' in Vengurle. The Jaganmitra was already an old paper of some standing. A small monthly Marathi Magazine called Vidyamala "Garland of Knowledge" was also published by 1880 in the town of Ratnagiri [Bom. Gaz. X (1880;, pp. 290-291].

In 1819, when the British finally took over the complete administration of the district, the post of a resident stationed at Malvan and having jurisdiction over Malvan and the surrounding district was abolished and south Konkan was formed into a separate collectorate with Bankot as its headquarters [On 20th November 1817, the British Resident at Malvan was informed of the Peshva's defeat and the annexation of his dominions. On 16th December 1817, Mr. V. Hale, the Resident at Malvan, was directed to take possession of the Peshva's share of the district. On 4th April 1818, the Resident informed the Bombay Government that the British were in possession of all the Peshva's territory in the Konkan-R. D. Choksey, Malvan Residency (1956), vii; 119, 124-28.

At the time of the British conquest the district included nine sub-divisions, talukas, separated in most cases by a river or some other considerable natural boundary and each including from five to twelve petty divisions, mahals, tappas, mamlas or tarafs. A census taken in the rains of 1820, showed a total population of 6,40,857 souls. This gave an average density of ninety-one to the square-mile, an average household of 4.875 souls and a proportion of 20 males to 18 females. Bom. Gaz. X, 219 Bom. Rev. Rec. 16 of 1824, 336-38, p. 105.]. In 1820, the headquarters were moved to Ratnagiri. In 1830, the three sub-divisions North of the Bankot creek were transferred to the North Konkan and Ratnagiri was reduced to the rank of a sub-collectorate. Again in 1832 [Bankot, Malvan and Vengurle were out of the question as being at the extremities of the District. Officers sent to report on the matter considered that Jaygad, Vijaydurg and Ratnagiri were the three most suitable spots, and eventually the choice fell on the last named. About 1830, however, the North and South Konkan were joined into one Collectorate, but this arrangement did not last long-MS. records, Nairne, 128.] Ratnagiri was raised to the rank of a Collectorate comprising five sub-divisions-Suvarndurg, comprising the present sub-divisions of Dapoli and Khed; Anjanvel, including the present Chiplun and Sangameshvar; Ratnagiri, Vijaydurg including the present Rajapur and Devgad; and Malvan. In 1868, the district was redistributed and formed into eight sub-divisions and four petty divisions. The sub-divisions were Dapoli, Chiplun, Guhagar, Sangameshvar, Ratnagiri, Rajapur, Devgad and Malvan; the petty divisions were Mandangad, Khed, Lanje and Vengurle.

In 1873, the Khed petty division was made a sub-division and Guhagar, made a petty division under Chiplun. From the 1st August 1879, the petty division of Vengurle was made a separate subdivision and at the same time, the petty division of Lanje was abolished and its villages distributed among Rajapur, Sangameshvar and Ratnagiri.

After the disturbances in Savantvadi which came to an end in 1859, the district settled down to a period of peace and stable administration[Small military detachments were kept for some years at Bankot, Malvan and Vengurle and also at Harnai. It was thought necessary, however, to make one regular military station, and Dapoli was fixed upon. About 1840, the regular troops were removed, and the veteran battalion alone kept there, and after 1857, this also was abolished and the Southern Konkan left without any military force whatever.]. For the purpose of land administration extensive survey of the district was carried out, shortly after the establishment of British rule. The details of land administration are given in the chapter under that heading. The results of stable conditions prevailing after 1859, could be seen immediately thereafter. Education began to make headway in the district. In 1878-79, there were 119 Government schools, though there was only one high school in the district, along with five registered and 292 unregistered private vernacular schools. The progress of education was rapid with the result that the district had at the beginning of the 20th century a number of high schools spread over all parts of the district. Women's education also made some progress. The communications developed linking important towns of the district, not only to the district headquarters, but also to the important cities like Bombay, Poona, Kolhapur and Belgaum[ The ruggedness of both Konkans and the intersection of the country by large tidal rivers prevented the improvement of the greater part of it by road-making, so that it was only after the British occupation, that anything had been done to open out the inland parts of the district. But before the end of 1830, a great military road had been constructed from Panvel to Poona, and the Borghat opened for wheeled vehicles, which the Poona Government had on political grounds refused to let the British Government repair as long as it was in their power. This new road was said by Sir John Malcolm " to break down the wall between the Konkan and the Deccan". About the same time the road from Thana to Nasik was made and the opening of the Talghat, though it was not available for wheeled vehicles, has the greatest effect on trade, for upto that time Berar cotton used to reach Bombay by the, circuitous route of Surat. The Kumbharli Ghat was also made at this time, although not then passable for carts, and the road across Mahabaleshvar from Satara to Mahad was completed at the joint expenses of the Raja of Satara and the Bombay Government. See also the report of J. J. Sparrow, Collector and T. B. Jervis, Executive Engineer, on 14th May 1822. Choksey, Ratnagiri Collectorate, 57-61.]. With the progress in education an educated middle class began to play an important part in the development of the district. Following the lead given by Poona and Bombay private initiative was responsible for a considerable number of social and educational institutions. Newspapers and journals had already made their appearance, even before 1880 A.D. A number of prominent politicians, educationists and social reformers [Sharikar Purshottam Agharkar (studied Botany), Prof. Gangadhar Bhikaji Acharekar (Musician); Jagannath Raghunath Ajgaonkar (writer); Vaman Daji Oke (Poet); Krishnarav Arjun Keluskar (writer, social reformer); Bal Gangadhar Kher (politician); Gopal Krishna Gokhale (politician); Parashram Ballal Godbole (poet); Parashuram Krishna Gode (Research scholar); Jagannath Raghunath Gharpure (Jurist); Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (research scholar and writer); Vishram Ravji Ghole (surgeon); Balshastri Gangadhar Jambhekar (writer); Narayan Vishnu Joshi (research scholar); Rev. Narayan Vaman Tilak (social reformer); Yeshvant Ramkrishna Date (research scholar); Shantaram Anant Desai (writer); Divan-Bahadur Ramchandrarav Vithoba Dhamnaskar (Divan); Shankar Pandurang Pandit (research scholar); Sitaram Narayan Pandit (Barrister); Rajararn Shastri Ramkrishna Bhagvat (social reformer); Sir Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar (writer and research scholar); Colonel Jagannathrav Krishnarav Bhosale (C. in C. of Azad Hind Fame); Balaji Prabhakar Modak (research scholar); Bhargav Vitthal Varerkar (writer); General Nanasahib Ganapatrav Shinde (writer); Govind Sakharam Sardesai (research scholar); Shripad Damodar Satavalekar (research scholar)- were born in the district.] such as Lokmanya Tilak, Maharshi Karve, Dr. R. P. Paranjpe hailed originally from this district. The social and political activities in the district began to share the common life of Maharashtra, under the influence of these distinguished people. The Ganesh and Shivaji celebrations as well as the Svadeshi movement marked the beginning of the political activities in the district. The district had its share, until the achievement of independence in 1947, of the troubles and travails, strife and struggle, along with the rest of the country. The boundaries of the district underwent a change in 1947. The State of Savantvadi was merged with the district with the result that the district is now composed of 15 talukas and mahals. The district has entered upon a new period of development in all spheres.

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