rogress was made,
Cornwallis assumed the command; he carried Bangalore by storm in March,
1791, and having obtained the active co-operation of the nizam and the
Marathas, laid siege to Seringapatam in 1792, and compelled Tipu to
submit to a peace by which he surrendered half his dominions, engaged to
pay a sum equal to L3,600,000, and gave two of his sons as hostages. The
surrendered territory was divided between the peishwa and the nizam.
Tipu's power was effectually broken, and the way was prepared for his
final overthrow seven years later. Cornwallis was created a marquis as a
reward for his splendid services, and resigned his office in 1793.

Though the government escaped the dangers in which the impeachment of
Hastings threatened to involve it, a new question relating to India
brought it into some peril. When, in October, 1787, war seemed likely to
arise out of the intervention of England in the affairs of the Dutch
republic, the India board sent four regiments to India, a measure of
precaution which met with the full approval of the directors. The
storm-clouds dispersed, and then the directors objected to pay the
expense. Pitt held that the company was bound by the act of 1784 to pay
for the transport and maintenance of any troops which the board judged
to be necessary for the defence of the British possessions in India, and
brought in a declaratory bill to that effect in February, 1788. The
opposition was supported by the influence of the company, and made a
vigorous resistance. Fox, whose downfall as minister had followed his
attack on the company, appeared as a champion of its claims. The
directors were heard by their counsel, one of whom, Erskine, afterwards
lord chancellor, a strong whig, made a violent attack on Pitt. On the
other side, Scott, also (as Lord Eldon) a future chancellor, contended
as a member of the house that the bill was a true exposition of the act.
The debate on the committal lasted till 7 A.M. Pitt had drunk heavily
with Dundas the night before, and was too unwell towards the end of the
debate to reply to his opponents. His majority of 57 was considered
unsatisfactory, and so many of the regular supporters of government were
adverse or lukewarm that an ultimate defeat was thought probable. With
great tact he two days later adopted some amendments which met the chief
arguments of the opposition without injuring the principle of the
bill.[211] The danger was over, and the bill finally passed