osal had been accepted. They committed France,
indeed, to nothing, as she was already at war with England; but the
French were extremely glad to embrace the proposal of Tippoo, as they
overrated his power, and believed that he would prove a formidable
opponent to the English, and would necessitate the employment of
additional troops and ships there, and so weaken England's power at
home. To confirm the alliance, some sixty or seventy Frenchmen, mostly
adventurers, were sent from the Mauritius as civil and military
officers.

Tippoo's council had been strongly opposed to this step on his part.
They had pointed out to him that their alliance, with a power at war
with the English, would render war between the English and him
inevitable; and that France was not in a position to aid them in any
way. The only benefit, indeed, that he could gain, was the possibility
that the fourteen thousand French troops, in the service of the Nizam,
might revolt and come over to him; but even this was doubtful, as
these were not troops belonging to the French government, but an
independent body, raised and officered by adventurers, who might not
be willing to imperil their own position, and interests, by embarking
on a hazardous war at the orders of a far-distant government.

These events happened soon after Dick's return, but nothing was
generally known of what was passing, although reports of Tippoo's
proceedings had reached the government of India. The party of
Frenchmen arrived at Seringapatam and were, at first, well received by
Tippoo. But they had soon disgusted him by their assumption of
dictatorial powers; while they, on their part, were disappointed at
not receiving the emoluments and salaries they had expected. Most of
them very speedily left his service. Some of the military men were
employed at Bangalore, and other towns, in drilling the troops, and a
few remained at Seringapatam, neglected by Tippoo, whose eyes were now
open to the character of these adventurers. But this in no way shook
his belief that he would obtain great aid from France, as he had
received letters from official personages there, encouraging him to
combine with other native powers, to drive the English out of India,
and promising large aid in troops and ships.

When the Earl of Mornington--afterwards the Marquis of
Wellesley--arrived at Calcutta as Governor General of India, in May
1798, the situation had become so critical that, although war had not
be