of Hastings was, by the confederation of these three members
against him, almost annihilated; and towards the close of the year he
wrote to the board of directors, complaining of their precipitancy
and violence, and to the English premier, vindicating his own conduct.
Hastings, however, was subject to the control of this trio, until the
25th of September, 1776, when the majority was reduced to an equality
by the death of Colonel Monson, By this event, indeed, Hastings by his
casting-vote as governor-general, obtained the superiority, and he at
once re-assumed his ancient authority, despite the protestations of
Clavering and Francis. On the recall of Middleton the trio had sent Mr.
Bristow to reside at Oude, but no sooner had Hastings regained power
than he reinstated his friend Middleton in his office. The use which he
made of his power seems to have given offence to the board of directors,
for while they reprimanded him by letter, they supplied Colonel Monson's
place by Mr. Wheler, who took the part of Francis and Clavering. Before
this party, however, could act offensively, it was again reduced to a
minority by the death of General Clavering, so that Hastings once more
ruled dominant.

It was time that all the divisions in the council of Calcutta were
brought to a close; for at this period, 1777, danger was gathering round
the Anglo Indian government on various sides. During the period of the
control of Francis, Monson, and Clavering in the council of Calcutta,
the presidency of Bombay dispatched some troops, under Colonel
Keating, to aid Ragoba--who set himself up for the Peishwa of the
Mahrattas--against the confederated Mahratta chiefs, with whom he was at
war. The presidency of Bombay were induced to take part in this war by
the grant which Ragoba made them of Salsette, Bassein, and other
places in the territory of the Mahrattas. At first, Colonel Keating was
successful in his war with the Mahratta confederacy; but subsequently
his movements were impeded by the discontents of the peishwa's troops,
who refused to cross the Nerbuddah until they should be paid their
arrears. Ragoba, however, found means not only to pay his troops, but to
buy off some of the chiefs of the hostile confederacy; and then he and
his English allies marched upon Poona, which was a kind of Mahratta
capital. But the assistance which the presidency of Bombay had given
displeased the supreme council of Calcutta; and at this point they
issued o