thousands of whom he compelled to embrace the faith of
Islamism. Nor was it against the natives alone that he turned his arms;
for one of the first acts by which the tyrant signalised his reign,
was the deportation, and forcible conversion to Islamism of 30,000
Christians, from Portuguese settlements on the coast of Canara. Soon
after his return to Seringapatam his name was changed, from Tippoo
Sultaun, to that of Shah Allum, and he also assumed the regal title of
Padisha, and ordered his court to observe all the forms and ceremonies
which were in use at Delhi.

Although Tippoo was a gainer by this untoward treaty, yet the grand
result of the war was, that our Indian empire was saved. The expenses of
this war, however, had been great; and as the greater part of the money
could only come from Bengal, Hastings had, during its progress, been
carrying on a system of exaction, which reflects no honour on the
English name. The only excuse that can be offered on his behalf, is,
that he felt that the Carnatic must be rescued and India saved, be
the cost what it might. It was known to Hastings that many of the
neighbouring princes, who owed their political existence to the power
of the English arms, and were dependent upon the government of Calcutta,
possessed hidden treasures of vast amount; and as he had no other means
of obtaining the requisite supplies for the maintenance of the war, he
determined that they should disgorge. Cheyte Sing, the Rajah of Benares,
was the first to whom he applied the pressure. Demand after demand was
made and supplied; and when no more could be obtained, the rajah, who
was one of the most faithful allies of the English in all India, was
driven from his throne. A nephew of Cheyte Sing was selected to fill
his post; but every vestige of sovereignty was taken from him and
placed under the control of the company's resident at Benares. By this
revolution an addition of L200,000 was made to the revenues of the
company; but as there was no more ready money in Benares, and as this
was a _sine qua non_, Hastings determined to apply the screw on other
chiefs. His next victim was Asoff-ul-Dowla, Nabob of Oude, and master of
Rohilcund, one of the most extravagant and debauched of all the Indian
princes. Asoff-ul-Dowla proved to demonstration that he had no money,
and that he could not even defend himself against the Mahrattas and the
Rohillas, or even against the discontents and insurrections of his own
subje