This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1783 Excerpt: ...regular troops. Their cavalry marches in better order; and their infantry, which was always considered in so despicable a light, has now acquired the firmness of out battalions. A numerous and well-managed artillery defends their camps, and protects their attacks. The armies, composed of better troops, and better paid, ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1783 Excerpt: ...regular troops. Their cavalry marches in better order; and their infantry, which was always considered in so despicable a light, has now acquired the firmness of out battalions. A numerous and well-managed artillery defends their camps, and protects their attacks. The armies, composed of better troops, and better paid, have been able to keep the field longer. This change, which might have been foreseen, had the Europeans not been blinded by temporary interest, may in time become so considerable, as to raise unfurmountable obstacles to the desire they have of extending their conquests in Indostan, and possibly they may lose those they have already made. Whether this will be a misfortune or an advantage, is what we shall next take into consideration. When the Europeans first began to trade in that wealthy region, they found it divided into a great many small states, some of which were governed by princes of their own nation, and some by Patan kings. Their mutual hatred was the occasion of continual contests. Beside the wars that were carried on between province and province, there was a perpetual one between every sovereign and his subjects. It was fomented by the tax-gatherers, who, to ingratiate themselves at court, always levied heavier taxe8 than had been laid on the people. These barbarians aggravated P 2 this this heavy burden by the oppressions they made the inhabitants suffer. Their extortions were only another method of securing to themselves the posts they enjoyed, in a country where he was always in the right who had the most to give. From this anarchy, and these violent proceedings, it was imagined, that, to settle a fafe and permanent commerce, it was necessary to support it by the force of arms; and the European factories were accordingly fortif...
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