Sultan Tippoo Sahib of Mysore--Operations in Southern India--Death of Sir Eyre Coote--Attack on Cuddalore--Peace with France--Tippoo makes Peace--Strained relations between civil and military in India--The E. I. Company’s military establishment--The King’s troops in India--Misconduct of Madras Government--Quarrel between Council and General Stuart--Complaints of Council against Burgoyne--Arrest of Stuart--Council appoint Lang to supersede Burgoyne--Burgoyne refuses to give over command of the King’s troops--Strange delusions of the Council--Imminent Conflict between King’s and Company’s troops--Unworkable arrangement--Fresh quarrel--Burgoyne arrested--Mutiny of native cavalry--Court Martial on Burgoyne--His acquittal--His death--End of the quarrel--Burgoyne justified. In little more than a month after the Regiment landed, the death of Hyder Ali occurred. It brought no relief to British interests. His son and successor, Tippoo, was an experienced soldier, though inferior to Hyder in ability. He was noted for his religious fanaticism and a violent temper, joined to a most barbarous cruelty of disposition. To this was added a spirit of implacable hostility to the English, the only European power in the country that appeared formidable to him. Possessed of a full treasury and a powerful army, he at once took the field with a force that contained 900 European troops, 250 Topasses,[9] and 2000 French sepoys, besides many thousands of his own Mysore troops. To oppose him, the Madras Government could dispose only of some 2950 European, and 11,500 native troops. With this force, Major General Stuart took the field in January, and made his way by slow marches to Vellore. Meanwhile, Tippoo was forced to withdraw to the westward to defend Mysore from an attack on that side. On the arrival at Bombay of reinforcements in Sir Richard Bickerton’s convoy, about 500 of the Company’s recruits, destined for Madras, were detained, and, on the arrival of the King’s troops at Madras, about 400 of them were at once sent back to Bombay. Out of this material a force had been organized, under Major General Matthews, to advance against Mysore from the west coast. After the capture of several places, the force was hemmed in at Bednore, and obliged to surrender to Tippoo, on 30th April 1783. A great loss was experienced at this time in the death of Sir Eyre Coote at Madras, on 27th April, three days after his return to resume command of the operations. After this nothing was done till June, when an ineffective attack was made on Cuddalore by Major General Stuart. The French were on the point of striking a counter blow which would probably have proved successful, when the announcement of peace in Europe changed the complexion of affairs. The French force with Tippoo was withdrawn, but otherwise the war continued. At this point the Mahrattas intervened. Tippoo’s character and his great power