Keane immediately added it to the other twenty
lacs contained in the treaty. The Ameers say they will pay half the
whole sum demanded here, and the remaining half on our arrival at
Shikarpoor. This Sir J. Keane has refused, and told them he will not
leave this or Hydrabad till he gets every fraction.
We yesterday received news which must, I should think, have an effect on
the Ameers one way or the other. The admiral on this station, Sir F.
Maitland, brought up in his 74 (I think the Wellesley) H.M. 40th
regiment, from Mandivie, in Cutch, to Curachee, a fort on the
westernmost branch of the Indus. On approaching the fort, the Beloochees
who garrisoned it, taking it for a common free-trader, had the foolish
presumption to fire into her; the admiral wore his vessel round, just
gave one broadside, down came their fort in one second about their
ears,--you may guess how it astonished them: they sent word to say that
the English fire a lac of shot in one second. They say the Ameers were
one year in taking this place, which cost the English one second. I
think myself that we shall not have any fighting here, and that Hydrabad
will still remain in the hands of the Ameers.
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