wish, to the honour, and to the policy of the British nation, the Governor-General must not declare hostilities or enter into any treaty for making war against a native state, or for guaranteeing it against an enemy, except for the defence of British territory or of allies from imminent attack. But Cornwallis had scarcely landed when his protection against Tippu was claimed by the Nizam.
There being no immediate menace of war, the Governor-General held himself precluded by the act from according the Nizam a defensive alliance which might have checked Tippu 's machinations. What he did, however, was to give the Nizam's envoy a written promise that he would furnish the Nizam, under an old treaty, with an auxiliary force whenever he should need it, making the reservation that it must not be employed against powers in alliance with the Company. These powers were specifically named; and as Mysore was not among them, the engagement tended rather to promote than prevent hostilities, since Tippu not unreasonably treated it as a preliminary to some direct movement against himself.
All these jealousies and mutual preparations were evidently making for war between the British and the Mysore Sultan, who soon relieved Lord Cornwallis from all further doubt in regard to the act's interpretation. In defiance of formal warnings he proceeded to make an utterly unjustifiable and unsuccessful attack upon the Raja of Travancore, a state under English protection. Lord Cornwallis thereupon formed a league against
