cot, and threatened
Madras. Sir Eyre Coote, who had come out to conduct the Maratha war, was
despatched to Madras, and in 1781 negotiations were opened with Sindhia,
and his former possessions were restored to him. Peace was made with the
Maratha confederacy in May, 1782, by the treaty of Salbai, which was
ratified seven months later. While Coote was forcing Haidar to raise the
siege of various British fortresses in January, 1781, a French fleet
appeared at Pondicherry. Haidar called upon it to help him, for his own
fleet had been destroyed by Admiral Hughes; but Coote prevented the
French from obtaining supplies, and they sailed away without effecting
anything. He gained a splendid victory over Haidar at Porto Novo on July
1, met him with doubtful success at Pollilur, completely routed him at
Sholinghar, and, in January, 1782, though suffering from serious
illness, skilfully relieved Vellore.

Hughes had already taken the Dutch settlements, Negapatam and
Trincomali, when in February a French fleet appeared off Madras to
protect them. It was commanded by M. de Suffren, an admiral of
remarkable ability. Suffren sailed from France in March, 1781. He fell
on an English squadron, on its way to seize the Dutch colony at the
Cape, in the neutral water of Porto Praya harbour in the Cape de Verde
islands. The fight was indecisive, but he arrived first at the Cape and
prevented the projected attack. His fleet was superior to that of
Hughes, whose principal object was to prevent him from gaining a port as
a place of supply and for landing troops. Hughes fought four indecisive
battles with him, and was unable either to prevent the French from
acting with Haidar, or from taking Cuddalore, which gave them a good
naval and military station, or from reducing Trincomali. In this long
and famous naval duel Hughes, though a capable and gallant captain,
showed himself far inferior to Suffren in strategical and tactical
skill. The French admiral, however, was constantly thwarted by the
misconduct of his subordinates, while the English captains gave Hughes
loyal support.[168] Coote carried on the war with vigour, but his
victory over Haidar and his French allies at Arni was rendered fruitless
by his lack of cavalry and supplies. Haidar died in December, leaving a
message bidding his son make peace with the English, which Tipu did not
obey. Coote died in April, 1783. The peace with the Marathas enabled the
English to invade Tipu's country on