6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

374 SIX GLORIOUS EPOCHS OF INDIAN HISTORY
Marathas particularly in respect of the training of the army
and the use of the new guns. The English were very reluctant
to help any native ruler create a disciplined army or to
sell them newer weapons like the guns and cannons. But
the Prench were only too willing to do that in exchange
for large sums of money or substantial grants of land, and
especially so, if that purchasing authority was engaged ini
a struggle with the English. The Marathas, in particular,
realized the inevitable greatness of the European type of
training of troops and the production of the efficient new
weapons of war like the various types of small and big
fire-arms. Hence they employed French veteran military
officers and their satellites in their armies. Ibrahim Khan
Gardi, the famous artillery commander in the Maratha
army at the battles of Udgeer and Panipat, had received his-
training in that field in the French artillery divisions^".
Later on Mahadaji Shiude (Scindia) employed French officers
like De Boyne and M. .Perron as the chief commanders of
their artillery and other divisions^^ and formed a well-equip­
ped, well-trained, mechanized army of his own. With this-
well-trained strong army Mahadaji could over-awe the whole
of the antagonistic north and vanquish the enemies ini
various military engagements. But after a while the
European Nations working in India had come to a certaia
unwritten understanding, at least as regards India, that in
the event of any Indian ruler fighting against any of the
European nationals, no European army leader should take
sides with the Indian and help him with his army. As such
later on when Shinde (Scindia) was engaged in a deadly
struggle with the English, De Boyne, who had been receiving
thousands of rupees by way of salary, and the army trained
by him flatly refused to fight^^. The Marathas, too, were
conscious of such a treacherous behaviour on the part of
these salaried foreigners some time or the other. Hence, the
Marathas, on their part, had begun to open factories to
manufacture similar guns and to prepare Indian officers to-
train and drill the army on European lines. But in those