In the south, there was Tipoo Sahib, ruler of Mysore, whose lands stretched to the borders of the Madras presidency and dominated the Carnatic. Tipoo had long harboured a hatred of the English, as his father had before him. His capital at Seringapatam was a strongly fortified city built on an island in the Cauvery river. It would have to be taken by storm, and that meant the creation of a practical siege train and supply system to allow the English army to operate nearly three hundred miles from Madras.

Then, in the heart of India, there was the Nizam of Hyderabad. Though the Nizam was far less hostile to English interests, he was a weak man, easily manipulated, and his army was large and well trained, principally by French mercenaries.The Nizam, like Tipoo, was being deliberately cultivated by the French who no doubt hoped to provoke both rulers into an open confrontation with England and the East India Company.

North of Hyderabad was the vast sprawl of the Mahratta confederacy, composed of kingdoms ruled by warlords at the head of huge armies of mounted warriors. Here too the French were busy building their relationships with gifts, promises and military advisers.

All three powers would have to be brought to heel, Arthur wrote to his bother, by diplomacy if possible, by force if not. But the key to success lay in fighting them one at a time. If they ever united in common interest against English forces then they must surely succeed in driving the English out of India. It was a sobering prospect, yet much had to be risked in pursuit of the vast wealth and influence that England might gain from exerting itself in India and the far east.

‘Manila?’ Arthur’s eyebrows rose. ‘That’s in the Philippines, isn’t it?’

‘Yes.’ Sir John nodded. ‘There will be a force leaving from Calcutta and another one from Madras.They’re to rendezvous at Penang before proceeding to Manila. Now that we’re at war with Spain our government wants us to extend the conflict into their colonies, and hit their trade. Manila’s their largest trading colony in the area. If we can take Manila then only the French will present us with much danger on this side of the world.’

Arthur took a sharp breath. ‘Not just the French, sir. You’ve read the reports.Tipoo is building up his forces. I can’t believe he won’t be tempted to wage war on us before too long. And if we send men to take Manila, then we’re offering him a grand opportunity to attack us when we’ll be at our weakest. In the present circumstances the last thing we should be doing is spreading ourselves too thinly.’

Sir John nodded. ‘I agree with you, Wesley. But those are my instructions from London.’

‘But they don’t know the situation here, sir. They don’t understand the risk.’