News of the capture of Seringapatam and the death of Tipu Sultan reached Britain in early September 1799. The public reaction in Britain was one of wild celebration and excitement: The long anxiety over Tipu had been resolved, and the Company's territories in India were finally free from the Tiger's terror.
The London Newspapers took an awful delight in announcing the death of Tipu Sultan, who was perceived as having received his just desserts for having resisted the British till his his last breath.
The Evening Mail wrote that Mysore had been reduced by the Britishers in less than three months, resulting in the death of "our perfidious and inveterate enemy", Tipu Sultan.
Lloyd's Evening Post was delighted that a substantial amount of loot had been gained by the Britishers, putting the value of the spoils at 3 million pounds. It then went on to happily proclaim: "Thus at length are all fears removed, and every danger extinguished, which might have threatened our mighty Empire in the East; and thus has perished the perfidious enemy (Tipu Sultan), who was eager to stretch out his hand to Napoleon Bonaparte."
The Star surpassed all others when it came to belching bile at Tipu Sultan: "It is with the most heartfelt and sincere satisfaction that we congratulate our readers on the Capture of Seringapatam, and the death of that inveterate and most invidious enemy in India, Tippoo Saib!"
In the Picture: General Sir David Baird Discovering the Body of Tipu Sultan. Oil painting executed by Sir David Wilkie.
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