BROACH, a town of Hindustan, in the province of
Guzerat, presidency of Bombay, situate on an elevated mound, supposed to be artificial, on the northern bank of the Nerbudda, about 30 miles above its mouth. The river is here a noble sheet of water, two miles wide at ebb-tide, but shallow for the most part even at flood-tide, though there is then a deep but intricate channel admitting vessels of considerable burden. As, however, the Nerbudda is at some seasons unnavigable between Broach and the sea, except for vessels not exceeding 50 tons, the place does not appear destined to become an extensive port for large vessels. The town is surrounded by a wall, and contains between 3000 and 4000 houses, with a population, irrespective of the suburbs, of 13,000 inhabitants. Like the generality of eastern towns, its streets are narrow, and the houses lofty. It has a considerable trade, and annually exports large quantities of raw cotton to Bombay. Broach is thought, with some appearance of probability, to have been the Barygaza of Ptolemy and Arrian. Upon the conquest of Guzerat by the Mussulmans, and the formation of the state of that name, Broach formed part of the new kingdom. On its overthrow by Akbar in 1572, it was annexed to the Mogul empire, and governed by a nawab. The Mahrattas became its masters in 1685, from which period it was held in subordination to the Peishwa until 1772, when it was captured by a force under General Wedderburn (brother to Lord Loughborough), who was killed in the assault. In 1783 it was ceded by the British to Scindia in acknowledgment of certain services. It was stormed in 1803 by a detachment commanded by Colonel Woodington, and finally ceded to the East India Company by Scindia under the treaty of Serji Anjengaum. Distant north from Bombay 190 miles. Lat. 21. 42. Long. 73. 2.
The British district, of which this town is the capital, is situate between Lat. 21. 22.—22. 11, and Long. 72. 30.—73. 10, and is bounded on the west by the Gulf of Cambay. It contains an area of 1319 square miles, with 429 villages, and a population, according to a late census, of 290,984 inhabitants.