Letter to the of '^ast India Stock. By John John stone UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES A LETTER TO T H Proprietors of Eaft-India Stock, L E T T E R TO THE PROPRIETORS O F EAST-INDIA STOCK, FROM JOHN JOHNSTONE, Efq; Late One of the Council at Calcutta, Bengal. LONDON: Printed in the YEAR MDCCLXVI. J LETTER TO THE Proprietors of Eaft-India Stock. CO G E N T L E M E N, I MAKE this addrefs to you not with a view to feive the purpofes of any party or faction, for I declare I have no connection with any, gbut merely to fet you right in feveral facts, which ,...,1 find have been induftrioufly propagated to my '-prejudice, by which my character may have been ^T hurt in the minds of fome, and my property is in danger of being deeply affected. I have had the honour to ferve the company in their fettlement at Bengal for fifteen years, during which I have experienced feveral reveries of fortune in common with others. I loft a great part of my property three feveral times, i ft, When Calcutta Iwas taken and plundered in 1756. 2dly, By the accidents which attended the difpute and action with the Dutch in 1759, anc * laftly, by the rup- ture and war with ColTim Ali Cawn in 1763 ; and iv twithftanding the reftitution ftipulated alter the iarft as well as the laft of thefe events, yet by the B tedious 1*54-690 tedious payment of the firft, and the flop now faid to be put to the payment of a great part of the other., the icftitution fell greatly ihort of the real lols. In the courfe of this long fervice I have been employed in various departments. After the fack of Calcutta, I engaged with a few others as a volun- teer under Major Kilpacrick, who collected a imall force before the arrival of Lieutenant-colcnel Clive, and endeavoured to fupport and retrieve the com- pany's affairs. I afterwards accepted a commiffion under that officer in the artillery, and joined with him the reinforcement which came from Madrafs, under Admiral Watfon and Lieutenant-colonel Clive. I ferved the whole of that campaign till the com- pany's affairs were re-eftabliflied by the battle of Piaffy, and was prefent when the treafurcs of the Nabob were diOributed with a liberal hand. I re- ceived no flbare of that bounty, except my fmall proportion as an officer, and what was allowed for the restitution of loiTes, which was paid very flowly, and not completely paid for near three years after. 1 was fent after that victory with the command of the artillery upon a decachment which went beyond Patna m purfuit of Mr. Law, who had advanced to join himfejf to Sujah Doula with a body of French. Major Coote, who was particularly chofen for this enterprize, obliged Mr. Law to re- tire to Suja'h Dcula's dominions, from whence he continued to alarm the new Nabob and the com- pany for four years. This party returning from the purfuit of Mr. Law, 1 arrived at Calcutta in September 1757. An expedition having been projected to the Dckan under Colonel Ford, with a view to caufe a diverfioa [ 3 1 dlverfion of the French force then preparing to befiege Madras, I was fent before with the com- miflion of Chief of the Company's fettlements in that province, to encourage and fupport the Rajah of Vizinagram in his revolt againft the French, and to prepare every thing for landing the troops, and fupplying and equipping the army with provifions, carriages, and every thing neceflary, before it could begin its march againft the enemy. Here I was upon the point of being left to fall into the enemy's hands , for the Council at Bengal, after J was fet out, began to think of countermanding that expe- dion. Lieutenant Colonel Clive, then Governor, interpofed, and the troops were ordered to embark for that enterprize, which, tho' extremely ill fup- plied with money, or furnifhed with ftores, ended in our taking Mazulipatam, and prevented the French from maintaining the fiege of Madras, and at the fame time deftroyed intirely an army of 1 200 French and 7000 feapoys, who were killed, difperfed, or taken prifoners. During this expedition, which laded for two campaigns, I was prefent, and wounded at the decifive battle fought with the French at Pidda- poor, and was fent alone to negotiate with Sulla- tiutjung at a moft critical time, when the fate of the enterprize depended on our endeavours to dif- unite that prince from the French party, and to keep him from coming down in conjunction with them upon our army, then employed in the fiege of Mazulipatam, from which place his army, amounting to thirty thoufand men, joined to that of the French, lay diftant only two days march. In this negotiation I fucceeded, and fettled a treaty with that Subah, which yielded to the company the provinces of Mazulipatam and Nezampatam, and their dependencies, worth 55,000 1. yearly, B 2 au4 [ 4 ] and ended in the expulfion of the French out of- that Prince's dominions, and from every part on the north fide of the river Kiftna, from whence they had received large fupplies, and a revenue of forty two lacks of rupees yearly, above five-hun- dred thoufand pounds fterling. I returned afterwards to ferve the company in the civil branch, and was ftationed in council at their factory of Dacca. At the time of the revolution which happened in 1760, when Meer Jaffier was depofed, and Caffim AH Cawn placed on the Mufnud in his ftead, I was at that factory, and was not accefiary to that mea- fure, which was afterwards fo much difapproved, al- though the company obtained by that means a grant of territories, which have yielded them a revenue of near 600,000 1. per annum j I mean the three dif- tricts of Burdwan, Midnapoor, and Chittigong. After Cofiim Ali Cawn was eftablifhed in the government, I was recalled from Dacca on purpoie to be fent as Chief to take poffeflion of Midna- poor, a frontier country, which was at this time over-run with the Morratoes, and moil of the Zim- rnindars were alfo in arms, and refufed to pay the revenues. The force allowed for this fervice was two hundred raw feapoys, two ferjeants, and one officer, with whom I was fliut up in a ruinous houfe without any fortifications whatever, without almoft any provifions or ammunition, and fur- rounded with an army of Morratoes, amounting to four or five thoufand horfe and foot. We here luftained the repeated efforts of this army for fix- teen days, reduced to four ounces of dry rice a day, and at laft obliged them to retire. Being reinforced with one hundred feapoys, forty-five Europeans, and one gun, we expelled them the province, and foon after drove them from ail their own.. [ 5 ] own diftricls to the north of the Piply river, the revenues of which were collected for the company, till reftored to the Morattoes by a treaty of peace concluded in September 1761. The Zimmindars were alfo reduced, and the revenues in a great part recovered from them. The collections, in place of being begun in September 1760, could not be undertaken on account of the enemy till March 1761, before which time the Zimmindars had re- ceived and fpent great part of the rents, and we were alfo obliged to attend to them in a moving camp till the month of Auguft 1761 ; not withitanding which the balance of revenue, which remained uncollected that year, was very inconfiderable, and was all re- covered the year after. Such an eftimate of the rents of that province was made during my refi- dence as Chief there, as I believe has not fmce been altered or increafed. I take the liberty to annex the letter which was wrote to me by the Board on that occafion, and the paragraph which they were pleafed to infert refpect- ing me in their general letter to the court of Di- rectors. It gave me great pleafure that my conduct was approved of by them ; and I hope it will not feem improper to lay thefe and other tcftimonies before you at this time, when my conduct I am told has been- publicly reprefented as deierving cenfure. I was afterwards appointed by the Board, affifted only with a writer, to take the direction of their affairs at Burdwan. This province was in fact the chief fource of the revenue which arofe to the company by the treaty with CoJTim All Cawn ; for the province of Midnapoor yields only about fix jacks, or 75,000!. fterling, and Chittigong about the fame fum. In t 6 ] In the collection of the revenues of this province, which is of great extent, and contains near 8000 vil- lages and near two millions of inhabitants, I exerted nayfelf in a manner which the Company I truft had reafon to approve. The Board at Calcutta repeat- edly honoured me with aflurances of their approba- tion : and in their letters to the Court of Directors made mention of my conduct during the whole of the period I refided there in terms which 1 hope will not now be forgot. The revenues had been col- lected for one year before I was fent by an able fer- vant of the Company. I contiued in the manage- ment for almoft two years alone, and then two of the Company's fervants were in January 1 764 fent as a council to afTift me in the management of affairs of fuch vaft extent and importance. During thefe two years my collections exceeded by a large fum what had been collected at any time before, either by the country powers or by the gentleman who preceded me in that department And I believe the revenues fell fhort the year after my manage- ment ceafed-, which, by an opinion I gave in to the Council in writing, 1 early foretold would be the cafe, from a change in the manner of conducting the collections. The fecond year of my collection the war broke out with ColTim AH Cawn. When the army under Major Adams marched, there was not a rupee in the company's treafury, to pay what was due to the troops. The whole dependence for fupplies of money nited upon the collections from the pro- vince of Burd\van ; from which however nothing could be railed, without keeping that diftrict undif- turbed and projected from the attempts of the ene- my, whole firft views were directed to attack it. Alter reinforcing Major Adams with all the officers, and t 7 1 arid 5/0 picked men of the feapoys ftationed at Burdw.in, there remained only a ferjeant and 300 fick, lame, and ill-difciplined Teapoys under my direction. Confidering the importance of the fer- vice, the great extent of country to guard, the rea- dinefs of the inhabitants to refufe payment on all occafiojis of public commotions, the neighbour- hood of the Nabob's army under Mahomed Tucky Cawn, and the number of the Rajah's difmifTed troops, then actually in the town of Burdwan, amounting to near 3000, ripe For mifchief, as the arrears of their pay could not be discharged, confi- dering thefe circumitances, this force in fo critical a fituation muft appear to have been very unequal to the purpofes expected. The Rajah's difmiffed troops had refufed to join the Nabob's ftandard, or to quit the town of Burdwan; and, their ill inten- tions appeared in fo many inftances, that Major Carnac thought it unfafe to march his detachment of 100 Europeans, 4 guns, and 700 feapoys, thro* that town, where the Rajah's difmifled troops then were, till he had ordered his men to load and fix their bayonets, expecting to have been attacked. And even the fmall detachment that was left me was diminimed afterwards, by furnimingefcortsand parties, fo as often not to leave 100 men for the protection of the fettlement. It would have been eafy to have extricated my- fdf from this fituation, by applying the money of the collections to clear off the demands of thefe mutinous people, for which too I had the fandion of the Board. But while the treafure was fo much wanted for the fupport of the company's forces, I hazarded the worft that could happen to myfelf, ra- ther than rifque, by the want ot money, the im- portant operations of the principal army. The [ 8 ] The fupplies which the army and the feveral de : tachments received by my means to enable them to move, both in regard to money, draught, and car- riage, bullocks, provifions, and efcorts, is well known. Every officer employed in that iervice will bear me testimony. It is well known that when the people of the town of Burdwan, and all around it, removed their effects, at the time Camgar Cavvn's army entered the province, in the month of Auguft that jear, and was within one day's march of the capital ; yet neither then, nor during the whole time I acted as chief there, was the public bufinefs or col- leclions one day fufpended, or the officers of the cutchery allowed to quit their duty. And even when by fatigue and attention my health was hurt, I attended to the public bufinefs, though unable to rife from my bed. The effecl: was, that under all the difadvantages of war and a bad feafon, the grofs collections that year fell fhort of what I had collected the year before no more than a lack and a half. And it ftill greatly exceeded what had been collected before me, or has been fince. Major Adams, and the feparate commands under Major Carnac and Captain Maclean, were fully and timely fupplied, as well as Calcutta and the company's factories. During the time I prefided at Burdwan, I under- took to make an exacl: difcovery, for the Company's benefit, of the quantity of land in that province which had been cut off from the revenue, under the name of Bazee Zemeen, and was pofieffed by priefts, fuperintendants of the revenue, and favou- rites', under the title of Charity-lands. This work, from its very nature, drew upon me the refentment and ill will of every- man who was likely to be af- fected by it; amounting to many thoafam's. Not- withftanding [ 9 ] withstanding the great opposition, and the infinite labour attending this enquiry, it was at latl com- pleted, and a clear ftate of thefe lands laid before the board ; by which it appeared, that not lefs than 568,736 Bigas (equal to 412,491 acres) whofe yearly value is computed at 862,524 Setca rupees, or 1 16,7277. appeared to have been feparated from the revenue of the province. It was an ob- ject of great confequence to examine into the vali- dity of the grants of fo large a territory, amounting to near a fifth part of the whole lands of the coun- try, in order to bring the farms to their former value, by re-annexing to each farm the lands which had been illegally given away by the farmers, with- out regular funnuds from the cutchery, or the rent of the alienated part deducted in the public books. If this enquiry (hall be profecuted in the manner it was propofed, I will venture to fay, that lands to a very ccnfiderable value may be re-annexed, and the farms enabled to pay their full rents. This en- quiry employed from fixty to feventy writers every day for near eight months. Whilft I was employed in the management of this extenfive province, an order came out to India from the Court of Directors, in July 1764, by which myfelf and many other gentlemen were dif- miffed from the Company's fervice, on account of our having differed in opinion from the then prefident, with refpect to the conduct to be purfued in regard to the growing power, and dangerous defigns and preparations of Coflim AH Cawn. This difmifllon was attended with very great lofs to my private affairs, as my property was difperfed in different parts of the country. An order afterwards arrived, by which I was re- ftored to my place in the fervice, and *as- again C fent fent to prefide at Burdwan ; to which place I re- turned the end of December 1764. I will not en*, ter inter into any difcufTion of what pafled in Eng- land when Lord Clive, in the beginning of the year 1764, was appointed to go out to India, and amongft others 1 was again reinftated. A mifunder- ftanding arofe between Lord Clive and my friends, into the merits of which I do not mean to enter ; only it is necefiary to take notice, for explaining what follows, that my friends have faid that Lord Clive owed his fuccefs in the conteft with Mr. Sulli- van, in fome meafure at leaft, to the aid which they gave him , and that after that fuccefs was fecured to him, he did not enter with the zeal they ex- pected into the juftice due to me and the other gen- tlemen who had been difmified ; although Mr. Sul- livan's conduct in thefe difmiffions was one of the points which formed the oppofition againfl him. No man who knows the tads will, I believe, af- firm, that if my friends had not engaged in that op- pofition, the management of the affairs of the India Company would now have been in the hands of the prefent fet of Directors, or that Lord Ciive would at prefent have been in pofleffion of his princely Jaghire, or his prefent power in India and in the Company at home. And the claim my friends had to have immediate juftice done to me, after the fuc- cefs of the conteft, was ftrengthene"d in the ftrongeft manner by this, that almoft as foon as tne oppofi- tion began, they had an offer for immediately reftor- ing me to my place in the fervice. - On the other hand Lord dive, I am told, af- firmed, that he was always hearty and zealous to get the injuries done me redrefled - s that my friends were too hafty, and did him wrong in fuppofing that he meant to act ungratefully, or contrary to the prin- ciples [ II ] triples dn which the oppofition to Mr. Sullivan was originally founded : and, although he pofitively re- fufed, when urged by my friends, to make my re- inftatement one of the many and minute condi- tions of his agreeing to go out to India, yet that he always intended to ufe his utmoft influence with the Directors to bring that meafure about. The matter was however delayed from time to time. My friends, after repeated promifes and repeated difappointments, became at laft convinced that it proceeded from defign, and that his Lord- fhip, apprehenfive perhaps of future controul, had become jealous of the influence they were thought to have had in the conteft, and in that fituation had come to think, that the obligations he owed to them were too great to be repaid, any other wife than by cancelling them. There was no longer room for hefitation, and a breach with Lord Clive was the confequence. I was at iaft reinftated upon a motion made by one of Mr. Sullivan's friends : and Lord Clive, I am told, de- clared to different gentlemen, That he would prove to all the world, by his conduit towards me in India, the great injuflice my friends had done him by their fufpicions of his fincerity. But thefe declarations were made before the ballot for his Jaghire, Every one of my friends voted afterwards on the ballot in favour of his Lordfhip for that magnificent prefent, from an opinion that his right was good. They did not allow refentment to interfere in what they thought was a matter of right. At this time the able pamphlet, in anfwer to Lord dive's letter, from the latenefs of its publication, had not been read, neither was it then known that there was a nullity in the grant, as the tranflation of that part of C 2 the the original paper which fhevved the nullity was omitted to be laid before the proprietors at the fame time with the reft. The conteft with refpect to Lord dive's Jaghire gave occafion to a propofition in one of the general courts, That the Company's fervants in India, both civil and military, mould enter into covenants not to accept of any prefents from the Indian princes or powers, as had been formerly the avowed and unreftrained practice , but mould account to the Company for whatever they received. This pro- pofition was at firft fuppofed to be meant as a re- itriction upon Lord Give himfelf, and thofe who were to attend him to India ; though the very re- fpectable gentleman who made the motion had no fuch view, but meant a general reftriction. How- ever, when the covenants came to be prepared, it appeared that they could prove of no prejudice to his Lordmip, or to his friends, while fupported by the Direction at home : for the covenants, as pre- pared by the Directors, amongft whom his Lord- Ihip had then a majority, only reftrained from fuch prefents as mould not be approved by the Court of Directors. The covenants were at laft fent out to India, and arrived there, as I am informed, in the month of January 1765. At this time I was not a confti- tuent member of the Council at Calcutta : but re- mained at Burdwan, in the management of the Company's affairs there. In the month of February following, the Nabob Meer Jaffier died, after a few days indifpofition. The Council judged it neceflary to confider imme- diately of the fteps proper to be taken upon fuch an event ; and were pleafed to fummon me down from Burdwan to Calcutta, to affift in thefe delibera- tions. r 13 ] tions. I accordingly fet out, and arrived at Cal- cutta on the loth of February 1765. The firft matter which came under the confidera- tion of the Board was, with refpecl to the proper perfon to be fupported in the fucceflion to the go- vernment. There appeared to be only two com- petitors, viz. Najiem il Doula, Meer JarTeir's eldeft furviving fon, then about eighteen years old, and a grandfon by Miran his eldeft fon, deceafed, a child of feven. In favour of the one ftood the right of fucceffion, according to the rules eftablifned inEuropean coun- tries, but his infancy was a ftrong objection againft him. In favour of the other, ftood the cuftom among the Mufiulmen, which permits the father to leave the fucceffion to his own fon, in preference to his grandfon in the elder branch ; accordingly, in this cafe, Najiem il Doula had the Nabob's no- mination upon his death-bed, and he had alfo been pointed out by him as his fucceflbr feveral months before, and invefted with the title of Chuta Nabob, which is only given to the intended fucceflbr to the nabobfhip. The council therefore determined to fupport him in the fucceffion intended him by his father. The next confideration was in what terms the treaty, which had been made with the former Na- bob, fhould be renewed with his fucceflbr. Great inconveniences had arifen from the adminiftration of Nuncommar, who was the duan, royroyan, and fole or prime minifter of the deceafed Nabob, and had the entire afcendancy and management of this young prince, as he lately had of his father. It was therefore refolved, that a different perfon fhould be appointed to inftruct the youth, and aflift the inexperience of the new Nabob, The t 4 ] The climate, and manners, and government of this country, are hot indeed favourable to the pro- duction of men of unmaken principles j but as it was necefiary to make a choice* the general voice of the council fell upon Mahomed Reza Cawn, as the leaft exceptionable perfon, to have the direction of affairs under the Nabob. He had been known to fome members of the council at Dacca, though not to myfelf, had behaved in a proper manner to the Englim when he acted as Nabob of that diftrict under Jafer Ali Khan, who had given him that of- fice in confequence of his having joined his party, after our army had got poffefficn of Muxadavad in July 1763, upon ournrft fuccefles againft Coffim Alii Cawn , and he was thought to have capacity equal to the office to which he was defined. The former Nabob had ftipuhted by his Jaft treaty to keep up, if I rightly recollect, 12,000 horfe and 12,000 foot, but he did net fulfil this en- gagement, and the Company were, on that account, obliged to increafe their military eftablifbment. The Nabob's forces were indeed a ulelefs burthen to him j they had never anfwered any purpofe upon real fer- vice; and in September 1764* hehaddifbanded mod of them ; it was therefore judged proper by the council, that the new Nabob, in place of engaging to keep up a body of forces himfelf, fhould eftablifti a proper allowance to the Company to enable them to keep up a fufficient force for their own defence and his; and the council refolved* that by the treaty, five Jacks of Sicca rupees monthly, out of the Nabob's treafury, mould be ftipulated for this purpofe, amounting to about 812,000!. yearly, and that the Nabob, in confideration of this -allowance, fnould be freed from the expence of retaining any, hut fuch as he thought proper for parade, and to affift the col- C 15 _] collectors of his revenues in the feveral diftri&s of his dominions. Great abufes, and immenfe arrears of the reve- nue, had been found to arife from the improper choice which had been made by Nuncomar, of the principal officers employed in fuperintending and collecting the revenues'; for during the two years of his adminiftration, twenty millions of rupees, or 2,706,666!. fterling, were uncollecled or unac- counted tor ; and as the proper management of this branch now in.rerefted the company as well as the Nabob, and indeed concerned the whole kingdom, for this reafon it was refolded by the council, that it fhould be (lipulated, by an article of the treaty, that the principal fuperintendants mould be appoint- ed by the Nabob, but with the advice and confent of the governor and council, leaving the inferior collectors to be appointed by the Nabob, as hereto- fore ; but referving to the council the privilege of reprefenting againft any of thofe named, if guilty of mifconduct, and that the Nabob mould pay proper regard to fuch reprefentation : That the Nabob mould retain no Europeans in his fervice, and mould difmifs thofe that were: That he mould confirm the grants of the three provinces of Burdwan, Chittegong, and Medna- poor : That he mould pay to the merchants what ftill remained due for the reftitution of their lories: That he mould concur in meafures for regulating the mint, fo as to prevent the yearly lofs of every man's property, by the value of the rupees falling one, two, or three per cent, on the iffuing out the riew Sicca rupees of the year : That he fhould confirm the right of the company to a free trade in all articles and in all places, by virtue of the company's duftick or permit; and to fettle [ 16 ] fettle regulations to prevent difputes between our gomaftahs and agents, and the people of the coun- try government in the inland trade : And finally, It was recommended to the deputies, to take this opportunity of obtaining a promile from the Nabob to make over to the Company the re- verfion of Lord dive's Jaghire. Such were the terms of the new treaty, which the council at Calcutta judged it proper to make with the fucceffbr of Meer Jaffier; a treaty more ad- vantageous for the Company than any which had ever before been made, and at the fame Time pre- lerving that moderation, which had been fo fre- quently and ftrongly inculcated by the Directors, in their inftructions fent out to Bengal, and in a par- ticular manner in their laft letter, then received, dated the firft of June 1764, a copy of which is an- nexed. By this treaty the Nabob was evidently de- prived of the army, of the nomination of his mi- nifter, and of the principal officers of the kingdom. There remained with him, after the feveral allow- ances to be ftipulated in favour of the company, a re- venue eftimated at about 20,000,000 rupees, orabout two and a half millions fterling, which by this treaty it was in the power of the Company at any time af- terwards to deprive him of, or to mare it with him in what proportions they thought proper, if at any future peiiod this mould be thought a wife, ajujt, or an expedient meafure : for the prefent treaty evi- dently put this power into the Company's hands, without at the fame time carrying matters to violent extremes. This is all that Lord Clive has lately done, and it could have been effected by any per- fon, at ?ny time, upon a fimple order from the court of Directors. After [ 7. 3 After fettling the terms of the treaty, the council refolved to make choice of a deputation to wait uport the Nabob at Muxadavad, and to obtain his confent to the ieveral articles ; the choice fell upon me for one, and upon Mr. Leycefter for the other deputy ; to us were joined Mr. Senior, the company's chief at Cafimbuzar, and Mr. Middleton, refident at the Nabob's court, with equal powers to carry thefe in- fhucticns into execution, but to refer every other point and regulation to be determined by the council at Calcutta. As eldeft member, I became of courle the head of this deputation. The deputies arrived at Muxadavad on the 25th of February 1 765. They obtained with feme diffiulty the Nabob's confent to the treaty, but met with the greateft ob(trucl:ion in carrying into execution that part of it which related to the removing Nuncom- mar, the minifter of his father, and the placing Ma- hamud Reza Cawn in his ftead, and alfo in fettling the plan for collecting the revenues, and dividing that department, then intirely under Nuncommar's management, among proper perfons, with more limited powers. The Nabob, during the courfe of thefe negotiations, expreffed the greateft uneafinefs, and lent repeated complaints to the board againflthe deputies for carrying into execution thefe terms which were io much for the Company's advantage ; how- ever, in every inftance the board approved of the conduct of the deputies, when explained by their an- fwers. Copies of the correfpondence which pafled upon thatoccafion between the Nabobj the deputies, and the board, are in my pcfTeflion -, and from thefe it will appear that no one point which had been re- folved on by the board, before the deputation fet out, was given up by the deputies ; and that the Heady adherence to their duty gave great difcontent to the D Nabob. Nabob. I muft here obferve, that while the coun- cil at Calcutta had the new treaty under their deli- beration, and before the deputation was appointed, offers were made by Juggat Chund, the Nabob's envoy, and fon-in-law to Nuncommar, to Mr. Spencer, the governor, of large fums, which Mr. Spencer rejected and mentioned publickly. Mef- fages were alfo fent by Juggat Chund to other members of the council, particularly to Mr. Ley- cefler, and by Nubkinfon Munfhy to myfelf, de- firing a private interview, which was refufed, and publickly mentioned. Mr. Middleton, who was at this time refident at the Nabob's court, had alfo an offer of a large fum before the deputation was fent. During the courfe of the deputation, the board gave ofders to the deputies to fend Nuncommar down to Calcutta, to ftand his trial upon an accu- fation againft him. Upon this, an offer was made to Mr. Spencer, upon the part of Nuncommar, of eleven lacks, about 140,000!. fterling, which he alfo rejected and made known*. About the fame lime a mefiage was lent from the Nabob to Mr. Leyceiler, then acting as one of the deputies, ac- quainting him, that it he would be friendly to the Nabob, he fhould be fatisfkd for his friendfhip. * When Lord Clive arrived at Calcutta, Nuncommar was in confinement, and the witncfles to prove his treachery, who had been brought from a great ciiftance, being ready, it was expected the trial would go on ; but his loidihip became con- vinced that it was proper to relieve him from this fituation. His confinement, which was without guards, was taken off, and all thewitnefYes fent back, and he and his fon-in-lnw loon found favour, and ihe latter was permitted to vifn the gentle- men of the felett committee. Nuncommar was fuppoled to be worth upwards of 300,000!. fterling, moftly acquired during the two jears he had the management of the whole revenues. The [ 19 ] The fame meffage was fent to Mr. Senior, and the Nabob himfelf fpoke to Mr. Middleton in a ftiic which had the fame tendency. Thefe gentlemen rejected the offers, and publicity mentioned them to the other deputies. The manner in which I had treated the melTage lent to me at Calcutta, by re- futing even to fee ihe meffcnger, prevented, as to me, any- new attempt. About the 8th of March, after the treaty had been concluded and exchanged with the Nabob, and he acknowledged and feated as Subah on the mufnud, and after the perfon recommended by the board for his Naib, had been dignified and confirmed by him in that office, while Nuncommar (lill continued to poflefs the Nabob's entire confi- dence, and was in every refpect adverie to the de- puties, a mefiage was brought to the deputies by M'.hamud RezaCawn, to inform them of the Na- bob's intention to make them prefents, agreeable to t-he ufoal practice on the like occafions, when any important bufinefs is tranfacted, and to defire tru-l:- acceptance of them, as a mark of his good- od iatisfaction. Mahumud Rcza Cawn pro- note in Perfian, under the Nabob's hand and l\al, fignifying the amount of the fums in- a tor each of the deputies; for myfelf 137,500 =, which at 2 s. 6d. per rupee, amounts to 17,187!. IDS. for each of the other deputies 1 12,500 rupees, or 14,062!. ios. He was directed to retu/n our acknowledgements to the Nabob, to carry back the paprr, and to acquaint him, that if fuch a favour was intended us, we could agree to receive it only from his own hands. About the i6th of March, when we happened to be at the place of audience OQ publick bufmefs, the Nabob produced this note, and defired our ao P 2 cepunc* I 20 ] ceptance of it, with many proteftations of his fince- rity.and friendly intentions. We told the Nabob that we wanted no favour from him, but what came willingly and fincerety . from his heart ; that he had very lately, on the 28th of February, wrote a complaint ag-iinft us to the governor, which he Was afterwards himfelf convinced was groundlefs; and though he had made a private apology for this through Mr. Middleton, yet we would not accept of his prefent, unlefs he would fignify his entire fatjsfadjon with our conduft by a publick letter to the governor. This he readily pro- rnifed to do, and accordingly difpatched a letter to the governor that night. Having on thefe condi- .tions, after repeated expreflbns of his regard and confidence, agreed to accept the mark offered us of his favour, we de'fired that as the paper could be of no ufe to us, it might be given to Maharnud Reza Cawn, with orders for him to pay it ; and it was accordingly delivered. A few days after the Nabob x had thus given or- ders for payment of the prefents, we were informed by the board, about the 2oth of March, of the .information already mentioned laid before th?m by Mr. George Vanfittart, of a treacherous correipon- dence with Suja Doula, which had been carried on by Nuncommar, and we were acquainted that the board had refolved he fhould not be further trufted in publick bufinefs till he had cleared himfelf of this charge by a fair trial : at the fame time a letter was fent by them to the Nabob, urging him in the ftrongeft terms to fend Nuncommar down to Cal- putta to anfwer to thefe accufations. No fervice could pofiibly be required of the deputies more dif- agreeable to the Nabob, or which gave them a lefs profpedl of ever receiving payment of -the prefents. The The Nabob refilled in the ftrongeft manner the re- queft of the board-, he refufed to fend Nuncommar down, and did, it he did go, he himfelf would ar- tend him to Calcutta, and be prefent at the trial. He complained to the board in a publick letter of the con- dud: of the deputies, and dilcovered every fymptom ot uneafintfs and diOatisfaction. It will appear by the correfpondence with how much fteadineis and propriety of conduct the deputies fulfilled the infrruc- tions of the board upon this occafion. They at lad prevailed: Nuncommar was, on the 28th March, fent down to Calcutta, in confequence of a fecond order from the board add re (Ted to the Nabob, who then laid afide his intention of attending him thither. While this was in dependence, Mahamud Reza Cawn difcovered great anxiety to have Nuncommar Cent down ; he offered to me three lacks if I would effect this, and engage to ufe my influence that Nuncommar mould never return from Calcutta. I treated this propofal as ic defer ved, and rejected it with indignation. The deputies continued their inquiries regarding the revenues, and laid a date of them before the board , and in confequence of inftructions received, they fettled with the>Nabob the perfons who were to luperintend the collections at Muxadabad. All thefe meafures, however difagreeable to the Nabob, were taken by the deputies, while the prefents were ftill unpaid, and might have been without difficulty recalled or flopped. Soon after Nuncommar had been fent to Calcutta, the Nabob appeared to have laid afide his refent- ment againft the deputies. About the ift of April he made a prefent to my brother of 50,000 rupees, when he went to take his leave to go and join the army at Patna ; and fome days after, in prefencc of Mr. Senir, t ] . Senior, Mr. Middleton, and fcveral of his own people, in the piace of audience, he urged me, in the moft preffing manner, to accept a.n offer he had formerly made me, of another Jack, befides my fhare of the general prefent, in confideration of the many fervices, he faid, 1 had rendered to his de- ceafed fa: her -, to which, after confulting Mr. Senior and Mr. Middleton, I then agreed. Ten days after, when the public bufinefs was nearly finifhed, and the deputies were about to re- turn to Calcutta, Mahamud Reza Cawn was afked for payment of the money, agreeable to the Nabob's order ; but he judged it prudent for his own juf- tification to refer to the Nabob for his further p!ea- fure. The Nabob confirmed his former note by a frefh order under his hand, dated about a month after his firft note , and foon after he fent a prefent to the gentlemen of the council at Calcutta, confid- ing of notes and bills of exchange incloied ir. ' t s under his hand and feal. The payment of the prefent to the deputies be- gan to be made about the i9th of April, and, by leveral payments, was compleated about the 3Oth of that month. The firft certain accounts that Lord Clive was actually on his way to India, were re- ceived the 1 6th of April at Calcutta, and he was then hourly expected, as the fliip Prince of Wales, which brought the intelligence, had parted from him in latitude 1 North. This was known in two days at the Nabob's court ; and the Nabob had entertained the ftrongeft hopes by letters from Major Carnac and ethers, that fo foon as Lord Ciive fhould arrive, the treaty which the council had made would be overturned, and he put in the lame fituation, and veiled with the fame power as pis father had enjoyed, Notvyithftanding this, not the [ *3 3 the lead attempt was made by the Nabob to put a flop to the payment of the preients ; and even as late as the 26truof April, the Nabob wrote a par- ticular invitation to the deputies to be pre- lent at the ceremony of the Punia, or new year, and bellowed upon them horfes, dreffes, and jewels, agreeable to the cuftom on fuch occafions. This is the only prelent about which it feems ne- cefiary to enter into any explanation. Another prefent was made to the deputies by Mahamud Reza Cawn from himfelf, my mare of which amounted to a lack ;-but as that was never, properly fpeak- ing, received, and the bills for it returned, it feems intirely out of the quellion. There was alib a fmaller prefent made by the Seats, the great bankers of India, my fnare of which amounted to 10,000 rupees, and my brother, received an equal fum. This was an affair of fo little confequence, that I fhould not have thought of entering into any dif- cuffion about it." However, as I am informed great pains have been taken to exaggerate and, mifrepre- fent the circumftances attending thefe two prefents, I mud beg the indulgence of the proprietors, while I give an account of thejreal ftateof the facts. About the 8th of March, when the treaty was concluded, the Nabob feated on the throne, and his prime minifter appointed, Mahamud Reza Cawn, much about the fame time that the offer of a pre- fent came from the Nabob, gave intimation to the deputies thro' Mootyram Phougedarof Hughly, that he too had a defire of making them a preient from himfelf. The deputies anfwered, that they would not decline to accept his offer. He afterwards him- felf informed them of his intention to give to each of the deputies a lack of rupees, 12,500 1. and fome days after he gave to Mootyram bills ior my. (hare on Hughly Hughly andBurdwan, and a bill for part of Mr. Ley- cefter's on Hughly. He alfo gave to Mootyram bills forafum hedefigned for my brother, which Mooty- ram informed me amounted to 20,000 rupees, 2500!. tho' it was afterwards faid to be 2 5,000 rupees, 3125!. Mootyram told me he had fuch bills, but I never faw them, nor made ufe of them. About the 2cth. April, when the bufinefs was nearly concluded, and the deputies about to feparate, Mahamud Reza Cawn informed Mr. Senior and Mr. Middieton that he had given bills for Mr. Leycefter and my- feJf, but would pay in ready money the prefent he intended for them. Accordingly after the deputies were feparated, he paid to Mr. Senior 50,000 rupees, 6250!. and would have paid to Mr. Middieton the lame fum, if he had not by that time taken the re- folution, - as Mr. Leycefter and I likewife did nearly at the fame time, not to accept of this prefent, be- caufe we underftoo'd that Lord CJive had deter- mined to overturn the nomination of this man as prime minifter ; and as it was expeded the queilion would come to be difputed in council, we did not think it becoming in us to accept of a prefent which might be objected as the motive of our conduit, if we gave our fupport in council to the former nomi- nation. When we agreed to accept the prefent every thing feemed fettled, and no objections could be made againft our receiving it. When the nomination was again to be canvafied, we thought it would be equally improper to retain the prefent then, as it would have been to accept it before his firft nomi- nation. Upon this principle Mr. Middieton re- fufed the payment offered to him, and Mr. Ley- cefler and myfelf directed Mootyram to return the bil^s he had for us. It [ 25 ] It appeared afterwards that Lord Clive had no intention to fet afide the nomination of Mahami d Reza Cawn , on the contrary, when certain pur- pofes had been ferved by infpiring him with the moft dreadful apprehenfions, he was not only con- tinued in his office, but inverted with flill greater powers than the deputies had given him; ib that this prefc-nt might with the greateft propriety have been retained. Mootyram fent for the bills to Hughly, where they lay accepted and ready to be paid, and made an offer of them to Mahamud Reza Cawn ; but, as it was afterwards difcovered, he re- fufed to take them back, of which Mootyram never gave notice to Mr. Leycefter or myfelf ; on the con- trary, he told me they were actually given back. Upon an inquiry carried on by the felect committee, the bills were at laft found in the pofifeffion of Buf- fentroy, Mooiyram's principal officer, to whom he had recently before intruded them, to offer them back a fecond time to Mahamud Reza Cawn, who a fecond time refufed them ; however, in the end, after having been taken into the pofleiTion of the committee, and kept for about a month, they were given back to Bufentroy, and afterwards reftored to Mahamud Reza Cawn's order. With refpecl: to the prefent from the Seats, the fact ftands thus : The Seats vifited the deputies on their arrival , we returned their vifit, and {hewed them every refpeft and diftinclion in our power. By our good offices in part, they were peculiarly diftinguifhed by the Nabob at the folemnity of his being feated on the Mtifnucl, by his conferring on. the eleft Seat the title of Rajah. In the courfe of their vifits they took occafion to reprefent to us the many lacks that were due to their houfe from the Rajahs and Zimmindars before the time of Caflim E Alii [ '6 ] Aili'Cdv-n, wh^n they fhut up their houfe, and the large fum they had advanced to Jaffeir Alii Khan before the revolution in 1760, and foliated our affiftjnce for recovering thofe fums, and alfo iblicited our recommendation to the Nabob and his minifter to be employed in the bufinefs of the go- vernment, and of the Zimmindars, which Caflim Ali Khan had transferred to others. We did not then chooie to interpofe, or to take any trouble upon -us with refpect to thefe matters. I believe it may be true, that Mahamud Reza Cawn gave them his advice to make offer of fome prefent to the deputies for the labour they would be involved in, if they undertook to affift them in fo many and fo extenfive affairs. Soon after this, be- fore the end of March, they made offer, by the in- tervention of Mahamud Reza Cawn, of 10,000 rupees to each of the deputies, and a further fum of 75,000 rupees for the four deputies, to be paid when their debts (hould be collected in \ and at tfc fame time, or afterwards, they offered 1 0,000 rupees to my brother, which were accepted. Chiefly by our recommendation, they again came to be employed as the bankers and merchants of the government i and it was my intention, and I be- lieve that of the other deputies then prelent, to give them all the affiftance in their power in recovering the fums which were juftly due to them. . Having thus given a full account of the feveral preients, 1 beg the indulgence of the proprietors to mention the fteps taken by Lord Clive after his ar- rival. I will confine myfelf as much as poffible to the proceedings which affect myfelf, leaving it to others to give an account, if they mail think proper, of what regards more nearly the coniticution ot the Company, [ '7 ] Company, and the probable confequences to their affairs, from what has lately puffed on the other fide of the globe. Lord Clive arrived at Calcutta the 3d of May, 1 765, and I returned the fame day irom finifhing the affairs of the deputation. His Lordfhip had left England immediately after a memorial had been given in to the Court of Directors, afterwards print- ed in the news papers, and figned by my brother and another gentleman, whofe honourable and wor- thy character needs no panegyric; in which, as if mfpired with the fpirit of prophecy, thefe gentle- men had foretold the probable confequences which would refult from the extraordinary and unnecefiary powers which the Court of Directors, after the gene- ral courts were all over, had been pleafed to confer on Lord Clive and a felect com mittee, compofed of mem- bers, necefTarily,from various circumftances, depend- ant upon him ; by which the conftitutional powers of the council at Bengal were totally annihilated. In that memorial likewife, the inconfiftency of the con- duct of the directors, and of his Lordfhip, was pointed out, who had made it one of the capital points of their oppofition to Mr. Sulivan, that he had, by a vote of a former Court of Directors, given powers fomewhat fimilar, tho' not fo danger- ous, to Mr. Vanfittart. A copy of that memorial is annexed. This, with fome other publick oppor- tunities which had been taken of giving light into a character which had not been fo properly under- ftood, made, it is believed, an impreffion upon his lordfhip's mind, which a voyage that lafted near a year had rather increafed than diminiflied. Joined to this, his Lordmiphad the mortification to find that every thing was intirely fettled at Bengal 2 before C 28 ] before his arrival * -, that a mod advantageous treaty had been made, by which the Company's affairs were put in a fituation far fuperior to what had ever been known, and were eftablifhed upon fuch a plan of moderation as was known to be agreeable to the general fentiments of the proprietors at home, and left it open to the directors, at any time by an order, to increale their revenue as they thought pro- per. This is-all that Lord Clive afterwards did, tho* certainly without their order. What added to this difappointment was, that the two perfons who had acted a chief part in thele affairs, were Mr. Spencer, the friend of Mr. Suli- van, who acted as governor, and myfelf, who acted as head of the deputation. He found too that Mr. Spencer was beloved and refpected by every man in the fettlemenr, that he had reconciled aJl quarrels, had rcitored peace and unanimity to the council, and had introduced a icene of happi- nefs and freedom which could not be contemplated by him without pain and regret. It was not long that matters continued upon this footing. Mr, Spencer had not quitted the government a fort- night, when a icene of terror, difcontent, diffention, and anxiety fuccet-ded to the former happy fituation of the fettlemenc. To defcribe this, would only be to give a picture of what have been the confequences of defpotiim in every country and in every age , not a man, felt himfeli in a ftate of fecurity, much lefs of * The war was at an end ; Illiabad and Chinargore were taken; the iaft fkirmifh with t-oujah Doula and the Morattoes WiiS fo-jght the n,th and 2oth of May at Caipi ; and in five tiiys after Sr-^jah D-uKi furrenlered h:mfelf a prifoner at our camp. The hews of Lord C'ive's arrival, which was on the }d of May, could fcarcehavs reached the array about athoufand Kiika d ill ant. independen.es., independence. The fituation of my own private aP- fairs and of the members of the council, do not in- fluence me in this defcription, which every indifferent perfon would have equally felt. Spies, informers, and parafites were every where encouraged j all con- fidence, even amongft friends, deftroyed ; jealoufy and difmay was feen in every face; diftaoce, referve, and lelfifh confiderations prevailed throughout, and feemed to have already extinguished every generous and honourable fentiment. I do not exaggerate, tho' I own the Hidden and incredible change made a deep impreffion on my mind ; and the contrail be- tween that, and the happinefs and tranquillity which the fettlement had enjoyed from the time Mr. Spencer fucceeded to that government fix months before, made an impreffion, I am fure, upon every one, and added to the general diftrefs. If there are men in this kingdom who undervalue the blefilngs of our happy conftitucion, who do noc hold the liberty which prevails in this ifland as the moft ineftimable of all human enjoyments, I fhould prefcribe, as an infallible means of reforming their depraved and miitaken opinions, to fend them for fix months to the kingdom of Bengal, in the Com- pany's fervice, during the fubfiftence of the prefent ielecl: committee, fent out under the aufpices of Lord Give, tO ESTABLISH PEACE AND TRANQUILLITY JN THAT COUNTRY. Lord Clive was met, before he entered the town, by Mr. Leycefter and Mr. Gray ; the laft of whom, either then or fome days after, informed him of the prefents he had received. Mr. Spencer the fame evening gave him the like account, and particularly mentioned the fum paid, and what was ftill due to him. Mr. Spencer informed me that heconfidered by his Lordfhip's anfwer, that he would aiTift him in recovering the balance. J alib waited on his Lordfhip, [ 30 J Lordmip, but was afked no queflions then or af- terwards as to that or any of the publick bufinefs in which I had been employed. A council was the fame day held, in which Lord Clive was pleafed to join in returning thanks to Mr. Spencer for his zeal and fervices ; with how much fincerity was foon known ; for in eight or ten days he broke off all intercourfe with him. On the 6th of May another council was held, when Lord Clive gave us an idea of how fmall con- fequence the opinion of the council was likely to be during his government. The bufinefs of appoint- ing the field officers came firft to be conlklered. At the Cape, Lord Clive had met Major Chapman- of the King's regiment, returning to Europe from Madrafs ; he and his committee engaged him to re- turn, with the promife of a commiliion as Major at Bengal. His Lordfhip dcfired the fentiments of the board, whether this commifTion fhouid be s iven. No man is acquainted with Major Chapman who does not love him, and wifh his welfare ; his great merit was allowed by every one. The difficulty lay in promoting his intereft, by fuperfeding and difc gufting fo many gallant and deferving officers then on the eftablimment, to whofe good conduct the Company had owed the preiervation of their fettle- ment, and in their. very laft letter the directors had returned them the molt honourable acknowlege- ments. On referring to the Company's letter, the Board and his Lordlhip were equally furprized, to find the power of appointing the field officers left to the Governor, without the Council being joined therein. The tenor of the general letter leemed to indicate no fuch alteration as the transferring fuch a power to the Governor alone, independent of the Council - 3 and the doubt leemed plainly occafioned by f 31 ] by art error in tranfcribing the letter ; efpecially as his Lordfhip knew not that fuch a power was veiled in him till the letter was then read. The power of naming the inferior officers had al- ways been vefted in the Governor ; but captains and all fuperior officers were named by the Governor and Council, the Jaft to be confirmed from home ; and as by the Company's laft letter the power of naming captains dill remained with the Governor and Coun- cil, the nomination of the fuperior officers, for a much flronger reafon, was certainly meant to be ve(ted in them. As matters flood thus, it was afked, Whether the opinion of the Council would have any weight in deciding the queftion propofed ? His Lordmip de- clared, he was determined, whether it mould be the fentiments of the majority or not, to give the commiflion. On which Mr. Burdett and myfelr". entered our minute, that as our fentiments could have no effect in determining this affair, we fhould not give any opinion upon it. Lord Clive then declared his intention to efta- bliih the felect committee ; the paragraphs of the ge- neral letter, June 1764, were read. His Lordmip was afked, If he had any other powers than thofe contained in thefe paragraphs ? He declared, he had none. The committee was defired to explain what they thought to be the meaning and intent of thofe powers which were exprefly limited by the letter, to the refloring peace and tranquillity ? His Lord- mip anfwered, that they would not enter into any di'cuffion of that point with the Council ; that they themfelves were the only judges of the extent and limits of thofe powers, and were refolved to carry them into execution. The paragraph of the Com- pany's [ 3* 1 pany's letter eftablifhing the felec~t committee it annexed. On the 9th of May another Council was held, when Lord Clive required of all the members to fign the covenants relating to the prefents, which he, himfelf had figned, he faid, before he left England, $r. Burdett, to whom 50,000 rupees of his pre- {ent was ftill due, put the queflion to his Lordfhip, Whether thefe covenants would have a retrofpe<5l ? to which he anfwered, Tha- they would not. Upon which the covenants were figned, and I took my leave, and had the liberty of the beard to return to Burdwan. The perfons who it was thought might prove the moft uieful in calumniating me, were Mahamud Reza Cawn, and the Rajah of Burdwan. No time was loft in conveying to them impreffions of the ut- moft terror. A letter was fent to Mahamud Reza Cawn, un- der Lord dive's great feal, which in that country is reckoned a mark of difrefpecl: j by which he was informed, that all bufmefs was taken from the Council, and it was intimated to him, as 1 have been told, as well as to every man belonging to the country government, that they were to have no con- nexion or correfpondence with any but the ielect committee, at the fame time ordering him down to Calcutta. Another letter was lent to the Rajah of Burdwan, by which he was ordered to pay near eight iacks of rupees in feven days, as a balance pretended to be due by him to the Company ; other- wife to (land to theconfequences, for that his Lord- ihip would hear no anfwer. 1 received letters from them both, which are in my pofTeffion, exprefling the utmoft dread and apprehenfion. To intimidate Mahamud . Reza Cawn ftill further, his rival Nun- commar was fet at liberty, nd allowed to go and o rr.eec [ 33 3 meet the Nabob, who was at this time on his way to vifit Lord Clive. He returned to Calcutta with the Nabob, and was allowed to continue with him about three weeks. When the purpofe was thus ferved, and Mahamud Reza Cawn had complied, Nuncommar was put under a guard of feapoys, with his fon in law Juggat Chund, and allowed no in- tercourfe with the Nabob. Honours were heaped upon Mahamud Reza Cawn, and when the Nabob returned to Muxadabad, he was fent up to that place as minifter, and afterwards, as I'm informed, had a company of our feapoys appointed him as a guard, independent of the Nabob; which he had formerly afked of me, and was refufed. During all the time he was at Calcutta he durft not vifit me nor any gentleman not of the committee, and the fame conduct was obfcrved by every confider- able man of the country government. After the Nabob had left Calcutta, Nuncommar prevailed in getting his confinement removed, and his fon-in-law was allowed to go to the Nabob's court. Dr. Ful- lerton, Meer Afhoruf, and the other witneffes, brought near five hundred miles, from Benares and Patna for the trial, were fent back without being confronted or examined in his prcfence ; and Nun- commar has been fince gracioufly received in his vi- fits to the gentlemen of the felecl: committee. With refpect to the Rajah of Burdwan, after be- ing terrified with the demand of a large balance, when he owed fcarce three lacks, incurred before my time, he was ordered down to Calcutta on the 26th of May, without notice given to me. This was not only an uncommon piece of difrefpecl: to me as chief, and to the Board at Calcutta, but, at once, deftroyed all my authority over the province, to which I could not thereafter remra with any credit. F The C 34 ] The accounts had neither been examined nor 3 queftion afked at me, as to the balance he truly owed, notwithftanciing that in confequence of the Rajah's letter to me, I had laid before Mr. Sumner a ftate of his accounts -, who confefled he had not infpected them. For fourteen days he was not ad- mitted to wait upon Lord Cliye, and dared not to vifit me, nor any cf the gentlemen of the Council; during all that time he was under the greateft ter- ror, being witnefs to the violent treatment of Mooty- ram and BuiTuntroy. At laft he was permitted to vilit Lord Clive at theGardens. I was credibly informed, he was then made to fwear he would anfwer the quef- tions that fhould be put to him , and thefe queftions were no other than an inquifition into my conduct. His anfwers I prefume did not prove fatisfactory : for I have alio ground to believe, that the honours and exaltation of Mahumed Reza Cawn, who had given evidence to their mind againft me, were pointed out to him at another vifit as objects for his encouragement to make accufations. He has fince been loaded with honours ; but it has not yet been publicly declared in what manner he has merited thefe marks of gratitude. The Nabob foon after his arrival at Calcutta, when under the direction of Nuncommar, wrote a letter to the Select Committe, which was made the foundation of an enquiry into the conduct of the deputies. In that letter, in which there is fcarce a word of truth, he accufed his minifter Mahumed Reza Cawn of a great variety of offences, and amongft others of having given away his money, without his knowlege or confent, in prefents to the deputies and to the gentlemen of the council, in or- dtr to ft'cure him in his office. Mahumed Rtza Cawn was examined upon this before the ielcct committee in the mojt private man- ner; C 35 ]. her ; the members of which firft bound themfelveS by an oath of fecrecy. He produced as a proof that the prefents were given by the Nabob's order, the two notes under the Nabob's hand and feal, the fame which was affixed to the Company's treaty. At this time it would ieem he did not perfectly underftand what fort of evidence would be moft agreeable, for he gave an account of the prefents upon oath ; which, tho* calculated to throw fome load upon the deputies, in order to excufe himfelf from having adled voluntarily in that matter, yet not at all conformable to the view of his examination. " After his Excellency (he faid) had been feated " on the mufnud, the gentlemen of the council firft " of allfen me a mefiage by Mootyram, and after- " wards themfelves faid to me, The gentlemen who " have affifted former Nazims have obtained prefents. " Now that we have feated his Excellency on the *' mufnudj and rendered him fervice, we hope that * c he will make prefen'ts to us alfo. DD you reprefent " this to his Excellency." I anlwered : " Do you " yourfelves, gentlemen, mention it. At length, as " they were earned with me, 2nd I perceived thac " they would be offended at my refufal, I repre- t fented it to his Excellency, in conformity to their " defire. His Excellency faid to me, It mull be done " (the Perfian word baid kerA fignifies, let it be ' k>ne.) Do you make out a lift and bring ic ts me*. I replied, Your Excellency is the mafter i *' yo'urfelf determine upon whatever may be your " pleafure. Accordingly an account of the prefents " for the gentlemen was made out before the Na- " bob's face, and given under his hand and feel to " Mr. Johnftone, in the prefence of all the four " gentlemen. After three or four days Mr. " Johnftone carried this paper to the Nabob, and F 2 " (aid* [ 36 ] " faid, If your Excellency has given this paper un- ' willingly and contrary to your inclination, ive do * not want it. His Excellency anfvvered, / have ' given it to you of my own pleafure and by my own '. inclination. After this converfation pafied Mr. * Johnftone faid. What fhall we do with a bare " paper ? Let orders be given to Mahumud Reza " Cawn for the payment of the money. His Ex- 8 at ^ eat to ^ him, he would agree to give " 75,000 to the gentlemen, and defired he would " reprefent to them that his circumftances would " not afford more , which he promifed to do " That he went about twelve or fourteen days * c ago by Mr. JohnfLone's order, and tendered back " the bills which had been granted for the other ** prefent to Mahomed Reza Cawn, and defired " he would take them -, and that he told him,. " as foon as difficulties were over, he would re- " ceive their amounts, if he then confented to *' pay ; but Mahomed Reza Cawn refufed to take " the bills That the bills were five in number, " and amounted to 175,000 rupees That he fent " the bills yefterday morning by Bufiuntroy That " thefe bills were the amount of a prefent to be " paid by Mahomed Reza Cawn to Meflfrs. John- " ftone, Leycefter, and Mr. Johnftone's younger " brother , and that the prefent intended for each " of thofe gentlemen was, for Mr. Johnftone *' 150,000, for Mr. Leycefter 50,000, for Gideon 11 Johnftone 20,000 That as to the money the ' gentlemen received from the Nabob, Mahomed " Reza Cawn had the management of that bufi- c nefs That Mr. Johnftone firft received through con- " firming in the ftrongeft manner the feveral par- " ticulars fet forth in his former evidence. ct That he pofitively, afferts and with thegreateft Your obedient and moft humble Servant, JOHN JOHNSTONE. APPENDIX. Letter from the Court of Direffors, dated ifl June 1764. paragraph 2. TN former letters we have given __ our fentiments upon the frequent revolutions in the government of Bengal, and we flill are of the fame opinion, that they muft be productive of the greateft mifchief and prejudice to the Company's affairs, and therefore are at all times to be avoided. This laft therefore, by the reinftatement of Jaffier Ali Cawn in the Subahfhip, will require your utmoft care and attention to make it permanent, and prevent any future difturbances in the country -, in order to which we repeat what we have directed in our letter of the pth May, That Jaffier Ali Cawn is to be effectually fupported in his government, confiftently with the treaties between the Company and the faid Subah, and the intereft of the Company, of which you will be the beft judges. It is proper to obferve in this place, that we are well fatisfied with cur prefent poffeffions, and are by no means dejirous of adding to them -, their fecurity therefore, the preferving the country in a ftate of tranquillity, and the promo- tion of our commercial interefts, are the objects which muft be conftantly in your view ; and it is our pofitive order, that no military enterprizes or expeditions be undertaken or carried into execu- tion, unlefs the Company's intereft really and im- mediately requires them. Letter ' Letter from tie Court of Directors, dated ift June, 1766. Paragraph 67. The General Court of Proprie- tors having, on account of the critical fituation of the Company's affairs in Bengal, requefted Lord Clive to take upon him the ftation of Prefident, and the command of the Company's military forces there, his Lordfhip has been appointed Prefident and Governor accordingly, as mentioned in the preceding part of this letter. The intention of the General Court in defiring Lord Clive to go to Bengal was, that by his L^v^hip's character and influence, peace. and tranquillity might be eafier reftored and eftabllfhed in that Subahlhip ; in order therefore to aniwer thefe purpofes in a manner that we apprehend may prove effectual, we have thought proper to appoint a committee on this occafion, <:onfifting of his Lordfhip, Mr. William Bright- well Sumner, Brigadier-General Carnac , alfo Mr. Harry Verelft, and Francis Sykes ; to whom we do hereby give full powers to "purfue whatever means they mall judge moft proper to attain thofe defirable ends : but however, in all cafes where it can be done conveniently, the council at large is to be confulted by the laid committee, tho* the power of determining is to be in that committee alone. We further direct, that as foon as peace and tranquillity are reftored and eftabliili^u in the Subahihip of Bengal, then the faid extraordinary powers are immediately to ceafc, and the i.:;d com- mittee to be diflblved. 68. As we would have the faid committee, fo long as it is neceffary to exift as before-mentioned, to [ 79 1 to confift of ftve members , in cafe therefore of a vacancy or vacancies by death, or abfence from Fort William, they are to be filled up by the laid committee out of fuch of the civil members of the council, as they mall think proper from time to time. 69. We alfo inform you and direct, that the faid committee is to be the committee for defend- ing the fettlement, In cafe of being attacked by an enemy, agreeable to the directions and rules laid down in our letter of the I2th of May 1758 ; to which is to be added Sir Robert Barker, the Colonel and Commandant of the corps of artillery.' Note fent to Mr. Johnfione during tie feige at Midna-poor. Sent one of the affiftants of the hofpital with a box of the moft necefiary medicines for the relief of the wounded You have of the warmeft wifhes of all here for your deliverance out of trouble, and I hope I mall foon receive that agreeable advice- Such of your fick and wounded as are able to move you had beft fend to Calcutta. I am, Sir, Your moft obedient fervant, Fort William, 4th Feb. 1761. Henry Vanfittart. 80 Copy of tbe Letter from the Board to J. J. dated February 13, 1761. To Mr. John Johnftone. Sir y The Prefident has laid before us feveral letters from you during the time you were befieged, and are dated the 8th inftant, giving us the agree- able advice of your having furmounted the diffi- culties you had to contend with, in having obliged the enemy to retire. It is with the greateft pleafure, Sir, we give you this public afiurance, that your behaviour in every refpect has been entirely agreeable to us, and we doubt not, when the Company are acquainted with the particulars and fignal inftances you have given of gallantry and. good conduct, but they will em- brace the firft opportunity of doing juftice to your merits. We purpofe to fend Captain Knox with a fmall addition of Europeans and feapoys to command the whole under you , and we hope you will then be able to reduce all the Zimmindars to their pro- per ftate of dependence. We are with much efteem, Sir, Your moft obedient fervants, Fort William, ' Henry Vanfittart, 1 3th Feb. 1701. P. Amyatt, W. Ellis, W. B. Sumner. Extratt Extraff of a general letter to England dated 1761. Mr. Johnftone has fhewn the fame afiiduity in his department for Midnapoor, and we muft do him the juftice to remark, that he has had of all the moft difficult tafk. That province being made up of the diftri&s of a great number of feparate Zimmindars, eveiy one endeavouring to conceal the true value of his poflefiions -, however, Mr. Johnftone got into his hands fome of the former years accounts, and having from them procured an infight into the feveral articles of the revenue of each Zimmindary,the amount paid to the Nabob, with fuch increafe as at prefent feems reafonable, appears to be ficca rupees 665,854 : 9 : 10; but here alfo we may hope for improvement. Chitti- gong computed for the prefent year 443,918 : 15 rupees. ExtraR of the General Letter to England, dated Oft. 1762. Per Ship Admiral Wat f on. 51. In tta paragraph of our general addrefs of laft feafon by the Hawke, your Honours are ac- quainted that Mr. Sumner had lettled the Burdwan payment with the Rajah for the Bengal year 1 168, that is, from the loth of April 1761, to the loth of April 1762, at thirty- two and a half lacks of ficca rupees, befides the balance of the year 1167, being about five lacks ; and that Mr. Graham was kft to attend to the collection after Mr. Sumner's return to Calcutta. We have now the pleafure to acquaint you, that, the collections were continued M with [ 82 ] with fo much fuccefs, that at the end of the year the outilanding balances were only as follows : Of the year 1167 - - 261,857 : 13 : 6 Of the year 1168 - - 105,291 : 10 : Total fic a rup* 367,149 : 7:6 52. At the beginning of the prefent year 1169 \ve thought neceflary to fend a member of the board to make a new agreement with the Rajah -, and Mr. Johnftone being appointed for that pur- pofe, proceeded accordingly to Burdwan. By the accounts he procured of the flate of the country, and its total produce, he brought the Rajah to an agreement for the prefent year 1 169, to pay thirty- four lacks of ficca rupees, befides the balances before-mentioned. To this time the collections are made to our fatisfaction -, and if nothing hap- pens to interrupt the tranquillity the country now enjoys, we hope yet a farther increaie may be made in this valuable article of the revenues.- N. B. Mr. Sumner's agreement was in fact but for 32 lacks, and the balance of 105,291 : 10 arofe upon that fum, not 324- lacks. Letter to John Johnftone, Efq; Refident at Burdwan^ from the Board at Calcutta^ dated 29 Dec. 1763. ' Taking into confideration the multiplicity and great confequence of the Burdwan bufmels, and the particular attention which v/ill be requifite to be paid to the lands already held cas, and others that are likely to come fo, we have refolved to ftation more t 83 ] more of the Company's fervants at Burdwan, which we do the rather, as our honourable mafters have themfelves recommended it, and as we think it ab- folutely necefiary that a fuccefiion of the younger fervants fhould be made acquainted with fo valuable a branch of the Company's eftate. Your diligence and attention in the management of this important charge has always merited our entire fatisfaction. But the bufmefs is now grown into fo many different branches, that we think the execution is far too much for any one perfon. We have therefore, agreeable to the refolution above- mentioned, appointed Mr. James Lawrell fecond, and Mr. Henry Goodwin third, of Council at your place, and we (hall alfo fend you a writer as affiftant. Extra ft of the general letter to England^ dated 20/ of February, 1764. Per Jhip Eofcawen. 14. Agreeably to what we mentioned in the 48th paragraph of our letter of the i9th of December, finding that the revenues of the Burdwan province, from being increafed into a number of branches, be- came too extenfive for the management of any one perfon, we have ftationed two more gentlemen there as council, and given them befides a writer as affiftant. We have recommenced to them, upon this footing, to part off the bufmefs in branches un- der their different infpeclion j and we doubt not, if fuch a plan is carefully purfued, that much bene- fit may accrue to the Company in- detecting the frauds of the black fervants, and preventing the oppreflion of the riots, or tenants. 15. We [ 8+ ] 15. We muft again commend the diligence of Mr Johnftone, which has always been exerted with the moft unwearied application, and this good effect that he compleated the payment of the Company's fhare of the rents, altho' confidering the large balances due from the farmers, we have ftill reafon to be- lieve that fome of the lands at laft fale were increafed beyond their real value and produce. At the end of the prefent Bengal year, we mail have an exact account of what the baalnces are, and endeavour then to fettle the rents on a reafonable footing. To John John/lone, Efq\ Chief, &c. Council at Eurdwan. Gentlemen, We have received Mr. Johnftone*s letters of the 5th and 6th inftant, accompanying the money and biHs ofthefirfl kift of poos, with an account of the payments of the Malguzarry of the prefent year. By this account we obferve the collections are ex- ceeding well kept up, which gives us frefh occafion to commend Mr. Johnftone's diligence in the ma- nagement of the bufmefs. January 1764. N 8. Friday ', June i, 1764. London. *o the Honourable the Court of Direttcrs for the Com- pany of Merchants trading to the Eajl Indies. Gentlemen, " T>EING informed, that a motion has been made -*-* and carried in your Court of Directors, " That " in order to reftore peace and tranquillity in Ben-