England. Thofe ships must fail, therefore, at a rate of freight, from 30 to 50 per cent.cheaper than the cheapest of the teak fhips. But if the pretence of a cheap rate of freight is applied for the purpose of deftroying ancient fyftems, and the Company's rights, why not extend the prinsiple generally?There can be no doubt but that the Company can obtain Swedish, Danish, American, &c. &c. ships at a much lower rate of freight than those of Great Britain or India. The Navigation Act can have no ftronger claim on the public than the Company's charter; and if British hips and fhip-building are to be abandoned, and the Company's charter is to be infringed for the benefit of a few, there is lefs reafon to hefitate about the Navigation Act, as the conféquences would be infinitely more extenfive. When the teak fhips are reprefented as good and durable, the language is intelligible, and acknowledged by your Committee; but when it is attempted to compare them for "cheapness" with thofe of Great Britain, and still more with foreign fhips, the Committee are aftonished. They cannot avoid recollecting the strong folicitations which were made to the Court of Directors, when British fhips were taken up, during the American war, to carry out naval and military ftores, to fuffer thofe fhips to be fold in India. Under fuch permiffion, the freight was very low, as the owners confidered the fale of the fhip in India as the certain means of realizing a little fortune; and these applications have been repeated, from time to time, to the present day. Such a fale, however, would have been impoffible, if teak fhips could have failed at as cheap a rate as the British. If these facts required further proof, it will be found in the proceedings of the Marine Committee at Bengal, in 1793. They fay," The Americans actually build fhips with a view to difpofe "of them here, and get a large profit, becaufe "they can afford to fell cheaper than we can "build." Again they fay," Ship-building can never flourish, except by prohibiting the "fale of foreign bottoms."-It therefore appears, that building is cheaper in Europe; that the outfit is alfo very much cheaper; that the intereft of money, which is five per cent. at home, is twelve per cent. at prefent in India, on Government fecurity. The only remaining article of importance is, wages; and which brings this part of the queftion to the preference due to British feamen or Lafcars. As British merchants and shipowners do not even expect fo large a profit as feven per cent. which is the difference between the rate of intereft in the two countries, it is ridiculous to affert, that refidents in India can carry on a competition under fuch obvious difadvantage. Your Committee truft that they have done more than enough to reply to the affertion about the cheapness of teak hips, otherwife they have ample materials to extend their obfervations much further; but from what has been faid, it must appear evident to the Court, that 1 if the intention is ferious, to attempt to brig the foreign trade to the river Thames, fuch a attempt would become impracticable, if tex hips are employed as the means. The beb and only means, confiftent with the combine and extenfive interefts of land, commerce, nufacture, and navigation, at the fame time that the public faith will thereby be preferved inviolate, will be to employ Britifh fhipsAfter drawing this conclufion, your Committee are aware that further explanation becomes neceffary, in confequence of fome advantage which the teak fhips have enjoyed during the war. That advantage does not arife from cheapnefs; but being the property of private perfons, they are free from thofe reftraints which naturally attach to the hips of the Company, who, from precaution, do not choct to fuffer their fhips to fail without compar and convoy. Whilft the Company are pre paring a fleet, it is for the intereft of a teak ship to fail before, and being fingle, the voyage is performed in a much fhorter time: and by arriving fo much earlier at her port of deflina tion, the cargo is fold to great advantage, whit the market is foreftalled before the Company's fleet can arrive. Great numbers fuffer from this circumftance, which is conceived to be an A undue advantage but if the interefts of the Company, and of thofe who trade in their regular fhips, are not thought of equal importance with thofe of the private traders, at least no fuperior powers can be attributed to the fhips; for the fame fervice may be performed, and the fame advantages obtained, whether the fhips are built with teak or with oak.-This undue advantage is the more diftreffing, as the late advices from India flate, that the Com pany's exports cannot be fold, because the pri vate traders have foreftalled and deftroyed the market by their previous importations from Europe.---The Company's investment has been ufually provided from three fources: Surplus revenue, which is now abforbed by the ftate; the fortunes of individuals to be remitted homes the fale of the Europe exports in India.-As the private traders have intercepted the fecond, and foreftalled the third, it is but juft, on behalf of the Company, to call on them to point out what ftill remains.--There can be no doubt that, before any decifive measure shall be taken, hoftile to the intereft of the Company, bis Majesty's minifters, in whofe moderation and juftice your Committee have every reason to repofe their confidence, will be thoroughly fa tisfied that the employ of the teak fhips, if once admitted, will become permanent. It has already been proved that they cannot fail fo cheap as thofe of Britain; and now that we are restored to the bleffings of peace, there can be no fear of their foreftalling markets, in compe tition with the Company's fhips, when failing fingly. The foreign fhips only remain, there fore, for confideration.--If, to a low rate of freight, are farther added the charges of the river Thames, the duties paid to Government, "of being otherwise ferviceable to our friends.” id a fecond freight infurance and charges to extenfive, but in fome refpects unfathomable. e ultimate place of destination, it is impoffible When the conteft in India was about the means conceive in what manner a confiderable part to convey to Europe the furplus produce, Mr. the trade from India to foreign Europe and William Fairlie, one of the first inerchants in merica can be brought to the river Thames Calcutta, in a letter to the Board of Trade, time of peace either in Indian or Britifh fhips. dated the 26th of December, 1797, writes as he fpeculative plans of projectors never reach follows:-"It is true that the Company offer us ecounting-house of the practical merchant," tonnage for our goods at this time; but the ho attaches far more importance to the ad-" great object is, being permitted to fend them tional charge of a few thillings, which he must "in our own hips, by which means we obtain ay for the hire of a boat on the river Thames." the profit of freight, and have an opportunity , however, it is admitted, for the fake of ariment, that the teak ships can perform the onders attributed to them, it is impoffible to ake London the general dépôt, fo long as the efent, or any duties are levied. The Comany mu import and muft fell, even if a lofs all enfue; but when a lofs arifes to the private ader, if he is prudent, he will difappear.---At e fame time, your Committee muft concur in Le obfervation already quoted from fo refpect›le an authority as Lord Teignmouth, that if ak ships are cheaper, or pollefs any fuperior Ivantages, foreigners will build them as well ourselves. They have had the option either › build, to purchase, or to hire; and yet teak ips have very rarely been employed by foeigners. And we may further add, that if ermiflion shall once be granted to the Indian ips and their owners, what fecurity can the ublic have, that these fhips will be fent to the ort of London, and not employed by their wners in the trade they now reprobate? One f the reafons for the conceffions made in the ear 1793 was, the clandeftine and illegal trade rior to that period. If fuperior advantage an be obtained from the foreign trade, is there my reason to expect those whom arts of Parament could not then bind, to be governed y any other principle than that of their own tereft? Such was the cafe when fhips were ngaged in Bengal by perfons, whofe names ppear on the present occafion, to go to Bataia, to carry the property of the enemy to urope. But in order to illustrate this point hore clearly, we fhall foon have an opportunity o diftinguish between the zeal and patriotifm f British and Indian fhip-owners, when it will ppear, that the latter have availed themfelves, a very extraordinary degree, of the neceffities f the public, whilft the British fhip-owners ave always manifeft d, on fimilar occafions, a moderation which entitles them to a better ate. The Indian agents, whofe plans are diected to their own aggrandizement, are well ware that a competition with British industry nd British ships muft foon end to the difad. antage of Indian bottoms, and drive them out f the trade. This apprehenfion, and not faour to the Eaft India Company, makes them ontend that the indulgence fhall be confined o Indian fhips. Allan Gilmore, For Ca of Calcutta 555 J. H. Ferguson, 503 2280 We have thus two facts diftinctly proved, which apply to almost every part of the queftion, and deftroy, in every inftance, the fpeculative reafoning and vifionary projects of the Indian agents. We fee diftinétly British capital employed in India, and what is more important, who are the parties prepared to rise up, and enjoy the exclufive trade to India on the ruins of the Company. We with that we could, at the fame time, penetrate the whole of the plans, and foresee the extent of the mischief; but that is impoflible. Having thus afcertained that the ships are the end, an not the means, it may be neceffary to fhew the extent and importance of thofe Indianbuilt ships, which dwindle into infignificance, when compared with any mafs or description of British fhips they are attempting to rival or difplace.---By a return from Calcutta, dated the 30th of December, 1799, it appears that the fhips built and building, fit for the English trade, and failing from that port, were no more than twenty-fix fhips, burden 19,695 tons.→→→ There is no occafion to mark the infignificance of thefe ships by a comparison with the total In addition to numerous facts and circum- mafs of British fhipping; it will be fufficient to Cances, which serve to develope the views and state that the number employed by the Com lans of the parties, there are others of a colla-pany confits of one hundred and twenty-two eral description, which are not only deep and hips, burden 106,048 tons.-The Company tons, manned with Lafcars, was engaged i The Rockingham 630l. per month? 35450 advertised for offers from builders and owners, for a few fhips they wanted in the month of July laft, when no less than one hundred and ten fhips, burden 69,250 tons, were offered, of which the Company could employ. at that time, no more than fourteen fhips, burden 8700 tons. This exhibits a proof that neither timber, capital, enterprife, por artificers, are fo much wanted, as to render it neceffary to look to India for teak fhips, to fupply the wants of the Company or of the public.---If there is any well-founded claim on Government at this time, it is the fair and juft claim of British-fhips and feamen, to provide (and.not to deprive them of) the means of employment, in return for the great and meritcilous fervices rendered during the war. British ships of four or five hundred tons and upwards, are fallen above thirty per. cent. in value, in confequence of peace. There are few fervices, except that of the Eaft India Difference and lofs for nine months £.8.cm Company, in which they can be employed; nor If this fact is well founded (and your Com. is there a chance for their being fold, unlefs mittee have no reason to doubt it, nor have there shall be a demand for the commerce of. they made any felection, as there may be other France and Holland, and they are precifely the cafes ftill ftronger), it is the daty of the Court defcription of, fhips with which thofe built in to exert every nerve to rescue the Company India will interfere. The number which are and the public from the avarice and extorting now unemployed must be increased very con- of the owners of Indian-built ships.----Every fiderably, when the tranfports, and other pri- impartial perfon would imagine that the indian vate bips in the fervice of the navy, are dif- fhip-owners would be content with this enor charged; and yet these must give place to mous profit: unfortunately for the Company, Indian-built fhips. The views of the Indian this is not the whole. Whilft Lord Wellefey agents are still more confpicuous, in that part acknowledges that he cannot find cargoes for of their plan wherein they propofe to confine the nips fent from Europe, and that three or the trade to their own fhips; that is, after bay-four must be fent to China (where they are not ing robbed the British fhips and feamen of their birthright, they defire to have thofe British hips excluded, for the benefit and advantage of the Company's exclufive trade.---If enough has not been faid to refute the private traders, your Committee will beg leave to ftate a fhort.comparifon between the general conduct of the owners of British and Indian fhips. When the exigencies of Government, in 1795, required the large fhips of the Company for the public fervice, the owners furrendered them with cheerfulness at the requeft of the Court on the moft moderate terms; and this at a moment when the Directors in concert with the Board of Commiflioners were taking the most active measures to reduce their advantages. The fame readiness and liberal conduct we manifefted, when ships were wanted as tranfports to carry troops to the Weft Indies. When the late expedition to Egypt was fitting out, Marquis. Wellesley took up fhips of the country, as well as thofe of the Company. His Lordship had not communicated the flighteft information to the Court of Directors in the month of November; but there are ample advices on the fubject, and particularly to the Indian agents. Under thefe circumftances, your Committee are obliged to have recourfe ic private information, from the want of official documents. We are informed, the Gabriel, of 815 tons, manned with Lafcars, was engaged at 12,000 heca rupees per month; the Cuvera, of 932 wanted), his Lordship has engaged that those Indian fhips thall be fufered to load with car goes for Europe. So many f The cofts of the British ship Will coft in India £125,000 4,000 £21,000 The Indian fhip, first cost Her coft in Europe - £.25,000 " 12,000 £.13,000 flections; but the following statement of the Surat Caftle 123 · 22 36 58 20 The country where the ship is built, where the owner refides, and where the voyage originates, muft furnish failors, who are natives of that country in the first inftance. When the fhip returns to India, after having performed her This circumstance merits particular atten- voyage with European failors on board, is it n; for, in one point of view, it may be con, likely that the owners will keep thofe failors ered as a decifive proof in favour of Indian- on wages, while the fhip earns nothing? It is ilt fhips; but it refts almoft precifely on the for the intereft of the owner that the failors ne bafis with the private trade: that is, if fhould defert, which they will do, and, by ey enjoy a preference in the first instance, in rambling over the country, disgrace the British at cafe they can trade, &c. to greater ad- name, and weaken the hands of Government. ntage. If the Company are at the expenfe But when the fhip is again fitted out, they the establishments, which are enormous, and muft again employ Lafears; and the manner in El raise millions as a commercial capital, to which these poor wretches are treated cannot y political debts on the one hand, whilst be explained more feelingly than by the declaery other defcription of British subjects are ration of the Governor of Bombay, "that the "mortality had been fo great on board the ccluded on the other from participating with "country fhips, that no more fhould fail withe Indian agents in their trade, there is no Dubt but that thofe agents will poffefs the" out European furgeons on board;" and the al monopoly and benefit. So likewife with Company upon this occafion were obliged, as -gard to Indian ships, if they can earn three probably will be the case in future, to furnish arters of the whole freight, after performing furgeons at much inconvenience from their ly half the voyage, they enjoy a decided pre-regular eftablishment.---Thefe are fhocking rerence over Britifh fhips, and which may perate to the exclufion of the latter. But will ach a fyftem be endured? And if it fhall be roposed to equalize the freight, it is fair to k what is to become of the encouragement eld out to British manufactures by the act of 792-93? Muft we impofe an additional freight Lucy Maria - 86 f.5l. per ton on all our exports, in order to meet thefe Indian fhips and traders on equal rounds? Are the public prepared to pay the ame additional freight for their troops and ores (which will amount to an immenfe fum) n time of war? In fhort, the public intereft, British manufactures, and British fhips, muft ll yield to the intereft of thefe individuals. With fuch extenfive confequences in view, your Committee can never perfuade themselves that he chartered rights of the Company will be iolated.---In this part of the fubject, your Committee muft again notice what relates to British féamen and Indian Lafcars; and ftill more, when they view it as contributing to the ntroduction of the colonial fyftem in India. Every new light which can be thrown on those Eruly important queftions, induces your Committee to believe, that the fatal confequences which they contemplated in the former Report, mre but too juft and too well founded ;---they will not repeat what they have before urged, but-refer the Court to their former Report on thore fubjects. The caufe of humanity, however, requires that fome addition fhould be made, in confequence of an attempt to prove that Lafcars are dearer than British feamen. The attempt is curious; but although the fact is denied by your Committee, they will not waite the time of the Court by much difcuffion on that point; they will only obferve that if it were true, it would be for the interest of the owners of Indian ships to discharge the Lafcars at the firft European port at which they arrive, and where they muft inevitably perish. ༄།༄་། ། In confequence of the inclemency of this climate, the difeafes they are expofed to, and the voyage back to India, the mortality will be greatly increased; whilft the few who revifit their native fhore may become cripples for life. Thefe fhips are felected from a lift of fix, as having the greater number of men on board, and much the larger proportion of mortality; they are, however, by no means unusual cafest. IF the Third Report of the Special Committee of the Court of Directors refpecting private trade, dated the 25th of March last, and approved of on the following day by the whole Court, had been confined to a fair investigation NOTE. This melancholy fubject is beyond the reach of the Court and of the Committee to penetrate, as the Company have no return nor control over the Lafcars; the above statement must therefore be confidered as imperfect, and short of the truth. + For the remainder of this Report fee pp. 622, 712, and 743; where it is continued and concluded. and immediate intereft in the concerns and welfare of the Company, but for every man who knows how to appreciate the value and into the grounds of these statements; to fatisfy himself how far the comparisons between the prefent and former periods have been fly and impartially made; and whether the prefest crifis be really of fuch a nature, as either to preclude relief altogether, or to render that fpecies of relief, fuggefted by Mr. Dundas, in his Letter of the 30th of June last, so inconmenfurate to the extent of the difficulty, as to be at first fight obviously, nugatory, and irap plicable to the occafion. When the ufual annual accounts of the z fairs of India were laid before Parliament in the laft feffion, it must be recollected that Mr. Dundas was no longer in office. It was not, therefore, neceffarily incumbent upon him to bring them particularly under the view and cognizance of Parliament. Many confiderations, however, fuggefted to him by his zeal for the future interefts of the Company, induced him to undertake the laborious taik, not only of ftating thofe accounts according to the eff blithed form of preceding feffions, but, at the fame time, to wind up his Indian adminiftration; first, by a general but comprehenfive re, trofpect of the principal meafures and occur rences which had influenced the fituation of the Company's affairs during the last seventeen of that important queftion;-if a difpaffionate attempt to establish by facts and arguments the opinions entertained by the Committee on the one hand, and to refute and expofe the doc-importance of India to this country, to examine trines of their adverfaries on the other, had been their fole object; the Proprietors and the public would not be troubled with any obfervations from me upon their publication. In that cafe, the merits of the queftion at iffue, confidered abstractedly, might have been properly left, without further difcuffion, to be decided upon by those to whofe judginent the parties hemfelves had refpectively appealed; and with refpect to its practical application, had any difference arisen, so serious as not to yield to conciliatory meafures, that difference could only have been fettled, either by the Court recurring to fuch legal proceedings as it is competent, under the exifting laws, to infti. tute in this refpect, or by the paramount authority of Parliament. In either cafe, it certainly would not have afforded me any ground on which I could prefume to trefpafs upon your attention. But when the authors of this Report, inftead of keeping within the limits of the queftion, are fo hurried away by the impetuofity of their zeal against the private traders, as, in the warmth of their attack, not only to forget the fervices, but to trample upon the character of the most steady and faithful friend of the Company, of the man under whofe direction and guidance, during eighteen years, the Indian empire has been raised, from a ftate of weakness and confufion, embarraff-years; and fecondly, by pointing out the ment and diftrefs, to a fituation of power, or principles and outlines of a plan, which ap der, ftability, and efficient refource, greater, peared to him well adapted, and adequate to perhaps, by a comparifon with its fituation in meet and overcome a difficulty, which, amid 1783, than any country ever attained within fo fo many flattering proofs of commercial and fhort a period when, not fatisfied with this political profperity, he fairly admitted was of unexpected charge, which, as we may have oc- a magnitude to require the utmost attention cafion to fhew hereafter, is at once an impeach- and exertions of his fucceffor in office, and of ment of their own conduct, judgment, and the Company to check and fubdue; naraely, confiftency, and a fevere reflection upon the the amount and accumulation of the Indias fincerity of that gratitude which they fo lately debt. This general explanation of the affairs unanimously profeffed to feel for the fervices of of the Eaft India Company was fubmitted to that diftinguished ftatefman; the authors of the House of Commons on the 12th of June this Report further reprefent the fituation of laft. On the 30th of the fame month, he wa the Company's affairs to be fo defperate, as to induced, in his letter of that date, to tranímit render idle and futile the confideration of a to the Court of Directors a feparate and more plan he had fuggefted for their relief: fo de- detailed statement of the plan he had previcufly fperate, indeed, in their view, as to exhibit, fuggefted to the Houfe of Commons for the even in the diftreffes of 1783, when Mr. Dun- reduction of their Indian debt: fhewing what das began his adminiftration, a contraft of would be its progreffive effect for that pur profperity and cafe, when compared to the pofe, and embracing, as the Letter itlelf states ftate in which he left the Company's affairs, a general view of the confequences it might on retiring from office: when fuch statements" be expected to produce in the prospect of as thefe are officially published, as the delibe" the Company's affairs during the contin rate fentiments of the truftees to the public forance of the prefent charter." His motive the executive management of our Indian em- for taking this ftep was, as he himself declares, pire (for in this light I must confider the Court" The hopes he entertained, that it might of Directors), and prefaced too with a folemn engagement, that not only the truth, but the whole truth, thould be fubmitted to the con"fideration of his Majefty's minifters, the "proprietors, and the public;" furely it is high time, not only for thofe who have a direct "lead to a more speedy and accurate co "fideration of this important fubject." So from his laudable expectation being fulfilst, no notice whatever appears to have been taken of this letter, until it appeared to the Special Committee to afford them materials for i |