may not be fupplied from India to an almost indefinite amount; but they are not aware that the fuccefs, or, in other words, the benefit of India in this inftance would prove the deftruction of the mother-country, which cannot exift under the immenfe drain of bullion that must follow. If the Eaft was in the fame predicament with the Weft Indies, when the coft of the fugar was either spent in Great Britain or Ireland, or paid for in manufactures and ftores, it would be confiftent with the foundest principles of political arithmetic to encourage the importation by every poffible means. These obfervations are offered, because private traders can load very few ships without fugar, and that any material increase of the importation of the produce of India by them, must be in fugar. It is, therefore, neceffary to ascertain whether the general interefts of the imperial empire, and the interefts of a very numerous description of perfons, Weft India planters and merchants, fhip-owners, British manufacturers, &c. &c. &c. will not fuffer to a greater degree than the Eaft India Company, without_producing any additional benefit commensurate to the evil, either to the empire of India or to the mother-country, if the request of the Indian agents fhall be complied with.---The article of cotton alfo requires fome obfervation, as much stress is laid on it, in confequence of it being a raw material. The last advices from India mention that there was not fufficient to fupply the demand for the manufactures of the country. The Company, however, have abandoned the importation, in confequence of the lofs which has been fuftained; but they are ready to grant free permiffion to the manufacturers in Lancashire and elsewhere, to fend out fhips, and to import for their own account, on the ufual regulations for private trade, provided the fhips to be employed are British or Irish built. nfirmed hereafter.---If those merchants were, aly traders, the part of a fhip would fuit eir purposes as well or better than the whole. or inftance, if the goods in which one deription of perfons trade are light or roomy, e owners of fhips will find others who want fend to Europe heavy goods for the purpose making an afforted cargo; all parties are commodated in this manner, and each pures the line which belongs to him. In Lonon, Amfterdam, or the great commercial aces in Europe, the inftances are very rare of e fhip and cargo belonging to the fame pern, or of the owner purchafing a large part of e cargo, to be fold afterwards at a lofs, for e purpose of employing the ship; and yet is appears to be at present the practice of e merchants in India. Such a trade cannot ft, it is defective, and rotten in its principle; ere can be no apprehenfion, therefore, to ontend this point with the Indian agents: nd the Company trust that their adverfaries all be compelled to prove that the trade they ropose to carry on is in its nature likely to be ermanent.--This, however, is impoffible; for à a very fhort time the natural progrefs of cade will produce its own level, and revert ack to an almoft general principle, namely, at the traders in goods, and the owners of hips, will become in India, as they are in ther parts of the world, different perfons. In he interval, however, the parties concerned to the exclufion of every other British fubject, nd British ships) may acquire immenfe forunes, whilft the Company's charter for the xclusive trade will be deftroyed.---It is found y experience that private traders cannot fill heir fhips without a large quantity of fugar or dead weight; whilft it is alfo afcertained rom experience, that if fugar is charged with he whole of the freight for the voyage, it frequently leaves a lofs, which lofs will probably be increased when the rate of freight and In concluding their obfervations upon the charges from the Weft Indies are reduced to private trade of India previous to the last retheir former level in confequence of peace. It turns from thence, your Committee are demay therefore become a question for confider- firous to exculpate themselves from a fuggeftion ation hereafter, how far the importation of which has been induftriously circulated by ugar from the Eaft, which leaves a lofs to the their opponents, namely, that they had re mporter, and the firft coft of which is paid for fufed to avail themselves of the opinion of thofe by the public in filver from hence, shall be en- refpectable perfons who had filled the high couraged to the prejudice of the Weft India ftation of Governor General in India. That fugar, the coft of which is either spent by the they refufed to refer a queftion, whether the proprietor in the mother-country, or paid for exclufive trade shall remain in the hands of the by the manufactures and stores exported from Company, or be transferred to a few Indian home; for filver is often received from the traders? is true; but it would have been negflands, but feldom fent thither.--The balance ligent in the extreme, indeed highly culpable, of trade is, as it always must be in future, in if the Directors had not perufed with attention favour of India; it is therefore highly import- what has appeared from fuch high authority ant to probe the queftion which relates to the on their records.--As the name of Sir John cultivation and importation of such an article Macpherson had been frequently mentioned, as fugar from the Eaft, to the bottom. The more than ufual attention was given to what value of every rupee invefted in fugar, and he has recorded in his letters of the 9th of imported from the Eaft, is an additional rupee April, 1785, and 10th of January, 1786. His to the balance of trade against the mother-object (no doubt highly laudable) was to tranf country. Some able and well-intentioned per- fer the foreign trade to the river Thames, fons have made it a queftion, whether fugar which he ftates to have been Eighteen fhips from Bengal, ten fhips from the Coaft, with cargoes of about eight lacks each, or He makes the imports in bullion In goods Remains - £.240,000 "lay before you, have been exercised by pri"vate European traders. Corruption has, I "have little doubt, had confiderable influence, £2,240,000" at least among the inferior fervants of the "Aurungs, &c."-In a letter from Lord Cornwallis, dated the 7th of November, 1794, his Lordship fays, "I am ftrongly impreffed with 66 500,000 a conviction that it will be of effential im"portance to the interefts of Britain, that £1,740,000 Europeans fhould be difcouraged and preAs there are no documents to which refer-" vented as much as poffible from colonizing ence can be had to ascertain this fact, it is pre- ["and fettling in our poffeffions in India.”—If fumed that Sir John must have relied on the the Company cannot quote an opinion precifely information of others. But as this fum very in point, from a character which every true far exceeds the amount of the whole of what friend of his country looks up to with respect is exported by foreigners and British private and veneration, they can at leaft produce his traders at prefent to foreign Europe and Ame- Lordship's fentiments on the conduct of thofe rica as well as the river Thames; and as the who have been uniform and inceffant in their exports from India are confiderably increased, endeavours to wreft from the Company the and not diminished, it will follow that the in- vaft machine of her commerce, and to render formation which Sir John Macpherson received the Company dependant on themfelves.-The was erroneous.---Marquis Cornwallis has never determination of Marquis Cornwallis at that difcuffed this queftion with the fame objects in period, and the negotiation for the renewal of view; but in his Lordship's letter of the 1ft of the charter in 1793, prevented (as it is preNovember, 1788, many obfervations appear fumed) much further difcuffion of the fubjed which apply generally to the fubject, and cor- under Lord Teignmouth. This is to be reroborate the fentiments entertained by the gretted the more, from the experience the Court, of the danger which will refult from Company have had of his Lordfhip's profound too much encouragement being given to pri- knowledge and zeal for the interefts of the em vate traders. His Lordship obferves on one pire abroad, and thofe of the Company at eccafion, "The merchants would combine to home. On one occafion he obferves, that the "keep up the price, the more wealthy would fubject embraced many extenfive confiderations, overbid and beat out the inferior dealers, which would be better difcuffed in Europe; but and the Company would be always more in their concludes, that he gave his countenance to pover, than they would be in the Company's.' the plan, "fo far as to declare his opinion that On another occafion; "The abfence of every" it was practicable." On another, however, degree of influence and restraint muft, in "theory, be defirable, but it is not likely to "be produced by this project; to give which a probability of fuccefs, a different ftate of fociety, more vigour in the nation, a more "enlarged and efficacious fyftem of laws, must be fuppofed; and it feems in effect to «provide for little more than that the Company “hould transfer to a certain number of individuals bere, the vast machine of their commerce bere, and become dependant on them."-When the private traciers made a moft fcandalous attack on the character and conduct of Mr. Bebb in 1788-9, his Lordship, after a complete vindication of Mr. Bebb, adds, "He cannot con«clude without remarking the indecorum with which the regulations of Government have been arraigned by the free merchants, as well as the principle of regulating com«mercial matters at all, as if the free mer« chants confidered themselves authorized to "carry on their commercial concerns without rule or regulation, and agreeable to their ❝own conceptions of a free trade."-A fhort extract from the proceedings of Government, and the Board of Trade, on the 14th of January, 1789, may be further ufeful on the prefent occafion. Mr. Bebb writes, " Illegal imprifonments, exactions, and coercions, of which "I have lately had proofs, and been able to fpeaking of fhips, his Lordship remarks, that "if fhips can be furnished at the rates pro"pofed by the merchants, they can be fur" nifhed at the fame prices from the foreign "fettlements on this river;" of which notice will be taken hereafter.-After this the Com pany heard for feveral years about the neceffity of bringing the furplus produce of India to the river Thames; a propofition they never understood, as they had conftantly and unformly offered to furnish the means themselves: till at laft, under the adminiftration of Marquis Wellesley, the truth appeared; and the object has been diftinctly avowed to be no other than to introduce fhips built in India, and to give them a preference over fhips built in Great Britain or Ireland.-Whatever the Indian agents may infinuate to the contrary, it is abfurd to fuppofe that the Directors have not read, with extreme attention, whatever has been produced by the Noble Marquis, fe lative to a measure which threatens the exifence of the empire abroad, and of the Com pany at home. But having read not only the opinions entertained by his Lordship, but allo the documents on which thofe opinions are founded, the Directors do not hesitate a mement to proteft moft folemnly against any fich authority or decifion. What would be thought of a judge who pronounced judgment again corporate body, after hearing evidence on | e fide of the plaintiff only? And yet it is ecifely the cafe with regard to Marquis Welfley: with numerous documents, and perns who appear on the records on the prefent cafion, there is no trace of a fingle paper or erfon on behalf of the Company.-The obferition of an anonymous writer appears but o true;" from small beginnings, when capital and enterprise exift, the greatest confequences flow. The Company have now a rivalship to contend againft, formed of their own fervants or their protégés."--When ueftions arise of this magnitude, and pregnant ith fuch extenfive and important confeuences, it would be criminal to bow to name r rank, however elevated, without full conderation and a thorough conviction. The ommittee, therefore, feel themfelves comelled to examine how far those principles, hich appear to have governed the conduct of Marquis Wellesley, are well founded; for the uthority of his Lordship has proved the cloak o cover all the mifreprefentations of the agents. n order, however, to avoid too wide a field or difcuffion, your Committee will confine nemfelves as much as poffible, and begin with bfervations which arife in confequence of a etter written by his Lordship, and dated the 9th of November, 1799, of which the followg is an extract: "In addition to the bullion exported by the Court of Directors to India, large quantities have been imported by individuals, and the Portuguese have brought to Calcutta, within a fhort period of time, a very confiderable amount of filver. It is an important fact, that the exports of Portugal from Bengal, in the prefent year, will be nearly equal to thofe of the Company. You will draw the natural conclufion from this fact, and I leave it to your judgment without comment."--Let us firft examine he fact, and which is easily afcertained. The export from Bengal, of the Portuguese, in the season 1799, 1800, was no more than -£.418,000 The export from Bengal to London was, by private trade, the fame feafon By the Company 845,000 944,733 These facts require no comment. The other parts of Marquis Wellfley's etter call for more explanation and detail. t is admitted that the bona fide trade of fo eigners ought to be encouraged; in which afe, that branch of the foreign trade which is noft beneficial for India, and the least injurious o the British manufactures, merits a prefernce. The Noble Marquis, however, not only profcribes the aid of foreigners generally, but he Portuguese are brought forward in a proninent manner.---What is the fact on this ocafion?--The feafon 1799, 1800, the Portuquefe imported bullion 574,000l.; and they exported the fame feafon goods 418,cool. -The reafon why the exports fall short of the I imports is mentioned by Mr. Brown to arise from one fhip being left behind for want of goods. It is at the fame time remarkable that Marquis Wellesley fhould have objected pointedly to that part of the foreign trade most beneficial to India, and which never can interfere with the export of the British manufactures from hence.-To render a comparison more intelligible, it may be neceffary to Rtate the amount of filver imported, and of goods exported from Calcutta in 1799, 1800, as follows: Silver imported. Goods exp. 357,000 204,000 £.418,000 472,000 845,000 Portuguefe £.574,000 Americans British private 2 trade It thus appears that the private traders, who, in their own opinion, are capable of increasing the commerce of the Eaft to an indefinite extent, after drawing from thence 845,000l. for their private advantage, could make no greater exertions towards relieving the diftreffes of India, than by fending thither 204,000l. in filver; leaving a large fum to be drawn from means which interfere in the most pointed manner with the refources of the Company, both political and commercial. On the other hand, we find Marquis Wellesley labouring under the greateft difficulty for want of money, and looking to every part of the Company's extensive territory and connexions, from the Cape of Good Hope to China, without fuccefs, calling on the Court of Directors to take effectual measures to guard against the Portuguese; and which follows fo close upon his plan to promote private trade, that his Lordship could not be aware that filver in return for produce, and not vifionary plans, was the only real relief for the diftrefs which his Lordship's Government laboured under.' A few words more may be necessary about the Portuguese trade, as a Proprietor, who has taken an active part about the affairs of the Company, infinuated, in a General Court, that the filver imported by the Portuguese was probably British capital. In confequence of the immense increase of cotton imported from the Brazils of late years, the balance of trade is much against (Portugal) the mother-country, which poffeffes no direct means to pay for the fame; it is very natural, that, in a warm climate like Brazil, with inhabitants that are rich and luxurious, they fhould be difpofed to receive the manufactures of India in return for their own products. This is the true caufe of the increafed trade of the Portuguese in India; and if Marquis Wellesley shall be inclined to shut the port of Calcutta against the importation of Portuguese filver, under fuch circumstances, it will be a phenomenon in the commercial and political world.--When the exports from India exceed the amount imported from Europe, it furnishes room for fpeculation and conjecture; but when a foreign nation fhall import more than the value of their exports, it is impoffible that British capital should be employed. At was taken to keep the commercial part of the queftion out of fight; and in confequence of temporary scarcity of timber for the contrac tion of large fhips, the agents contrived to raile a clamour about the refource which the forefts of India could afford to the maritime ftrength of Great Britain. The Directors had not en tered into a ferious confideration of this point abftractedly; they had viewed the queftion of Indian fhips generally, and entertaining a decided opinion, that it was found policy to look all events, the Court of Directors rely more confidently on the filver imported by the Portuguese, Americans, &c. to increase the trade, and promote the profperity of India, than upon the vifionary projects of the private traders and their friends. It is further remarkable that Lord Wellesley appears to be ignorant of the general principle admitted by Mr. Dundas, in the encouragement to be given to the foreign trade, where he is aware that fome foreign Europe manufacture may be introduced; but the Noble Marquis profcribes a trade where the ex-with a jealous eye on any other defcription of ports are almoft wholly paid for in filver.-The returns, which are in poffeffion of the Court, fince the laft Report from your Committee, prove distinctly, that, whilft the export of private traders from Bengal is increased, it has not contributed to leffen the exports to foreign Europe and America. Exported by pri- To the River vate Traders. 1797-8 1798-9 1799, 1800 · Thames. 520,000 See Note belos. To For. Europe £.485,000 292,000 1,017,500 naval or military ftrength, or the feeds of any naval or military strength to arife in India that was not British, they were not prepared to meet this part of the subject at an early period. A very little reflection, however, was neceffary to fatisfy the Directors that his Majefty's miniters ought to decide; and if they are difpoket to adopt the policy of placing any part of the naval resources of this country beyond their reach, and at fo great a distance from home, the Court of Directors are ready not only to facrifice their own judgment, but to ufe their best endeavours to carry into effect any plans which may be adopted by his Majefty's minifters for the public fervice. The Court, in doing this, are fully aware that in the prefent ftate of Europe we ought to be on look for combinations far different from those our guard, to fpeculate upon events, and to which have formerly occurred. France bas long confidered India as one of the chief fources of the national profperity of Great Britain; and therefore her exertions will be unabated to injure us in that quarter. Under fuch circumftances, the Directors cannot appreciate the wisdom of establishing marine arsenals, collecting ftores, &c. &c. which, in confequence of a coup de main, may be turned against ourselves; although they repeat, that they are ready to facrifice their own judgment, and to exert every endeavour to carry fuch plans as may be recommended by his Majefty's minifters for the public fervice into effect. If the Company confent to build, or to the building of large hips for the public fervice, every complaint about the want of large timber muft fall to the ground. Your Committee muft obferve, how. ever, that the opinions which the Indian agents entertain on this fubject, do not agree with thofe which have been delivered by the Com miffioners, on the fubject of fhip timber, their able and voluminous Reports, which have been fo long before the public.--In the Eleventh Report, after obferving upon the confequences which follow from the feller being wholly at the mercy of the buyer, for want of competi NOTE.-The advices received by the Georgina« have, during the laft thirty-four years, occa tion, they fay." But though thefe measures mention that the inveftment from Bengal for the Company will be reduced to 294,000l.; the funds ufually applied for that purpose mutt therefore have been abforbed by political expenfes, and to private traders, for rice and indigo, whilft the fortunes of individuals are intercepted by the fame perfons, inftead of aiding the Company's investment. The argument, therefore, of the Indian agents, or their friends, that, in proportion as their own exports to the river Thames increafe, the exports to foreign Europe and America muft diminifh, has been proved by the returns of 1799 1800, to be wholly without foundation. It is further proved that the increase of private export bears no proportion to the increafe of foreign export; but it cannot be denied that they rife on the decline of the trade of the Company, which proves beyond a doubt that the real rivalfhip is between the private trader and the Eaft India Company. How far their exports will increafe, if thofe to foreign Europe and America diminish, or fhall be annihilated, is a queftion of a very different defcription, and at all events cannot be decided in their favour until they send out more filver, and employ more British capital than they have been able to do hitherto. Having thus afcertained, as your Committee humbly prefume, by facts, that the arguments of Marquis Wellesley, thofe of the Honourable Proprietor alluded to, and of the Indian agents, fo far as they relate to the employ of British capitals in the foreign trade, and the probability of bringing the foreign trade to the river Thames, are without foundation, they will next proceed to the confideration of the queftion about "Indian-built fhips."-After it had been fairly avowed, that the real object of conteft was for "the Indian-built fhips," care "fioned a confiderable faving to the public, it may be doubted whether they have a tendency to provide a permanent supply for the navy; for though well contrived for obtain "ing great timber at a reasonable price, as "long as the present stock shall laft, it is is 靠 3453 « bring the foreign trade of India to the river Thames.---As the fhips in the employ of the Company are built for their fervice, it follows, that the teft of the comparifon depends on the building and outfit. The following were the rates of building in the river Thaines, for a hip of eight hundred tons burden: Seafon 1781 Peace part owing to them (the meafures adopted beft manner: the other, foreign fhips;" for by the Commiffioners of the Navy) that the unless they can fail at à cheaper rate of freight "price of oak is not as high, when compared than foreign fhips, indeed fo much cheaper as with the price of corn, as it naturally fhould to compenfate for all the delay and expenfes of be, in confequence of the latenefs of the re-a circuitous voyage, they can never pretend to turn. It is, in part, owing to them, therefore, that woodlands are diminished, and tillage extended; they muft, in fome degree, prove a difcouragement to the planting of oak, and they have an obvious tendency to prevent more from being allowed to reach the large fize required for the navy, by making it the intereft of every' perfon who has any timber, to cut it, while it is of a fize for which there is a competition."--There is here much matter in a very fhort compafs; but Inftead of liftening to the wife fuggeftions of the Commiffioners, by encouraging the growth and prefervation of large timber, it is propofed to adopt means for letfening the demand hereafter, and thereby placing the land-owner ftill more in the power of the Commiffioners of the Navy, who made no addition to their price from 1756 to 1792. It is thus that the queftion becomes extenfive, and einbraces the most important interefts of the country. The landowner, merchant, manufacturer, the British and Irifh fhips, and feamen, &c. &c. all muft be facrificed at the fhrine of about fifty or a hundred Indian merchants and agents. Having difpofed of that part of the queftion which relates to large fhips, by referring the decifion altogether to his Majefty's minifters, your Committee will next proceed to the part which relates to commercial fhipping.---Indian ships will have two competitions to encounter; the first, which they do not fo readily acknowledge, but which is their real object," the hips of the Company," built and equipped in the 1783 17842 12.12 1786 12 10 1787 12 10 12.16 91213290 12 10 9 12.199 16 13 Q 1791 1792 1793 1499 War 1794 15 09 1795 1796 17 6 6. 16.16. 1797 219915 6 Your Committee have no means to enable them to furnish fo correct a lift of the rates of building in India; they will ftate, however, what the Company's fhips, the Britannia and Sir Edward Hughes, coft. Trope; we mean the Indian rate of intereft for Although the Committee have not fufficient evidence to enable them to judge correctly, they are perfuaded that building has been, and muft be, on the whole, cheaper in the river Thames than in India, for fhips of the belt defcription; and as the materials for fitting thofe fhips out in India muft, in a great meafure, be fent from Europe, there will be a much greater difproportion in the coft of the outfit than the rate of building, probably a difference of 40 or so per cent. in favour of Europe fuips. But a much greater difference would arife, if thofe Europe fhips were built and equipped by private merchants, free from the rigour of the Company's infpection and furvey, and which rigour has been found, by long experience, to be indifpenfable for Indian voyages. There is alfo another heavy burden which attaches to hips built in India, and which is fufficient in Itfelf to compenfate for the difference in duration between thofe fhips and fhips built in Eu-or i VOL. L |