right of residing within the Company's jurisdiction. This, including St. Helena, extends from the Cape of Good Hope, easterly, towards Cape Horn; comprehending all the Indian Seas and the great Peninsula of Asia, so far as the British flag is displayed, with the exception, however, of the Island of Ceylon. On that island the whole establishment appertains to the Crown, though generally some of the Madras troops, or even a portion of the Bengal army, may be seen doing duty there, as auxiliaries. Even here, also, either office or licence is requisite to establish the right of residence in any pursuit.

Necessity has imposed very arbitrary rules on the conduct of government abroad. None but persons whose political conduct and opinions are decidedly unexceptionable are permitted to reside within the Company's territories. Every European inhabitant is, or at least ought to be, registered, and furnished with a licence, renewable at times, or subject to be cancelled by the Supreme Council. This regulation is maintained against whatever may tend, however obliquely, towards colonization. Thus, in Calcutta, (kalkutta,) though purchases may be made of landed property, secured by pultas,* which correspond, generally, with our title-deeds, yet there does not appear to be any actual claim to the soil. Nor does this create any diffidence on the part of the purchaser, who, provided there be no latent mortgage, &c. always holds the property as a fee-simple. This rule does not, indeed, properly extend beyond the Muharutta Ditch, which formerly circumscribed the town on the land side, making nearly a semicircle, whose radius exceeded a mile and a half. Beyond

* The Hindee, or general language of India, has thousands of words in common with the provincial Bungalee, which differ in the sound of the short vowels u and o only-thus, kalkotta, potta, gonga jol, is the latter modification, and kalkutta, putta, gunga jul, (ganges water,) the former of the selfsame vocables.

that ancient barrier, (in old times, the protection against the incursions of the Muharutta horse,) though puttas may perhaps exist, their validity would not bear the test of litigation. The Company, it is true, have in various instances made grants of lands, but always under such terms as precluded any claim to property in the soil, as a permanent, independent, and paramount tenure.

The free merchant, free mariner, or licensed sojourner, proceeding to India with the view of purchasing landed property, or becoming a renter in his own name, will find himself in an awkward, or even a hazardous, situation, should he lay out his money in supposed purchases, or in buildings, et cetera, beyond the ascertained limits of the town of Calcutta. People should therefore correct, in due time, erroneous impressions arising from misrepresentation or from misconception. They must, indeed, alienate themselves from British opinions, and conform to local considerations; divested of every prepossession, and viewing our Indian possessions, not as colonies, but as conquests of a peculiar description, to which many of our laws and privileges are every way either unsuitable, or unwelcome.

Of late years the competition for Indian passengers, as the most lucrative cargo to the East Indies, has been so multiplied, that great changes have occurred in the price and medium of conveyance to that distant country. Should, indeed, the projected voyages in steam vessels be found to answer expectation, it is impossible to conjecture what may yet become the shortest, cheapest, safest, and most pleasant vehicles of transition. In the interim, however, it would be rather unfair, in a work of this kind, to award the palm of superiority to the regular Company's ships or private traders. Each class has its peculiar advantages and drawbacks; and every individual commander is now strongly impressed with the idea, that upon his

general good character for nautical skill and hospitable treatment of his passengers, must ultimately depend his chance of making either a fortune or a comfortable subsistence, amidst a host of enterprising rivals.

An honest fame once established in the course of a few trips to the East, with a common share of successful escape from the dangers of the deep, will prove the best stock in this trade for a beginner, so long as a live bill of lading shall form an item of great moment, as at present, on both the outward and homeward passages.

The reader will by this time be fully apprised of the impracticability of getting by sea to India, from any British port. No captain can lawfully receive him, unless furnished with documentary authority; without which, a similar ordeal may be expected to be encountered the moment the vessel reaches her destination in Hindoostan, or the eastern settlements beyond the Cape. Every attempt, therefore, to elude those precautions may prove hazardous, or at best nugatory, by subjecting the intruder, sooner or later, as accidents or caprice may dictate, to instant retromission to Europe, agreeably to the Act of Parliament to that effect.

Such a variety of concurrent circumstances regulate pro tempore the amount of passage-money, that it is difficult. to draw any middle line, where the extremes occasionally fluctuate from sixty to three hundred pounds a-head, conformably with the accommodations required, and the table or mess which will be most suitable to the rank, taste, and means of the particular guest, who is expected to pay more or less, accordingly, for all extraordinary conveniencies. Though a decided preference of regular Indiamen, to those termed private traders, may not be adviseable, still, compared with both classes, the general prejudice against foreign bottoms is too well founded in

justice, to admit of dispute. For, whatever a passenger may thus save in purse, he will assuredly lose in time and personal comfort: a remark, perhaps, applicable also in some degree to vessels from every port except London.

Among an increasing body of celebrated dealers in those articles, which every adventurer must carry along with him to the East, the lists are so numerous and appropriate as to enable any youth to judge and select for himself, on liberal or economical grounds, in proportion to the pecuniary abilities of the parties connected with his final equipment, and to the style of life he may have previously enjoyed with regard to clothes, accoutrements, and every thing else. Few young men reach London wholly destitute of experienced monitors on the spot for their pending transactions with long-established tradesmen, &c. engaged in providing every necessary for an Indian voyage, of the best quality, and at the most reasonable charge.

The ordinary out-fit of passengers will necessarily dif fer in a similar ratio with their relative wants en passant, or after their arrival. Whatever may be the case, it will be found least expensive to lay in the whole supplies of clothing, so far as may be practicable, from the stock on hand; obtaining any additional articles from those tradesmen, by whom the family may have been usually furnished. One cannot too forcibly deprecate the common practice of burthening young folks with a variety of useless apparel, &c.; the greater part of which becomes the perquisite of servants, or, being found a burthen rather than a convenience, is generally thrown about in the most negligent manner. The grand object should be to provide what may be truly efficient after an arrival in India.*

For a list of articles required in an out-fit, according to the latest information, see Appendix, No. 1.

Hats are so very subject to be injured on board-ship, and, indeed, to be blown overboard, that little attention need be paid to appearance in that article. In this, as well as in every other item of dress, a large portion may be supplied from the stock in use previous to embarkation. The old saying, of "going to sea to wear out one's old clothes," has so far sense on its side, that whatever can be decently worn will be found full good enough for that purpose. Growing youths should observe the precaution of having every article of apparel made full large; else, by the time they have been some months at sea, they will be put to serious inconvenience. It is true, that few ships sail without a tailor on board, but he is not always to be had; being generally employed by the purser; or he may be in the sick list, &c.

Military persons, whose apparel and accoutrements cannot be ascertained previous to quitting England, should confine their attention to a supply of those materials which cannot fail to be useful on their arrival. Thus an officer of infantry may find it his interest to purchase a few yards of the best superfine scarlet broad cloth, or kerseymere, for making up his regimentals; an officer of artillery or of engineers, blue, &c. The most prudent plan, however, on the whole is, to consult intelligent officers just returned from India on matters of this sort, as they may always be found, and will, of course, be equally willing as able to afford the safest counsel to every cadet. The several corps, regiments, &c. not being exactly uniform in particular points, such as the colours of the facings, the patterns of the swords, &c. nothing can be done, with propriety, in those instances. Some regiments of the line have gold, and others have silver lace; hence these regiments cannot ascertain their dress, as is sometimes to be done by the cadets for artillery, engineers, and cavalry. The