prised and shocked the religious feelings of the Parsce nation. What, are the Churiguryans unable to maintain their opinion by the force of reason and understanding? Are they not yet satisfied by the very documents which have been produced in the evidence of their own allegations? Will it be believed, in the ancient provinces of Persia, that the Churiguryans are obliged to submit their holy differences to arbitration? Or, can a man of common sense for moment believe that the holy and religious difference is to be determined by an arbitrator? The Shersayans are entirely fearless as to whose hands the matter shall be submitted; but upon the heads of the Churiguryans, and, of their children to the very latest generation, let such a submission rest! Let them reflect what they are about let them also, at the same time, submit to arbitration the truth of our holy and ancient religion! Where is the difference between one submission and the other? But such an offer of submission is easily seen through: the Churiguryans, 700 in number, are opposed by the Shersayans, 40,000 in number! Such a majority would have its due weight with men of learning and philosophers. Amongst all sensible nations and people, the majority constitute the law.

The Shersayans do not fear the result of any inquiry, as the numbers of authorities on both sides have strengthened them to argue and elucidate the truth which they maintain and believe. The appeal to our honourable and enlightened governor they receive and hail with pleasure and satisfaction, and submit with cheerfulness to the decisions of so enlightened and good a man. Let the Churiguryans then nominate their arbitrators, if they are serious in such reference; let them fix times and place of meeting; let them prepare a petition, to select the umpires. Upon what books, or authorities, or evidence, are they to decide? Are they to be the ancient histories of our nation, or are the books to be of a religious, or what other descriptions? Are the French, English, or Latin, or Persian, or Arabic authorities, to be received or rejected? In short, by what kind of evidence is the question to be determined? Should the Churiguryans fail in the plan they proposed for settling the serious matter, at issue, let each party send an humble memorial, with all documents, to one of the learned Universities in England, for the justification thereof.

All these matters the Churiguryans will have the kindness and condescension to explain, that every previous difficulty may be removed, and that the light of reason and truth may meet with no

Hormojee Dorabjee,

Hormojee Muncherjee Camma,
Hormojee Dadabhoy,

Dossabhoy Aspendearjee,

Ruttonjeeshaw,

Muncherjee Eduljee,

Framjee Jevajee,"

Oriental Herald, Vol. 16.

Pestonjee Rustomjee,

Khoodabux Merwan Eranie,
Namdar Javid Eranie,
Hormojee Eduljee Cammajee
Pestonjee Bhicajee,

Sapoorjee Nasserwanjee, and
Byramjee Rustomjee.

barriers or impediments in its progress to the hearts and understandings of our judges.

For the benefit of those persons who are uninformed as to the nature of the dispute in question, the undersigned beg to state, that both the Shersayans and Churiguryans admit the existence of the Kubbeesa, or Intercalation; with this difference, that the former maintain it was purely a religious observance, and the latter allege that it was an intercalation of one month, at the end of every 120 years, to enable the Government to collect the revenue, and keep the harvest on a regular and equal footing. Now, if it was, as the Churiguryans assert, merely for the collection of revenue, it stands to reason, that there could have existed no objection to the doing so every four years.-And we beg to subscribe, Sir, your most obedient servants,

THIS day, a General Quarterly Court of Proprietors was held at the India House.

The minutes of last Court having been read,

The CHAIRMAN read the Resolution of the Court of Directors, declaring the interest of the Company's stock, from the 5th of July last to the 5th of January next, at 54 per cent, which was confirmed.

GRANT TO CAPTAIN THOMAS BUCHANAN.

The CHAIRMAN informed the Court, that it was made special for the purpose of submitting for its approbation a Resolution of the Court of Directors, granting to Captain Thomas Buchanan, of the Bombay Marines, 8001. per annum. Previous to putting this motion, the Chairman wished to say a few words to the General Court, on the grounds on which it had been brought forward; and he begged to assure the Proprietors, that it was not in any way because Captain Buchanan had not performed his duty well, but because his Majesty having been graciously pleased to approve of the Lord High Admiral's proposition, to grant to the Marines a relative rank with his Majesty's navy, it was thought best to select a careful, able, and skilful officer of his Majesty's navy, to carry into effect this mark of Royal favour. He was extremely happy that this mark of

Royal pleasure had been obtained for the Bombay Marines, and it would be unjust to supersede a gentleman, not because he was not perfectly competent to fulfil the duties of the office, but because the Court of Di rectors had thought it beneficial to have the Bombay Marines placed on an equal footing with his Majesty's navy. Had Captain Buchanan been allowed to continue in the service, he would have saved a sum which would have enabled him to purchase, in this country, an annuity of 8007.

Captain MAXFIELD wished to ask one question. The motion did not set forth any other claim of Captain Buchanan to this grant, than his disappointment in seeing a Navy officer appointed to the office he expected to hold. He wished to know how long he had held the situation of Superintendent of the Bombay Marines?

The CHAIRMAN answered, for two years.

Captain MAXFIELD said, it appeared to him that this grant was given for two years' service, as well as for the disappointment which Mr. Buchanan felt. He wished to know whether this appointment had been given to Mr. Buchanan after or before application had been made to the Lord High Admiral for a change of system. Looking at the inefficient state of the Bombay Marines for a long time past, he should have thought that the corps would have done better without any Superintendent at all and the disgraceful state in which that corps had been sent to Ava, afforded sufficient grounds of censure. For all the reasons he could see for the present grant, he thought it might be just as well 80007. as 8007. He should, therefore, though he might stand alone, oppose the motion

;

The CHAIRMAN stated, that Mr. Buchanan had received the appointment in 1825. With respect to the inefficiency of the Bombay Marines sent to Ava, he thought, if they really had been inefficient, Sir James Brisbane (now, unfortunately, no more) would not have said that they vied with his Majesty's navy.

Captain MAXFIELD wished to know, whether an application had not been made to the Board of Control in 1823?

The CHAIRMAN understood that Captain Buchanan had been appointed long before the present arrangement had been entered upon. The Direc tors had, without doubt, long wished to obtain that right for the Marines for which their endeavours had at length been successful.

Mr. HUME wished to say a few words, not so much to the amount, as to the grounds of the grant; for, if disappointment was to be considered a sufficient ground for a pension, there was scarcely any gentleman in their service but might come forward with such a complaint. He thought it most extraordinary that the Court should be called upon to grant a pension of 8007. per annum for scarcely two years' service, when there were many Captains (his friend, Captain Maxfield, for instance) who retired on the small pittance of 2907. a year, after twenty-five or thirty years' service. He thought that the present motion was made at a bad time, when the Government in India were almost bankrupts, and the Company's expenditure exceeded its income; and he thought it would have been better for the executive of the Company to provide for Mr. Buchanan by appointing him to the first vacant office in India suitable to his rank. He thought it surprising to grant a pension of 800l. to a person who had only served two years; and he hoped his hon. Friend would take the sense of the Court on the present motion.

The CHAIRMAN, in answer to some observation of Mr. Hume, stated

that the appointment to the office of Superintendent of Marine rested entirely with the Directors, subject only to the approval of his Majesty's Government. Tát 4 dhe 5961-ib on lì tägron

Mr. GAHAGAN had at first thought, that, as the arrangement had been the result of mutual convenience, it had been settled that an officer of his Majesty's navy should serve in the office, from which Mr. Buchanan was to be removed.' It, however, appears that such is not the case, and that the appointment rests entirely in this Court; and we are told that Captain Buchanan was to be removed, not because the Crown required it, but this Court. If Mr. Buchanan had accepted the office with the understanding that there was s was something in progress which might subject him to be removed, the matter would then be intelligible; but to tell a gentleman that he should fill an office for two years, and then he should be turned out, seems to me a course of proceeding quite inexplicable, unless it were adopted to gratify Charles Malcolm or John Malcolm. How did Sir Thomas Monro act when he wished to abolish the offices of some Judges? He gave the Judges no pension, but told them to wait till some office was vacant for them. That was acting upon an intelligible principle.

The CHAIRMAN stated, that it had been thought necessary, when naval rank was obtained for the Marine service, that the Superintendent should possess naval rank, which Captain Buchanan did not; but he would state again, that the appointment to that office was entirely in the hands of the Directors, subject only to the approbation of Government. He thought it would be very severe to dismiss Captain Buchanan without suitable remuneration, who had filled his situation so satisfactorily. With respect to appointing him to another situation when vacant, such as the MasterIntendant of Madras, he must inform the Court that there was no situation to which Captain Buchanan could be appointed which would not be lowering him from his present rank; and such appointment would not be received by him as any favour.

General THORNTON knew nothing of the merits of the case but from what he heard to-day, and that decided him against the motion. He knew nothing of the salary, or of the age of Captain Buchanan, and these things were essential in judging of the propriety of the grantz) but he thought that the motion had better be worded that he might receive this income until called to fill some active situation. Under all circumstances, he thought it his duty to oppose the motion.

The CHAIRMAN replied that the salary of the Superintendent was 3,500 rupees a month. His age might be about forty-five or fifty years. leesł

Mr. WEEDING was of opinion, that as the intended removal of Captain Buchanan took place in consequence of a change in the Company's system, it was but fair that he should receive a compensation for such removal, and not for any disappointment; and he gave credit to the Directors for having so managed the arrangement as to keep the power of appointing the Superintendent in their own hands.

Mr. HUME said he had an amendment in his hand to the motion before the Court; but, previous to moving it, he would notice the observations which had fallen from the hon. Proprietor who had just sat down. The hon. Gentleman was certainly unfortunate in not having heard what had been stated by the Chairman, who had supported the motion on the ground of the disappointment which Captain Buchanan would feel. The hon. Proprietor had said, that disappointment was no ground with him for agreeing to the motion, and he could not tell how they both contrived,

on such opposite principles, to come to the same conclusion. When he (Mr. Hume) first went to India, Mr. Anderson was t Superintendent of the Marine, and he thought it no disgrace, after filling that office, to be removed to Madras to become Master Intendant, as Captain Buchanan might be there.col2 mood bed ti,,99 win vmos Laudata to the

The CHAIRMAN stated, that Mr. Anderson was never Superintendent, but Marine Storekeeper. Lupus 1978 201

Kris

Mr. HUME asked whether the Court was going to pension Mr. Buchanan, because he was too old for duty? Captain Rees, an excellent friend of his, was not thought too old at the age of sixty-four to be appointed to the situation of Master-Intendant of Madras. The hon. Proprietor concluded by moving the following amendment: That this Court disagrees with the Resolution of the Court of Directors for granting a pension of 8007. per annum to Captain Buchanan, Superintendent of the Bombay Marine, but recommends him to be appointed to the first vacant office in India suitable to his rank.

97

Captain MAXFIELD, in rising to second the amendment, wished to offer a few observations to the Court. Mr. Anderson, after having served as Superintendent, did not think.

The CHAIRMAN believed that Mr. Anderson was not Superintendent, but Naval Storekeeper.

Mr. WEEDING stated, that Mr. Anderson had been Superintendent, but that after retiring from service he was reduced to poverty, and he was induced to enter the service again.

-"Captain MAXFIELD said, when Mr. Anderson resigned, he was universally regretted by of his corps. After remaining some time in India, he was appointed to the Master-Intendantcy of Madras, a situation equal, as to rank and emolument, to that of Superintendent of Marine. The duties were a mere nothing, and these were in reality performed by a boat-master. He objected to pensioning officers when they were removed withiont solicitation. It had been thought proper to pension off the Marine Secretary in Calcutta with 500 rupees, and two secretaries were appointed in his place, so that now the Company had to pay the salaries of three secretaries.

was,

Colonel STANHOPE said, that the grant could not be sanctioned but upon one principle, that of corruption. The fact of the matter wa that there is an understanding that Mr. Buchanan is a brother-in-law of Lord Melville (Cries of No.') There he may be wrong. He objected to the grant in all its bearings. In the first place, he thought it highly improper to appoint a captain of an East Indiaman to a place at the head of the Bombay Marine. How would the British Navy like to have one of their high situations filled by the captain of a Britslr merchant vessel? He objected to giving a pension of 8001. for only two years service; but independent of all objections, he doubted whether the Directors, in point of law, could make the present grant. They could only make grants for the duration of their Charter, and he remembered that Mr. Canning, when at the head of the Board of Control, refused to sanction a grant which extended further than the term of the Charter. It was now near its expiration; therefore, in granting this annuity for the

life Buchanan, they were clearly acting without legal a

au

thority. The gallant Colonel concluded by stating, that he considered it a job, and nothing but a job.,