APPENDIX B. No. 6.

To the Honourable the Secret Committee of the Honourable Court of Directors.

HONOURABLE SIRS,`

Fort William, 16 December, 1782.

The despatch of the Lively having been protracted by various causes, from time to time, the accompanying address, which was originally designed and prepared for that despatch (no other conveyance since occurring) has of course been thus long detained. The delay is of no public consequence; but it has produced a situation which, with respect to myself, I regard as unfortunate, because it exposes me to the meanest imputation, from the occasion, which the late parliamentary inquiries have since furnished, but which were unknown when my letter was written, and written in the necessary consequence of a promise made to that effect in a former letter to your honourable committee, dated 20th January last. However, to preclude the possibility of such reflections from affecting me, I have desired Mr. Larkins, who was privy to the whole transaction, to affix to the letter his affidavit of the date in which it was written. I own I feel most sensibly the mortification of being reduced to the necessity of using such precautions, to guard my reputation from dishonour. If I had, at any time, possessed that degree of confidence from my immediate employers, which they never withheld from the meanest of my predecessors, I should have disdained to use these attentions: how I have drawn on me a different treatment I know not; it is sufficient that I have not merited it: and in the course of a service of thirty-two years, and ten of these employed in maintaining the powers and discharging the duties of the first office of the British government in India, that honourable court ought to know whether I possess the integrity and honour which are the first requisites of such a station. If I wanted these, they have afforded me but too powerful incentives to suppress the information, which I now convey to them through you; and to appropriate to my own use the sums which I have already passed to their credit, by the unworthy, and pardon me if I add, dangerous reflections, which they have passed upon me, for the first communication of this kind;

and your own experience will suggest to you, that there are persons who would profit by such a warning.

Upon the whole of these transactions, which to you, who are accustomed to view business in an official and regular light, may appear unprecedented, if not improper, I have but a few short remarks to suggest to your consideration.

If I appear in any unfavourable light by these transactions, I resign the common and legal security of those who commit crimes or errors. I am ready to answer every particular question that may be put against myself, upon honour or upon oath.

The sources from which these reliefs to the public service have come, would never have yielded them to the company publicly; and the exigencies of your service (exigencics created by the exposition of your af fairs, and faction in your councils) required those supplies.

I could have concealed them, had I had a wrong motive, from yours and the public eye for ever; and I know that the difficulties to which a spirit of injustice may subject me, for my candour and avowal, are greater than any possible inconvenience that could have attended the concealment, except the dissatisfaction of my own mind. These difficulties are but a few of those which I have suffered in your service. The applause of my own breast is my surest reward, and was the support of my mind in meeting them your applause, and that of my country, are my next wish in life.

I have the honour to be,
honourable sirs,

your most faithful, most obedient,
and most humble servant,
WARREN HASTINGS.

APPENDIX B. No. 7.

Extract of the Company's general letter to Bengal; dated the 25th January, 1782.

Par. 127. We have received a letter from our governor general, dated the 29th of November, 1780, relative to an unusual tender and advance of money, made by

him to the council, as entered on your consultation of the 26th of June, for the purpose of indemnifying the company from the extraordinary charge which might be incurred by supplying the detachment under the command of Major Camac, in the invasion of the Mahratta dominions, which lay beyond the district of Gohud, and thereby drawing the attention of Mhadjee Scindia (to whom the country appertained) from General Goddard, while the general was employed in the reduction of Bassein, and in securing the conquests made in the Guzerat country; and also respecting the sum of three lacks of rupees, advanced by the governor general for the use of the army under the command of Chimnajce Boosla without the authority or knowledge of the council; with the reasons for taking these extraordinary steps, under the circumstances stated in his letter.

128. In regard to the first of these transactions, we readily conceive, that in the then state of the council, the governor general might be induced to temporary se crecy respecting the members of the board, not only because he might be apprehensive of opposition to the proposed application of the money; but, perhaps, because doubts might have arisen concerning the propriety of appropriating it to the company's use, on any account: but it does not appear to us, that there could be any real necessity for delaying to communicate to us immediate information of the channel by which the money came into his possession, with a complete illustration of the cause or causes of so extraordinary an event.

129. Circumstanced as affairs were at the moment, it appears that the governor general had the measure much at heart, and judged it absolutely necessary. The means proposed of defraying the extra expense were very extraordinary; and the money, as we conceive, must have come into his hands by an unusual channel; and when more complete information comes before us, we shall give our sentiments fully upon the whole transaction.

130. In regard to the application of the company's money to the army of Chimnajee Boosla, by the sole authority of the governor general, he knew that it was entirely at his own risk, and he has taken the responsibility upon himself; nothing but the most urgent necessity could warrant the measure; nor can any thing short of ful! proof of such necessity, and of the propriety and utility

of the extraordinary step taken on the occasion, entitle the governor general to the approbation of the court of directors; and therefore, as in the former instance relative to the sum advanced and paid into our treasury, we must also, for the present, suspend our judgment respecting the money sent to the Berar army; without approving it in the least degree, or proceeding to censure our governor general for this transaction.

APPENDIX B. No. 8.

Extract of Bengal Secret Consultations, the 9th January, 1781.

The following letter from the governor general having been circulated, and the request therein made complied with, an order on the treasury passed accordingly.

HONOURABLE SIR AND SIRS,

Having had occasion to disburse the sum of three lacks of sicca rupees on account of secret services, which having been advanced from my own private cash, I request the same may be repaid to me in the following manner :-A bond to be granted me, upon the terms of the second loan, bearing date from the 1st October, for one lack of sicca rupees: a bond to be granted me, upon the terms of the first loan, bearing date from the 1st October, for one lack of sicca rupees: a bond to be granted me, upon the terms of the first loan, bearing date from the 2d October, for one lack of sicca rupees.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c. (Signed) WARREN HASTINGS.

Fort William, 5th January, 1781.

APPENDIX B. No. 9.

An account of Bonds granted to the Governor General, from 1st January, 1779, to 31st May, 1782, with interest paid or credited thereon.

There does not appear to have been any interest paid on the above bonds to 31st May, 1782, the last accounts received. In the interest books 1780-81, the last received, the governor general has credit for interest on the first six to April, 1781, to the amount of CR. 21,964. 12. 8.