4 7 X 72 7 CONTENTS. NINTH REPORT from the Select Committee (of the House of Commons) appoint ed to take into consideration the state of the administration of Justice in the Provinces of Bengal, Bahar, and ORISSA; &c.-(25 June 1783.) I.-Observations on the state of the Company's Affairs in India, British Government in India, → ELEVENTH REPORT, from the Select Committee (of the house of Commons) ap- pointed to take into consideration the state of the administration of Justice in the Provinces of BENGAL, BAHAR, and ORISSA; &c.—(1783.) The first nine numbers of Appendix B. to the above Report; Viz. Appendix B. No. 1. Letter from the Governor General to the court of Appendix B. No. 2. Account of Money paid into the Company's Treasu- ry by the Governor General, since 1773 Appendix B. No. 3. Letter from Governor Hastings to the Secret Com- Appendix B. No. 4. Account of sums received on account of the Company by the Governor General, or paid to their Treasury by his order, and Appendix B. No. 5. & No. 6. Affidavit of William Larkins Esq. and Let- ter of Governor General to the Secret Committee of the Court of Di rectors, respectively of the 16th December 1782, transmitted with the 220, 221 Appendix B. No. 9. Account of Bonds granted to the Governor General, ARTICLES of Charge of High Crimes and Misdemeanors against WARREN HAST- INGS, Esquire, late Governor General of Bengal; presented to the House of 226 Part I. Rights and Titles of the Rajah of Benares, Part II. Designs of Mr. Hastings to ruin the Rajah of Benares, Letters, from her Excellency the Bhow Begum to Mr. Bristow, Resident at the Vizier's Court;-from Colonel Hannay to Jewar Ally Cawn and Bahar Ally Cawn:- Address from Colonel Hannay to the Begum; -from Mr. Gordon to the Begum :-Letter to Mohammed Jewar Ally Cawn and Bahar Ally Cawn, from Mr. Gordon ;-from Colonel Hannay XXII. Rights of Fyzoola Khan, &c. before the treaty of Lall-Dang, Rights of Fyzoola Khan under the treaty of Lall-Dang, Guarantee of the treaty of Lall-Dang, NINTH REPORT. From the Select Committee (of the House of Commons) appointed to take into consideration the state of the administration of justice in the provinces of Bengal, Bahar, and Orissa, and to report the same, as it shall appear to them, to the House, with their observations thereupon; and who were instructed to consider how the British possessions in the East Indies may be held and governed with the greatest security and advantage to this country, and by what means the happiness of the native inhabitants may be best promoted.-(25 June, 1783.) 1. OBSERVATIONS ON THE STATE OF THE COMPANY'S AFFAIRS IN INDIA. In order to enable the house to adopt the most proper means for regulating the British government in India, and for promoting the happiness of the natives, who live under its authority or influence, your committee hold it expedient to collect into distinct points of view the circumstances by which that government appears to them to be most essentially disordered; and to explain fully the principles of policy, and the course of conduct, by which the natives of all ranks and orders have been reduced to their present state of depression and misery. Your committee have endeavoured to perform this task in plain and popular language, knowing that nothing has alienated the house from inquiries, absolutely necessary for the performance of one of the most essential of all its duties, so much as the technical language of the company's records; as the Indian names of persons, of offices, of the tenure and qualities of estates, and of all the varied branches of their intricate revenue. This language is indeed of necessary use in the executive departments of the company's affairs; but it is not necessary to parliament. A language, so foreign from all the ideas and habits of the far greater part of the members [2] VOL. VI. Present laws re the East Compa of this house, has a tendency to disgust them with all sorts of inquiry concerning this subject. They are fatigued into such a despair of ever obtaining a competent knowledge of the transactions in India, that they are easily persuaded to remand them back to that obscurity, mystery, and intrigue, out of which they have been forced upon public notice, by the calamities arising from their extreme mismanagement. This mismanagement has itself (as your committee conceive) in a great measure arisen from dark cabals, and secret suggestions to persons in power, without a regular public inquiry into the good or evil tendency of any measure, or into the merit or demerit of any person intrusted with the company's concerns. The plan adopted by your committee, is, First, To latingto consider the law regulating the East India Company, as India it now stands; and, Secondly, To inquire into the cirand cumstances of the two great links of connection, by it which the territorial possessions in India are united to and ex- this kingdom; namely, the company's commerce; and policy. the government exercised under the charter, and under ternal ternal acts of parliament. The last of these objects, the commerce, is taken in two points of view, the external, or the direct trade between India and Europe; and the internal; that is to say, the trade of Bengal in all the articles of produce and manufacture, which furnish the company's investment. The government is considered by your committee under the like descriptions of internal and external. The internal regards the communication between the court of directors and their servants in India; the management of the revenue; the expenditure of public money; the civil administration; the administration of justice; and the state of the army. The external regards, first, the conduct and maxims of the company's government with respect to the native princes and people dependent on the British authority: and next, the proceedings with regard to those native powers, which are wholly independent of the company. But your committee's observations on the last division, extend to those matters only, which are not comprehended in the report of the committee of secrecy. Under these heads, your committee refer to the most leading particulars of abuse, which prevail in the administration of India; deviating only from this order, where the abuses are of a complicated nature |