No More Learning

He thus is surrounded on every side.
He is totally at their mercy, to believe what is not true,
and to subscribe to what he does not mean. There is no
system so new, so foreign to his intentions, that they
may not pursue in his name, without possibility of detection: for they are cautious of who approach him,
and have thought prudent to decline, for him, the visits
of the Governor, even upon the usual solemn and acceptable occasion of delivering to his Highness the Company's letters. Such is the complete ascendency
gained by Mr. Benfield. It may be partly explained
by the facts observed already, some years ago, by Mr.
Benfield himself, in regard to the Nabob, of the infirmities natural to his advanced age, joined to the
decays of his constitution. To this ascendency, in
proportion as it grew, must chiefly be ascribed, if not
the origin, at least the continuance and increase, of
the Nabob's disunion with this Presidency: a dis
? ? ? ? . 134 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
union which creates the importance and subserves
the resentments of Mr. Benfield; and an ascendency
which, if you effect the surrender of the assignment,
will entirely leave the exercise of power and accumulation of fortune at his boundless discretion: to him, and to the Amir-ul-Omrah, and to Seyd Assam Cawn, the
assignment would in fact be surrendered. HE'WILL
(IF ANY) BE THE SOUCAR SECURITY; and security
in this country is counter-secured by possession. You
would not choose to take the assignment from the Company, to give it to individuals. Of the impropriety of its returning to the Nabob, Mr. Benfield would
now again argue from his former observations, that,
under his Highness's management, his country declined, his people emigrated, his revenues decreased, and his country was rapidly approaching to a state of
political insolvency. Of Seyd Assam Cawn we judge
only from the observations this letter already contains.
But of the other two persons [Amir-ul-Omrah and
Mr. Benfield] we undertake to declare, not as parties
in a cause, or even as voluntary witnesses, but as executive officers, reporting to you, in the discharge of our duty, and under the impression of the sacred obligation which binds us to truth, as well as to justice, that, from every observation of their principles and
dispositions, and every information of their character
and conduct, they have prosecuted projects to the injury and danger of the Company and individuals; that it would be improper to trust, and dangerous to
employ them, in any public or important situation; that
the tranquillity of the Carnatic requires a restraint to
the power of the Amir; and that the Company, whose
service and protection iMr. Benfield has repeatedly and
recentlyforfeited, would be more secure against danger
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 135
and confesion, if he were removed from their several
Presidencies.
[After the above solemn declaration from so
weighty an authority, the principal object of that
awful and deliberate warning, instead of being " removed from the several Presidencies," is licensed to return to one of the principal of those Presidencies,
and the grand theatre of the operations on account of
which the Presidency recommends his total removal.
The reason given is, for the accommodation of that
very debt which has been the chief instrument of his
dangerous practices, and the main cause of all the
confusions in the Company's government. ]
No. 7.
Referred to from pp. 82, 88, and 89.
Extracts from the Evidence of Mr. Petrie, late Resident for the Company at Tanjore, given to the Select Committee, relative to the Revenues and State of the
Country, ic. , ec.
9th May, 1782.
WILLIAM PETRIE, Esq. , attending according to order,
was asked, In what station he was in the Company's
service? he said, He went to India in the year 1765,
a writer upon the Madras establishment: he was employed, during the former war with Hyder Ali, in
the capacity of paymaster and commissary to part of
the army, and was afterwards paymaster and commissary to the army in the first siege of Tanljore, and the
? ? ? ? 136 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT' S DEBTS. subsequent campaigns; then secretary to the Secret Department from 1772 to 1775; he came to England in 1775, and returned again to Madras the beginning of 1778; he was resident at the durbar of the Rajah of Tanjore from that time to the month of May; and from that time to January, 1780, was chief of Nagore and Carrical, the first of which was received from the Rajah of Tanjore, and the second was taken from the French. - Being asked, Who sent him to Tanjore?
he said, Sir Thomas Rumbold, and the Secret Committee. -Being then asked, Upon what errand? he said, He went first up with a letter from the Company to the Rajah of Tanjore: he was directed to give the Rajah the strongest assurances that he
should be kept in possession of his country, and every
privilege to which lie had been restored; he was likewise directed to negotiate with the Rajah of Tanjore for the cession of the seaport and district of Nagore
in lieu of the town and district of Devicotta, which
he had promised to Lord Pigot: these were the principal, and, to the best of his recollection at present, the only objects in view, when he was first sent up to
Tanjore. In the course of his stay at Tanjore, other
matters of business occurred between the Company
and the Rajah, which came under his management as
resident at that durbar. - Being asked, Whether the
Rajah did deliver up to him the town and the annexed districts of Nagore voluntarily, or whether lie was forced to it? he said, When he made the first
proposition to the Rajah, agreeable to the directions he had received from the Secret Committee at Madras, in the most free, open, and liberal manner, the Rajah told him the seaport of Nagore was entirely at the service of his benefactors, the Company, and that he
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 137
was happy in having that opportunity of testifying his
gratitude to them. These may be supposed to be
words of course; but, from every experience which he
had of the Rajah's mind and conduct, whilst he was
at Tanjore, he has reason to believe that his declarations of gratitude to the Company were perfectly sincere. He speaks to the town of Nagore at present, and a certain district, - not of the districts to the
amount of which they afterwards received. The
Rajah asked him, To what amount he expected a
jaghire to the Company? And the witness further
said, That he acknowledged to the committee that he
was not instructed upon that head; that he wrote for
orders to Madras, and was directed to ask the Rajah
for a jaghire to a certain amount; that this gave
rise to a long negotiation, the Rajah representing to
him his inability to make such a gift to the Company
as the Secret Committee at Madras seemed to expect;
while he (the witness) on' the other hand, was directed to make as good a bargain as he could for the
Company. From the view that he then took of the
Rajah's finances, from the situation of his country,
and from the load of debt which pressed hard upon
him, he believes he at different times, in his correspondence with. the government, represented the necessity of their being moderate in their demands, and it was at last agreed to accept of the town of Nagore,
valued at a certain annual revenue, and a jaghire annexed to the town, the whole amounting to 250,000
rupees. -Being asked, Whether it did turn out so
valuable? he said, He had not a doubt but it would
turn out more, as it was let for more than that to
farmers at Madras, if they had managed the districts
properly; but they were strangers to the manners and
? ? ? ? 138 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
customs of the people; when they came down, they oppressed the inhabitants, and threw the whole district into confusion; the inhabitants, many of them, left the
country, and deserted the cultivation of their lands; of
course the farmers were disappointed of their collections,
and they have since failed, and the Company have lost a
considerable part of what the farmers were to pay for
the jaghire. - Being asked, Who these farmers were?
he said, One of them was the renter of the St. Thom6
district, near Madras, and the other, and the most
responsible, was a Madras dubash. --Being asked,
Whom he was dubash to? he said, To Mr. Cassmajor.
Being asked, Whether the lease was made upon
higher terms than the district was rated to him by
the Rajah? he said, It was. -- Being then asked,
What reason was assigned why the district was not
kept under the former management by aumildars, or
let to persons in the Tanjore country acquainted with
the district? he said, No reasons were assigned: he
was directed from Madras to advertise them to be let
to persons of the country; but before he received any
proposal, he received accounts that they were let at
Madras, in consequence of public advertisements which
had been made there: he believes, indeed, there were
very few men in those districts responsible enough to
have been intrusted with the management of those
lands. - Being asked, Whether, at the time he was
authorized to negotiate for Nagore in the place of
Devicotta, Devicotta was given up to the Rajah? he
said, No. - Being asked, Whether the Rajah of Tanjore did not frequently desire that the districts of
Arnee and Hanamantagoody should be restored to
him, agreeable to treaty, and the Company's orders
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 139
to Lord Pigot? he said, Many a time; and he transmitted his representations regularly to Madras. Being then asked, Whether those places were restored to him? he said, Not while he was in India. Being asked, Whether he was not authorized and
required by the Presidency at Madras to demand a
large sum of money over and above the four lacs of
pagodas that were to be annually paid by a grant of
the Rajah, made in the time of Lord Pigot? he said,
He was: to the amount, he believes, of four lacs of
pagodas, commonly known by the name of depositmoney. - Being asked, Whether the Rajah did not
frequently plead his inability to pay that money? he
said, He did every time he mentioned it, and complained loudly of the demand. - Being asked, Whether he thinks those complaints were well founded? he
says, He thinks the Rajah of Tanjore was not only
not in a state of ability to pay the deposit-money, but
that the annual payment of four lacs of pagodas was
more than his revenues could afford. - Being asked,
Whether he was not frequently obliged to borrow
money, in order to pay the instalments of the annual
payments, and such parts as he paid of the deposit? . he
said, Yes, he was. - Being asked, Where he borrowed the money? he said, He believes principally from
soucars or native bankers, and some at Madras, as he
told him. - Being asked, Whether he told him that
his credit was very good, and that he borrowed upon
moderate interest? he said, That he told him he found
great difficulties in raising money, and was obliged to
borrow at a most exorbitant interest, even some of it
at forty-eight per cent, and he believes not a great
deal under it. He desired him (the witness) to speak
to one of the soucars or bankers at Tanjore to accommo
? ? ? ? 140 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
date him with a loan of money: that man showed him
an account between him and the Rajah, from which it
appeared that he charged forty-eight per cent, besides
compound interest. - Being asked, Whether the sums
due were large? he said, Yes, they were considerable; though he does not recollect the amount. Being asked, Whether the banker lent the money?
he said, He would not, unless the witness could procure him payment of his old arrears.
Being asked, What notice did the government of
Madras take of the king of Tanjore's representations
of the state of his affairs, and his inability to pay? he
said, He does not recollect, that, in their correspondence with him, there was any reasoning upon the
subject; and in his correspondence with Sir Thomas
Rumbold, upon the amount of the jaghire, he seemed
very desirous of adapting the demand of government
to the Rajah's circumstances; but, whilst he stayed at
Tanjore, the Rajah was not exonerated from any part
of his burdens. - Being asked, Whether they ever desired the Rajah to make up a statement of his accounts,
disbursements, debts, and payments to the Company,
in order to ascertain whether the country was able to
pay the increasing demands upon it? he said, Through
him he is certain they never did. - Being then asked,
If he ever heard whether they did through any one
else? he said, He never did.
Being asked, Whether the Rajah is not bound to
furnish the cultivators of land with seed for their
crops, according to the custom of the country? lihe
said, The king of Tanjore, as proprietor of the land,
always makes advances of money for seed for the cultivation of the land. - Being then asked, If money beyond his power of furnishing should be extorted from
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 141
him, might it not prevent, in the first instance, the
means of cultivating the country? he said, It certainly does; he knows it for a fact; and he knows, that,
when he left the country, there were several districts which
were uncultivated from that cause. -- Being asked,
Whether it is not necessary to be at a considerable
expense in order to keep up the mounds and watercourses? he said, A very considerable one annually. Being asked, What would be the consequence, if
money should fail for that? he said, In the first instance, the country would be partially supplied with water, some districts would be overflowed, and others would be parched. - Being asked, Whether there is not a
considerable dam called the Anicut, on the keeping
up of which the prosperity of the country greatly depends, and which requires a great expense? he said,
Yes, there is: the whole of the Tanjore country is
admirably well supplied with water, nor can he conceive any method could be fallen upon more happily
adapted to the cultivation and prosperity of the country; but, as the Anicut is the source of that prosperity, any injury done to that must essentially affect
all the other works in the country: it is a most stupendous piece of masonry, but, from the very great
floods, frequently requiring repairs, which if neglected, not only the expense of repairing must be
greatly increased, but a general injury done to the
whole country. -- Being asked, Whether that dam
has been kept in as good preservation since the prevalence of the English government as before? he said,
From his own knowledge he cannot tell, but from
everything he has read or heard of the former prosperity and opulence of the kings of Tanjore, he should
suppose not. - Being asked, Whether he does not
? ? ? ? 142 SPEECH ON TIlE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
know of several attempts that have been made tc
prevent the repair, and even to damage the work?
he said, The Rajah himself frequently complained
of that to him, and he has likewise heard it from
others at Tanjore. - Being asked, Who it was that
attempted those acts of violence? he said, He was told
it was the inhabitants of the Nabob's country adjoining to the Anicut. - Being asked, Whether they were not set on or instigated by the Nabob? he answered,
The Rajah said so. - And being asked, What steps
the President and Council took to punish the authors
and prevent those violences? he said, To the best of
his recollection, the Governor told him he would make
inquiries into it, but he does not know that any inquiries were made; that Sir Thomas Rumbold, the Governor, informed him that he had laid his representations with respect to the Anicut before the Nabob, who denied that his people had given any
interruption to the repairs of that work.
10th May.
Being asked, What he thinks the real clear receipt
of the revenues of Tanjore were worth when he left
it? he said, He cannot say what was the net amount,
as he does not know the expense of the Rajah's collection; but while he was at Tanjore, he understood from the Rajah himself, and from his ministers, that
the gross collection did not exceed nine lacs of pagodas (360,0001. ). --Being asked, Whether he thinks the country could pay the eight lacs of pagodas which
had been demanded to be paid in the course of one
year? he said, Clearly not. - Being asked, Whether
there was not an attempt made to remove the Rajah's
minister, upon some delay in payment of the deposit?
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 143
he said, The Governor of Madras wrote to that effect,
which he represented to the Rajah. -- Being asked,
Who was mentioned to succeed to the minister that
then was, in case he should be removed? he said,
When Sir Hector Munro came afterwards to Tanjore,
the old daubiere was mentioned, and recommended
to the Rajah as successor to his then dewan. - Being
asked, Of what age was the daubiere at that time?
he said, Of a very great age: upwards of fourscore. Being asked, Whether a person called Kanonga Saba Pilla was not likewise named? he said, Yes, he was:
he was recommended by Sir Thomas Rumbold; and
one recommendation, as well as I can recollect, went
through me. --Being asked, What was the reason
of his being recommended? he said, He undertook
to pay off the Rajah's debts, and to give security for
the regular payment of the Rajah's instalments to
the Company. - Being asked, Whether he offered
to give any security for preserving the country from
oppression, and for supporting the dignity of the Rajah and his people? he said, He does not know that he did, or that it was asked of him. -Being asked,
Whether he was a person agreeable to the Rajah?
he said, He was not. - Being asked, Whether he was
not a person who had fled out of the country to avoid
the resentment of the Rajah? he said, He was. --
Being asked, Whether he was not charged by the
Rajah with malpractices, and breach of trust relative to his effects? he said, He was; but he told the Governor that he would account for his conduct, and
explain everything to the satisfaction of the Rajah. Being asked, Whether the Rajah did not consider
this man as in the interest of his enemies, and particularly of the Nabob of Arcot and Mr. Benfield? he
? ? ? ? 144 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS. said, He does not recollect that he did mention that to him: he remembers to have heard him complain of a transaction between Kanonga Saba Pilla and Mr. Benfield; but he told him he had been guilty
of a variety of malpractices in his administration,
that he had oppressed the people, and defrauded
him. - Being asked, In what branch of business the
Rajah had formerly employed him? he said, He was
at one time, he believes, renter of the whole country,
was supposed to have great influence with the Rajah,
and was in fact dewan some time. - Being asked,
Whether the nomination of that man was not particularly odious to the Rajah? he said, He found the Rajah's mind so exceedingly averse to that man, that
he believes he would almost as soon have submitted to his being deposed as to submit to the nomination of that man to be his prime-minister.
13th May.
Mr. Petrie being asked, Whether he was informed
by the Rajah, or by others, at Tanjore or Madras,
that Mr. Benfield, whilst he managed the revenues
at Tanjore, during the usurpation of the Nabob, did
not treat the inhabitants with great rigor? he said,
He did hear from the Rajah that Mr. Benfield did
treat the inhabitants with rigor during the time he
had anything to do with the administration of the
revenues of Tanjore. - Being asked, If he recollects
in what particulars?
he said, The Rajah particularly
complained that grain had been delivered out to the
inhabitants, for the purposes of cultivation, at a higher price than the market price of grain in the country; he cannot say the actual difference of price, but it struck him at the time as something very consider
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 145
able. - Being asked, Whether that money was all
recovered from tlhe inhabitants? he said, The Rajah
of Tanjore told him that the money was all recovered from the inhabitants. - Being asked, Whether
he did not hear that the Nabob exacted from the
country of Tanjore, whilst he was in possession of it?
he said, From the accounts which he received at Tanjore of the revenues for a number of years past, it appeared that the Nabob collected from the country,
while he was in possession, rather more than sixteen
lacs of pagodas annually; whereas, when lie was at
Tanjore, it did not yield more than nine lacs. - Beillg asked, From whence that difference arose? lie
said, When Tanjore was conquered for the Nabob,.
lie has been told that many thousand of the native
inhabitants fled from the country, some into the
country of Mysore, and others into the dominiols
of the Mahrattas; he understood from the same authority, that, while the Nabob was in possession of the country, many inhabitants from the Carnatic, allured
by the superior fertility and opulence of Tanjore, and
encouraged by the Nabob, took up their residence
there, which enabled the Nabob to cultivate the
whole country; and upon the restoration of the Rajah, he has heard that the Carnatic inhabitants were carried back to their ownl country, which left a consid.
erable blank in the population, which was not replaced
while he was there, principally owing to an opinion
which prevailed through the country that, the Rajah's government was not to be permanent, but that another revolution was fast approaching. During
the Nabob's government, the price of grain was con --
siderably higher (owing to a very unusual scarcity in,
the Carnatic) than when he was in Tanrjore. - BeVOL. III. 10
? ? ? ? 146 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
ing asked, Whether lhe was ever in the Marawar
country? he said, Yes; he was commissary to the
army in that expedition. -- Being asked, Whether
that country was much wasted by the war? he said,
Plunder was not permitted to the army, nor did the
country suffer from its operations, except in causing
mnaiy thousands of the inhabitants, who had been employed in the cultivation of the country, to leave it. - Being asked, Whether he knows what is done with
the palace and inhabitants of Ramnaut? he said,
The town was taken by storm, but not plundered by
the troops; it was immediately delivered up to the
Nabob's eldest son. --Being asked, Whether great
riches were not supposed to be in that palace and
temple? he said, It was universally believed so. - Being asked, What account was given of them? he said, He cannot tell; everything remained in the possession of the Nabob. - Being asked, What became of
the children and women of the family of the prince
of that country? he said, The Rajah was a minor;
the government was in the hands of the Ranny, his
mother: from general report he has heard they were
carried to Trichinopoly, and placed in confinement
there. -- Being asked, Whether he perceived any
difference in the face of the Carnatic when he first
knew it and when he last knew it? he said, He
thinks he did, particularly in its population. - Being
asked, Whether it was better or worse? he said, It
was not so populous. - Being asked, What is the con
dition of the Nabob's eldest son? he said, He was in
the Black Town of Madras, when he left the country.
-- Being asked, Whether he was entertained there
in a manner suitable to his birth and expectations?
he said, No: lie lived there without any of those ex
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 147
terior marks of splendor which princes of his rank in
India are particularly fond of. - Being asked, Whether he has not heard that his appointments were poor
and mean? he said, He has heard that they were not
equal to his rank and expectations. - Being asked,
Whether he had any share in the government? he
said, He believes none: for some years past the Nabob has delegated most of the powers of government
to his second son. - Being asked, Whether the Rajah
did not complain to him of the behavior of Mr. Benfield to himself personally; and what were the particulars? he said, He did so, and related to him the following particulars. About fifteen days after Lord Pigot's confinement, Mr. Benfield came to Tanjore,
and delivered the Rajah two letters from the then Governor, Mr. Stratton, -- one public, and the other private. He demanded an immediate account of the
presents which had been made to Lord Pigot, pay
ment of the tunkahs which he (Mr. Benfield) had received from the Nabob upon the country, and that the
Rajah should only write such letters to the Madras government as Mr. Benfield should approve and give to
him. The Rajah answered, that he did not acknowledge the validity of any demands made by the Nabob upon the country; that those tunkahs related to
accounts which he (the Rajah) had no concern with;
that he never had given Lord Pigot any presents,
but Lord Pigot had given him many; and that as to
his correspondence with the Madras government, he
would not trouble Mr. Benfield, because he would
write his letters himself. That the Rajah told the
witness, that by reason of this answer he was much
threatened,. in consequence of which he desired Colonel Harper, who then commanded at Tanjore, to be
? ? ? ? 148 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
present at his next interview with Mr. Benfield; when
Mr. Benfield denied many parts of the preceding conversation, and threw the blame upon his interpreter, Comroo. When Mr. Benfield found (as the Rajah
informed him) that he could not carry these points
which had brought him to Tanjore, he prepared to
set off for Madras; that the Rajah sent him a letter
which he had drawn out in answer to one which Mr.
Benfield had brought him; that Mr. Benfield disapproved of the answer, and returned it by Comroo to
the durbar, who did not deliver it into the Rajah's
hands, but threw it upon the ground, and expressed
himself improperly to him.
Being asked, Whether it was at the king of Tanjore's desire, that such persons as Mr. Benfield and Comroo had been brought into his presence? he said,
The Rajah told him, that, when Lord Pigot came to
Tanjore, to restore him to his dominions, Comroo,
without being sent for, or desired to come to the palace, had found means to get access to his person: he made an offer of introducing Mr. Benfield to the Rajah, which he declined. - Being asked, Whether the military officer commanding there protected the Rajah
from the intrusion of such people? he said, The Rajah
did not tell him that he called upon the military officer to prevent these intrusions, but that he desired Colonel Harper to be present as a witness to what
might pass between him and Mr. Benfield. - Being
asked, If it is usual for persons of the conditions and
occupations of Mr. Benfield and Comroo to intrude
themselves into the presence of the princes of the
country, and to treat them with such freedom? he
said, Certainly it is not: less there than in any other
country. -- Being asked, Whether the king of Tan
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 149
jore has no ministers to whom application might be
made to transact such business as Mr. Benfield and
Comroo had to do in the country? he said, Undoubtedly: his minister is the person whose province it is
to transact that business. - Being asked, Before the
invasion of the British troops into Tanjore, what
would have been the consequence, if Mr. Benfield
had intruded himself into the Rajah's presence, and
behaved in that manner? he said, He could not say
what would have been the consequence; but the attempt would have been madness, and could not have happened. - Being asked, Whether the Rajah had
not particular exceptions to Comroo, and thought he
had betrayed him in very essential points? he said,
Yes, he had. - Being asked, Whether the Rajah has
not been apprised that the Company have made stipulations that their servants should not interfere in the concerns of his government? he said, He signified it to the Rajah, that it was the Company's
positive orders, and that any of their servants so
interfering would incur their highest displeasure
No. 8.
Referred to from p. 87, &c.
Commissioners' Amended Clauses for the Fort St.
George -Dispatch, relative to the Indeterminate
Rights and Pretensions of the Nabob of Arcot
and Rajah of Tanjore.
IN our letter of the 28th January last we stated
the reasonableness of our expectation that certain
? ? ? ? 150 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
contributions towards the expenses of the war should
be made by the Rajah of Tanjore. Since writing that
letter, we have received one from the Rajah, of the
15th of October last, which contains at length his representations of his inability to make such further payment. We think it unnecessary here to discuss
whether these representations are or are not exaggerated, because, from the explanations we have given of our wishes for a new arrangement in future, both
with the Nabob of Arcot and the Rajah of Tanjore,
and the directions we have given you to carry that
arrangement into execution, we think it impolitic to
insist upon any demands upon the Rajah for the expenses of the late war, beyond the sum of four lacs
of pagodas annually: such a demand might tend to
interrupt the harmony which should prevail between
the Company and the Rajah, and impede the great
objects of the general system we have already so
fully explained to you.
But although it is not our opinion that any further
claim should be made on the Rajah for his share of
the extraordinary expenses of the late war, it is by
no means our intention in any manner to affect the
just claim which the Nabob has on the Rajah for the
arrears due to him on account of peshcush, for the
regular payment of which we became guaranty by
the treaty of 1762; but we have already expressed
to you our hopes that the Nabob may be induced to
allow these arrears and the growing payments, when
due, to be received by the Company, and carried in
discharge of his debt to us. You are at the same
time to use every means to convince him, that, when
this debt shall be discharged, it is our intention, as
we are bound by the above treaty, to exert ourselves
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 151
to the utmost of our power to insure the constant
and regular payment of it into his own hands.
We observe, by the plan sent to us by our Governor of Fort St. George, on the 30th October, 1781,
that an arrangement is there proposed for the receipt
of those arrears from the Rajah in three years.
We are unable to decide how far this proposal may
be consistent with the present state of the Rajah's resources; but we direct you to use all proper means to
bring these arrears to account as soon as possible, consistently with a due attention to this consideration.
CLAUSES H.
You will observe, that, by the 38th section of the
late act of Parliament, it is enacted, that, for settling
upon a permanent foundation the present indeterminate rights of the Nabob of Arcot and the Rajah of
Tanjore with respect to each other, we should take
into our immediate consideration the said indeterminate'rights and pretensions, and take and pursue such
measures as in our judgment and discretion shall be
best calculated to ascertain and settle the same, according to the principles and the terms and stipulations contained in the treaty of 1762 between the said Nabob and the said Rajah.
On a retrospect of the proceedings transmitted to
us from your Presidency, on the subject of the disputes which have heretofore arisen between the
Nabob and the Rajah, we find the following points
remain unadjusted, viz.
1st, Whether the jaghire of Arnee shall be enjoyed
by the Nabob, or delivered up, either to the Rajah, or
the descendants of Tremaul Row, the late jaghiredar.
2d, Whether the fort and district of Hanamanta
? ? ? ? 152 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
goody, which is admitted by both parties to be within
the Marawar, ought to be possessed by the Nabob, or
to be delivered up by him to the Rajah.
3rd, To whom the government share of the crop
of the Tanjore country, of the year 1775 - 6, properly
belongs.
Lastly, Whether the Rajah has a right, by usage
and custom, or ought, from the necessity of the case,
to be permitted to repair such part of the Anicut, or
dam and banks of the Cavery, as lie within the district of Trichinopoly, and to take earth and sand in
the Trichinopoly territory for the repairs of the dam
and banks within either or both of those districts.
In order to obtain a complete knowledge of the
facts and circumstances relative to the several points
in dispute, and how far they are connected with the
treaty of 1762, we have with great circumspection
examined into all the materials before us on these
subjects, and will proceed to state to you the result
of our inquiries and deliberations.
The objects of the treaty of 1762 appear to be restricted to the arrears of tribute to be paid to the
Nabob for his past claims, and to the quantum of the
Rajah's future tribute or peshcush; the cancelling
of a certain bond given by the Rajah's father to the
father of the Nabob; the confirmation to the Rajah of
the districts of Coveladdy and Elangaud, and the restoration of Tremaul Row to his jaghire of Arnee, in
condescension to the Rajah's request, upon certain
stipulations, viz. , that the fort of Arnee and Doby
Gudy should be retained by the Nabob; that Tremaul Row should not erect any fortress, walled pagoda, or other stronghold, nor any wall round his dwelling-house exceeding eight feet high or two feet
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 153
thick, and should in all things behave himself with
due obedience to the government; and that he should
pay yearly, in the month of July, unto the Nabob or
his successors, the sum of ten thousand rupees: the
Rajah thereby becoming the security for Tremaul
Row, that he should in all things demean and behave
himself accordingly, and pay yearly the stipulated
sum.
Upon a review of this treaty, the only point now in
dispute, which appears to us to be so immediately
connected with it as to bring it within the strict line
of our duty to ascertain and settle according to the
terms and stipulations of the treaty, is that respecting
Arnee. For, although the other points enumerated
may in some respects have a relation to that treaty,
yet, as they are foreign to the purposes expressed in it,
and could not be in the contemplation of the contracting parties at the time of making it, those disputes cannot in our comprehension fall within the line of
d[escription of rights and pretensions to be now ascertained and settled by us, according to any of the terms and stipulations of it.
In respect to the jaghire of Arnee, we do not find
that our records afford us any satisfactory information by what title the Rajah claims it, or what degree
of relationship or connection has subsisted between
the Rajah and the Killadar of Arnee, save only that
by the treaty of 1762 the former became the surety
for Tremaul Row's performance of his engagements
specified therein, as the conditions for his restoration
to that jaghire; on the death of Tremaul Row, we
perceive that he was succeeded by his widow, and
after her death, by his grandson Seneewasarow, both
of whom were admitted to the jaghire by the Nabob.
? ? ? ? 154 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
From your Minutes of Consultation of the 31st October, 1770, and the Nabob's letter to the President
of the 21st March, 1771, and the two letters from
Rajah Beerbur Atchenur Punt (who we presume
was then the Nabob's manager at Arcot) of the 16th
and 18th March, referred to in the Nabob's letter,
and transmitted therewith to the President, we observe, that, previous to the treaty of 1762, Mr. Pigot
concurred in the expediency of the Nabob's taking
possession of this jaghire, on account of the troublesome and refractory behavior of the Arnee braminees,
by their affording protection to all disturbers, who,
by reason of the little distance between Arnee and
Arcot, fled to the former, and were there protected,
and not given up, though demanded;- that, though
the jaghire was restored in 1762, it was done under
such conditions and restrictions as were thought best
calculated to preserve the peace and good order of
the place and due obedience to government; -- that,
nevertheless, the braminees (quarrelling among themselves) did afterwards, in express violation of the
treaty, enlist and assemble many thousand sepoys,
and other troops; that they erected gaddies and
other small forts, provided themselves with wallpieces, small guns, and other warlike stores, and
raised troubles and disturbances in the neighbor.
hood of the city of Arcot and the forts of Arnee
and Shaw Gaddy; and that, finally, they imprisoned the hircarrahs of the Nabob, sent with his letters and instructions, in pursuance of the advice of your board, to require certain of the braminees to
repair to the Nabob at Chepauk, and, though peremptorily required to repair thither, paid no regard to
those, or to any other orders from the circar.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 155
By the 13th article contained in the instructions
given by the Nabob to Mr. Dupre, as the basis for
negotiating the treaty made with the Rajah in 1771,
the Nabob required that the Arnee district should be
delivered up to the circar, because the braminees had
broken the conditions which they were to have observed. In the answers given by the Rajah to these
propositions, he says, " I am to give up to the circar
the jaghire district of Arnee "; and on the 7th of
November, 1771, the Rajah, by letter to Seneewasarow, who appears by your Consultations and country
correspondence to have been the grandson of Tremaul Row, and to have been put in possession of the
jaghire at your recommendation, (on the death of his
grandmother,) writes, acquainting him that he had
given the Arnee country, then in his (Seneewasarow's) possession, to the Nabob, to whose aumildars
Seneewasarow was to deliver up the possession of the
country. And in your letter to us of the 28th February, 1772, you certified the district of Arnee to be
one of the countries acquired by this treaty, and to
be of the estimated value of two lacs of rupees per
alllnnl1.
In our orders dated the 12th of April, 1775, we
declared our determination to replace the Rajah upon the throne of his ancestors, upon certain terms
and conditions, to be agreed upon for the mutual
benefit of himself and the Company, without infringing the rights of the Nabob. We declared that our
faith stood pledged by the treaty of 1762 to obtain
payment of the Rajah's tribute to the Nabob, and
that for the insuring such payment the fort of Tanjore should be garrisoned by our troops. We directed that you should pay no regard to the article
? ? ? ? 156 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
of the treaty of 1771 which respected the alienation
of part of the Rajah's dominions; and we declared,
that, if the Nabob had not a just title to those territories before the conclusion of the treaty, we denied
that he obtained any right thereby, except such temporary sovereignty, for securing the payment of his
expenses, as is therein mentioned.
These instructions appear to have been executed
in the month of April, 1776; and by your letter of
the 14th May following you certified to us that the
Rajah had been put into the possession of the whole
country his father held in 1762, when the treaty was
concluded with the Nabob; but we do not find that
you came to any resolution, either antecedent or subsequent to this advice, either for questioning or impeaching the right of the Nabob to the sovereignty of Arnee, or expressive of any doubt of his title to it.
Nevertheless, we find, that, although the Board passed
no such resolution, yet your President, in his letter
to the Nabob of the 30th July and 24th August,
called upon his Highness to give up the possession
of Arnee to the Rajah; and the Rajah himself, in
several letters to us, particularly in those of 21st October, 1776, and the 7th of June, 1777, expressed his
expectation of our orders for delivering up that fort
and district to him; and so recently as the 15th of
October, 1783, he reminds us of his former application, and states, that the country of Arnee being
guarantied to him by the Company, it of course is
his right, but that it has not been given up to him,
and he therefore earnestly entreats our orders for
putting him into the possession of it. We also observe by your letter of the 14th of October, 1779,
that the Rajah had not then accounted for the Na
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 1;
bob's peshcush since his restoration, but had assigned
as a reason for his withdrawing it, that the Nabob
had retained from him the district of Arnee, with
a certain other district, (lHanamantagoody,) which is
made the subject of another part of our present dispatches.
We have thus stated to you the result of our inqutiry into the grounds of the dispute relative to Arilee; and as the research has offered no evidence in support of the Rajah's claim, nor even any lights
whereby we can discover in what degree of relationship, by consanguinity, caste, or other circumstances,
the Rajah now stands, or formerly stood, with the
Killadar of Arnee, or the nature of his connection
with or command over that district, or the authority he exercised or assumed previous to the treaty
of 1771, we should think ourselves highly reprehensible in complying with the Rajah's request, - and
the more so, as it is expressly stated, in the treaty
of 1762, that this fort and district were then in the
possession of the Nabob, as well as the person of the
jaghiredar, on account of his disobedience, and were
restored him by the Nabob, in condescension to the
Rajah's request, upon such terms and stipulations as
could not, in our judgment, have been imposed by
the one or submitted to by the other, if the sovereignty of the one or the dependency of the other
had been at that time a matter of doubt.
Although these materials have not furnished us
with evidence in support of the Rajah's claim, they
are far from satisfactory to evince the justice of or
the political necessity for the Nabob's continuing to
withhold the jaghire from the descendants of Tremaul
Row; his hereditary right to that jaghire seems to
? ? ? ? 158 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
us to have been fully recognized by the stipulations
of the treaty of 1762, and so little doubted, that, on
his death, his widow was admitted by the Nabob to
hold it, on account, as may be presumed, of' the nonage of his grandson and heir, Seneewasarow, who
appears to have been confirmed in the jaghire, on her
death, by the Nabob, as the lineal heir and successor
to his grandfather.
With respect to Seneewasarow, it does not appear,
by any of the Proceedings in our possession, that he
was concerned in the misconduct of the braminees,
complained of by the Nabob in the year 1770, which
rendered it necessary for his Highness to take the
jaghire into his own hands, or that he was privy to
or could have prevented those disturbances.
We therefore direct, that, if the heir of Tremaul
Row is not at present in possession of the jaghire,
and has not, by any violation of the treaty, or act of
disobedience, incurred a forfeiture thereof, he be forthwith restored to the possession of it, according to the
terms and stipulations of the treaty of 1762. But if
any powerful motive of regard to the peace and tranquillity of the Carnatic shall in your judgment render it expedient to suspend the execution of these orders, in that case you are with all convenient speed
to transmit to us your proceedings thereupon, with
the full state of the facts, and of the reasons which
have actuated your conduct.
We have before given it as our opinion that the
stipulations of the treaty of 1762 do not apply to the
points remaining to be decided. But the late act of
Parliament having, from the nature of our connection
with the two powers in the Carnatic, pointed out the
expediency, and even necessity, of settling the several
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 159
matters in dispute between them by a speedy and
permanent arrangement, we now proceed to give you
our instructions upon the several other heads of disputes before enumerated.
With respect to the fort and district of Hianamantagoody, we observe, that, on the restoration of the
Rajah in 1776, you informed us in your letter of the
14th of May, "That the Rajah had been put into
possession of the whole of the country his father held
in 1762, when the treaty was concluded with the
Nabob; and on the 25th of June you came to the
resolution of putting the Rajah into possession of
Hanamantagoody, on the ground of its appearing, on
reference to the Nabob's instructions to Mr. Dupre in
June, 1762, to his reply, and to the Rajah's representations of 25th March, 1771, that Hanamantagoody
was actually in the hands of the late Rajall at the
time of making the treaty of 1762. We have referred as well to those papers as to all the other proceedings on this subject, and must confess they fall very short of demonstrating to us the truth of that
fact. And we find, by the Secret Consultations of
Fort William of the 7th of August, 1776, that the
same doubt was entertained by our Governor-General
and Council.
But whether, in point of fact, the late Rajah was
or was not in possession of Hanamantagoody in 1762,
it is notorious that the Nabob had always claimed the
dominion of the countries of which this fort and district are a part.