The Asiatic Annual Register or a View of the History of Hindustan and of the Politics, Commerce and Literature of Asia Volume 3 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1802 edition. Excerpt: ...After what has lately occurred, it cannot be surprising that expectations and imaginary claims should be converted into rights, in. the opinion of these parties. Encouragement to encroach upon the exclusive trade of the Company will naturally excite further attempts for that purpose. Nearly all the parties who have signed the letter in question, and who are very few in Bumber, compared with the large mass of owners of ships of 800 tons, were competitors themselves for building ships of 500 or COO tons; but when their offers were refused by the court, as being too dear, then, and not before, they came forward to remonstrate against the present plan. Some of these persons are also owners of small ships, actually employed in the service of the Company; so that their conduct, on the present occasion, must appear still more extraordinary. On the renewal of the charter in 1793, stipulations were made to encourage the export of the manufactures and produce of Great-Britain, and the court of directors have exerted their utmost endeavours to promote and increase that object. After employing every ship of 800 tons, and every other ship that has any claim on the Company, they have not room or tonnage for trie exports to India. ' In this predicament, after employing every ship of 800 tons that is at home, the court have advertised for ships to carry out the remainder of the exports for India. The persons who have signed the letter to your lordship resist this proceeding, under the circumstances I have described. It is evident they are supported by the Indian agents, who, by checking the Company's exports, would experience a greater increase of their own. Eut the resources of the Company in India require every aid, and the produce of the exports from Europe...