Proceedings of Board of Controul and Eaft India Company. have no doubt of being able, by the affiftance of his Majesty's minifters, to raise men for their fervice without incurring an enormous expence, against which, it would be the duty of the court to step forward, even if the pofitive injunction of the Legislature, the anticipated revenues, and the immenfe incombrances under which the Company is labouring, did not point out the necey of the moft rigid economy. For thefe reafons, the Court fay, they are inclined to hope, that the R. Hon, Commiffioners will be induced to alter the determination they feem to have taken, and to concur with the Court in a reprefentation to his Majefty, by which fuch an increase of European frength may be obtained in India, as may be judged abfolutely expedient, in a mode lefs destructive to the welfare of the Company. The above refolution was carried in the affirmative. At a Court of Directors, 12 Dec. On reading a letter from a Committee of the Company's military officers, requesting to be informed what hips had been taken in confequence of the petition tranfmitted to Europe in 2784, &c. Refolved, That the Committee be informed, that the faid petition was delivered to one of the Rt. Hon. Secretaries of State; that in Joly 1786, the Gov. Gen, was called upon for his opinion, and for that of the Gov. of Fort St. George, as to the best mode of fatisfying the Company's officers on the fubject of rank. That conferences had been already, and wil continue to be, held with the Rt. Hon. the Commiffioners of the affairs in India; and that the Court will perfevere in their beft endeavours to obtain fuch fatisfaction as may remove any mortifying diftinction between the two Corps when ferving in India, At a Court of Directors, 19 Dec. After reading a letter from a committee of the Company's military officers, dated Dec. 17, a motion was made for a refpe&able application, "That His Majefty would be graciously pleafed to withdraw the regiments in quef. tion, for the reafons already affigned;" which motion was referred to be taken into confideration on a future day. At a Court of Directors, 28 Dec. The chairman laid before the court the following note from Ld. Sydney: "His Majesty's fervants do not propofe to advife his Majesty to alter the refolution of fending the four regiments to India. They obferve, in the papers tranfmitted to them by the Board of Controul, that the Directors complain of the effect which the introduction of fo many officers of high rank in his Majefty's fervice in India will have on the fituation of the officers in the Company's troops; at the fame time they cannot but confider the admiffion of the officers of the Company to half the Commiffous in the foar new regiments, to be a sonfiderable advantage to the Company's serps of officers; but as the Board of Con 259 troul hath called for the dates of the commillions of the officers, alluded to by the Directors, His Majesty's Yervants do not think themfelves authorized to give an opinion concerning the meafores neceffary to be taken to prevent any juft complaint upon the fubject in queftion till that information is laid before them." It was then moved and agreed, that the farther confideration of the motion on the 19ta be deferred till Wednesday the 16th of Jan. 1788. At a Court of Direto-s, 16 Jan. 1788, The motion of the 19th Dec. 1787 paffed in the affirmative; and Refolved, that Jacob Bofanquet, Hugh Inglis, Stephen Lufhington, Efqrs, and the Hon Wm. Elphingtone, be appointed a commitree, to draw up an humble addrefs to his Majefty pursuant to the foregoing refolution; and that the Company's Counsel and Solicitor do give their affiftance. Ae a Court of Directors, 23 Jan. 1788. It was moved, that the memorial and petition, prepared and prefented in pursuance to the last refolution, be agreed to: it paffed in the affirmative. Upon which, John Motteux, Efq. chairman, delivered in his diffent, to the following purport; 1. Becaufe the Court, on the 17th of Ot. 1787, accepted the offered faccours, after moft gratefully expreffing their acknowledgments to his Majefty for his gracious attention to the fafety of the Company's poffef- fions in India. 2. Becaufe the Rr. Hon. Board of Commiffioners for the affairs of India, and his Majefty's Confidential Minifters, have unequivocally declared the neceffity of keeping up a permanent European force in India. 3. Becaufe the additional expence does not appear to be nearly fo great as has been reprefented. 4. Becaufe there is ftrong reafon to hope, that, on the receipt of the opinions daily expected from India, the Rt. Hon. the Commithoners will unite their endeavours with those of the Court, to obtain from his Majetty fuch mark of royal favour to the Company's Officers as will remove every juft caufe of complaint. Because he doubts if his Majesty's· 5. minifters would (without having recourfe to Parliament) give fuch power to the Court as would enable them to raife an adequate force on terms much lefs burthenfome to the Company; or that, even with freth Parliamentary powers, any very confiderable fam would be faved in raifing a force equal to the neceffary defence. 6thly, Because the fhips bound to China and thofe bound to Coaft and Bay, that have refpectively received orders to touch at Bombay and Fort St. George in their way to their destined ports, for the exprefs purpofe of carrying out the new-raifed regiments, will, in the opinion of the profeffional Members of the Court, run fome risk of lofing their paffage; thofe to Coaft and China, if they do not fail by the middle of February; and thofe bound to Bombay and China, that remain after the 10th of February, cannot have much chance of faving theirs; add to this, the expence of demurrage daily incurring; and that all the fhips bound to China carry treasure for purchafing cargoes, which not returning in proper time may prove very diftreffing to the Company's affairs. On fimilar grounds the chairman was joined by Mers. Nath. Smith, John Hunter, Rob. Thornton, T. Pattle, jun. John Townsen, Paul Le Mefurier, and James Moffatt, DIRECTORS. And Wm. Devaynes, Efq. Deputy Chairman, delivered his diffent, as he was further of opinion, that the refolution of the 16th of January would rather tend to promote than put an end to the diffentions which unfortunately fubfifted. it Court of Directors, 1 Feb. 1788. A letter from Ld. Sydney, dated 31 Jan. being read, fignifying, "That his Ldp had laid before the King the memorial and petition already mentioned, and had received his Majetty's commands to acquaint the Court in answer thereto, that his Majefly does not judge proper to change his refolution of fending four regiments to India; that, in the formation of thofe corps, his Majefty attended to the fituation and pretenfions of the Company's officers in that Country; and that his Majefty has it under his royal confideration to make any farther regulation which may appear expedient for the good of the fervice;" Refolved, by ballot, that the refolution of the 17th of Oct. 1787, be refcinded. At a Court of Directors, 6 Feb. 1788. A paper was delivered in by the gentlemen who had figned the above refolution for refeinding of which the following are the heads only. They affert, that a real majority of the Court (one member being incapacitated from attending his duty by fick nefs) have never given their fauction to the acceptance of the regiments; that, on the other hand, by the refolutions of the 5th of Dec. 14 members have unequivocally expreffed their disapprobazion of the meafure; they complain of the protefts of the two chairmen against a majority of the directors, a circumftance which the court can scarcely recollect to have happened before. By the act of the 21ft of his prefent Majefty, it was stipulated, that the Company should pay two lacks of rupees for every regiment confting of 1000 men, fent to India at their Requifition: confequently no troops could he fent to India at the expence of the Company, unless at their requifit on. They fate the folemn and cordial agreement entered into between the Company and Government, ratified by the act of the 24th of his prefent Majefty, by which, as they apprehend, ample refervation of all the rights and privileges of the Company was made and fecured under the protection of minifters who had ftobd forth their zealous and fuccesful advocates; fubject only to fuch limitations in point of control as were judged neceffary to preferve them from abufe, but no more. All differences thus amicably fettled, an eftablishment was then propofed by the Directors, but rejected by the Commiffioners, because it confifted of a greater European force in India than they thought necellary for its defence; and, in confequence, another arrangement, which the Commiffioners thought would have been more than fufficient, was carried into effect, by which above 600 offcers, who had ferved during the last war, were in 1785 reduced. The full force of the 40th and 41ft fections of the act alluded to was now finally to take place; and no new appointments, civil or military, could be made till returns were received from India of vacancies; and the officers, reduced as above, waited with propriety and patience for thofe vacancies which their paft fervices entitled them to fill. No eftablishment could have been formed more precifely, nor better means devised to procure the intelligence on which it refts. The Court therefore heard with aftonishment, on the 17th of Oct, that the force in India was not adequate to its defence; and that they could not obtain recruits without taking regiments. A bare majority of the directors then prefent, after a debate of a few hours, confented to accept of his Majefty's gracious offer. The only argument of weight for the meafure was its neceffity. They admit that circumstances and reafons may have existed of which they are ignorant ; but, if they are to be guided by what they know, they are decidedly of opinion, that no fuch neceffity exists at prefent; and that the regiments propofed to be fent will not ftrengthen but weaken the military force in India, by being productive of the most dangerous coplequences. They add, that if the fecret reafons, of which they are ignorant, apply to the prefent political state of Europe, the public have received the ftrongeft affurances from the highest authority, that no ap❤ prehenfions on that account have any exiftence, or likely to have for a long time to come; and that therefore their constituents are entitled, in common with other fubjects, to be relieved from fuch an enormous expence. That the Governors in India have recommended the measure, will require written documents to prove. The utmoft to which Ld. Cornwallis's fentiments can be construed to extend, is to strengthen the European force there, which, they fay, they were preparing to do, Оп Proceedings of Board of Controul and East India Company. On the 21st of Aug. a memorial, on the part of the Company for leave to raise reCruirs, was tranfmitted to Ld. Sydney. But it was not till the 30th of Oct. that his Lordship's anfwer, with permiffion to raife was received. They mention this fact, to thew, that the Company were not inattentive to that part of their duty. In the mean time, the four regiments were of fered and accepted. 2500 men, To combat the argument, that his Majefty's Recruiting fervice is fuperior to that of the Company, they ftate the following fact, that by the returns, dated Jan. 1787, The Company's troops were deficient 2985 The recruits fent out laft season 1931 Deficient 1260 It is farther remarkable, they fay, that at the close of the war, 4 of his Majefty's regiments, which ought to have confifted of 5000 men, could muster no more than 1686, though it is contended that the Company fhould pay for the whole. They remark, as curious too, that, by the act of the 21st of his prefent Majefty already referred to, regiments of 1000 privates are evidently implied, and thofe are certainly moft proper for India. The four regiments propofed now to be fent are to confift of 2843 in all. If real œconemy and effective ftrength had been confulted; these might have been thrown into three regiments-the faving would have been confiderable. Gentlemen, they fay, may form what eftimates they pleate; but the difference of expence between fending out four compleat regiments with officers, or the fending out 2840 men wi:bout officers, will coft the Company 86,0041. 10s. annually in time of war, and exceed very confiderably 100,000l. a year, contingencies included. Had the publick been put to any expence in confequence of the confent of ten Directors to accept the four regiments on the 17th of Oct. laft (for no requifition was ever made by them), in ftrict juftice the Company thould make it good; the Court have therefore offered to pay the whole, after refcinding the refolution of the 17th of Oct. in confequence of the legal opinions they have obtained in juftification of their refift ance to the measure. They declare their readiness to concur with his Majesty's minifters in any mode that can be deviled to augment the number of recruits to be fent to India; and to receive the whole, or any part of the effeczives, already railed, provided they are un accompanied with officers. 261 They traft the expence of demurrage wit not be charged to their account, when the many previous questions, queftions of adjournment moved by the chair, and other Audied delays, are recollected; at all events, a few hundreds once paid is unworthy of notice, if no otherwife to be faved than by ac cepting the regiments. They conclude with reprobating the meafore, as pregnant with the mon fatal confequences to above 1800 officers, whofe meries entiled them to reward and not to punithment, and whofe feelings on the occafion may prove the means of thaking the British Empire in India to its centre. Their reprefentation, of which the above are the contents, was figned by the following DIRECTORS: John Travers, W. Bentley, F. Bering, John Manfhip, John Roberts, J. Smith, Jacob Bofanquet, Stephen Luthington, Thomas Fitzhugh, W. Elphingtone, Tho. Cheap, and Hugh Inglis. Feb. 6, 1788. At a Court of Directors, 13 Feb. Ld. Sydney's letter, ftating that three of the regiments, deftined for India were in readiness, &c. (fee p. 168), being read; Refolved, in anfwer, that the Court of Directors have refcinded their refolution of the 17th of Oct. lait, fo far as bound the Company to the payment of the faid regiments; but that the Court are ready to receive and accommodate the faid troops, provided it be clearly understood that the Eaft India Company are not bound to pay any part of the expence thereof; and that such forces are not to be confidered as part of the permanent establishment in the Eaft Indies. At a Court of Directors, 13 Feb. A letter from Ld. Sydney, inclofing a minute of a full board of Commiffioners (dated Feb. 12), was read; ftating it, "as by no means neceflary for the Board to enter into difcuffion with respect to the Company's right of withdrawing their requifition for the faid troops, and liberating the Company from any obligation to pay the fums directed by the act of 1781, to be paid for the fame, no provifion having been made by that act for withdrawing fuch requifition; neither do the Board conceive that the King's troops, either under fuch requifi. tion or withour, are to be confidered as forming any part of the Company's eftablishment in the Eaft Indies; but the Board think it right to add, that they do not now foresee any circumftances that are likely to alter their prefent opinion. They certainly do not feel themselves enabled to decide at present what may be the number of King's troops which it may at any time hereafter be expedient for his Majelly to ftation in the Eaft Indies; but they will think it their duty to exercife the fuperintending powers, with which they are vested, over the revenues of the British poffeffions in the East Indies, in fuch manner as may effectually provide that thele thofe revenues fhall be applied to defray the expence of the force necellary for the defence of thefe poffefions; and they can hardly doubt, that the Court of Directors will think it expedient to bring upon their conflituents a confiderable additional charge, by compel ling his Majefty's fervants to have recourfe to any other mode of conveyance than what has hitherto been ofoal, as that charge muit in justice be defrayed from the revenues in India." This minute read, the Court adjourned; and being again met, it was refolved, That this Court adhere to the refolution of the 11th inftant, and that they will on Friday dispatch fuch fhips as are ready to proceed on their voyages to Bombay and China, left by the latenefs of the featon they may be in danger of lofing their pafiage; and this Court do think it incumbent upen them to declare, that there will then remain 17 ships, in which his Majesty's troops may be conveyed to India. It was then refolved, in answer to Ld. Sydney, to acquaint his Lordthip, that as the Court of Directors humbly conceive that the refolutions of the Rt. Hon, the Commifhorers for the affairs of India are contrary to the act of the 24th of his present Majeny, and adverse to the rights of the Company, they have refolved, that a meeting of their contituents be called; and humbly request, that no farther meatures may be taken by his Majefty's minifters till the fentiments of fuch meeting fhall be known. At a Court of Directors, 15 Feb. Ld. Sydney's answer was read, fignifying the fatisfaction of the Board of Controul at the above refolutions; and, at the fame time, expreffing the opinion of the Board, that, to I prevent all poffible lofs of time, measures fhould be taken eventually to provide tranfports for carrying fuch of the regiments as may be ready to embaik, and repeating their determination to direct the expence to be defrayed from the revenues of the country. In pursuance of the above refolution, a General Court of Proprietors was called for the 19th of February, and held by adjourn. ment on the 20th, when the proceedings, as in our laft, p. 168, took place, and the queftion referred to Wednesday the 27th, to be determined by ballot. In the mean time, a letter from the Board of Controul, figned by all the Commiffioners, and addreffed to the Court of Directors of the United Company of Merchants of England, trading to the Eaft Indies, dated Whitehall, Feb. 23, 1788, was laid before the Court on the 24h, in which it is noticed, that in the FOREIGN flatement of the question juft referred to, the fituation of the Company's officers is reprefented in a manner which the board do not conceive to be warranted; that the commucations which the Court have received from the King's Government fofficiently fhew every difpofition on the part of his Majefty to take their fituation into his gracious confi deration; and that it is improper to affume it as a fact, in the flatement of the question to be ballotted for, that the officers are to be placed in the fituation which thofe who propofed the queftion have thought proper to hold car to the Court of Proprietors, and as it farther appears that the Court have taken the opinion of Couniel upon cer- · tain points that have been in eifcuffion, and are of too much magnitude to remain in doubt, it is intended on Monday to fohmit the following motion to the confideration of Parliament, viz. "That leave be given to bring in a Bill,. for removing any doubts respecting the power of the Commiflioners for the affairs of India, to direct that the expence of raifing, tranfporting, and maintaining fuch troops as may be judged neceffary for the fecurity of the British territories and poffeffous in the Eaft Indies, fhould be defrayed out of the revenues arising from the faid territories and poffeffions." In the mean time the ballot took place on Wednesday the 27th of February; when the numbers being equal (fee p. 168), the claufe in the act of Parliament was read, which states, that, in cafes where there is an equality of votes on any question, the fame thall be decided by a lot to be drawn by the Treafurer. A converfation of half an hour took place refpecting the propriety of this decifion, as well as its frict legality. It was however at length decided; the lot was prepared, the Treasurer took it out of the hat, and it was in the affirmative, for the question: by which the majority of the Court of Proprietors enjoyed a fhort triumph dearly purchafed. Such were the beginning and ending of thefe momentous proceedings, fo far as the Court of Directors and the Board of Controul were fpecifically concerned, As to the ultimate decifion of Parliament, that will be noticed in its proper place. But a tranfaction, that in all probability will one day make a confiderable figure in hiftory, muft not be fuffered to escape the notice of the Editors of the Gentleman's Magazine, while the facts are recent in every one's memory. INTELLIGENCE. FTER the hoftile attack upon Belgrade, A of which an account has already been given, in January, p. 72, the Emperor's declaration of war against the Torks could no longer be doubted. The affected disbelief of that attempt by the Turkish government, though confirmed by authentic advices from all quarters, fofficiently thew how much the Turks are in dread of the Imperial arms, and bow cautions they were not to give or take offence. What they feared has howeves taken place: on the soch of last month Was Recent and important Intelligence from Vienna and Turkey. 263 War was declared in form at Vienna; and at the fame time a manifefto was delivered by Prince Kaunitz to the Foreign Minifters, of which the following is a tranflation: "All Europe have been witness to the good faith with which the Court of his Imperial Majetty has for many years culti vated peace with the Ottoman Empire; the incere difpofition it has manifested on every occafion to preferve good neighbourhood, and its readiness to toterpofe to prevent any rupture between the Porte and the neighbouring Courts. Thefe pacific intentions were manifested in the differences between the Porte and the Emprefs of all the Ruffias, when the Emperor, uniting his endeavours with those of his ally the King of France, omitted nothing which was likely to effect an amicable adjustment of their difputes. And as the demands of the Ruffian Court did not exceed what the had a right to expect for the just execution of the exifting treaties, the fayourable difpofition of her Imperial Majefty to accommodate matters, left his Imperial Majefty no room to doubt but that his endeavours, joined to thofe of the Court of Verfailles, would have fucceeded to prevent a rupture fo calamitous in its confequences to all parties. But the Porte foon thewed the inefficacy of this attempt in the united Courts, by lighting their falutary advice and preffing exhortations, in peremptorily refufing the Ruffian Envoy the neceffary delay for a Courier to return with freth instructions from Peterburg, and infifting on his immediately figuing a deed of revocation, not only of the treaty of commerce lately concluded between the Porte and Ruffia, but alfo of every folemn ftipulation refpecting the Crimea. And in confequence of his refufing to accede to a propofition, which, independent of its impropriety, exceeded the powers of an Envoy, the Porte did not hesitate to conne tais Minifter, contrary to the most facred laws of nations, in the prifon of the Seven Towers, and to declare war against Russia at the face time. By fo violent a proceeding, things were brought to the most critical extremity; yet the Emperor did not lofe hopes that hoitiInties might fill be prevented. He flattered himfelf that the Porte, yielding to the reprefentations of all the foreign Ambaladors refiding at Conftantinople, would be perfuaded to release the Envoy, and give her Imperial Majelly a fatisfaction proportionate to the violation of the law of nations, and thus a potibility offer of renewing conciliatory negociations. But all thefe hopes were fruftrated, by the Porte commencing open acts of hoftility, and obliging Rutha to have recourse to arms in her defence. The Porte were not unacquainted with the Arict bands of amity and alliance which unite the Courts of Vienna and Petersburg. Of this alliance they were informed, as well verbally, as by a memorial prefented towards the clofe of the year 1783. This was accompanied with an energetic reprefentation of the nature of the alliance, and the danger of provoking it. The Ottoman Court have therefore themfelves only to blame, if the Emperor, after fo many years employed in the preservation of peace, and in his endeavours to live with them on the best terms, and after having embraced every opportunity of amicable intervention to prevent their falling-out with other powers, finds himself at length obliged by their conduct to comply with his engage ments with the Empress, and to take a part in the war which the finds herfelf fo forcibly drawn into. The Emperor, by thefe facts and circumftances, conceives himself authorised to rely with the utmoft confidence on the approbation of all the Courts of Europe, and flatters himfelf that they will unite their wishes for the fuccefs of his arms against the common enemy of Christianity. At Vienna, Feb. 10, 1778. Though the LONDON GAZETTE has been filent with refpect to the above declaration of war, and manifefto, yet it has not been wholly fo as to their effects. In that of Tuesday the 11th inftant, there is the following article. Vienna, Feb. 27. "Letters of the 19th inftant, from the Imperial army in Croatia, mention, that after having taken the Fort of Dreflnick, the troops were ftationed on the Korona, near that fort, with their right wing extended to the feet of the mountains of Pliffivicza, by which means the roads and paffes to Bihach were opened. That, during the attack of Dreffnick, a detachment was fent to fummo the Turks potted at Sturlich to furrender. They invid the commanding officer to approach within 50 paces on parole, when they made fo briik a fire on the detachment as to kill 50 men, which fo enraged the Imperialifts, that they put the whole Turkish garrifon to death. That the Imperial troops had made an unfuccefsful attempt on Debitza, in which they fuffered a loss of 82 killed and 349 wounded. That emigrations of Turkish families into the Auftrian territories, with their cattle and effects, were very trequent; and that the Turkish troops had endeavoured in vain to prevent them. By advices from Sclavonia of the 18th of January, it appears that 130 boats belonging to the Turks have been either taken or funk in the Save." I cannot have efcaped notice, that the hoftilities alluded to in the above Gazette were previous to the Emperor's declaration of war; and it has been farther remarked |