SIR-As many of your readers may not have access to the late publications on the subject of the recent acquisitions in India, I have transcribed, for their information, some parts of Mr. Prinsep's quarto work, which, to those Proprietors of India Stock who do not attend the India House debates, may, I conceive, prove useful. Mr. Prinsep has given a most copious detail of the preparations for the late war, and of its proceedings; and the result fully shews the capacious mind of the noble Marquis, who projected the plans, and employed the means whereby so successful and unexpected an issue has been obtained. But in the political retrospect to which these considerations lead, the Indian public never can forget, that had the Marquis of Wellesley's plans, with Lord Lake's great victories, been followed up as they should have been, many millions of money and thousands of lives would have been saved to the state. If we except a pertinacious few, I believe that a great majority of those persons who in England resolutely condemned that nobleman's administration, now ac knowledge their error, But the best regulations at home cannot Asiatic Journ.—No, 55.

prevent a similar case from occurring. The possession of £1,000 stock is in one proprietor the power of contributing to sustain a judicious system of policy, and to conduct it on principles which give protection and stability to the fruits of success; while it entitles another to gratify his vanity, to discharge his rancour, or to betray his entire ignorance of Indian policy. I am sorry to say, that many of the debates upon the pensions granted to distinguished individuals will but act as a beacon to India servants hereafter, to take care of their private concerns, whilst they are ably discharging their public duties. Some of the late pensions have been assented to in a way that, to generous minds, must have proved so very galling, that nothing but extreme necessity could reconcile spirits, whose high services claim the meed of " dignity in retirement," to their acceptance. This conduct is unworthy such a great government as the Company's now is; and I trust, in future, more delicacy will be exercised in India Debates..

The territorial revenue of the Peishwa in 1815, exclusive of assignments on military tenure, waş VOL. X.

B

96,71,753 rupees, the average rate in the account of that government. Mr. Elphinstone estimates the incumbrances arising from the provision for the Suttara Rajah, the stipend of eight lacs to Bajee Rao, of three lacs to his brother Chimnajee, with other necessary charges resulting from the new arrangement, at no less than 34 lacs per annum. The net gross acquisitions of revenue by the British government will, therefore, be but 62 lacs, including the cessions by the treaty of Poona, which were destined to maintain the auxiliary force ; but from the resumed Jageers and Suranjamee tenures of the Poona state, a further permanent revenue of 24,40,000 rupees is anticipated. Wherefore, after a very liberal allowance for the requisite addition to the military force, in proportion to the ceded territory, Iand to the establishment for the civil administration thereof (sources of charge which in the western provinces of Bengal average 16 per cent. on the gross receipts of revenue), we may assume that the dominions of the late Bajee Rao will yield a net revenue of 50 lacs.

But I will go beyond this calculation, and infer, that when the Ceded Districts shall become more habituated to European management, and a perfect confidence shall be established between our new subjects and the governing state, a great increase of revenue will arise from the import and inland sale of English manufactures; and this reasonable expectation, from the introduction of our fabrics, will apply to the acquisitions from the Berar or northern Mabratta country, made by the late war; in fact, there is every thing to hope, and nothing to apprehend from the new intercourse with an extensive tract of India, which we may say has been hitherto hid from Europeans. The ceded lands of the Bhoosla were entered in the accounts of that state at 22,47,000 rupees. Those comprehended in the treaty

of Mundisor, which have been retained in our hands, appeared by Holkar's accounts to have yielded no more than 4,42,500 rupees; but this must have been owing to the complete anarchy which prevailed at that period, for the same terirtories in 1766 yielded to Tuckogee Holkar no less than 17,03,000 rupees; a produce of 10 lacs may, therefore, be reasonably expected. From Sâgur and other retained territories, reckon upon five lacs. We may calculate a revenue of four lacs more for Ajimeer; and the Rajpoot tributes cannot be assumed at less than 15 lacs. The result may be estimated, therefore, as under:

we

Total.... Rs. 56,47,200 Poona gross.. Rs. 87,11,753

Grand total.. Rs. 1,43,58,958 Thus, in ensuing years, when time shall have allowed the new acquisitions to reach the full measure of their productive powers, we may look for a gross addition to the territorial revenues of 87 lacs from Poona, and 57 from other quarters : and after paying the charges of additional establishments, the net advantages may be considered 90 lacs. This, added to the former surplus revenue from Bengal, will swell the balance of those presidencies to 1,90,00,000, but we may say, upwards of two millions sterling. Such may be fairly reckoned as the satisfactory results of a war, in which we have been compelled to engage by the covert designs and open aggressions of the native powers. But the solid advantages which such splendid successes have brought in their train are minor considerations, compared with the vast additional happiness, and the actual security of property it will

confer upon subjects and countries, which since the days of the bold and insidious Sevagee, have been subject to annual devastation and depopulation. In exchange for these, they acquire a mild paternal government, with an extension of agriculture and commerce, unknown in that part of India for ages. These will prove to be the moral effects and the ultimate benefits of being transferred to British rule; and the political result must be a large increase of revenue. But then, to cultivate this field, and reap these desirable fruits, the Indian governments must not be crippled by regulations which would deprive them of a local discretion in sudden emergencies, nor must there be an insufficiency of troops to maintain our predominance; least of all, should the miserable want of European officers be continued. The military events at Corry Gaum, and at Nagpore, are strong proofs of the hazards run from a paucity of European officers ; and every man who has been in India can testify, that the hand of Providence was with us in these desperate encounters. The Company's servants since returned home will, it is to be hoped, point out the actual necessity of keeping our native corps most complete with officers; for, as Mr. Hastings wisely said, "We hold India by a thread, but if you draw it too tight it will break;" but I say, if you adopt regulations bordering on selfishness and parsimony, you thereby endanger the state. Mr. Prinsep reasons most truly,

when he says: The most obvious and striking benefits that present themselves to our view are the : maintenance, and means of accumulation too, which the management of so large a concern affords, in its various departments; to many thousands of British subjects; and the annual accession to the national capital of numerous private fortunes, remitted to England, to say nothing of other funds supplied to British consumption, from income drawn in India." Further, as there is a constant influx of our youth to India, so the annual retirement of civil and military servants add wealth to the parent state. These are high considerations, and should not be forfeited to gratify a few unreflecting proprietors, or a misjudging portion of the British pub. lic; whether embarrassed manufacturers, overtrading speculators, or bewildered politicians. These are the sentiments of one who has resided some years in Bengal, and may be supposed to have collected some criteria for estimating the high merits of a Wellesley, a Hastings, a Moira, a Hislop, a Munro, an Elphinstone, a Malcolm, and a Jenkins names which must be dear to India and to England, whilst the pages of history shall record their actions.-I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, H. S.

P. S. Stanton is now a Major, but I do not see that a C. B. has been the reward of his unequalled merits as an officer. What is this to be attributed to ?

OF

We have just received the memorial of Lieut.col. Fagan, late Adj. gen. of the Bengal army, addressed to the hon. the Court of Directors,

and time will not allow us to give more than a hasty sketch of its contents. It contains a general narrative of his services, from the period of his

arrival in Bengal in 1796 to the year 1816, when, indefatigable attention to the very arduous duties of his office having undermined his health, he obtained leave for ten months to take a voyage to sea, with a view to its restoration. After some months passed at the Cape of Good Hope, finding it far from being reestablished, he was under the necessity of applying for a furlough to Europe. His residence in a congenial climate has once more restored him to health, and has been the happy means of giving back to the duties of his profession as zealous, capable, and useful an officer as is to be found in the Company's service, rich as it is in men of superior merit. Almost at the very outset of his career he lost an arm, at the memorable siege of Seringapatam, in which he had volunteered his services. His conduct then was such as to draw the attention of the Governor-gen. the Marquis Wellesley, a nobleman who, in addition to every high qualification which can distinguish a statesman, possesses the inappreciable tact which enabled him to discern and avail himself of merit wherever it was to be found.

He was soon after appointed by that nobleman to a staff situation, and in 1812 was nominated to that of Adj.gen. which he filled until his departure from India, a period which included various important military operations, but particularly that of the Nepaul war, the original plans and subsequent direction of which, during the whole of its arduous course, devolved principally upon his office, under his Exc. the Commander-in-chief.

Among the leading and important benefits which the Company's service has derived from the extensive and considerate views of Lieut.col. Fagan, we may record the present efficient state of the Bengal Commissariat, in praise of which too much can be hardly said, and which was formerly managed by contract, to the great detriment of the service and the Company's pecuniary inte

rests. To him we are likewise indebted for the existence of the Company's stud, the abolition of which had been contemplated by Sir George Barlow, with a view to economy. The preservation of this establishment has been the means of giving vigour and facility of operation to our military force; and we cannot but consider the proper equipment of the cavalry of vital and paramount importance, as far as regards the predominance of our Indian empire.

The repeated harassing and predatory incursions of the Pindarrees along the western frontier of the Bengal Presidency shewed how much we were assailable on that side, and pointed out the necessity of acquiring the most exact information with regard to its local weaknesses, and its capabilities for defence. By the judicious selection of officers, from whatever branch of the service they could be procured-engineers, cavalry, or infantry-Lieut.col. Fagan obtained minute, scientific, topographical, and statistical surveys of the whole line of frontier, from the Indus to the northern limits of Cuttack, an extent of at least 1,200 miles. Thus has been accomplished, in a comparatively short space of time, a survey, which, connected on the north-west with what was ascertained by Mr. Elphinstone, and on the south-east with what was previously known, extends from the high mountains of Hindco Koosh to the sea-shore at Jaggernauth; a range which, if we only include its more considerable sinuosities, cannot be estimated under 2,000 miles. The inestimable advantages of such exact and detailed information, cannot but have had the most decided influence in the brilliant success which has attended our widely extended and simultaneous operations during the late eventful wars. To Col. Fagan we are indebted for the reformation of the Medical Establishment, which combines whatever is required by a paternal and humane regard for the