smallest authority for hazarding such an opinion, it was not impossible that the previous necessary arrangement for such a measure might form one of the objects of Mr. Wellesley's mission.

3. Yesterday morning early his excellency went out to the Bebypoor, about six miles from the city, with an intention, as I conceived, according to the ceremo nial arrangement concerted between us, of bing ready to receive your lordship's brother. In the evening I received a letter from his excellency, with a verbal desire by the messenger who brought it, that I would read it alone, without imparting the contents to any person; the substance of it is as follows: that his excellency having determined to retire for some time to Beby poor, had intended to stop at my house in his way out, for the purpose of communicating to me the motives which had induced him to the above determination; that, as I was asleep, hi, intentions were at that time disappointed, but that he would make the communication when ever I would fix an interview. I returned a verbal message, that I would ride out early this morning, and do myself the ho-, nour of waiting upon his excellency.

4. I accordingly waited on the Vizier this morning, when his exceliency opened the conference by assuring me, that your lordship's recent letter had so discom posed his mind that he had resolved to leave his palace, remain at Beby poor until something final respecting the affurs of Oude should be determined on, and which, whatever it wre, he intreated might be effected as expeditiously as possible.

5. Viewing his excellency's declaration of an intention to remain at Babypoor as an attempt to draw from me an entreaty that he would return to his palace, and not seeing any use in yielding to such a puerile artifice, I contented myself with observing, that I could discover no advantage either to himself or to the business in contemplation, by the resolution which he had taken.

6 On the subject of a speedy arrangement I entered more largely, and remarked, that the accelerating a conclusion of the points so long under discussion, rested so ely with himself; that he was in posses ion of drafts of the stipulations connected with both propositions; and that I was ready at the moment, or at any time which he would appoint, to examine and canvas the several articles. This produced from his excellency an expression of doubt upon the expediency of

either of the plans, which was repelled by the argument so often and so strongly enforced by your lordship, of the justice and necessity of the demand for territorial security, to provide for the pecuniary claims of the company upon his excellency's government.

7. His excellency then recurred to his desire of being permitted to retire from Oude, and to his d.termination not to resist the execution of any measures which your lordship might be pleased to enforce.

8. On the first proposition I observed, that, admitting the wish expressed by his Excellency, of a temporary or permanent retirement from Oude were sincere, it would in either case be more suited to the dignity of his situation, and to his connection with the British government, as well as more advantageous to himself and to his family, to adjust the terms of his abdication, or temporary absence, with cordiality and cheerfulness, than to attempt the execution of either of those measures by the operation of ill-humour and dissatisfaction.

9. In respect to his determination not to oppose the execution of any arrangements which your lordship might resolve on, I took occasion to shew how fallacious was such a determination, by instancing his excellency's resent refusal to discharge the kist. If upon the very limited measures adopted by me, preparatory to the occupation of the territory proposed to be ceded his excellency had had recourse to a step which, had he persevered in, must inevitably have called from your lordship's government the most decisive measures, what confidence could he place in his own resolutions, continually worked upon and weakened by the advice of interested counsellors, of maintaining a passive line of conduct in the event of your lordship's being ultimately compelled to assert the right of the British government in his excellency's dominions without his consent and co-operation. His excellency had already escaped one imminent danger, and I trusted that the anxiety which he had suffered on that occasion, and the reflections resulting from it, would be a powerful caution against exposing himself a second time to so perilous a situation.

10. His excellency promised to deliberate upon the reasoning which I had employed, and to give me a final answer in a day or two; but having no expectation that his answer will lead to a conclusive arrangement, and as Mr. Wellesley, in a

letter

letter which I found from him on my return from the vizier, expressed his determination to proceed immediately to Lucknow, should I think his presence desirable, I have taken the liberty to offer to, him my decided opinion that his presence, under existing circumstances, is highly expedient.

11. From the reflections which suggest themselves to me on the present posture of the negotiation, and from my knowledge of the vizier's disposition, it appears to me, that it will be advisable to commence our united operations by treating his excellency's propositions of a temporary or permanent retirement as sincere, and by entering into a consideration of the arrangement and terms of his absence. I have the honour to be,

with the greatest respect,
my lord,

Your lordship's most obedient,
and most faithful humble

servant.

(Signed) W. SCOTT. Lucknow, 31st August, 1801.

To Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, Resident at Lucknow.

Sir,-In the progress of the important arrangements which I have had occasion to introduce into Oude, I have frequently

had occasion to applaud your zeal, dili. gence, and address. Since the arrival of Mr. Wellesley at Lucknow, your exertion of the same qualities has greatly contributed to the success of the late negotiation.

2. Mr. Wellesley, in an official and separate dispatch of the 11th instant, received this day, has borne the most ample testimony to the extent of the assistance which he has derived from you; and I consider it to be my duty, on this occasion, to express my high sense of your merits, and to return you my public acknowledgments for your eminent services.

3. As a mark of my favourable acceptance of your services, I have this day appointed you to be one of my honorary aides-de-camp; a distinction which I have reserved for such officers as have proved highly meritorious in the field, or in the conduct of negotiations with foreign

states.

It is my intention that you should remain in the residency at Lucknow, which, under the operation of the new treaty, will for some years be a situation of great difficulty and delicacy.

I am, Sir, &c. &c. &c.
(Signed)
WELLESLEY.
On the River, near Benares,
November 14th, 1801.

MINUTES

Ar what time did your lordship succeed to the office of governor-general of India?-I believe about the end of October, 1793.

At that time did not treaties of friendship and alliance subsist between the company and the nabob vizier of Oude? Yes.

By those treaties were not the company bound to selend the dominions of the nabob against all enemies?-By the exist g treaties they were.

i.

For this defence was not the nabob bound to pay the company an annual subsidy of fifty lacks of rupees?-Yes, at the time that is mentioned, he was.

Was it not clearly understood on all sides, that for this sum the company were to defend him effectually, both against external attacks and internal commotions? -It was so.

On the death of Fyzula Khan, or soon after, was it not judged necessary to make a very considerable augmentation in the British forces in Oude, and to assemble a large army to act in concert with the vizier's in Rohilcund ?-I do not recollect any augmentation of the company's army in Oude on the occasion specified.

This army was assembled early in the year 1794 ?—I do not recollect the date; the records will shew it.

Did not sir Robert Abercrombie, who was then commander in chief, leave Calcutta, and go up express to take the command of it ?-Sir Robert Abercrombie took the command of the army so as semb.cd, but I do not know whether he went from Calcutta express for that purpose.

After the defeat of the Rohillas, and the surrender of Mohammed Khan, was not a very considerable part of Rohilcund at the disposal of the company ?-I know there were certain terms agreed upon at the time, but I do not recollect what the

terms were.

Does your lordship remember that a considerable tract of country was ceded by the Rohillas, and entirely at the disposal of the commander in chief and the nabob vizier ? -I do not recollect any thing of it; but if it was so, it is in the records of the company; if it be meant to ask, whether the company had power to take possession of the country, that they certainly had, from the force they had.

In

In what manner, does your lordship remember, was that country disposed of? -I do not recollect in what manner it was; it is now eight years since I left India, and I do not remember ever to have read those treaties since I did leave India; but I believe there were some treaties between the nabob vizier, and I believe Mohammed Ali Khan, or whoever was at the head of the Rohillas and that the company were guarantee to those trea

ties.

Was any part of them taken on bebalf of the East India company?—I do not recollect that any part was; but I would wish to refer to the treaties themselves on that occasion, which will give the circumstances much more correctly than my memory;

Would your lordship have thought it just or politic to have retained any portion of it without the free consent of the vizier ?-That was a question which never occurred to me at the time.

But, exclusive of these territories, might not a considerable sum of money have been appropriated to the use of the company, if you had judged it just or expedient? The company, I conceive, could not have justly appropriated to themselves any part of the property of the Rohillas.

Your lordship must remember that a very large sum of money was given by the Rohillas, into the possession of the commander in chief of the army ?-All that I remember is this, that I think the company were in very great distress for money to pay their troops; and that a certainsum of money which came into the possession of the vizier was made over to the resident at Lucknow, for the purpose of paying the troops.

No part of the treasures received from the Rohillas, or the commander in chief, was appropriated to the demands of the company as a matter of right?—I have no recollection that there was any such appropriation.

Was not a donation voluntarily made to the army by the vizier ?-I do not recollect.

In consequence of the expedition into Rohilcund, was not the company put to considerable expense ?-The company certainly must have been put to some expense; to an additional expense.

Would your lordship have thought it just to demand the payment of those expenses of the vizier, in addition to the annual subsidy of fifty lacs of rupees paid

for his defence?-I think the company were bound by treaties to defend the terri tory of the vizier from attacks, without making further demands from him beyond the fifty lacs; but would rather wish to refer to the treaty, because I recollect in the treaty there was the condition, that, if the vizier required a larger force than that of two brigades stationed in Rohilcund for his defence, he was to pay for that defence. But I would wish to refer to the treaties, which will speak much more correctly than I can.

But if such a demand had been made, would it not have been limited to the actual bonâ fide expense of the pay and battâ, and the customary allowances to the troops, during the time they were in actual service for the nabob vizier?- Supposing the treaty to contain that stipulation which I mention, that if the vizier requir ed an addition of troops beyond the two brigades stationed in Oude for the protection of his dominions, and that such addition had been made and used, the company would have been entitled, on the supposition that such a stipulation was contained in the treaty, to be paid for the additional troops.

The actual and bonâ fide expense of troops ?-Yes, I should think so.

Does not your lordship think, that a demand on any other principle would not only have been unjust, but contradictory to the spirit and letter of the treaty ?-I know not how to answer that question, asit depends upon the terms of the treaty, which I do not sufficiently recollect.

Does not your lordship think, that any additional demand on any other principle would not only have been unjust, but contradictory to the spirit and letter of the treaty ?-I do not recollect that there were any additional troops serving in Oude, nor that there was any additional demand made on the vizier.

Towards the close of the year 1796 and the beginning of 1797, was not a great change made in the constitution of the Bengal Army ?—I do not recollect when the alterations took place; there were some alterations in consequence of regulations sent from Europe."

Was not it a short time before your lordship went to Lucknow in 1797?—I think it was; I think the alterations took place previous to my going to Lucknow, in 1797.

Were not those changes and augmentations attended with very considerable expense to the company ?

Some time previous to your journey to Lucknow, were you not anxious to obtain from the vizier the cession of the fortress of Allahabad ?-Certainly; I was very anxious to obtain the possession of it for the company.

Did not your lordship accordingly use every effort in your power, by fair and honourable means, to prevail on the vizier to make the cession?-I would refer for what I said on that occasion to a report, that I made to the council, on my negotiations with the vizier, which are, I believe, in the second number of the papers printed by order of the house; the purport of them, as far as I recollect, was, that finding the vizier's objections to giving up the fort insuperable by any arguments, and that nothing but absolute intimidation could over-rule them, I limited my proposition to his putting it into a proper state of defence, and to making it a depôt for provisions and military stores, under the superintendence of an engineer officer of the company.

intention to endeavour to obtain the possession of Allahabad, and if I had seen any probability of success, I should certainly have made a proposal to the vizier to that effect; but having learnt that his objections were insuperable by any argument, and that nothing but absolute intimidation could over-rule them, I limited my proposition to the putting it into a proper state of defence, and to making it a depôt for provisions and military stores of all kinds: to this proposition, in favour of which I could urge the fairest and strongest arguments, I found the greatest opposition on the part of the vizier, unsupported by any assigned reason; and it was not without much perseverance, and a disavowal of any intention to ask for the possession of the fort, that I obtained his consent to it, and to the employment of colonel Kyd for forming the plan of repair, and for superintending the execution of it."(refer to No. 2, page 30.)

In obtaining possession of this fortress, had your lordship any pecuniary advantage to the company in view?—

The question being objected to; [Withdrew. The question being, with leave of the committee, withdrawn:

His