COURT'S DRAFT, OBSERVATIONS ON THE COURT'S DRAFT,- 143. 6th. That the building denominated the council-house (which was separate from the government-house,) did not afford the necessary accommodations for the meeting of the council, and for the publie officers attached to the government, exposing the members of the government, and the public officers, immediately attached to it, to serious personal inconvenience, and subjecting the transaction of the public business to material obstruction. 144. 7th. That the council-house was an old and extremely decayed building, and that from the long period of time which had elapsed since the principal part of the council house had been erected, from the various alterations which it had undergone, and from the bad quality of the materials of which it had in general been constructed, the building was actually in danger of falling, and that the expense of re-constructing the council-house, even on the same confined acale, would have subjected the company to a charge of Sicca rupees 120,000, or 15,000l. an expense which must have been incurred in the course of a few years. The expense alone of repairing the council-house would have been Sicca rupees 43,243, or 5,405 145. Under these circumstances, it was considered to be expedient to adopt an arrangement which should afford a suitable residence to the governor-general, and should, at the same time, combine objects of utility and of ultimate œconony, by concentrating the public offices in the vicinity of the government-house, and by effecting a general reduction of the expense to be incurred by the company for the rent of public buildings. 146. The governor-general therefore determined to purchase the house, hitherto appropriated for the government-house, to direct that house, as well as the Council-house, (which was the property of the company) to be taken down, and a suitable government. house to be erected on the site of those buildings. J 17. The details of the plan, adopted for the attainment of these objects, are stated in the proceedings of the government, under date the 24th December, 1798, and the first April, 1801. 148. In conformity to this resolution of the government, captain Wyatt, an officer of engineers, and Mr. Teretta, the company's civil architect, were called spon to lay before the government plans for the new building. The plan prepared by captain Wyatt was preferred; but, in order to ensure every possible degree of economy in the construction of the new building, captain Wyatt's plan was sent to the chief engineer, major-general Cameron, and Mr. Teretta, the eivil architect, who were directed to prepare an estimate of the expense which would be incurred in Completing the proposed plan. The amount of this estimate Vide letter from captain Wyatt, and Mr. Teretta, the civil architect, dated Calcutta, 18th September, 1798, to D. Campbell, Esq. sub-secretary to the government. † Vide letter from major-general Cameron and Mr. Teretta to Mr. Barlow, chief secretary to the government, dated Fort William, let November, 1799. COURT'S DRAFT, No. 128. OBSERVATIONS ON THE COURT'S DRAFT, No 128. estimate was Sicca rupees 475 088: 9; or 59,3791. but no allowance was made for marble and iron-work, which was indispensable, and which was actually purchased by captain Wyatt, to the amount of rupees 54.173. or 6,7711, making the estimate of the building, rupees 529,211: 8: 8, or 66,1501. instead of rupees 4,75,038 149 In May, 1801, in conformity to the company's regulations, a committee of survey was appointed to examine the woodwork, masonry &c of the building, previously to the commencement of the plasterwork &c. and reported that the materials employed were of the best quality, and the workmanship excellent The report of the committee of survey is en ered in the military consultations, 14th May, 1801. No. 58. 150. On the 18th January, 1803, the building being reported to be complete, a second committee composed of a president and five members, was ap pointed to examine the building, an! reported that the work had been “executed in a manner far superior to what had ever come within their observation in this country. (Bengal) and that the skill and judgment displayed throughout, and the indefatigable labour and attention that must have been exerted in completing in so masterly a manner so great a work, does the highest credit to captain Wyatt." The actual cost of the work was Sicca rupees 5,06,326, or 63,2911. being rupees 22,885, or 2,8611. less than the original calculation of the expense of the building, (viz. Sicca rupees 5,29 211) as above-stated. 151. A further expense was incurred for extra works, such as gateways, an iron railing round the area &c as per statement transmitted to government by captain Wyatt, dated 14th January, 1804, of Sicca rupces 1,26,994: 7:2, or 15,8741. 152. The expense of ornamental work by Mr. Croese, within the house, was also an additiona' expense, amounting to Sicca rupees 69,000, or 8,6251. 153. In order to complete the general plan for erecting a new government house, and for improving the town, as well as for concentrating the publie offices, and reducing the rent of the public buildings, it was necessary to purchase several houses belonging to individuals (as stated in the proceedings 1st. April. 1801, and the estimates annexed to those proceedings) and to purchase some ground in the vicinity of the new * Vide letter to the governor-general in council from captain Wyatt, dated 15th April1809. ↑ President-M. G. Cameron, chief engineer. Members-L.eut-colonel Gasten. C'ptain Saimond, military-auditor-general. Captain Blunt, barrack-master and engineer. * Vide captain Wyatt's letter of the 15th April, 1808, to the governor-general in council.: COURT'S DRAFT, OBSERVATIONS ON THE COURT'S DRAFT, new house. The expense incurred on this account 154. A further expense was incurred in prosecution of the general plan, of rupees 27,466, or 3,4331. in making two new streets in the vicinity of the new house. 155. From the preceding statement it appears, that the total expense incurred in completing the general plan for the regulation of public buildings resolved upon in December, 1798, was as follows: Amount. Actual cost of the new government-house as per account. Sicca rupees. English Pounds sterl 63,291 Ditto of charges incurred on 156. From this sum is to be deducted the amount of savings already effected, viz. Sicca rupees 5,18,904: 10, or 64,8631. 1s. 4d. leaving the actual net expense incurred in completing the general plan Sicca rupees 7,82,382, or 97,7971. This sum has been disbursed in the course of seven years, making the annual average expenditure on this account about 14,000l. If the amount of the expense, which would have been incurred in building a council-house, (15,0001.) and repairing the wharf at the custom-house, (which has been effected with the old materials of the houses purchased by the company, and which otherwise would have cost 14,4801.) be deducted, the actual net expense of the new government-house will amount to 68,3171. 157. The increase of property, acquired by govern- New government-house, 7,02,320 Pounds sterl. 89,040 2,40,000 30,000 New COURT'S DRAFT, No. 128. OBSERVATIONS ON THE COURT'S DRAFT, No. 128. ing a part of the public 28,000 3,500 Sicca rupees, - 10,50,320 or 132,540 158. The future amount of saving, which may be annually applied to the reduction of the original cost of the house is, at least, 50,000 rupees, or 6,2501. Taking it at 6,000l. annually, from January, 1804, to 1813, (the period when the company's charter will expire) the sum applicable at that period to the reduction of the prime cost of the building will be 54,0001, From this sum, however, is to be deducted the charges of repairs, estimated at one per cent in the cost of the building, as it stood in January, 1804, viz. (sicca rupees 7,02,320, or 89 0501.) say 10,000l. and the cost of the new government-house, together with the expense of all the improvements, &c. effected in the town of Calcutta, will not, in 1813, cxceed 45,0001. 159. It is to be observed, that, if the new government-house had not been built, and if the general plan, adopted in December, 1798, had not been carried into execution, the company must have disbursed the sum of Sicca rupees 5,18,904, or 64,8631. and must also have rebuilt the council-house, and incurred a considerable expense for the repair of the wharf at the custom-house ; at the same time, the necessity of building a new house would, every day, have become more urgent and indispensable 160. This expense, therefore, would have been a dead charge upon the company's revenues, and there would not have been as there is at the present moment) a valuable property to counter balance such expenditure. 161. The question has been argued in this place merely as a question of expense, without adverting to any of the numerous advantages which have been derived from the execution of the plan for the improvement of the public buildings of the government. 162. In addition to the great convenience which has been felt in the transaction of public business since the completion of the new government-house, the construction of that edifice has, during seven years, afforded employment to a numerous class of useful and industrious workmen of all descriptions, and has greatly contributed to improve every branch of labour and manufactures at Calcutta. The health of the town of Calcutta has also been greatly benefited by the various improvements which have been mare in the different streets and avenues in the vis inity of the government-bouse, and by the improvement of the drains and roads in that quarter. The plan having beer so far successful, it was lord Wellesley's intention to have extended it to every other part of the town and its vicinity, through the voluntary aid of the inhabitants, assisted, in a certain degree, by the go. vernment, COURT'S DRAFT, Contrast the want of information with respect to large disbursements, OBSERVATIONS ON THE COURT'S DRAFT, vernment. The objects in lord Wellesley's contem- 163. The result of the preceding observations establishes the following facts: 164 1st That a revision of the condition of the public buildings of the government in Bengal was indispensable at the period of lord Wel esley's arrival in India in 1798; and that the construction of a new government house was a measure of acknowledged necessity and avantage, and that it could not have been delayed without exposing the public interest to great inconvenience without entailing an immediate and unprofitab e expense to a cons: erable amount, and without subjecting the company to the necessity of a much greater expense at a future period of time. 165. 2d That every practicab'e degree of precaution was observed, to ensure accuracy in the preparation of the estimates 166. 3d That the usual forms were observed to check the expenditure of the work, and that the utmost attention was manifested in the construction of the building purchase of materials, &c. &c. 167. 4th. That the different pro eedings, relative to the government-house, and to public buildings, were undertaken, after mature deliberation, by the governor-general in council and have been regularly submitted, at different periods of time, to the notice and control of the court of directors 168 5th. That when the whole plan shall have been completed the arrangements for the publie offices brought into full operation, the surplus ground+ sold and the new streets and avenues finished, great advantage will result to the convenience of the public business the health and ornament of the town, and ultimate y to the just economy of the publie money. 169. With respect to the court's remark on this disbursement. as contrasted with the expenditure of the government-house, it would be sufficient to state, that • Vide lord Wellesley's minute, 16th June, 1803. (Appendix A.` ✦ There is some ground in the vicinity of the government-house which belongs to the company, and which it was ord Wellesley's intention to have disposed of on proper terms, to any person who would have agreed to have followed a fixed plan of building, to assimilate with the architecture of the government-house. From the increased demand for houses in Calcutta, and from the scarcity of ground for building, the company's ground, which it was in contemplation to sell would, not only from the preceding considerations, but from the nature of the situation, have been valuable. |