renters were called proprietors; and Aumildars changed condition with their inferior officers by accepting Zemindary Ruffooms, or yearly acknowledgments to leffen the recorded value and ftanding revenue of the lands. In 1761, an unconstitutional reform was attempted under the fanction of illegitimate authority. Nizam Ally, the brother of Salabut Jung, the actual viceroy, having fometime before ufurped the general administration of affairs in the Decan, was fo unfortunate in his tranfactions with the Mahrattabs as to be obliged to cede for ever to the Peshwa, territories of the yearly value of one crore of rupees. The afpiring Minifter regarding the confequent enfeebled ftate of the Nizamut, rather as the effect of his brother's weakness and unworthiness to rule, than of his own mifconduct, began to entertain thoughts of the Mufnud; and to anticipate the princely honours to which he had already been declared apparent heir. In this defign he the more readily yielded his inferior charge, to a new court faction which rofe on the decline of his own popularity, on being permitted to levy contributions from the eastern

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refractory provinces, which were to conftitute a fund of corruption to affift him in his elevation. At that time Huffen Ali Khon acted in the capacity of Aumildar in the Circars. This man had in vain inftigated the English Government to affert its rights; at the fame time he found his authority curtailed in the exercife of his office, by the protection given to Zemindars. Among numberless inftances of this kind, one Codant Ram, of Derracotah, a finall, but compact, fruitful, and highlycultivated Pergunnah, lying 15 miles fouth of Massulipatam, on the banks of the Kistna, had been invariably affeffed in the books of the Circar of Condapilly for a revenue of rupees two lacks, nineteen thoufand, four hundred and fifty-feven and fix annas, (2,19,457,6). The grofs Mofuffil receipts exceeded this amount, in the fum of fixty thousand rupees, which defrayed the expence of internal management, fuch as Sebundy, with the Ruffooms and Saverums of the Zemindar, and other leffer officers of Government. Codant Ram, a fenfible, intelligent man, and at this day, without exception, the most skilful farmer in any

of the provinces, according to popular estimation, availed himself of the prevailing distractions, on reinstatement in the Zemindary management, from which he had been suspended by the French, to obtain an annual diminution of his ufual rent on the plea of predatory and other loffes fuftained by the inhabitants of the district in the period of his fufpenfion. He was feconded by the then Chief of Maffulipatam, who, undoubtedly conceiving him aggrieved, interceded fo powerfully in his behalf, that, for the fmall additional confideration of nine thoufand Pagodas paid to the Aumildar, the Zemindary, in the first instance, was only rated at forty-eight thousand rupees on the general rent roll, though afterwards increased to 18,000 pagodas or feventy-two thoufand rupees, but with a continuation of the fame annual douceur on fettling the fummabundy. In this fituation of affairs, curtailed in power and emolument, Huffen Ali folicited ftrongly the known ambitious Nizam Ali, who had already fet out in queft of his pecuniary object, to vifit and reform his own distracted jurisdiction. The invitation

was gladly accepted, nor was the expedition fruitless. Titles and Sunnuds were lavishly bestowed on the Zemindars for paying up arrears of revenue, or attaching them to the perfonal fortunes of the difcarded Minifter, who was meditating rebellion against his brother, the immediate fovereign. These favours, illegal, unfubftantial in themselves, did not even in form transfer any of the rights of Mogul royalty; and were only a temporary confirmation. of ancient grants to new ufurping landholders; every Tahfeeldar, or petty Musfulman, and French collector, held and exercifed the fame prerogative on their first acceffion, or yearly fettlement of accounts; and the fees admitted of, on fuch occafions, were no inconfiderable benefit to all the officers of government. Nevertheless, the privileges conferred, in this period of confufion, as coming from fuperior authority, and flattering to the vanity of upstart pretenders, became foon afterwards in fuch repute, that forgeries of them were common: twenty rupees could purchase an impreffion of the counterfeit feal; and eight annas more might have alienated half the

regalities of Hindoftan, as far as they were at the difpofal of an adroit Perfian Mutfeddy, or writer. But now a revolution was preparing from abroad to rectify thefe glaring abfurdities, and fubftitute conftitutional rule in the room of the moft licentious diforders, oppreffion, and tyrannical anarchy, which had actually reduced the Nizam's receipts from all the provinces north of the Kistna, on a medium of five fucceffive years, to fomething less than three lacks of rupees annually.

British Rule.

THIS was no other than the grand political change glorioufly begun ten years before, and finally executed in 1766 by the immediate atchievement, or under the aufpices of the immortal Clive, which increased the British Empire, not fo particularly in the East, perhaps, as univerfally, to its greatest fplendour and magnitude; though at the fame time, with respect to the Circars, it could only be confidered as adding territorial poffeffion, under written