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September, was employed in shipping these stores, and completing the work of military destruction.

The convention agreed upon for the purpose was strictly observed by Mr. St. Michel, with whom the business entirely rested, in consequence of the death of his superior, General Des Brulys, by a pistol-shot from his own hand. The reason assigned for this rash act was an unwillingness to be responsible for measures which he was not allowed to direct, and which he could not controul. He recommended his wife and children to the humanity of his survivors.

The expedition having thus ably and successfully accomplished its objects, the squadron returned with the forces, and the captured and recaptured ships, to Rodriguez. The governor of Bombay in council paid a just tribute of public thanks to the conduct and gallantry of the commander, and of the subordinate officers, troops, and seamen employed.

These military achievements have been, in every instance, successful; and, as already observed, bear every characteristic of skill in the commanders, and valour in the men. Still they are minute and detached; and do not present an object that can be associated with our general ideas of the dignity of war. They seem but affairs of posts and of police, while the expense attending them was equal, if not superior, to that of a general campaign. These minor objects, however, were necessary for the purposes of security and tranquillity, to obviate the necessity of exertions on a greater scale in some cases, and to prepare the way for them in others, as in the case of the Isle of Bourbon.

During the periods occupied by the events which we have narrated, the company's immediate trade suffered most materially by the loss of several ships. The Streatham, Europe, Charl12 ton, and United Kingdom, were captured by the enemy's cruizers. The Asia struck on a bank in the Hoogly, and foundered. The Ardaseer, one of the largest ships built at Bombay, was burnt in that harbour,and several smaller VOL. 11.

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vessels were lost in tempests, or taken by the pirates of the Persian Gulph and of Mallia.

Without entering into the details of these losses, which will be found in their proper places in the catalogue of occurrences, it may be proper to notice summarily the most striking particulars.

The Europe and Streatham were returning to England with the Monarch, Earl Spencer, and Lord Keith, when, on the 25th of May, they parted company with their convoy, his Majes. ty's ship Victor, captain Stopford. Soon after, captain Hawes, of the Monarch, made the signal that his ship had a leak, which was found so dangerous, that, on a consultation of all the captains, he was ordered to bear away for Prince of Wales's island, and, as it was judged un-afe to allow him to proceed alone, the Earl Spencer was thereupon ordered to accompany the Monarch, and thus there remained only the Europe, Streatham, and Lord Keith in company on the 31st May, when they fell in with the French frigate La Caroline, commanded by Monsieur Ferretier, lieutenant de Vaisseau, in Latitude 9. 15. N. Longitude 90. 30. E. The company's ships, though their crews were made up chiefly of foreign Europeans and lascars, defended themselves with great gallantry, till they were so much cut in their rigging, that the frigate was enabled to pour in her fire on them in such positions as she thought proper, when the Chinese and foreign Europeans, particularly the Portuguese, could no longer be kept to the guns, by any exertion of the officers. Two of the ships were in consequence compelled to strike, but they were in so shattered a condition, that the frigate was under the necessity of staying by them, and thus the Lord Keith was furnished with an opportunity of making an effort to escape, of which sle availed herself, and got clear offThe Venus however went in chase of her. The passengers and crews of the Charlton and United Kingdom were put on board a cartel and ordered to make for Perang-but being unable to

make that port, she directed her course to Vizagapatam.

The Asia, captain Tremenhere, was lost abreast of Mud Point, in Diamond harbour, on the 1st of June, by striking on a shifting sand. Every exertion was made to get her off, but to no purpose, and on the 2d, at half past two, A. M. when it was found that the ship was full and going to pieces, the people were taken out, and she was left to her fate. Very little of the cargo was saved. No blame attached to the captain or crew, who were immediately appointed to a company's frigate, built at Penang.

The Charlton and United Kingdom were taken on the 18th November, in latitude 5 N. longitude, 92 E. proceeding to Bengal, by the French frigates, La Venus, captain Hameln, of 46 guns and 380 men, and La Manche, captain Donaldeguy, of the same force, and a corvette of 16

guns. The action was begun at 10, A. M. by one of the frigates, which sheered off in consequence of the warm reception she met. The Windham bore the brunt of this business, but when the action was renewed, she kept aloof, in a manner that is pointedly animadverted upon by the commanders of the captured ships. The same frigate renewed the action with the Charlton and United Kingdom, but was again beaten off. At night, both frigates attacked the Charlton and United Kingdom again, (the Windham making off under a press of sail,) when those two ships, being totally disabled, were compelled to surrender.

These successive events are all that were proposed to be noticed in the present chapter, so that we are at liberty to pursue the separate transactions of another portion of the British possessions, which would seem to require a peculiar and distinct attention.

CHAPTER II,

ACCOUNT of the progress of Sir G. H. Barlow in the East India company's serviceappointed chief secretary to the supreme government-nominated by the marquis of Wellesley a member of council-created a baronet-succeeds, on the death of the marquis Cornwallis, as governor-general of India-struggle of the court of directors, with the administration of Mr. Fox and lord Grenville, to retain him in that office-the nomination of lord Lauderdale opposed--and lord Minto ultimately appointed, on a compromise on behalf of Sir G. H Barlow, who is named to the government of Fort St. George-receives the order of knighthood of the Bith-proceeds to Madras, and supersedes Mr. PetrieSir G. H. Barlow proposes the abolition of the tent contract-short account of that contract-colonel Capper, the adjutant-general, ordered to notify the abolition to the armyhis representation thereon-hesitation of the governor to carry it into effect-colonel Capper suggests a meliorated plan, which is not received-contract ordered to be abolished-supposed mismanagement in the grain department detected-Mr. Sherson, the gentleman in charge, suspended from his office without any previous inquiry-the accounts of the grain department afterwards submitted to the civil auditor, who reports in favour of Mr. Sherson-the report of the auditor sent back for revision-returned to the government unaltered-regarded as a species of contumacy-Mr. C. Smi h, the auditor, removed in consequence from his office, and appointed a judge in one of the northern provincesresigns the office, and proceeds to England-Mr. Sherson suspended the service-Sir G. H. Barlow becomes generally unpopular-right of suspension incidentally consideredGovernor interferes in criminal prosecutions growing out of the inquiry into the nabob of Arcot's debts-information preferred against Reddy Row to Mr. Marland, justice of the peace, for forgery-he is in consequence apprehended-bill of indictment found by the grand jury-he is tried and convicted-Batley, a witness on the behalf of Reddy Row, tried and convicted of perjury-a subsequent bill found against both parties for conspiracy, on which they are also found guilty-the defendants supported in both criminal pro ceedings, on the application of the commissioners for investigating the nabob's debts, by the company's advocate general and solicitor-Mr. Roebuck, one of the prosecutors on these trials, removed from his office of mint-master and pay-master-general-Mr. Maidand's name struck out from the list of justices-Messrs. Grant and Strachey, of the grand jury, and Messrs. Oliver and Keene, of the petty jury, with Mr. Wood, summarily removed from their offices-Mr. Justice Sullivan's opinion on these proceedings-the quartermaster-general's report, in respect to the abolition of the tent contract, discovered and viewed in an adverse light by commanding officers of corps-charges preferred against the framer of it-the quarter-master-general is placed under arrest by general M'Dowall-released by the government-arguments referable to the charge--the commander-in-chief's protest against the release of lieutenant-colonel Munro-publishes a farewell address to the armyalso a reprimand on the quarter-master-general-the commander-in-chief and major Boles

the deputy adjutant-gen. suspended in consequence of such order-general M'Dowall's depar ture from Madras-adjutant-general also suspended for the like cause-brief examination of Sir G. H. Barlow's general policy-hostilities threatened from Tranvancore.

THE affairs of the presidency of Fort St. George, during the interval, embraced by the preceding chapter, were more interesting and more critical than the concerns of the sister presidencies. As these cannot be considered without the recurrence, almost in every page, of the name of Sir George Barlow, a prominent and busy actor, it may not be unseasonable to take a short view of the circumstances, conducive to and attendant on his appointment to the government of Madras.

This gentleman, like all the civil servants of the company, proceeded to Calcutta at a very early age; and having diligently discharged the minor offices of the service, was nominated, in due course, to the important charge of the chief secretariship of the supreme government, in which he appears to have acquitted himself most satisfactorily, during the long and important administration of the marquis Wellesley. He was afterwards taken by this nobleman, without personal suit or application, from the secretary's desk, and placed on the same seat with himself at the council table. This unsought preferment seems of itself to infer some eminent qualities in the object of it. The local knowledge of Sir George Barlow, or, more properly speaking,his intimate acquaintance with the peculiar interests of the East India company, within the province of his original destination, has never been denied, and in the application of his peculiar information to the cares of his new office, the views of his noble patron appear to have been fully and substantially answered. Sir George Barlow, as an official member of the supreme government, was the active, steady, and uniform supporter of the general policy, which it would be foreign from the present purpose to treat, of the governor-general of India.

Through the further exertions of the favour of the marquis Wellesley,

the new member of council was afterwards distinguished by a more permanent badge of honour, than is in the power of the East India company to bestow-the hereditary title of baronet.

On the reappointment of the mar. quis Cornwallis to the supreme government, Sir George Barlow felt himself as much disposed to adopt the distinct policy of that prudent and venerable statesman, as of his more ardent and speculative predecessor, and had the rare and almost singular good fortune of uniting, with the favour of the government abroad, the protection of the constituted authorities at home; so that on the death of the marquis Cornwallis, an event ever to be regretted, Sir George Barlow was placed in an easy and expected transition, by the effect of a special commission, in the chair of the supreme presidency. But he was soon removed, by the fic kleness of fortune, or the policy of party, from his enviable seat. He possessed it, however, long enough for the declaration of a system of economy and reform, on which he proposed, or professed a disposition, to regulate the general concerns of the company; a declaration which he knew, from experience, would find favour, as it had uniformly done, with the executive body in England. Either from this early promise of the government of Sir George Barlow, or from the value of his precedent services, he acquired such a reputation in Leadenhallstreet, as to raise an influence in his behalf, counteractive for awhile, of the fresh and full power of a new ministry, whom it must have been the interest of the court of directors to conciliate on their accession to the government of the country.

The office of governor-general of India has always been considered as one of the most lucrative offices holden by a British subject, and it has of late been generally granted, if not of right, at

least in courtesy or common policy, at the nomination of the ministers of the crown.

On the demise of Mr. Pitt, and the dispersion of the constituent members of his administration, the persons who succeeded, and who had been excluded for a long season from power, were not anmindful of the advantage and influence to be derived from the appointment. In the arrangement of places, among many claimants, the office of governor-general, though it was not formally vacant, was regarded as an available means of reward for one of their most strenuous and indefatigable supporters. Indeed, from the very nature of the office, and its relation to our general foreign polity, it may reasonably be viewed as inseparable from the common concern and guardianship of the national administration; and hence, the possession of it has commonly fluctuated with the men who are destined to conduct the public affairs.

The Earl of Lauderdale was recommended by Mr. Fox and lord Grenville to succeed to the chair at Calcutta ; but the court of directors could not be prevailed upon, after a vigorous and protracted negotiation, to acquiesce in the nomination, nor were they ultimately inclined to accept a second nominee, but on mixed stipulations, protective of the rights of the party in actual possession of the government. It was at length adjusted that lord Minto should proceed to India with the title of governor-general, and that Sir George Barlow should be sent to the subordinate government of Madras ; and in order to render the retrograde step less ungrateful to the feelings of the temporary governor-general, he received the additional dignity of the knighthood of the Bath, froin the hands of his successor in office.

The separate policy of parties might have been promoted, but it may be doubted whether the interests of the company were advanced, by the issue of this negotiation.

The attention and talents of Sir G. Barlow, had hitherto been directed to local objects, from which they were

and new pursuits, and these to be cultivated, through the instrumentality of men to whom he was an utter stranger; of whose habits he could have no information; of whose characters and pretensions, he could have no personal knowledge, and whose official rules and customs he had yet to learn. A single and distinct employment, early embraced and invariably pursued, cut off from society at large, and the knowledge of external manners, however it may qualify the officer for the discharge of a particular duty, almost necessarily contracts his views, and renders him as unfitted for general business, in the degree that it recommends him in his peculiar avocation. Confined to the boundaries of Bengal, their proper sphere, the talents of Sir G. Barlow might have been useful to himself, and profitable to his employers; but is there no hazard if transplanted from their natural soil, that they may droop in a foreign land? At all events, the company's executive were determined on this experiment, and it remains to be shown from the test of experience, whether it has been successful or otherwise. The trial itself could not be made, without first clearing the ground which was already occupied, and at the peril of displaying product of long and mature growth.

On the recal of lord William Bentinck from Fort St. George, Mr. Petrie, the first member of the council, succeeded, by a similar precautionary appointment, with that possessed by Sir G. Barlow, to the temporary charge of the Madras government. This gentleman had served the East India company for nearly forty years, and having toiled through all the gradations of the service, had arrived at last, if not at the head, at the second office in the government. Nay, he had more than once been selected as the provisional governor of a settlement, in which he had spent almost a life; and in the customs and interests of which he must consequently be presumed to have had a most thorough and complete information. This gentleman, of so much experience, so acknowledged, and so distinguished, is to be displaced,

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