you have, you virtually increase the quantity of it; that is to fay, a lefs quantity will be neceffary for performing the same purposes.

The great branch of circulation in most modern ftates, and in Bengal like the reft, is the collection of the public revenue, and the expenditure of it; promptitude, and punctuality in this particular, work ftrongly by example upon every private tranfaction.

The revenues of Bengal are, properly speaking, the land rents of the country; these have at all times been let in farm by the fovereign, to Subas, Nabobs, and the greater subjects, who, paying a fixed tribute to the Prince, parcelled out their diftricts to perfons of an inferior rank: each of these in his smaller department did the fame, until the loweft in this fubordination of leffees collected his proportion from the labourers of the land.

We need not travel so far as Bengal to find examples of this oeconomy: the cuf

tom of farming every branch of revenue was very common over all Europe not many centuries ago; and the method of farming whole eftates, or of collecting the rents of landed property by an interpofed perfon, is at this day very well known in France. The custom of letting leafes of very extended property in land, to people who farm it out, differs very little from the fyftem of Bengal.

Befides the great lofs to the Company in continuing to follow this plan, the unheard-of extortions, and the oppreffion of the body of the people, which are the confequences of it, call loudly for a change of management.

The money paid by the labourers of the ground is at prefent interrupted in its courfe at every change of hands, until, by the repeated fhroffage, it comes at laft reduced, as I may fay, to a fhadow, into the Company's treasury; this abufe is felt and acknowledged by every body; and unless it be reformed, the revenues of the Company

muft daily diminish, and be, in the mean time, very precarious.

It is, no doubt, an arduous task to undertake fo great a reformation; but abfolute power, fupported by juftice and common fenfe, will get the better of obftacles, which in other countries would be unfurmountable.

It will require the greatest talents, and the best information as to facts, to bring fo great a change to a perfect execution: but let it be remembered, that William the Conqueror made a complete furvey and va luation of a country lefs known to him than Bengal is to the Eaft-India Company; and nothing prevents the Company from availing themselves of the principles of the feudal fyftem of government in the execution of their plan.

If the whole lands of Bengal be valued.; if a book be made out for every district of the country, and for every city and principal town, and the rent payable to the Company by every poffeffion' be therein fpe

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cified, it will be an easy matter to establish a fort of quit-rent which may be payable by the whole district to fome man of confequence, who may be confidered as the fuperior lord of it, without giving him any jurifdiction which may enable him to oppress the people or interrupt the fettled plan for levying the revenue. By this regulation the rents of the lands will pafs directly from the occupier into the hands of the Company; the circulation of money will be quicker; the revenue will be greatly augmented, and feveral of the most confiderable people will be provided with revenues, independant of every one but the Company; inftead of the wealth of the country being swallowed up, as at present, by the Shroffs, a fet of people of no confequence for fupporting the authority of government, but who, like a canker-worm, are always preying upon the vitals of the ftate.

Were this first part of this plan put in execution, another may be made to fucceed.

The labourers in Bengal are, for the

moft part, manufacturers; part of their rents, instead of being made payable in ficca rupees, might be made payable in goods; and stamp offices might be eftablished to ascertain their being made without defect.

In the proximity of great cities, and in very populous districts, granaries might be established, and part of the rents might be received in grain for the fupply of markets, at a price proportionate to the plenty of the year. Even these granaries may be converted into banks for grain, according to a plan which may be contrived for the circulation of fubfiftence, and even of paper credit within a small district.

These are mere hints which point out progreffive improvement; but were I here to enlarge upon them, they might appear fo very chimerical, as even to discredit the thought itself. Let it, however, be obferved, that what is here propofed is not intended to be executed by dint of authority; it is calculated fo as to execute itself, as foon as the utility of it is perceived, and the