1,412,249

5,493,774

4,081,525

From a series of facts and arguments, Mr. Dundas faid, that the eftimate of 1793, which formed the bafis for a new arrangement, had in no material inftance failed. The regulations which had taken place in Bengal, gave every reafon to believe that the population and profperity of the country would keep progreffively advancing. The fame hopes might be entertained of Madras, by the introduction of the fame fyftem which had taken place in Bengal; and, indeed, might be faid of Bombay, where a large eftate on the Malabar coaft had been ceded to us by Tippoo Sul tan. While fuch was the ftate of their affairs abroad, there was nothing difcouraging in thofe at home. In a time of war, and when the markets of Europe were fhut against them, their fales were greater than they had ever been before. He thought it confiftent with policy, as fovereigns of India, to open its trade to the whole world. But for the war, every hope refpecting the affairs of the company would have

1,412,249

been realized, and their cash account have been now 900,ocol.

With refpect to the army in India, in the courfe of the last year, the company had paid 60,0col. as bounties to feamen. This, however laudable, as they had no right to do, he fhould, in the next feffion, move for an act of indemnity. He wifhed the committee to underftand that the furplus revenue would not be fo large in future, on account of an appropriation of a part to the juft claims of the army. There was now a great and neceffary military establishment; but the company had no higher rank in their fervice than colonel; this deprived great military characters of that rank which they often looked upon as the best part of their reward: there was alfo, at prefent, but a flow progreffion of inferior rank. He fhould propofe, therefore, a certain proportion of general and field officers at the different fettlements; the confequence would be, that a confiderable promotion would take place, which muft be

attended

attended with a confiderable expence, to be defrayed out of the revenues in India. Some provifion ought, he thought, to be made for the return of fuch officers to this country, as, according to the prefent regulations, might ferve very long in the army without any acknowledgment of merit from their rank, or addition to their fortune. He thought full pay, with the rank obtained in India, would not be too much for them. If fickness required the return of an officer, he thought he ought to be allowed to return upon the opinion of a medical man, without lofs of rank or pay. Officers ought alfo, without fuch a reafon, to be allowed to return in rotation to visit their friends. Mr. Dundas concluded by moving," that it was the opinion of the committee, that the affairs of the company were in a better fituation by the sum of 1,412,249l. than at the last statement.

This very favourable statement of the affairs of the India company was oppofed by Mr. Huffey, but vindicated by Mr. Pitt. The refolutions were fucceffively put and carried.

The long-depending caufe of Mr. Haftings, which began February 12, 1788, terminated during this feffion. The whole of the charges against him, which were comprised under four heads, were negatived by the committee appointed to examine the articles of impeachment. Thefe confifted of twenty-four charges, the firft feven of which related to Cheyt Sing, against whom Mr. Haftings was accused of having wantonly levied war, repeatedly extorted money to the amount of fifteen lacks of rupees (159,000l.) though he had privately received from his buxey

(treasurer) a prefent of two lacks. He was further charged with having entered into a clandeftine negotiation with the vizier Afoph-ulDowla; and that, with a view to ruin the rajah Cheyt Sing, he falfely accufed him of acts of mifgovernment, arrefted him in his own palace, and, by an unjuft war, expelled him from his dominions,that he attacked the palace of the rajah's mother, which was plundered by the troops under major Popham,-and that he appointed W. Markham, efquire, to be refident at Benares, and illegally impofed a fine upon the fucceffor of Cheyt Sing.

The fecond head of charges contained three articles, and refpected the conduct of Mr. Haftings towards the begums, whom he was accufed, by a corrupt refumption of the jaghires, of reducing to great diftrefs and want. It was further alleged that, at the fame time, he accepted as a prefent, or bribe, the fum of 100,000l.-and that he had ordered Mr. Middleton to storm the town of Fyzabad, the refidence of the begums, and cruelly extorted from them their treasure and effects.

There were fix articles under the third head of charges, which related to the prefents made to Mr. Haftings in India. These were flated to amount to two hundred and fixty-nine thousand pounds, and to have been extorted upon different pretences, or as bribes for obtaining particular fervices.

The laft head of charges which was inveftigated, refpected the contracts granted by Mr. Haftings in prejudice to the affairs of the East India company. The two laft articles merely flated, "that the commons had made good the remaining

articles

articles of impeachment," which propofition was negatived, with only one diffentient voice.

The report of the committee was received on the fecond of April; on the twenty-third the whole of the charges were fingly fubmitted to the decifion of their lordships, who, beginning with the junior baron, were required fimply to exprefs their affent to, or rejection of, the crimes imputed, by laying their hands on their breafts, and repeating the words" not guilty upon my honour," or, "guilty upon my honour." The fubftance of the charges was compreffed into fixteen queftions, the two firft of which were, Whether W. Haftings, efquire, had, with a view to ruin Cheyt Sing, &c. extorted fundry fums of money charged by the commons in the two firft articles of charge? 3d. Whether he had, in the years 1772, 1773, 1774, corruptly taken different fums of money, as alleged in the fixth article of charge? And, 4th. Whether he had corruptly received and taken the fum of two lacks of rupees from the buxey of Cheyt Sing, as alleged in the fame article? 5th. Whether W. Haftings, efquire, had, in October 1780, taken and received from Kellerman, on behalf of himself and of Cullian Sing, four lacks of rupees, on confideration of letting to them certain lands in the province of Bahar, in perpetuity, to the injury of the Eaft India company? 6th. Whether he had, in the year 1781, received, as a prefent from Nundoolol, the fum of 58,000 rupees? 7th. Whether he had, in September 1781, at Chunar, in the province of Oude, contrary to his duty, received, as a prefent from the vizier, the fum of ten lacks of rupees? 8th. Whether W. Haftings, efquire,

had not fraudulently folicited as a loan, and afterwards corruptly retained as a prefent from rajah Ñobkiffen, a fum of money amounting, to 34,000l. fierling, and applied the fame to his own ufe, under the pretence of difcharging feveral expences faid to have been incurred by him in his public capacity? 9th. Whether W. Haftings, efquire, had granted a contract for opium to Stephen Sullivan, efquire, for the purpofe of creating an inftant fortune to the faid Stephen Sullivan, to the great prejudice of the company? 10th. Whether he had borrowed money at high intereft to advance the fame to the contractor for opium, and to engage the company in a fmuggling adventure to China? 11th. Whether he had been guilty refpecting the bullock contract to C. Croftes, efquire? 12th. Whether he had been guilty in granting the provision of bullocks to fir C. Blunt by the mode of agency? 13th. Whether he was guilty as far as related to the allowances charged to have been made to fir Eyre Coote, and directed by the vizier to be paid for his ufe? 14th. Whether he was guilty in appointing J. P. Auriol, efquire, agent for the purchase of fupplies for the relief of the feveral prefidencies of India, with a commiffion of 15 per cent? 15th. Whether W. Haftings, efquire, was guilty, in appointing J. Balli, efquire, to be agent for the fupply of stores and provifions to the garrifon of Fort William in Bengal, with a commiffion of 30 per cent? And, 16th. Whether he was guilty of the refidue of high crimes and mifdemeanors charged upon him by the impeachment of the commons?

After the articles had been feverally put to thofe peers who chose

to