Proceedings of the Committee of Circuit, 3rd October-27th November, 1772
About this text
Introductory notes
The early records preserved in the West Bengal State Archive pertains to the administration of the land revenue system by the East India Company. The Company attained the revenue rights of the Province through the Grant of Diwani in 1765. The records in the repositories of the Archive date back to the Select Committee Records in 1768. Between 1769 and 1786 the revenue administration was managed by various intermediate agencies like the Resident at the Durbar, Provincial Council of Revenue, the Calcutta Committee of Revenue. These committees reflect the early experiments and confusion of the East India Company over revenue collection.
The Committee of Circuit was founded on 14th May 1772 and it continued to operate till February 1773. On August, 1771, the Directors of the Company, instructed the Company to take upon itself the entire care and management of the revenue. There upon, Warren Hastings, formed a Committee of the Board,, consisting of himself and four members to settle the land revenue in the various districts on the spot.
Selection details
The Committee of Circuit was founded on 14th May 1772 and it continued to operate till February 1773. On August, 1771, the Directors of the Company, instructed the Company to take upon itself the entire care and management of the revenue. There upon, Warren Hastings, formed a Committee of the Board,, consisting of himself and four members to settle the land revenue in the various districts on the spot.
1.
1.1. Read the following Arzee from the zemindars of Sundeep.
In the Bengal year 1170 Ram Kishwan a Suvedar in behalf of Gocul Gosal came into the mofussil and in the name of Bishan Chim Adadar depopulated the Pergunnah by his oppression and violence. The Wives of Mahomed Naseef and Mahomed Zaffer deceased, he also confined at the Cutcherry in the year 1171 extorted from them Cabbala or Bill of sale for [...] their space in the zemindarry of which he took possessions in the Bengal year of 1173 out of mere spite of enmity & under a false pretence his [...] the Revenue, the said Sehouldar murdered [...] [...] Chowdhury, the son of Mahomed Reza Chowdhury, plundering the whole of his effects and oppressively usurped his share of [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] of the zemindarry the Chowduries wife he also gave to Gentleman.
[...] [...] & [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [Page 84] Baker Chowdhury he also informed with their families by putting them in Prisons and inflicting on them corporal punishments he in the year 1174 forced them to give a Cubala for [...] their share of the zemindarry. In the same year he likewise clapped in [...] Cham Kunt & Debu Churn Chowdries put their families in confinement and treating them with the severity of corporal punishment without any authority from the Sudder took possession of 2 [...], 4 [...] & 2 [...] their share of the zemindarry.
In the Bengal year 1176 we complained to governor of Calcutta who gave us Letter to Mr Becher the Nabob recommending the [...] of Bushun Churun [...] [...] and our being reinstated in our zemndarry, accordingly we were appointed to our usual possession of the zemndarry in virtue of Perwannah from Mr Becher & Nabob, who making an increase of 2000 Rupees on its former Bandibust & appointing a [...] adadar dispatched us to Mr Kelsall & Rajah Himmut Sing at Dacca. Here we were also confined in our appointment and send with the adadar into the Pergunnah the Revenues f which we paid up without Balance. But Bishen Chem by intrigues got the adadar [...] & himself appointed n his place and being the means of our being again deposed of our zemindarry he imprisoned our families and agents in the mofussil, extorted from us a fine of 1200 Rupees and made a seizure of our cattle and effects. We are therefore hope that we may be again reinstated our Zemindarry.