1.1. No.1

I arrived here the 20th Instant and went to …. Yesterday morning, where I caused to be made known to the Zemindars, there assembled the intent of my Appointment.

By the Aumils Account, the Balance now due, Amounts to only 24,837,.5,,..I have call’d upon him for the particulars, which when drawn shall be forwarded. Excepting in this particular, I have hitherto confined myself to regulating the Administration of Justice, in abolishing Customs of the most hurtful, and recommending those pointed out as the Most Salutary in the Instructions transmitted me.-

Amongst the various abuses at present overlook’d there one of the most pernicious tendency and which calls loudly for redress , it is the number of Pykes here entertain’d they serve without pay, and Support themselves entirely on what they can procure from the unhappy Sufferers over whom they are placed. I am credibly informed the sum collected by those employ’d on the part of the Government, annually Amounts to, from fifty to eighty thousand rupees, which when added to the just dues of Government must not only be hardship on all, but repeatedly ruin many, and of Course detrimental to the Collections; I flatter myself there will be no occasion for these in future, and that, I shall be favor’d with your directions for disbanding the whole tribe, or at least to put those, it may be for the present necessary to retain, on a different footing, by making them proper allowances and restraining them from Acting in the Oppressive manner they have been long used to.

It will be Absolutely necessary that orders be given for the punishment of Monopolizers of Grain, as if some Method is not fallen up to oblige them to bring it to Market, a famine must necessarily ensue, if we are not favor’d with rain in avery few days; this I must the More particularly ….as from the best Authority, I am informed of large Quantities being Golah within my Jurisdiction, and to use every means the time and Circumstances may require, to prevent the poor in this Province being afflicted with the distresses they have so dreadfully Experienced at the City and other Districts.-

Lieutenant Nairn has had advice from his Commander stationed at Dinagepore of the return of two bodies of Sonassie Fuckeirs to that place the first of which, to the Amount of one hundred, have taken the road to Purnea the other, with whose numbers he is not Acquainted, he is now [Page 2] in pursuit of should either of the Come this way every means possible shall be used to intercept them whatever further intelligence I can procure you shall be immediately Acquainted with.

1.2. No.4

I have received your favor of the 16th Instant, and enclose you a Copy of a Letter I have just received from Lieutenant Charles Nairn at Rangamatty acquainting me of the distresses of that Place the General Confusion he found every thing in and the Steps he purposes taking. Should you have any Particular directions, or advice to give regarding the Regulation of his Conduct, I shall be obliged to you to transmit them as soon as Convenient.

1.3. No.7

By the accounts which I transmitted you in my Letter of 1st Instant of the Collections of the Province, you will observe that the Bundabust for last year was Rupees 9,17,250,, out of which only Rupees 6,32,797,, have been remitted to the City and the remainder Rupess 2,84,453. Entirely sunk in Charges and Deductions except the Balance due from Modungopaui, Mahomed Haussen, and the Country which amount to above half a Laack & will do little more,than pay the Balance due to the Merchants, This will do little more, than pay the Balance due to the Merchants. This difference I imagine must appear in the same Light to you, as it does to me very extraordinary – the diminishing of which without putting an Additional Tax on the Country will no be no small increase to the Revenues, and as the Zeminders are willing to agree to a Bundabust for this Year the same as for last; I am confident I should be able to add to the neat Collections one Laack of Rupees, if I may be allowed a Controling Power so as to be aproper Check upon the Aumil, and at the Expiration of the Year to convince you of the little Utility of such a Person, without it be for his name, and as long as that is deem’d necessary. I would beg leave to propose his having a certain Monthly Allowance 1000 or 1500 Rupees Pmonth I should think very handsome- This will considerably reduce the Charges as you will observe that his Commission and Seebundy form on inconsiderable part of the. Should this be approved of , the Riots will live easy and happy, by being protected from future Oppressions, and will in time be more able to bear and additional Tax on their Lands, and they have of late, to answers the just dues of Government & exorbitant Demands of the Zemindars and others employed in the Collections. My being debar’d from sending into the Mofussul for the necessary Papers to form a Hustabood shall be my Duty to endeavor by next year to form a Compleat Hustabood so as clearly to point out in what manner the Revenues may be increased and Country benefitted.

I hope you will on receipt of this, favor me with your Opinion, which I shall be extremely happy to find coincides with mine.

1.4. No.11

Having received advice that Ten Thousand Rupees have been Collected at Govin Gunge, and being sensible of the great Demands at the City, at the same time apprehensive, should I have permitted it to be sent to Massook, as he had directed, it might have been embezzled- I therefore thought it my Duty to send it under Charge of a Party of Seapoys, who I have Order’d from hence to escort it, with them you will receive a particular Account of it.

Lieutenant Nairn having represented the great Distress, the Seapoy Staion’d at Rangamatty are in, for want of their Pay which is now three Months in arrears. Captain Mackenzie has given his receipt to St Rupees 1932,, being the amount due to them which will Make up Part of the Ten Thousand Rupees.

1.5. No.17

I have received your two favors of 9th and 24th Ultimo.

I have transmitted to Lieutenant Feltham, who set off Rangamatty some time ago, an Extract, of your Letter of 9th regarding the Place, and have desired him to act accordingly-

The very heavy Rains which lately fell here, have done considerable Damage to the Paddy, which before then was near ready for the sickle, a great Quantity is entirely spoilt and other much damaged, which will make the Harvest here much later, and the Crops but poor, the consequences of this have already been felt by the rice rising from 20 to 12 Seer P Rupee. And that but indifferent- By Accounts received from People sent up to Bauvannygunge, which was the greatest mart in Rungpore for Grain, the Coarsest Paddy sells only at 8 and 10 seers P Rupee..Tho’the Prospects of a good harvest were at first extremely favorable, I am much afraid We shall be deficient in Quantity as well Quality, from what was first expected and of Course be little able to furnish the Countries with what they may want- The merchants are now exporting the Grain extremely fast, and it will all very soon be taken away except what may be purchased to be kept here- at Baharbund the Lands are entirely overflown, and Grain scarce Govin Gunge is Still in a worse Condition as they have not sufficient for the Inhabitants.

I am well informed that several Frenchmen, Armenians and others are gone up to the Coursah, a place in the Cooch Bahar Rajah’s Province where a Considerable Quantity of Rice is annually produced which always used to be brought into the Rungpore District, and was the means of Supplying other Places’ the greatest part of what used to be exported from the Rungpore District, is now Stop’d Coming this way, and the French and others, who have a number of Boats there ready to be loaded, are purchasing and carrying it away as fast as possible, I have wrote to the Rajah, desiring him to permit it to come this way as usual, should he not think proper to Comply with my request, I shall be glad of your orders how to act.

The Aumil arrived here a few Days ago, and a Poonea has been held.

As in your late Instructions you did not mention any thing regarding Palasbarry, Bolahar, Baubunpore, and Shaickshair the small independent places put under my Charge- I request your Orders regarding them.

1.6. No.25

I have received your Letter of the 18th Inst: & am sorry to find by the Contents how very incapable Purtiet Roy of fulfilling his Engagements & I wish You may e able to remit the 5000 Rs. You mention before the 30th April.

I would recommend to You upon you your Return to Rajemahal after procuring every information possible of what the Country can really afford to settle the Hustabood upon the Spot or in as advantageous a manner as you Can, without distressing the Inhabitants.

In answer to what you urge on the Subject of the Dewanny Audalut I enclose you a Persian Acct which I just received from the Nabob M.R. Cawn of the manner it is conducted at the City. And I could wish the Audalut at Rajemahal to be regulated as nearly as possible upon that plan.

Should Lieut. Col. Goddard order Capt. Knufdon to march from his present Station, he has assured me he will have four Companies of Seapoys which I hope will prove a sufficient Force to protect the Country from the Mountaineers till a further Reinforcement can be sent.

I approve your Proposal of making Friends with the different Rajahs, and wish it could be carried into Execution, but it does not appear that against the Mountaineers Who frequently assemble & come down in such large bodies- but You being upon the spot, must be the best Judge of the Measures most proper to be pursued & You may depend upon my Approbation & Concurrence in whatever You may think most likely to answer the desired End.

If the Rajahs are not willing to assist You in taking Measures to prevent their people from molesting ours & ravaging the Country- I am of Opinion, that the only Way left Us is to make some capital attempt upon their principal Retreat & by Striking an effectual Blow render them incapable of disturbing Us in future- I have addressed Mr Cartier upon this subject, as also of the necessary Force to be maintain’d at Rajemahal, & when I receive his answer, I shall be able to write you more decisively.

1.7. No.43

I have received your favor of 7th Inst, to which I shall pay the due Attention.

I have made the Strictest examination into the Accounts delivered at Muxadavad by Sudder ul huc Cawn and find them to be very Just: but the exact Sums which have been received by the Zaminders from the Ryotts. I shall be better enabled to ascertain when I visit the different Pergunnahs & have taken the Accounts from the Ryotts themselves.

So great a part of the Season for Collecting the present years Revenue is elapsed; that I find it impossible and entirely useless to make any Bundibust- The last years Farmers foreseeing from many unfavorable Circumstances that to continue their Farms would subject them to an unavoidable and heavy Loss, have refused to renew their Agreements, the Land therefore of this whole district ( a very Small Quantity only expected) are Ass and the best method which offers to me, is to continue to collect aggregable, to the Settlement which was made last year, as far as the Country affords and is consistent with the Ryotts Ease and relief. Many of the Farmers who have this season quitted their Land, have farmed them for these 20 years, and some have held them for a considerable time longer. I therefore think it will only be equitable to oblige them now to adhere to their former Engagements;- since the Profits which have arisen during such a long Course of years, will well admit of their making good the loss of one unfavorable Season.

I wish Sir, it was in my Power to inform you that I had come to an Accommodation, or had settled Affairs on an amicable Footing, with Sujan Sing and Roshum Bucks the tow principal Hill Rajahs of these parts..the former acquainted me some time since by a Letter brought by a Vacqueel, that he would come down and talk with me on this Subject; but altho I have since repeatedly wrote to him as well as to Roshum Bucks, I have not been able to get an Answer. In short they dare not descend from their Holds in the Mountains- the villages which are daily pillaged, the travellers who are frequently robbed and murdered by these Vagrants, call aloud for an Alteration in our Conduct towards them; their Incapacity too of fulfilling their Engagements with the Government is an- additional Argument to induce us to extirpate them: out of Mulguzzarry of 30000 Rs Rajah Sujan Singh has, this Year only paid 2500 Rs and by a Letter he has lately sent to one of his People here, he informs us, that as his Country is ruined by the Famine, which yet rages, he must have the greatest part of this Sum back again to maintain his Dependents or we must expect Robberies & murders to be more frequent.

I am now endeavouring at the Formation of a general Hustaboode which when corrected and perfected by proper Measurements and Surveys of the District I shall have the honor to transmit you.

1.8. No.47

I am favored with your letter of 12 Inst: I shall attend your directions regarding Grain going to the City; and will only add , that the Distress greatly as it may be felt there, can scarcely be equal to the misery experienced by the unhappy Inhabitants of this District from a want of Sustenance.

Rajemahal 16th July 1770

Your most obedient & H'ble Servant William Harwood

1.9. No.57

I have the Honor to transmit you a General State of the Collections of this Province for the Bengal Year 1175.

As the Business of Government is here Conducted in two Distinct Departments Viz the Huzzory and Nizamut so are there Subdivision into other Branches.

Accompanying the General Statement.,You have the following particular Accounts of each department. Viz

Under the Huzzoory Jellalpore……..No.1 Bas-Yafti from D …No2 Nourullapore……..3 Bas Yafti from D…… Under the Nizamut Jellolpore……..No5 Bas Yafti from D……6

And these several Accounts show the Bund-busts as they were Settled at the Commencement of the Year with the amount Collected to the last day of Bysagh 1177/1770 April/ and Ballances outstanding at that time.

The further Progression the Collections to the Close of the Year’s Accounts shall wait on you Shortly.

The Produce of Nourullapore which form’s so Considerable apart of the Revenues of this Province was Collected by Officers at Moorshedavad acting immediately under the Nabob Mahomed Reza Cawn; but is now, Since the establishment of the Supravisors, transferred with the rest of the Huzzoory business under the Management of Mah Rajah MahSingh- Exception the Purgunnahs of Nourullapore and Nulda-Bousnah; why these two should be Excepted and their rents continued to be paid at Moorshedavad I cannot Comprehend.

You will please to recollect, Sir that you Refer’d to me a Petition of the Ranee Bowanee/ who is Zemindar of Nourullapore/desiring that her Rents might be paid as usual at Moorshedavad; I offer it as my Opinion in order to preserve Regularity, if for no other Reason, that both Nourullapore and Nuldi Bousnah the same as all the other Purgunnahs within this Province , should see no Cause for their being Excepted I request you will give the necessary orders.

The Revenues from the Bas-Yafti was formerly Appropriated towards the maintenance of the Norwarry; but as the Pay of the Manjeys &.Dandeys and all other Charges are now…disbursed out of the General Collections. I see no objection to the full Rents of Every Purgunnah being Settled and included in one General Bund-Bust; and it is a method I purpose to adopt.

The deductions from the Ballances of certain Purgunnahs, and under the Denomination of Muzcooraat are allowances of Charitys, as I am given to understand, paid out of the Produce of such Purgunnahs to Individuals by Virtue of Sunnuds from the King or from different [Page 65] Soubahs- It is Particularly inculcated in the Supravisors General Instructions to Examine into the Claims of this nature, in order that the design of such Institutions may not be perverted, and I have accordingly required that all Claimants shall produce their Sunnuds in order to prove their Authenticity.

I am preparing, and shall Shortly lay before you a Complete Bundbust for the new Year 1177, and also particular Account of the Annual Charges attending the Collections of this Province. I am with Esteem.

1.10. No.74

Your favor of the 30th has duly Reached me with the Account of your Intentions to make up the Number of Sepoys stationed here to 1 Company. I beg leave again to Assure you Sir that I have only Requested this Additional Force for the support & Relief of the Fears of the Poor Riotts who have late be exceedingly Alarmed for their Lives & Property- Sensible how desirous you are that the Collections should be made hereafter without the Riotts being intimidated to Comply with the Demands of Government by the sight of a Red Coat be Assured I would not Employ any of them on such Service- As for probability of such a force sent into the province increasing the Scarcity of Provisions I have only to Observe that they will be so dispersed that the Consumption they can make will scarce be felt.

Four of Joy Sing’s Gang I have now under Confinement by offering pardon to one he is Ready to assist in Apprehending him I conceived this was necessary as his Haunts might not be so soon beat by those unacquainted with them. Several Villains have lately been Convinced of Robbery and setting fire to houses I should be glad to know what Punishment would have been inflicted on such Delinquents- I wish a Method could be fallen upon as likely to deter, As taking away the Life which Example has never been found effectual Should all for these Crimes be brought to the Gallows Executions at this time Punishment might be it would give the People a Suspicion of the Principles of Humanity which I flatter myself they are nearly Convinced to act up to.

In 4 or 5 days I hope to send you a further Kisty of 50000 Rs & by the 10th Paughan Month to Compleat the Balance of Maug. No endeavors on my part shall be wanting to keep the Rajah strictly to his Agreement & I imagine form the frequent Representations I make him of the Consequence of losing his Credit with his Sureties will Convince him of the necessity.

Being Persuaded that when you know how exceedingly will I am accommodated with Quarters I hope you will Excuse my requesting permission to Erect a Bungalow which shall be done with as little Expence to the Company as the Price of Materials at this Place will admit of and In the mean time I am to Beg that you will let me have the Tents you issued Orders for whilst I was at Mongheer.

1.11. No.80

I have received your two favors of 9th and 24th Ultimo,

The very heavy Rains which lately fell here, have done considerable Damage to the Paddy, which before then was near ready for the sickle, a great Quantity is entirely spoilt and other much damaged, which will make the Harvest here much later, and the Crops but poor, the consequences of this have already been felt by the rice rising from 20 to 12 Seer P Rupee. And that but indifferent- By Accounts received from People sent up to Bauvannygunge, which was the greatest mart in Rungpore for Grain, the Coarsest Paddy sells only at 8 and 10 seers P Rupee..Tho’the Prospects of a good harvest were at first extremely favorable, I am much afraid We shall be deficient in Quantity as well Quality, from what was first expected and of Course be little able to furnish the Countries with what they may want- The merchants are now exporting the Grain extremely fast, and it will all very soon be taken away except what may be purchased to be kept here- at Baharbund the Lands are entirely overflown, and Grain scarce Govin Gunge is Still in a worse Condition as they have not sufficient for the Inhabitants.

I am well informed that several Frenchmen, Armenians and others are gone up to the Coursah, a place in the Cooch Bahar Rajah’s Province where a Considerable Quantity of Rice is annually produced which always used to be brought into the Rungpore District, and was the means of Supplying other Places’ the greatest part of what used to be exported from the Rungpore District, is now Stop’d Coming this way, and the French and others, who have a number of Boats there ready to be loaded, are purchasing and carrying it away as fast as possible, I have wrote to the Rajah, desiring him to permit it to come this way as usual, should he not think proper to Comply with my request, I shall be glad of your orders how to act.

The Aumil arrived here a few Days ago, and a Poonea has been held.

As in your late Instructions you did not mention any thing regarding Palasbarry, Bolahar, Baubunpore, and Shaickshair the small independent places put under my Charge- I request your Orders regarding them.

1.12. No.87

The opportunity which now presents itself to the Ryotts of an advantageous Culture, and their fair Prospect of Rain which hath fallen within these few days in many Parts of this Province obliges me once more to trouble you on the Subject of Taccavie.

In my way down from the City I made it my business to enquire into the Capacity of the Several Ryotts and found as I had foreseen, tho’ with much Regret that those who Rented 20 Begers were disabled from Cultivating more than 5 for want of specie and so in Proportion throughout the whole. You have often Sir, and every earnestly expressed your desire to see this Province in a flourishing Condition, the Native happy and every thing wear the Appearance of Joy & Content & as I consider myself deeply interested in End. It is with this View now I address you persuaded that if the present favorable Moment is neglected it will be irretrievable for this season. I entreat You sir, to order Sums to be remitted me, that I may without delay distribute them amongst the truly distressed Ryotts every Man Receiving Proportionate to this Farm. Yo will I hope Pardon my being so inevitable Ruin will await the Ryotts unless instant Advances are made to enable them to make fresh Purchases of Grain for Cultivation, as it is beyond a doubt that they have been driven to the necessity of Consuming that, which had the last Season been more favorable they would have Reserved for the above Purpose.

1.13. 92

I have Rec’d your favor Relative to the Complaint of the Caizy & beg leave to assure you that I have frequently endeavoured to Assist the one that was here in making his due Collections but he has always put it out of my Power to be of that Service to him I wished from your Several Letters in his favor by making Demands on the Ryotts that are extremely Exorbitant. As I had no Accounts of this Collection to be guided by, but what the Causes himself produced & which are not Authenticated I made Application to Mr John Graham for Regulation I heard he had made on that business he favored me with the enclosed Papers which being a Medium of what the Cauzy here demanded & the People allow he has a Right to I made him an offer of a Perwanna to Collect their dues which I suppose he has not thought Sufficient by troubling you on the Subject the Allowance from the Raja at Burdwan is a Voluntary Gift of his own & therefore I apprehend they can have no Right to make a Demand of that Nature upon Kisten Chund.

1.14. No.101

The Districts placed under your Inspection have Suffered little by the General Calamity of Drought in Comparison with many other parts of [Page 128] these provinces have done, yet as the prospect of the approaching Harvest is very unfavorable every where, and there appears too reason to Apprehend a much more Considerable reduction of the Revenues of the present year than of the last, I am alarm’d lest Sufficient should not be Collected to answer the very large demands of absolutely necessary to pay our troops and other expences. Thus circumstanced, anxious as I am, that the Supravisors should be furnished with every degree of authority necessary for them to obtain the requisite Lights for executing their important Commission my Duty to my employers oblige me to suffer nothing to come in competition with Securing such revenues under the present unfavorable Circumstances as can be collected consistent with the future Welfare of the Country . The grand object which I would therefore recommend to you to keep always in view during Welfare of a Country and of Course to the advantages of the Government, and you may depend on my Support, and Assistance, in carrying into Execution every well concerned plan to obtain the desired purpose.

The Imposition of Arbitrary Fines should be discontinued, And no Daroga of a Gunge, or Talookdar should have right to decided in cause of property or criminal ones, without the Parties knowing that they may Appeal from their judgement to a Superior Power-Many inconveniences would arise if there was no one on the Spot to decide on quarrels, abuses and other trifling Complaints; and while there is an Appeal this can be no Hardship on the Ryotts, tho’ I think it would be better to fix the Fines and punishments to particular Crimes, According to the employ and Circumstances of the offended not to be exceeded on any Account to but to be lessen’d occasionally, some thing of this kind was establish’d in the Calcutta Lands, when I was Collector General. Another regulation established by me when in that office and which I would recommend to your attention, and to be carried into execution as Soon as conveniently can be is to fix the Rate of Duty that every Daroga of a Gunge or Chokeydar at a Gaut is justly intitled to collect on every Species of Merchandise or Provisions brought into the Gunge or Market or that comes to the Chokey, great Care must be taken in fixing these Duties and the most experienced and impartial People in the Country should be consulted, and the rates Sent here for approval but when they are fixed compleat Lists in different languages should be put up in the most Conspicious places that every man know what demand may justly be made on him, and on the First Deviations, the most Severe Examples should be made-From these Measures, I should hope for the most Salutary Effects and I doubt not but your utmost endeavours will be Extracted to carry them into Execution.

1.15. No.119

I have received your favor of the 25th by the accost I forwarded to you Yesterday, you wou’d observe that notwithstanding the destress of the season this province has paid a sum considerably above its Bandibust & whatever may be the representation of the Zemindar, I am well satisfied that with proper Management the same Bundibust may be paid this Year without the Scences of Oppression & extortion executed in the course of last.

From the approbation you was pleased to express of the plan I proposed for the Collection of the Revenue for the ensuing, Year, I flattered myself, Sir, that at least that degree of confidence might be reposed in my encouragement given to my proposals, in the whole course of your correspondence. I have already let out the greatest part of the province to Etmaudars, who as I have already wrote you, were to carry on the collections upon a calculation of the payment of last year, till such time as a Hustabood cou’d be made & then to take their different Etmaums in Farm, the same as in the Province of Burdwan. It was however upon assurances of Protection & encouragement that these people engaged & gave security for their performance, in confidence that under the immediate eye of the English Government a strict observance wou’d be had to agreements & that their property wou’d be safe. This I shall never be able to persuade them will be the case whilst the collections are to be entirely in the hands of the greatest danger if any alteration is now made, of their deserting their districts & leaving them at this critical juncture in the same desolate state that they found them; numbers of Ryots too who have come into the province upon [Page 143] my publick Advertisement that their properties will be safe & their rate of payment fixed upon reasonable Terms, from their experience of the Zemindars disregard of his engagement will again take refuge in some other Quarters.

I have now mentioned the bad consequences of the Zemindars having an limited Authority in the Collections & I do not doubt Sir, but that you will take it under your consideration.

PS- As it will now be necessary to pay a visit to Bissinpoor I shall set out for thence tomorrow Morning & shou’d any thing Material happen M’Dawson will address You.

1.16. No.120

I have received your Letter of the 28th Inclosing an account of Mofusel Charges of Beerbhoom for the Bengali Year 1176, together with an account of what the expences have exceeded those of former Years & which you think ought to be a claim upon the Sigdars & Servants. I doubt not, Sir, but your endeavours will be exerted to recover this sum, if upon further examination it can be proved justly due.

The Ryots in Beerbhoom have I dare say as well as those of many other Provinces suffered much from the Oppression of the Zemindars & more perhaps from the Avarice & Rapacity of his inferior Dependants, but in Justice to the Ministers & myself, I will aver, that, an Application to me or them wou’d always have procured them Protection & Redress many indeed may have been unable to leave their Employments & undertake so far a Journey & I am therefore of opinion that the security the Ryots will enjoy form the Residence of English Gentlemen upon the spot to whom they may at all times apply without inconveniency to themselves when Injured is one very essential advantage to be expected from the Appointment of Supravisors.-

1.17. No.136

Having lately received the melancholy intelligence that in the Dacca districts, & a large part of Rajeshehy from which we had the most flattering hopes of an early & plentiful crop of Grains being so intirely overflowed by the sudden rise of the Rivers that in a great measure has frustrated our expectations & destroyed the crops in the grounds- It therefore becomes indispensably necessary that I shou’d have as early & exact accounts from the other districts of what prospects there is of there being able to supply the large demands that must be made on them for grain from different parts of the country. I beg therefore Sir, you will furnish me as soon as convenient with the best information you able to give me on this subject relating to the district under your inspection.

1.18. No.138

The Rajah has lately been very importunate with me , on the subject of his allowance and has requested I will write you in his favor that you may grant him an addition thereto, to enable him to support himself and his family in a comfortable manner which his present allowance is not equal to-to this Sir I gave him for answer that it was with a view to his ease and welfare you perswaded if he cou’d make it appear insufficient, you wou’d take it into your consideration hereafter when the prospect of the country became a little more favorable but that in the present general distress it wou’d be unreasonable to expect a compliance. With this he is at present satisfied but earnestly requested to have the arrears of his allowance paid up from the beginning of the Year that he may discharge some debts lately contracted for his family expences and supply his relations with some money for their [Page 157] necessary charges whom he represents to be in a distressfull situation. This Sir appear’d to me so reasonable, from a knowledge,, that he has had no fixed allowance till lately, since my arrival and at the same time so consistent with the favorable intentions of our Hon’ble Employers towards the Zemindars in general, that I told him I was hopeful it would meet with your concurrence and soon as it is convenient I beg Sir, you will favor me with your answer- When I paid my respects to you at the City I represented that it woud tend greatly to the relief of the people and facility of the Collections to proportion the payments to the season of the year of that the heavy demands may be when the Riots are best able to pay from the produce of their Crops- At present the grain is not ready to reap and the distress of the Ryots such that the Etmaumdars can make no demands upon them- Never the less Sir as your are anxious for a supply of money I opened the Collections with the Pooneah; but as the money which is now is paid is chiefly from the private funds of the Etmaumdars as their circumstances will admit- I hope you will accept my present endeavours rather as an effort to supply an emergency than as regular collections and make an allowance for the smallness of the remittances for a little time longer.-

When the crop is ready the payments of the year shall be fixed and I shall have I hope the satisfaction of laying before you my general plan of collections for the province.

I am favored with your letter of the 24th Instant as the dearth or plenty of grain will greatly depend upon the 2nd Crop it is yet impossible to say whether these provinces will have sufficient for their own consumption or be able to afford and exportation however, Sir, as soon as I can judge with any degree of certainty I shall advise you & I remain with respect.

2.1. No.151

I am sorry to inform you that I now despair effecting the removal of the Bands of Robber infesting the Pergunnahs for the Zemindars both to forego the Emoluments they have ever derived from thence, have leagued against me & furnish the Sardar Thieves With exact Intelligence of all my motions- so that whilst they are Counselling me to attempt the seizure of a Fellow thro’ them he receives the most punctual Information which not only defeats the Capture, but also exposes the seapoys to his Machinations- This Conduct is strongly suspected in the Zemindarry People of Issouspore when it is confirmed I will send them to you, to inflict condign punishment unless I have Orders to the Contrary.

I believe was you to menace the Zemindar, with dismission from his Zemindarry if he did not deliver up to me the Theives of this District in five Days. He would go near to accomplish it even in that short space of hither from plundering the Inhabitants, was it only practiced by a few so that instead of iradicating the Nuisances for which they were sent. They considerably multiply them.