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MARCH, 1918)
AUSTRIA'S COMMERCIAL VENTURE IN INDIA
Letter from the Company's Standing Counsel respecting Mr Hegner's Memorial,
dated Fort St. George, 9 February 1781.96 To Mr Secretary Sulivan. Sir,
I have received your favor of the 7th Inst. enclosing me, by Directions of the President and Select Committee, a Copy of a Memorial delivered to them by Mr James Hegner and desiring my opinion on the subject of it. But as it is necessary, to enable me to forin an opinion how it would be proper to act upon this occasion, that I should know what the Captains complained of have to offer in their justification, I think it would be right to send them a copy of the Memorial for that purpose. At present having but a partial view of the subject, it is impossible for me to form a satisfactory judgement of it. I request that you will acquaint the Hon'ble. President and Select Committee with this circumstance and am &c.
BENJAMIN SULIVAN
Letter from the Secretary at Fort St. George to Mr James Hegner,
dated 16 February 1781.97 The Hon'ble. President and Select Committee have received your Memorial. The Subject of it is under the consideration of the Company's Standing Counsel. When his Opinion is reported, I shall have the Command of Government to reply fully to you on the points in Question, Letter from the Earl of Hillsboroughos to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the
East India Company, dated St. James's, 21 September 1781.90 Count Belgioioso, 100 the Imperial Minister, having presented to me, by Order of his Court, two Memorials complaining of the proceedings of Vice Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, the Governors of the Company's Settlements in India, and particularly of the Governor General, against the subjects of His Imperial Majesty, I transmit to you herewith copies thereof, and of a Declaration upon Oath of Louis Macé 1 inclosed in one of the Memorials.
I shall by the first Conveyance write to Sir Edward Hughes for what regards the Charge stated against him, as I do not find any mention in his Letters to me of those matters, but in case you may have received intelligence of what may have passed between that Admiral or the Governors in India and the Emperor's Subjects, I am to desire you will communicate the same to me, together with your opinion concerning the propriety of the Admiral's and Governor's Conduct, and if you have received no such notice, it will be highly necessary that you transmit by the very first conveyance to the respective Governors Copies of the inclosed papers, so far as regards them, and that you direct them to send you, as soon
96 Madras Select Committee Consultations (1781), V. 350. 97 Madras Select Committee Consultations (1781), V. 360.
96 Viscount Hillsborough, Ist Marquis of Downshire, Principal Secrutary of State for the Northern Department 1779-1782.
99 Miscellaneous Letters Received, Vol. 69, No. 88.
106 Louis Charles Marie Belgio Joso, Comte de Barbrano, born 1728, was Maria Theresa', ambassadur (and after her death ambassador for Joseph II. of Austria) in London from 1770 to 1783.
. 1 See ante, p. 58.