Indian Antiquary Vol 62

SR No.: 032554
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 450
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 435

SEPTEMBER, 1933 ]
THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
265
To the above protest Captain John Houghton replied on the following day:
[160]
Canton 10th November 1722. Mossrs. John Scattergood and Thomas Hill, Gentlemen,
I was not a little surprised at the receiving of a paper you were pleased to deliver in the forme of a protest, from which paper (for I cannot allow it a protest) I beg to transcribe the five principall paragraphs, and then answer them. 1st. That my long boat on the 29 ulto. coming up to fill water for the shipeuse (putting armes
therein), my gunners mate being patron of the boate, shot a China boy mortally, that he dyed the
same day, in shooting at a bird, as he, the said gunners mato and boats crew says and as you beleive. 2dly. That this accident has entirely stopped all your business, so that we cannot go from hence
before that unlucky affair is ended, and you, having tryed by all means possible from that time till now to make an end of that business for a small summe. 3dly. That the Mandereens demand eighteen hundred tales to conclude the affair. 4thly. That you demand the abovesaid summe of eighteen hundred tales of me, which in justice you say
I ought to pay, the man that did the mischief being in my service and actually doing the ships bussiness. 5thly. That upon my refusall to pay the said summe of eighteen hundred tales, you tell me you protest
against me and the owners of the King George (the ship I have the honour to command) not only for damages you shall sustain for keeping the shipp here, but for the said sume of eightoon hundred tales exstorted from you.
To the five prooeding paragraphs I answer as followes :Ist. That if the gunners mato did kill a boy accidently when he was comming up to fill water in the
long boate, I am very sorry for it. 2d. That you have not boon detained in your bussiness I think is very certain, for wo have lately
received a large quantity of goods, and I have been made to beleive my dispatch will be sudden, for which I am prepared. 3rd. That the demands you are pleased to say the Mandereens make for eighteen hundred tales cannot
relate to mo for, till the day before I received the said paper, anything relating thereto has not been mention'd to me as a party therein concern'd, you then telling me you were to pay the said summe, having made an end of the said affair, which said summe of eighteen hundred tales you shoud demand of me. To be sure so great & sumo must have been the subject matter of many a discourse, and I say you know I have never before been apprized thereof, you having held all conferences relating to it by
your selves. 4th. That the demand for the said sume therefore is very farr from a justifiable ono, for you own that
the gunners mate was coming up on the shipps business, which is for the generall good, because
without water no shipp can putt to sea. 5th. That upon my refusall to pay the said summe of eighteen hundred tales you would insinuate you mean to protest against me, and the owners of the King George for all damages you will think proper to charge, which is very extraordinary, for it has been observed you own that the said summe of eighteen hundred tales is by the Mandereens extorted, and I shall only add that my instructions from the Honble. the President &c. Councill of Bombay, direct that after my receivall of your sailing orders from this place, I am to proceed with greatest expedition to Malacca for intelligence of pyrates &c. and then to Bombay, which I am ready to put in immediato execution. I am Gentlemen, your most obedt, humble servant
JOAN HOUGHTON.
This answer deliver'd in the presence of us
ROBERT CONY
WILLIAM MORCOM(1) This is a true coppy and attested by us.
[NOTE ON DOCUMENT No. 160.] (1) William Moroom (or Markham) was one of the officers of the King George, as was probably Robert Cony also.