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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1902.
The Accompanying Letter from Lieut! Wells claiming some Staff Allowance, for the time that he has had Charge of the Settlement, I do not hesitate to forward to the Governor General in Council as also to declare that the Appointments which the Board were pleased to grant to Lieut! Wells appear to have been inadequate to the duties he had to perform, and that I shall be much gratified if the Board will consider the services he has rendered, by some further Allowance, and Altho it is With Reluctance I do it, yet I think this is the best time to declare that after One years experience, I find that the Allowance which the Board have been pleased to attain [? attach] to my Office has not been adequate to the absolute necessary expences of the Situation, I am therefore hopeful that it will not be thought unreasonable in me, to request that an addition May be made to my Salary I am very sorry to acquaint you that the European Artillery Men recover so very slowly that I have been enduced from the representation of the Surgeon a Copy of whose Letter I send, to send the greatest part of them to Calcutta, on this Vessel, having only kept a Serjeant, a Corporal and two of the healthiest of the Men.
Accompanying I transmit you Lieut! Wells's Account Current of Receipts and Disbursements, made up to the 15th Instant, with the Various Vouchers therein mentioned. The People of all classes are paid up to the 1st of this Month, but you will perceive there is now but a small Balance of Cash in the Public Treasure Chest Altho' I have since received into it the Sum of Sicca Rupees 7800,,,, from various individuals for which I have granted Bills as by the Accompanying List, and I may yet expect to collect a small Sum more it will however be necessary that a Sum not less [than] 15,000 Sicca Rupees half in Gold and half in Silver, be sent by the Cornwallis.
I have written to Lieut! Sandys to procure and send down by the Cornwallis a small number of very necessary Artificers to Supply the place of those that have died or who we have been obliged to allow to return to Calcutta and request that on his application a passage may be ordered for them.
To Lieut! Ramsay I have given charge of the Sepoy Detachment and to Ensign Stokoe the management of the Provision and Store Department, Altho' another Sepoy Officer would be very necessary, I do not think it would be prudent at this time to Apply for One, as the Sickly Season is fast approaching but will rather allow things to remain as they are till after
the rains.
I beg you will acquaint the Board that the Dispatch Brig left here by Admiral Cornwallis is now in great want of repair and if left in her present state must soon be unserviceable, I beg to know what is to be done with this Vessel. It appears to me that she is of very little value but might be useful in sending occasionally to the Nicobars for Stock and Fruit for the Settlement or to Diamond Island for Turtle, but before she can be moved from this place, her Sails which I understand the Admiral delivered to the Marine Store Keeper in Calcutta, should be sent down which I request may be done by the Cornwallis.
I have the honor to be Sir, Your most Obed: Servant (Signed) A. Kyd Supert Andamans. Enclosure I.
20th March 1794.
To Major A. Kyd Superintendant & Commandant of the Andamans.
Sir, I beg leave to Submit to your Consideration and Opinion, the propriety of my applying to Government for Staff Allowance as acting in the capacity of Superintendant and Commandant of this Settlement during the time that Public Affairs have required your residence at Calcutta. You are so perfectly sensible, Sir, of the nature of the Duties dependant on the Station, that it is needless for me either to trouble you with a recital of them, or to revert to their augmented labour and anxiety which various Causes combined to occasionIn receiving this representation, it will probably occur to you, that the principle of guarding