Indian Antiquary Vol 44

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 17

JANUARY, 1915.] SOME ANGLO-INDIAN WORTHIES OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 13
commented on by Thomas Pace and Edward Reade in August and September.19 All this time he had failed to arrange a meeting with his friend Edwards, 50 whose regard for him had evidently lessened since his dismissal from Dacca. On the 17th October, Clavell wrote peremptorily to Hûgli summoning Smith back to Balasor.51 "It will be needful that Mr. John Smith take bis passage of the first of the Company's sloops that comes this way, to be assisting here, and we order him so to doe."
In compliance with these orders, Smith left Hûgli on the 29th October.52 On his arrival at Balasor he probably found the relations between Clavell and himself to be extremely strained. He, therefore, without permission, went off in a "country ship" to Fort St. George to make out a case for himself with the Council there.53 On the 28th December 1674 Clavell wrote to the Agent, 5 "These may also informe you that Mr. John Smith, against our order, is proceeded on the ship Nossa Sentusa de Monte, whereof Mr. Richard Naplis is Pilot, upon pretence, as wee are informed, that he may recover some debts which he pretends are due unto him on the Coast, but wee can informe you that if any such Debts are, they are long since assignd to perticular persons to whome he is considerably indebted, and therefore wee presume his Clandestine departure hath been to evade the disquisition of what he Maliciously wrote to the right worshipfull Agent the 4th of May last." Clavell further remarked that Smith, if innocent, could have cleared himself at Balasor, "where witnesses were present" and an enquiry could have been held. He went on to accuse him of charging the Company with his own debts, of securing himself against legal demands made on him in Dacca, and of mortgaging unsold goods belonging to the Company to persons to whom he was indebted. The Council at "the Bay" urged the Agent at "the Fort" to send Commissioners to impartially investigate the case of Smith and also that of Joseph Hall, another thorn in their side.
The sympathies of the Agent and Council at Fort St. George were evidently with the malcontents. At a Consultation held at Fort St. George on the 18th February, 1675,55 reference was made to "the endless debates and mutuall asperpersions in and from the Bay between the Chief and Factors there, and their displacing of Mr. Joseph Hall and Mr. John Smith from their places of Second of Hughley and Ballasore and Chief of Dacca, without orders from hence, there appearing unto the Agent and Councell to be much of private matter in their cases, these feuds having now continued many years ... to the great disturbance of our Honoble. Employers and their affaires and of this Agency who have laboured thus long to reconcile them and remove these scandalls and offences but hitherto in vaine." It was decided to be useless to send commissioners to investigate the matter until definite orders were received from the Company, and therefore the Council contented themselves with ordering John Smith "to be restored to his Chiefship at Dacca" and Elwes to be sent as second to Patna. They further directed that, for the future, no Chiefs of subordinate factories should be displaced without orders from "the Fort."
These recommendations were not carried out, for in May, 1675, Smith was once more at Hagli and at variance with Clavell.50 On the 22nd he apologised to Edwards for not having "writ" since his "arrivall from the Coast," but pleaded want of time and "some differences created by Mr. Clavell not obeying the Agents orders." He added that he was
49 O. C. Nos. 3993 and 3999. 51 Factory Records, Hugli, Vol. 4.
53 Factory Records, Hugli, Vol. 4.
55 Factory Records, Fort St. George, Vol. I.
50 O. O. No. 4018.
20. C. No. 4026,
54 Factory Records, Hugli, Vol. 4.
56 0.0. No. 4091.