Indian Antiquary Vol 47

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

Page 35

FEBRUARY, 1918)
AUSTRIA'S COMMERCIAL VENTURE IN INDIA
Consultation at Fort William, 12 August 1779.73 The Governor General [ Warren Hastings] informs the Board that he has received # report from the Master Attendant that eight sloops are arrived at Calcutta laden with cotton and other goods, which they received on freight from on board the Joseph and Theresa, the ship under the orders of Mr Bolts, that two other sloops have passed on to Chinsura, and that several more are coming up.
The Governor General sent for the Sarangs { sarhang, skipper) of the sloops, which had stopped at town, and received the following information from them.
That they had been engaged by Captain Dundas to carry down goods to che Royal Henry lying at Kedgree. That on their arrival there an European came on board their sloop from Mr Bolts's ship and desired that as soon as they should have cleared their sloops of the goods brought down for the Royal Henry, to come along side and take in a cargo of cotton for Calcutta, for which they should be paid the customary price. That having delivered the goods for the Royal Henry they received a cargo of cotton from Mr Bolts's ship. That on their arrival at Calcutta, they were told to proceed on to Chinsura, for that the cotton could not be unloaded here. The Governor General adds that he has given directions to the Manjeer (manjhi, master of a native boat ) not to proceed further without an order from him.
[ Here follows a list of the sloops and their owners. ]
The Governor General also lays before the Board a letter to the Phoulsdar faujilar, chief police officer of Houghley which, if approved, he recommends that the Commander in Chief be requested to give orders to the Officer Commanding at Chandernagore ( Chandarnagar to comply with any applications which shall be made to him by the Phousdar of Houghly conformably thereto. To Khan Jahan Khan, Phousdar of Hooghly.
Notwithstanding the orders issued by this Government as well as by the Nabob to prohibit all trade or intercourse with Mr Bolts, eight sloops have come up the river with merchandize from his ship, three of which have passed Calcutta and will probably proceed to Chinsura : Should they have reached that place, it will not be advisable to interfere with them, but with respect to any others which may attempt to pass Chinsurah, it is necessary that you take effectual means to prevent them, and should you stani in need of any additional force, Captain Grant, who is stationed at Chandernagore, will, on your written application to him, afford it to you.
Approved the letter to the Phousdar of Houghly, and agreed that the Commander in Chief be requested to give orders to the Commanding Officer at Chandernagore to comply with any application which may be made to him by the Phousdar of Houghly for troops to prevent the sloopy laden with Mr Bolts's goods from passing up the river. To obviate the consequence of any misunderstanding of the publication of the Company's Orders respecting Mr Bolta.
Resolved that the Custom Master be directed not to suffer any goods whatever imported by Mr Bolts's ship to be landed in Calcutta, and that the Collector of Government Customs be laid under the same prohibition and further onjoined to give orders to his officers to prevent any from being landed within the jurisliction of his office.
Ordered that the Master Attendant be directed peremptorily to for bid the Sarangs of the sloops laden with Mr Bolte's goods to proceed further up the river with them.
13 Bengal Public Consullations, (1779), XXXII, 62-67.