Indian Antiquary Vol 47

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

Page 94

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ APRIL, 1918
had to give away a large share of his advantages in the prospectus to them for assistance in floating the issue, in a manner well known to the modern Company-promoter.
The object of giving Bolts three colleagues in the direction of the Society's venture was obviously to protect the shareholders, but they had individually so subordinate an interest in the concern that their control must have been shadowy.
One result of this story is to bring home to the present-day reader, with convincing clearness, what it meant to European merchants, even in the late 18th century, when " their ships came home." Letter from Mr Nathaniel Green, Consul, to Mr Secretary Fox,
dated Trieste, 9 May 1783.29 Mr. Bolts is now at Vienna, solliciting Credit for the Value of One Hundred Thousand Florins in Copper and Gunpowder for the Cargo of the Ship Colentzel, which is to be fitted out here for Bengal and China so soon as the Actions are all engaged, if the Disputes among Mr Bolts's Creditors do not throw Obstacles in the Way. This Expedition proposed (according to all Appearance ) by Mr Bolts to amuse his Creditors, is to be carried on under the Firm &c, of La Societa Triestina. Mr Bolts and three Merchants of this place are the Managers, and they hope, not only to send out this Ship, but also to find Funds in the same Way, that [is,] by Shares or Actions, for sending out another immediately afterwards. All this affair is totally separate from those of the Antwerp Company to whom Mr Bolts has ceded his Octroi or exclusive Privilege for the East India Trade, which began in 1775 and its term will expire in 1785. Mr Bolts, however, not withstanding his present very critical situation and his extensive Engagements, still contemplates his favourite Project of a Voyage to the North West Coast of America and round the Globe, for which intent he retains yet in is Service the People he first engaged to assist in that Enterprize, vizt.
Mr Gilpin, Astronomer, who went the last Voyage with Captain Cook 30 [G] Dixon, Armourer in the same. [Wm.] Walker, Joyners Mate Do. and [H.] Zimmerman, Mariner Do. This last is a Native of Spiers in the Palatinate
and is the Man who has published in German a Relation of Captain Cooke's
last Voyage. Thus Mr Bolts's projects may produce two trading Companies instead of one, besides setting something of the same kind a going in Leghorn, from whence a Ship lately sailed under Tuscan Colours for East India, though perhaps its Voyage may terminate at the Isle of France, and Mr Sherriman, late of Madras, is now solliciting the Grand Duke for his Protection of another Ship for the Coast of Coromandel. There is some Ground to
18 Charles James Fox (1749-1806), Joint Secretary of State with Lord North, April-Dec. 1783.
9 Miscellaneous Letters Received, vol. 73, No. 189.
30 Mr. Edward Heawood informs me that in Kitson's Life of Captain James Cook the name of G. Gilpin appears in the list of officers and men who went with Cook on his second (not last) voyage, 1772.1775. Gilpin's name figures among the supernumeraries as "gervant" to the Astronomer on the Resolution, and he probably acted as assistant.
al G. Dixon, Wm. Walker and Heinrich Zimmermann were all members of the crew of the Discovery in Cook's last voyage. Zimmermann's account, entitled Reise um die Welt mit Capit. Cook, was published at Gottingen in 1781. A second ed. was published at Mannheim in 1782. In a note to the 1st ed. the author is said to have been a quartermaster in the Discovery, but in Kitson's list (see previous note) he is styled co xawain. I am indebted to Mr. B. G. Corney for this information,