Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 305

JULY, 1931)
THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
101
The title " of Couch " is a puzzle. In Courthope's Knights Sir Edward Winter is styled "of Zidney, Gloucesterdhire."
There is some confusion here. It was in 1710-11, not in 1705 that troubles occurred at Vizagapatam between the English and “Fackerla Cawn" (Fakhru'llah Khan), Diwan of the district. The reason given for the siege of Visagapatam is also incorrect. It was owing to the injudicious conduct of Simon Holoombe that hostilities eventually broke out.
48 Simon Holcombe, Chief of the Factory at Vixagapatam, died there in 1705, the year given by the writer of the monograph for the siege of the place. On 9 June the following reference to him occurs in the Diary and Consultation Book of Fort St. George, p. 75:
"This day we received letters from Vizagapatam which advised the death of Mr. Simon Holcombe Cheif of that place, who we are jealouse has involved himself with the Rajahs of that Country, which we know not but may tend to the prejudice of the Companys affaires."
49 As stated above, the skirmish between the forces of the Diwan and the Company and the siege of Vizagapatam did not take place until 1710. An account of the action, given by the Council of Fort St. George in paragraph 39 of their General Letter to the Company, dated 5 January 1710/11 (Despatches to England, p. 137), differs considerably from that of the writer of the monograph :
"At Vizagapatam they have made no investment, we judging it not safe to adventure any money there, more than what was absolutely necessary for the expenses of that factory dureing their present troubles and convulsions, under which they laboured the last year by means of Fuokerla Cawn's having stop'd up all the avenues of your bounds, and in November last with an army of 800 horse and 7,000 foot actually layd siege against your factory and began the first acts of hostility, whaich was warmly returned by the guns of your little Fort, which made the enemy retire to a further distance, but did not disperse them any more than that they continued the siege, whom we hear since are gone twenty miles further into the country, which wants oonfirmation and is no more than what we have from Jentue letters to some merchants of this place, and we fear the offect will not ease till the cause be taken away, occasion'd by that unlucky debt of Mr. Holcombe's, the remaining part of a sum of about Pagodas 6,500." 50 Fakhru'llah KhAn. 61 Peddapalle. See note 18,
58 Chippeler. See note & There is no confirmation of this statement in the Consultation Book of Fort St. George, and no records of Vizagapatam at the period are extant.
53 The writer has again confused his facta. Simon Holcombe died during Thomas Pitt's Governorship, but the affray took place while William Fraser was at the head of affairs in Madras. Far from quaking "for fear," Fakhru'llah Khan continued to invest Masulipatam until May 1711, when the "troubles were accommodated" by the payment of Rs. 20,732. 5 an. See Diary and Consultation Books of Fort St. George, December 1710 to May 1711.
54 Masulipatam was visited by the English as early as 1611 and the first factory was established there about 1615. It was in 1631 that the place became the centre of English trade on the Coromandel Coast.
55 For Sir William Morris, see notes 11 and 51. Consul Pitt is John Pitt, for whom see note 38.
56 Florence, & red Italian wine. See note on p. 82. 57 Abscesses.
58 Cort, (cortex) Peru, i.e., Peruvian bark, Cinchona. See John Marshall in India, pp. 343, 351.
59 Dysentery.
60 It is difficult to identify this individual as no date is given, uor is it clear if he were secretary at Magulipatam or at Fort St. George. The reference may be to Samuel Wales,