Indian Antiquary Vol 61

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

Page 295

MARCH, 1932)
THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
123
The produce of the Amity's cargo to China was invested in goods saleable at Bombay and Surat, 6.g., quicksilver, tutenaga (spelter), alum, sugar candy, ivory, aniseed, hartal (yellow arsenio, orpiment), preserved ginger, eagle-wood, camphor, China root and Chinese porcelain, amounting to a total of 47,263 tales. Besides the goods shipped on behalf of the owner, the sur arcargoes (Scattergood and Phipps) made investments on their own account in the above and other commodities, to the amount of 5,594 tales. In addition, Scattergood lost no opportunity of making use of the vessels leaving Canton before the Amity to consign gold to his various agents with instructions for its conversion into silver currency, diamonds, etc.
There is no record of the Amity's departure from China, and when next we hear of Scattergood he is on the Malabar Coast on his way to Surat and Bombay. The letter which follow's (No. 10) bears no date, but was evidently written at Telicheri at the end of January, or carly in February, 1714, for there are sundry accounts and bills of exchange dated there on the 1st of the latter month.
N.B.To facilitate reference, the notes to this and succeeding documents are numbered in round brackets.
To the Honble. Edward Harrison Esqr. Governor of Mudras &c. Honble. Sir
I did myself the honour to write you by Mr. John Raworth(') and gave you an account of our China transactions, which I hope your Honour have recei: ed long since, so I shall not trouble you to repeat in this, only to acquaint your Honour that we arrived Callicutt the 20th instant without touching any w[h Jere in our passage. We changd all cur Owners gold there and brought Mr. Adams to this place to procure us what pepper we can take in, and the remainder he gives us bills for Bombay and Surat.(*)
We were in hopes to have heard from your Honour either from Anjengo (where the Cheife(3) sent us a bost informing us that he had no letters for us) or at Callicutt, but since we dont, hope shall not fail at Bombay ; otherwise I shall be mughtily at a loss in manacigeing the Madrass concern in our stock, for I presume 20,000 rupees ill be drawn out on this side, and I reckon the ship will be put up to sail either at Bombay or Surrat, if we cannot agree to valun her.
Mr. Phipps and myself designes, if possible, to sett out again to China in this ship, and if we can hire another ship very cheap and gett subscribers, to send her to Amoy, so that your Honour, if you like of our project, hope will come in ; if not, hope shall gett some of your dullers for China to buy gold, and your last private adventure comeing out so well incorages us to hope to carry more on the same arorint.
We sail this day for Bombay in company with the Sherbourne and Severne.) Captain Peacock(5) passed by this port two days before we arrived, and by a letter that I have received from Mr. Sterling() presume they may make near an hundred per cent. which is very extraordinary as times goe. I hope shall not be long before e arrive Bombay, when if any opportunity prese.its, shall not fail to write your Honour how all m. 'ters goe. In the interim remain
Your Honours most obedient humble servant
J. S.
Notes on Document No. 40.] (") See Document No. 34, p. 117.
(2) Robert Adams, Chief of the Company's factory at Telicheri, The bills alluded to are dated there on 1 February.