Indian Antiquary Vol 61

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

Page 334

162
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
NOVEMBER, 1933
"paper hangings for rooms " alone. Then, leaving his uncle Roger Scattergood to attend to the payment of workmen, carriage of goods, etc., Scattergood returned to London, took up his quarters with Mrs. Johnson, in Warwick Square, Holborn, and proceeded to carry out the scheme that he had probably devised on the homeward voyage.
But before entering into the story of the Bonita and Scattergood's connection with her trading ventures, it may be well to deal with his correspondence and other activities during the year 1717.
The accounts kept by his attorney, John Maubert, at Madras, during the first year of Scattergood's absence (1716-1717) testify to the variety and volume of his client's interests in India. The debit side shows expenditure for tutenaga and silver sent to Bengal, investments in the Britannia, the Barrington, Falkenbridge, Calicut Merchant, Catherine, Shallam, King George, William, Sampson, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Hartford in their various voyages to Siam, Judda, Canton, Surat, Bengal and England, amounting, with sums paid to Mrs. Ramsden on account of Scattergood's infant daughter in her care, to some 10,000 pagodas. On the credit side the dividends received from shares in the above and other ships, the proceeds of sale of tea, putchuck, silver, coral, etc., amounted to some 23,000 pagodas, leaving a handsome balance for trading in the succeeding year (1718). The following letter accompanied Maubert's first set of accounts.
[67]
Ft. St. Geo., 15 Aug. 1717. To Mr. John Scattergood, Sir,
This serves only to advise you of the receipt of yours per Cambridge, that your child is well and I bel[ijeve all that I have sent to sea on your account since gone from hence in parti. cular. The Shallam arrived yesterday(') and will make a good voyage, our friends Walker and Readshaw() in good health; the former will goe to sea no more.
Your brothers are not arrived from Surrat and we suppose they are now goeing from thence to Bengall.
By the Marlbrough and Prince Fredrick I answer your letter(3) and give you [an] ample account of your affairs. I assure your lady, Mr. Phipps, &c. friends of my humble respects and am Sir
Your most humble servant,
JNO. MAUBERT. Fort St. George Aug. 15th 1717.
P.S. I omitted however to tell you I fear your concerne with Dupre(4) desperate, he being miserable poor at Menilla. What small matter he had here lyes now attacht in the Court; of this am more ample in my others letters. Idem J. C. M.
(NOTES ON DOCUMENT NO. 67.) (1) The arrival of "ship Shaallem," Captain Laidmager, from Persia on 14 August is chronicled in the Fort St. George Diary, slao her departure for Bengal on 8 September, when she is called the “Shawal. lum."
(3) William Redshaw and Benjamin Walker, shareholders with Seattergood in the ship. (8) No other letter from Maubert at this date is extant.
(6) Scattergood's investmont in Manila, entrusted to Mr. Dupree, was one of his very few unfortunate venturee.
Scattergood's other correspondence at this time includes a letter from Father Cerne of the Jesuit mission at Canton, showing the high esteem in which he was held by that