Indian Antiquary Vol 62

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

Page 373

MARCH, 1933]
THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
In his letters to his two sisters, Elizabeth Fenwick and Ann Trenchfield, his aunt Mrs. Farmerie and his sister-in-law Sarah Burniston, Scattergood told them of the gifts he was sending them and touched on family matters. To his brother-in-law, Edward Fenwick, Scattergood wrote a similar letter to that addressed to Elihu Trenchfield (Document No. 103).
203
Other letters despached to England by the Ostend and Company's ships were addressed by Scattergood to his friend William Phipps (explaining how Phipps's money had been employed in India), to Peter Godfrey and his wife, to Sir Robert Child, Robert Gascoyne, Captain Bolton, Sir Gregory Page and John Rudge (brother of Scattergood's school fellow Benjamin Rudge). For all these, commissions had been executed in China, and to most of them gifts were sent in addition. To Francis Chamberlain he wrote in a different strain.
[104]
[Canton, November 1719.]
To Francis Chamberlayne Esq., Sir,
You being one that I have particular obligations too, makes me trouble you with this, especially to sett matters in a true light, sence we have received a little severe letter wrote by Mr. Afflack, signed by you, him and Mr. Wendey,(') wherein they charge us first in our neglect in not leaving them an invoice.
Truely I thought all accounts and papers &c. left with you was sufficient, and besides, we could not make up exact accounts as matters stood then. Our accounts from hence that we sent you hope will clear all doubts.
And then they blame us for not being concerned in the ship, which I can not tell what that would signify, for if we had half the stock 1 could not do more then have done.
As for advising us about the freight and bringing that to an account, I think they ought to have stayed and seen our accounts before they had given their advise, for I am sure it never enter'd in our thoughts of wronging them of their freight or anything else.
You may tell the gentlemen this from me, that nobody does more or would doe for their interest then ourselves. Our stock is too big to goe from port to port as they talk of, and no voyage but China can employ our stock. For suppose we went to Bengall, there we should meet with a bundance of oppo[si]tion. But suppose we had all assistance imagenable and gott our ship full of freight, what must we have done with our stock? Respondentia no body will touch; interest, a little may be let out; and all the rest must lye still. The truth of this Mr. Sittwell has found when he was there. And so for a freight of 10 or 12000 rupees we must have let our stock lye idle. Peice goods now turns to no account no w[h]ere. India is quite alter'd sence some people have left it. Our countrey ships that belongs to the gentlemen att Bengall and that getts all the freight &c. they are abale [able] does not make them above 15 per cent voyage. Then what must we have done that must have struggled through a great many difficulties ?
When I went to England I sent to Mr. Williamson 10000 rupees, desiring him to employ that money for me and to concern me where ever he was a little. He did so, himself being