Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 62
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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SEPTEMBER, 1933 ]
THE SCATTERGOODS AND THE EAST INDIA COMPANY
2.53
appear in the account current inclosed(1) except that the Lusitania could not reach Bengal(?) and instead of 2000 pagodas expences which the two Ormes(3) agreed she should be fitted for she has cost 12000, and before she can be in a condition for the seas she will cost 8 moru, for which reason the Governour(") and Mr. Benyon declared they would hold nothing unless she was taken on a new foot which was to value her and strike out a large part of Mr. Orme's concern in her, vizt. fd. of the whole stock for the gentlemen in the Bay. She is now bound thither. Young Mr. Orme(5) we hear hath withdrawn his half of the rupees sent Mr. Feake(6) on her account and we are apt to believe his proportion will not be much more then the concerns under him in this new stock, so that you must, as you come from Surat, make as good a bargain with him as you can, tho' we fear, 'twill be a Flemish account.() She is proposed to go out of Bengal, stock and block 200,000 rupees. Mr. Orme proportion will now be 33,000 rupees, of which you are 4000 pags., Mr. Wake(8) we are told 2000/ more, and Mr. Taylor of Carwar [blank], so that your concerns must be lessen'd.
Your gambogium would not go off at any rate, tho' we did our utmost for you. The Coventry is not yett arrived() tho' hourly expected. We wish her safe and are Sir, your most humble servants
GEORGE TORRIANO,
FR: HUGONIN. Fort St. George, Febry. 24th 1721 (1722).
(NOTES ON DOCUMENT No. 146.) (1) This account is not among the Papers.
(*) The reason for the delay in the Lusitania's passage to Bongal appears to be that her services were engaged in connection with the wreck of the Dartmouth (see p. 250). At a consultation hold at Fort St. George on 9 March 1721/2 Captain Thomas Dixon, commander of the Lusitania, was informed that the Board had agreed to award the owners of the vessel "pagodas two hundred to defray their charges during the time she lay upon the Dartmouth's wreck" (Consultation Book of Port St. George, 1722).
() Stephen and Alexander Orme. () Nathaniel Elwick. (6) Alexander Orme. () Samuel Foako, President of Bengal 1718.1723.
(1) An unsatisfactory account, one showing a deficit. The earliest example of the use of the torm given in the 0. E. D. is 1785.
( ) William Wake, a free merchant, one of the shareholders in the ship.
(e) The Coventry, & vessel belonging to the late Governor of Fort St. George, Francis Hastings, com manded by Captain Isaac Willison, arrived at Madras from Malacca on 31st March 1722 (Port St. George Diary).
After a short stay at Tellicherry and Kârwer the Bonita must have sailed for Bombay, where her arrival is noted in the Diary of 25 February 1721-2: “ The Bonetta, Mr. John Scattergood supracargo, from China, came to an anchor in the offing this evening."
At Bombay Scattergood found his old friend William Phipps installed as Governor, and immediately resumed business relations with him. It was the intention of the Bonita's supercargo to dispose of, at any rate, a portion of her lading, at Surat, where he was expected by his business colleagues Jeremiah Bɔnnell and John Hope. Accordingly, on 4 March, as the Bombay Diary records, the Bonita," under convoy of the Fame, Stanhope and Defiance, eniled for Surat." On 11 March, however, there is another entry in the Diary: "The ships Stanhope, Fame and Bonetta came to an anchor in the offing." An explanation of this occurrence is provided in a letter from Scattergood to Jeremish Bonnell, written in reply to one from the latter lamenting his friend's failure to come to Surat.
