Viewing page 28 of 30
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
252 HISTORICAL CHRONICLE.
latter part, conveying the censure, was then put in the following words:
"That the said Robert Lord Clive, in so doing abused the Powers with which he was entrusted, to the evil example of the Servants of the Public."
Mr. Stanley then got up, and moved the previous question, which was, "Whether that question should be then put ?" -- It passed in the negative, without division.
The following resolution was then proposed:
"That Robert Lord Clive did, at the same time render great and meritorious services to this country." Passed unanimously in the affirmative.
A General Court of the Proprietors met to take into further Consideration the answer received from Lord North, when a copy of the bill carried into the House by his Lordship was read, and a motion was made,
"That a Committee, composed of seven Directors, and an equal number of Proprietors, (the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to be two of the Directors) be appointed, forthwith to oppose such parts of a bill now depending in Parliament, entitled, 'An Act for the better Regulation of the Affairs of the East-India Company both in Europe and in India,' ass appear to them to be subversive of the chartered rights of the Company."
The reading of the bill and the remarks upon it, took up the whole time of the Court, and the further consideration of the answer was deferred.
Monday 24.
This morning an ox killed a drover in Smithfield, and afterwards ran over Blackfriars bridge; he was forced back into the Tames, swam over, and took into Bridewell hospital, where he gored a boy before he was secured.
By letters received this day by the Glatton Indiaman, just arrived from China, there is an account, that a most dreadful hurricane had happened there, by which all the shipping in the rived of Canton perished, except the London, the ship belonging to the East India Company. By this disaster, it is reported, that more than 100,000 souls lost their lives, and that the damage sustained was immense.
This day there was held a general court of the East India Company, when the Committee appointed to oppose the bill for establishing certain regulations for the better management of their affairs, made their report, by which it appeared, that their purpose was to militate the bill by petition to Parliament, and having for that end drawn up a petition, the same was read, and was in substance,
"That the bill now depending in that Hon. House, for establishing certain regulations for the better management of the affairs of the East India Company, as well in India as in Europe, will, if passed into a law, effectually destroy every privilege which the petitioners hold under the most sacred securities that subjects can depend upon in this country, and must therefore prove a precedent dangerous to the property of the people at large.
"That the appointment of officers by parliament or the crown, to be vested with the whole civil and military authority of the presidency of Bengal, and also the ordering, management, and government of all the territorial acquisitions and revenues of the company, in the kingdom of Bengal, Bahar, and Orixa,together with the other superintending powers over the settlements of Bombay and Madrass, as specified in the said bill, independent of any choice in the company, or any real power of control in the directors or general courts of the said company, or even any power in the said company of removing the said officers for misbehavior, or filling up of vacancies in case of death or avoidance, is a measure so extraordinary (while the possessions are alleged to remain in the company) that the petitioners humbly beg leave to call the attention of Parliament to this most alarming circumstance, before this hon, house shall give its sanction to the act which, under the colour of regulation, will annihilate at once the powers of the East India company, and virtually transfer them to the crown.
"That the said bill is destructive of the essential rigghts and interest of the petitioners in many other respects, and is further defective as to many of the purposes for which it is declared to be framed.
"That the petitioners further look upon this bill, as tending to destroy the liberties of the subject, from an immense addition of power it must give to the influence of the crown.
"And the petitioners cannot conclude without observing, before they are deprived of their franchises, which are the great security for their property, that they have never been made acquainted with any charge of delinquency having been made against them in parliament; they have never been called upon to be heard against it; and that they cannot therefore support, that any such delinquency on the part of the company has been voted, which delinquency, however, has been made the ground work of this bill.
After the above petition was twice read, some slight alterations were proposed, and the Duke of Richmond threw out a hint, whether is might not be proper to apply to the great corporation of the metropolis, to remonstrate to Parliament against the bill on the principals of General Liberty. He was seconded in this hint by Mr. Kirkman, who declared he would do all in his power towards carrying the same into execution.
A peddon
HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. 253
Tuesday 25.
A petition was presented for leave to bring in a bill to enable the Adamses to disposed of the Adelphi Buildings. The House having relaxed from their general order of not receiving private petitions after a certain day, is a circumstance much in favour of those who promoted the petition.
Wednesday 26.
Lord Clive was at Court for thhe first time for some months past, and had the honour of a long conference with his Majesty.
A melancholy accident happened on board the Centaur man of war, in Portsmouth harbour. The Duchess Dowager of Portland being in that place, she went off with Capitan Bentick to view the shipping; when the said ship was ordered to be manned, and nine men fell from the main yard arm, three of whom were killed on the spot, two very much bruised, and one was saved by falling into the water; the other three saved themselves by catching hold of the foot rope.
Friday 28.
The Lord Mayor held a Court of Common Council in pursuance of the summons, "to consider of an application to Parliament respecting a bill now depending relating to the East India Company." Mr. Alderman Kirkman very ably went into the particulars of the bill, and proved incontestably that the bill was no less injurious to the rights of every corporate body in the kingdom from its principal, than a direct and immediate attack on the privileges of the East India Company, and the rights of the proprietors, secured to them b y Charter and Parliament. He afterwards moved for a petition against the bill, which motion was carried unanimously, and the petition ordered to be immediately presented to the House of Commons, setting forth, That, being informed that a bill was now depending for establishing certain regulations for the better management of the affairs of the East-India Company, as well in India as in Europe, and that the same was a direct and dangerous attack on the liberties of the subject, and, it passed into a law, would prove of the most fatal consequences to the security of property in general, &c the petitioners therefore prayed, that the same might not pass into law. The petition was ordered to lie on the table.
Monday 31.
Advice is said to be received from Leghorn, that six Russian ships of the line and two frigates have passed the Dardanelles.
Advices are received in Spain from Mexico, that a plague of a very malignant kind had broke out in that city, which in fix days had carried off 30,000 of that inhabitants: these advice add that it is a judgement from God for the wicked and diffolute lives of the Spaniards and their progeny in that part of the world.
Advices form Aftrakan make mention of the removal of a whole Kalmuch tribe from between Aftrakan and saratwo, an event that had no precedent fince the migration of the Goths and Vandals. They are gone to the country called Dfungoria, lying between Kirgis, Kaifaki, Siberia, China, and the Lesser Bucharia, where their forefathers formerly lived.
The Dutch East-India Comapany have received an account by the fist ship of their fleet, just arrived in the Texel, that a dreadful earthquake had swallowed up a great part of mountain upon coast of Sumarta; that between 2 and 3000 of the inhabitants, with all their cattle and plantations, were destroyed; and that the flames, which iffued out of the earth, ahd been seen at a vast distance.
the following legacies were left by the late Lord Berkely, of Stratton: -- To Miss Egerton, fifter to the Bishop of Durham, (his Lordshop's executixt) Berkeleyquare for her life, &c. to the amount of about 60,000l.--- to Earl Berkeley, of Berkely, in Gloucestershire, (a very dstant relation of his Lordship) 20,000l. with all his plate and pictures, four large estates in Somerset, two estates in Dorset, and, after Miss Egerton's death, Berkeley square, which is estimated at 15,000l. a year at the expiration of the present leases.--To Commodore Byron, his estates in Yorkshire and Hampshire, estimated at 20,000l. -- 5000lm to each of the Commodore's daughters,-- and 2000l. to each son.--To Lady Sophia Egerton, 5000.--To the Hon. Mrs. Wodehouse, (his Lordship's niece) 5000l. --To Major Egerton, 2000l.--To three of the Major's daughters, 500l.each. --To colonel Egerton, 1000l.--To the Archdeacon of York, 1000l.--To Miss Davison, a annuity of 50l. a year.--To his servants as follow. his Gentleman 600 l. his Valet de-chamre 500l. his housekeer 500l. his London and home afterwards, 200l each; his butler, bailiff, coachman, house maids, laundary and chamber maids, 100l. each' his under afterward and family, 400l. his groom and family, 150l. his gardener and postilion, 50l. each. To the Bath, Bristol, Middlefex, and St. Geogre's hospitals, 1000l. each; and to the poor of Bruton, 100l.
The weather which has been uncommonly mild during the winter in out climates, set in with uncommon rigour in the more northern latitudes of Norway, Lapland, and Siberia. In this last county, at 4 in the morning, in the mouth of December, the mercury was congealed in the both and borometer and thernometer; at eleven it rertuneed again to its fludity. We are not told in what latitude this happend.
There are at present a number of counterfeit guineas circulating in this kingdom from Holland.They are good gold, but want about three shillings in weight: they are distinguishable only by the u in GeorgiUs; ours are spelt with v Georgi Vs.Transcription Notes:
Please note the difference between the form of f and s in this typeface. The long S lacks the crossbar. The modern s shape is used at the end of a word.
