FOOTNOTES:
[359] The first Charter of Incorporation was dated 31st December, 1660.
[360] Macpherson’s ‘Commerce of India,’ p. 81.
[361] Captain Meadows Taylor, in his ‘Manual of the History of India,’ Lond., 1871, has devoted his 5th book to a very clear, full, and condensed account of the East India Company and its doings from 1613 to 1784 (pp. 387-501).
| £ | |
| By this important instrument the Old Company, in addition to their subscription of | 315,000 |
| Agreed to purchase stock at par from the New Company to the amount of | 673,500 |
| Making their joint-stock | 998,500 |
| Being equivalent to the remaining New Company’s stock | 998,500 |
| Which, with the stock of the separate traders | 23,000 |
| Constituted the total united capital of | 2,000,000 |
See further details in ‘Charters of East India Company from 1601,’ etc. Lon., 4to., 1774.
[363] McCulloch’s ‘Commercial Dictionary,’ p. 567.
[364] ‘Report on the East India Company,’ vol. iv.; Reports of Committees, House of Commons.
[365] It will be found at p. 264 of these reports, and occupies fourteen folio pages of closely-printed double columns. Those extracts from it which required “the attention of the commanders and officers in the maritime service” of the Company are given in [Appendix No. 8] of this volume.
[366] Pigs of iron cast for permanent ballast.
[367] Compensation due to the shipowner from the freighter for unduly delaying his vessel in port beyond the time specified in the charter-party or bill of lading.
[368] At a later period no less than 50l. per ton freight was on more than one occasion paid for the voyage, beyond an allowance for contingencies. From Hardy’s ‘Registry,’ pp. 18, 20, and 22, at a court of Directors held on the 23rd September, 1796, the ship Admiral Gardner, of eight hundred and thirteen tons, commanded by “John Woolmore, Esq.,” appears by the minutes to have been chartered on the following conditions:—
| £ | s. | d. | ||
| “Peace freight to China, or circuitously and to all parts of India alike, for six voyages certain. | 21 | 0 | 0 | per ton. |
| “Surplus, peace and war | 10 | 10 | 0 | per ton. |
| “For a variety of expenses arising from war, including the additional charges of insurance, beyond 8 guineas per cent., and the expenses of bounty and manning to be paid, at all events either on the ship’s arrival or in 18 months, whichever shall first happen. The difference of seamen’s wages beyond 26s. per month, and the charges of replacing seamen impressed into her Majesty’s service, maintenance and returning of Lascars, to be at the risk of the Company.” | 18 | 10 | 0 | per ton. |
| Total freight and charges paid to the shipowner | £50 | 0 | 0 |
[369] Act of 24 Geo. III., s. 2, c. 29.
[370] Mr. Travers, the wholesale grocer in St. Swithin’s Lane, told Mr. Pitt that he found a bag of smuggled tea in his area every night: how it came there he could not tell; but he was sure he should find it there whilst the duty was so high. Mr. Pitt wisely took the hint, and reduced the duty.
[371] The rules and regulations established for the shipping of goods by the private trade will be found in Hardy’s ‘East India Registry,’ Appendix, pp. 58, 59.
[372] ‘Commercial Dictionary,’ p. 570.
[373] Papers published by the East India Company in 1813, Hardy, p. 84.
[374] In the [Appendix, No. 9], there will be found a list of the East India Company’s ships lost, burnt, taken, or otherwise destroyed, from 1700 to 1819, from Hardy’s ‘Registry.’
[375] The conditions respecting merchant shipping will be found specified in the clauses relating to goods (from 6 to 16, both inclusive) of the Bill.
[376] Parl. Debates, 16 June, 1813, Hansard, p. 685.
[377] Speech of Sir William Curtis, Hansard, p. 691.
[378] A list of the ships of the Company in 1820, with their tonnage, number of guns, men, and where built, will be found in the [Appendix, No. 10.]
[379] See [Appendix, No. 11], for a condensed account of many of these actions.
[380] Company’s instructions, Hardy, p. 91.
[381] Company’s instructions, Hardy, p. 97.
[382] The strict rule of promotion by seniority only applied to the eight ships belonging to the East India Company. In the ships belonging to private individuals, which were chartered by the Company for a specific number of voyages, the promotion of the officers depended very much upon their ability and good conduct, or the influence which could be brought to bear in their favour with the owners, by whom all such appointments and promotions were made; but the command of these ships was almost invariably sold to the highest bidder, competent to fill the situation, the price averaging about 3000l.
[383] Hardy, pp. 114-118.
[384] Ibid. p. 76.
[385] “Dunnage” is loose wood, horns, rattan, coir, etc., stowed among casks to prevent their moving, or under dry cargo to prevent the bilge water getting to it and spoiling it.
[386] Hardy, p. 80.
[387] In 1834, after the Company had been deprived of its trading privileges, and no longer required to maintain its maritime service, Captain Innes, of the chartered ship Abercrombie Robinson, memorialised the Company, in his own name and in that of other commanders, for “compensation for the loss of employment in consequence of the discontinuance of the Company’s trade.” He therein estimates his “emoluments and income accruing from his appointment as commander, upon an average of his last three voyages,” as follows:—
| £ | s. | d. | ||||
| Eighteen months’ pay, at 10l. per month | 180 | 0 | 0 | |||
| £ | s. | d. | ||||
| Fifty-six tons privilege, outward, at 41. per ton | 224 | 0 | 0 | |||
| From port to port, at 30 rupees per candy | 336 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Homeward, at 33l. per ton | 1,848 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2,408 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Primage | 100 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Two-fifths tonnage, from port to port, 478 tons, at 30 rupees per candy | 2,868 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Less, charged by the Hon. Co., 2l. per ton | 956 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 1,912 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Passage-money, after allowing for the provisions and stores provided for the passengers | 1,500 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 6,100 | 0 | 0 |
Making 6,100l. per voyage for the last three voyages, “exclusive of the profits on investments.”
[388] See Victualling Bill, [Appendix, No. 13]; Hardy, p. 81.
[389] Hardy’s “Registry,” p. 51.
[390] In the passage from Bombay to China, where the ships were chiefly laden with cotton, the commanders and officers, by a resolution of the Court of the 6th March, 1805, were allowed nearly two-fifths of the whole tonnage space of the ship’s capacity for their especial use and benefit, and free of all charge, on the very reasonable condition that “the Company shall not be subjected to any expense whatever for securing the Company’s cotton or otherwise.” In the event of the Company not requiring to ship any cotton or other goods on their own account on this intermediate voyage, the remaining three-fifths’ space in the ship’s hold, usually appropriated for their own use, was to be disposed of to the highest bidder, but the commander and officers were in all cases to have the preference, with the very prudent and no doubt necessary precaution, that “they were to deliver their proposal at the same time with the other tenders, and were not to be allowed to amend their tenders after their proposals have been opened.” Similar privileges were granted to the commanders and officers employed in the intermediate trade between Bengal or Madras and China.—Regulations, East India Company. Hardy, pp. 132, 133.
[391] Hardy, pp. 119, 120.
[392] Ibid. pp. 121, 122.
[393] Standing orders of the East India Company, Hardy, p. 23.
[394] Minutes of Court of Directors of the East India Company, 8th April, 1800, Hardy, p. 126.
[395] As every officer in the service, and the greater portion of the crews, did contribute monthly towards this fund, these pensions were consequently not altogether gratuitous on the part of the Company.
[396] “Holy-stone” is the sandstone used for cleaning the decks. The name is originally derived either from tombstones taken from churchyards for the purpose, or from the fact that the sailors have to go on their knees to perform this labour (Admiral W. H. Smyth, p. 387).
[397] Returns furnished by the Board of Trade.
[398] ‘Commercial Dictionary,’ p. 571, edition of 1869.
[399] List of large ships belonging to or in the service of the East India Company in 1831, and how they were disposed of, [Appendix, No. 14].
[400] The rates of freight paid to the last vessels chartered by the Company in 1832-1833 ranged from 12l. 15s. to 14l. per ton to and from China, and only 7l. 12s. to 9l. 15s. to and from Bombay (Hardy, pp. 20-22); and although these rates were double what can now be obtained, they were unremunerative, considering the cost of construction of these vessels, their small capacity in proportion to their registered tonnage, and their large current expenses.
[401] Although the Company frequently engaged vessels for a single voyage, those employed in the regular service were invariably chartered for six consecutive voyages, the custom being for tenders to be issued, specifying the number of vessels required, their tonnage and equipment, and inviting their owners to make offers at so much per ton for six voyages certain (sufficient time being allowed for construction and outfit), so that nearly all the ships in the regular service of the Company were specially built for the purpose, shipowners, as a rule, naturally hesitating to invest a large capital on a particular description of vessel, unless her employment was secured by contract for a length of time sufficient to justify the expenditure.
[402] Memorial of Captain Probyn, etc., July 1834, [Appendix No. 15], p. 548.
[403] Minutes of Court of Directors, 5th August, 1834. Hardy, p. 29.
[404] The pensions voted by the Proprietors of the East India Company, and approved by the Directors, were as follows: Commander, 250l. per annum; chief to fourth mate, inclusive, from 160l. to 70l.; fifth, and sixth mates, 59l.; surgeons, 160l.; their assistants, 70l.; pursers, 100l.; midshipmen, 30l., and boatswains, carpenters, and gunners, each 25l. per annum. Widows, one-half of their husbands’ pensions during their widowhood; children, the usual allowance. But these were reduced one-fifth by an order from the President of the India Board, 12th Nov., 1834.
[405] The two officers who stood first for promotion received each 2,400l.; the two second officers in a similar position were each paid 2,200l.; the third officers, 2,100l.; and the remaining two officers received 2,000l. each. The other mates were remunerated in sums of from 1,600l. to 150l., whilst midshipmen who had made four voyages were paid 100l., and those who had served two voyages, 75l. each. Carpenters, gunners, and boatswains who had served five years in the service received each from 100l. to 150l.