Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Innes to the
Adjutant-General of the Army.
Fort St. George.
Sir,
I have the honour herewith to transmit to you an official note, received last night, from Lieutenant D. Forbes of the Madras European regiment, with one to your address; both of which I request may be submitted to the Commander-in-Chief.
If Lieutenant Forbes's application is complied with, every young officer under my command will soon be making similar applications to head-quarters.
The gross and public disrespect shown by Lieutenants D. Forbes and Maitland, of the Madras European regiment, at the regimental mess of that corps, on the night of the 7th instant, so derogatory to the dignity of the Honourable the Governor in Council and Commander-in-Chief, from the observations made by these officers on the Government orders and those of the Commander-in-Chief, then received, dated 1st May; as also on the steady conduct of the native troops at Hyderabad, which was instantly noticed by me, calling upon Lieutenant D. Forbes to change the toast he proposed from the friends of the army to that of the Madras army, which was pointedly rejected, and the former one repeated, with three times three, obliging me to quit the mess-room; and for which improper conduct Lieutenants Forbes and Maitland subsequently declined to make an apology. I therefore feel it now my duty to report the circumstance officially, for the information of the Honourable the Governor in Council, and Commander-in-Chief.
(Signed) JAMES INNES,
Lieut.-Colonel commanding at
Masulipatam.
Masulipatam,
24th May, 1809.