required and directed punctually to attend the faid commiffioners, at fuch time and place as they, or any two of them, shall appoint, and also to obferve and execute fuch orders and directions as the faid commiffioners, or any two of them, fhall make or give for the purposes before mentioned.

And be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, that the faid commiffioners, or any two of them, shall be, and are hereby impowered to examine into any corrupt and fraudulent practices, or other mifconduct, committed by any person or persons concerned in the management of any of the offices or departments herein before mentioned: and, for the better execution of this present act, the said commiffioners, or any two of them, are hereby authorized to meet and fit, from time to time, in fuch place or places as they shall find most convenient, with or without adjournment, and to Jend their precept or precepts, under their hands and feals, for any perfon or perfons whatsoever, and for fuch books, papers, writings, or records, as they shall judge necessary for their information, relating to any of the offices or departments bereinbefore mentioned; and all bailiffs, conflables, sheriffs, and other his majesty's officers, are hereby required to obey and execute fuch orders and precepts aforefaid, as shall be sent to them or any of them by the faid commiffioners, or any two of them, touching the premises.

APPENDIX,

MR

R. GEORGE SMITH being asked, Whether the debts of the nabob of Arcot have increased fince he knew Madras? he faid, Yes, they have. He distinguishes his debts into two forts; those contracted before the year 1766, and those contracted from that year to the year in which he left Madras.-Being asked, What he thinks is the original amount of the old debts? he said, Between twentythree and twenty-four lacks of pagodas, as well as he can recollect.-Being asked, What was the amount of that debt when he left Madras? he faid, Between 4 and 5 lacks of pagodas, as he understood.-Being asked, What was the amount of the new debt when he left Madras? he said, In November 1777 that debt amounted, according to the nabob's own account, and published at Chipauk, his place of refidence, to fixty lacks of pagodas, independent of the old debt, on which debt of 60 lacks of pagodas, the nabob did agree to pay an intereft of twelve per cent. per annum.Being asked, Whether this debt was approved of by the court of directors? he said, He does not know it was.Being asked, Whether the old debt was recognized by the court of directors? he faid, Yes, it has been; and the court of directors have fent out repeated orders to the prefident and council of Madras, to enforce its recovery and payment. -Being asked, If the intereft upon the new debt is punctually paid? he faid, It was not during his refidence at Madras, from 1777 to 1779, in which period he thinks no more than five per cent. intereft was paid, in different diviVOL. II. dends

3 Y

dends of two and one per cent.-Being asked, What is the ufual course taken by the nabob, concerning the arrears of intereft? he said, Not having ever lent him monies himself, he cannot fully answer as to the mode of fettling the interest with him.

Being asked, Whether he has reafon to believe the 60 lacks of pagodas was all principal money really and truly advanced to the nabob of Arcot, or a fictitious capital, made up of obligations given by him, where no money or goods were received, or which was increased by the uniting into it a greater intereft than the 12 per cent. expressed to be due on the capital? he said, He has no reason to believe that the fum of 60 lacks of pagodas was lent in money or goods to the nabob, because that fum he thinks is of more value than all the money, goods, and chattels in the fettlement; but he does not know in what mode or manner this debt of the nabob's was incurred or accumulated.-Being asked, Whether it was not a general and well-grounded opinion at Madras, that a great part of this fum was accumulated by obligations, and were for fervices performed or to be performed for the nabob? he faid, He has heard that a part of this debt was given for the purposes mentioned in the above question, but he does not know that it was fo.-Being asked, Whether it was the general opinion of the fettlement? he faid, He cannot fay that it was the general opinion, but it was the opinion of a confiderable part of the fettlement. -Being asked, Whether it was the declared opinion of thofe that were concerned in the debt, or thofe that were not? he said, It was the opinion of both parties, at least fuch of them as he converfed with. Being afked, Whether he has reafon to believe that the intereft really paid by the nabob, upon obligations given, or money lent, did not fre quently exceed 12 per cent.? he faid, Prior to the first of August 1774, he had had reason to believe, that a higher

interest

intereft than 12 per cent. was paid by the nabob on monies lent to him; but from and after that period, when the last act of parliament took place in India, he does not know that more than 12 per cent. had been paid by the nabob, or received from him.-Being asked, Whether it is not his opinion, that the nabob has paid more than 12 per cent. for money due fince the 1st of August 1774? he faid, He has heard that he has, but he does not know it.-Being asked, Whether he has been told fo by any confiderable and weighty authority, that was like to know? he said, He has been fo informed by perfons who he believes had a very good opportunity of knowing it.-Being asked, Whether he was ever told fo by the nabob of Arcot himself? he said, He does not recollect that the nabob of Arcot directly told him fo, but from what he faid, he did infer that he paid a higher intereft than 12 per cent.

Mr. Smith being afked, Whether, in the course of trade, he ever fold any thing to the nabob of Arcot? he faid, In the year 1775 he did fell to the nabob of Arcot pearls to the amount of 32,500 pagodas, for which the nabob gave him an order or tankah on the country of Tanjore, payable in fix months, without intereft.-Being afked, Whether, at the time he asked the nabob his price for the pearls, the nabob beat down that price, as dealers commonly do? he said, No; fo far from it, he offered him more than he asked by 1,000 pagodas, and which he rejected.-Being asked, Whether, in fettling a tranfaction of discount with the nabob's agent, he was not offered a greater discount than £.12 per cent. he faid, In discounting a foucar's bill for 1,80,000 pagodas, the nabob's agent did offer him a difcount of £. 24 per cent. per annum, faying, that it was the ufual rate of discount paid by the nabob; but which he would not accept of, thinking himself confined by the act of parliament limiting the interest of monies to . 12 per cent. and accordingly he dif

counted the bill at £. 12 per cent. per annum only. Being afked, Whether he does not think those offers were made him, because the nabob thought he was a perfon of fome confequence in the fettlement? he faid, Being only a private merchant, he apprehends that the offer was made to him more from its being a general practice, than from any opinion of his importance.

APPENDIX, N° 3.

Referred to from p. 457.

A BILL for the better government of the territorial poffeffions and dependencies in India.

A

[One of Mr. Fox's India bills.]

ND be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the nabob of Arcot, the rajah of Tanjore, or any other protected native prince in India, shall not affign, mortgage, or pledge any territory or land whatfoever, or the produce or revenue thereof, to any British subject whatsoever; neither shall it be lawful to or for any British subject whatfoever, to take or receive any fuch affignment, mortgage, or pledge; and the fame are hereby declared to be null and void; and all payments or deliveries of produce or revenue, under any such affignment, shall and may be recovered back by fuch native prince paying or delivering the fame, from the perfon or perfons receiving the fame, or his or their representatives.

*

APPENDIX,