1464] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
the company’s concerns which fell 
most immediately within his province 
to examine, he was confident in as- 
serting, that it was in an increasing 
progression of prosperity, and that 
there was every prospect of this 
prosperity being yet very consider- 
ably augmented. Their revenues 
and establishments were settled on 
a solid and permanent basis: nor 
was there any circumstance within 
the probable scope of events that 
was likely to reverse their situa- 
tion. 
Mr. D. Scott confirmed the gene- 
ral statement of Mr. Dundas, as to 
‘the prosperity of India, and the pro- 
gressive increase of profit upon all 
the sales. He stated’ the advantage 
to. be derived from the commerce of 
Bengal, as well as China. Mr. 
Scott observed, that it cost the 
company above 1,000,000/. -addi- 
tional, on account of freight ; but, 
in the event of peace, this would 
be saved, and consequently a much 
“Yarger profit would arise upon the 
sales: besides, in times of peace, 
many more markets would be open 
for disposing of the commodities of 
India. Mr. Scott differed widely 
from an honourable baronet (sir 
Francis Baring), in his opinion re- 
specting the possession of certain 
late acquisitions. The Cape of 
Good Hope and the island of Cey- 
jon were of the greatest importance, 
next to the possession of Bengal, for 
securing the empire of the east. 
With respect to the spice-islands, 
he thought it better that this coun- 
try should have them than the 
French ; though perhaps it was 
better that they should be lefi in- 
tirely free. 
“The various matters of fact stated 
by Mr. Dundas were now recorded, 
and authenticated in the form of re« 
solutions of the house of commons. 
Mr. Dundas, at the same time 
that he presented these statements / 
to the house of commons, wished 
the members to recollect that the © 
accounts he then laid before them 
had come over in the course of the 
preceding spring ; and observed, 
that, if they desired to have an ac 
curate account of the whole reve- 
nues, to the latest period of the year 
to which these accounts belonged) 
he should produce another state 
ment in the course of the ensuing 
spring ; by which time, he hoped, 
accounts, to the latest periods, 
would be received. He accords 
ingly, on the fourteenth of July, 
1797, presented a second statement 
of accounts. Upon a comparative 
view of the accounts presented this 
year, with the estimates on which 
the arrangements of 1793 were 
formed, it appeared, that 
The estimated surplusof #£ 
1796-7 was - 1,584,008 
Which exceeded the es- ‘ 
timate of 1793, by + 70,431 
The total of the estimate 
of receipts and sales of 
1793 was - 5,185,987 
The total- of the actual 
‘receipts of 1796-7 ; 
was - - - 7,316,916 
The nett excess of pay- 
ments over the actual 
receipts for 1796-7 
amounted to < 
Though these seemed to be falling: 
off in the state of the company’s 
affairs, .there were several great 
contingent expences increased’ this 
year, not likely to occur again to 
_any similar extent ; particularly the 
expendi- 
1,882,965 
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ny - 
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