234 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



every description of economical 

 arrangement made in the presidency 

 of Bombay, was efiected, though 

 by silent strides. Nota murmur was 

 heard from that quarter. The 

 revenues in the mean time gradu- 

 ally improved, and the treasury at 

 that presidency gained by the ar- 

 ticles of exchange in its negotia- 

 tions with Bengal. A large part of its 

 debt, bearing an interest of 10 and 

 9 per cent, was also liquidated, 

 and converted at the option of the 

 lenders, into securities subject to a 

 reduced interest of only S percent. 



The success of these and other 

 fiscal operations, showed a saving 

 in the official year 1S08-9, com- 

 pared with 1806-7, of not less 

 than 4.00,000/. ; and the receipts 

 for the same year, ending on the 

 .^Oth of April, 1809, exhibited an 

 excess of not less than 240,000/. 

 more than the estimate. VVe do not 

 find that any accounts for the year 

 ending on the 30th of April, 1810, 

 have yet been received ; but the 

 former advices justify an expecta- 

 tion that the scale of receipt 

 and expenditure, in each succeed- 

 ing year, would correspond with 

 that of 1808-9. 



A very considerable portion of 

 these improvements in the finances 

 of Bomba)' arose from actual 

 retrenchments in the ordinary 

 disbursements; and consequently 

 affected directly or indirectly, the 

 private interest, in their present 

 situations or future views, of many 

 individuals, civil and military ; but 

 we have in this instance a proof 

 that mere privations, when the 

 public good is the object, are 

 endured by our fellow-subjects 

 in India, when rudeness and in- 

 solence do not awaken passions 

 of a livelier nature than the mere 

 love of emolument. 



While the temper and proceed- 

 ings of the Bombay government 

 operated especially in favour of 

 all the concerns in that quarter, 

 they were essentially conducive to 

 the conmion prosperitj'. Per- 

 haps sufficient importance has not 

 been usually assigned to their in- 

 fluence; for although, since the 

 transfer of the Malabar province 

 to the presidency of Madras, the 

 Bombay dominion has been con- 

 siderably abridged, and its po- 

 pulation and revenues compara- 

 tively diminished ; yet in political, 

 naval, and military affairs, it has 

 a claim to high distinction, which 

 has been well supported during the 

 long administration of its present 

 governor. 



Since a power of general con- 

 trol has been vested in the Bengal 

 government, the administrations of 

 the other presidencies have indeed 

 been relieved Irom a large share 

 of responsibility ; but while supine- 

 ness or incapacity have by that 

 means become less injurious, and 

 harmony in action more effectually 

 ensured, the real merits of the 

 respective trustees of the public 

 interests at Madras and Bombay, 

 have been occasionally, and in the 

 case of the latter, sometimes dis- 

 ingenuously eclipsed. 



The honest and liberal candidate 

 for fame in charge of either of 

 these presidencies, if his talents 

 and genius are less conspicuous in 

 measures originating elsewhere, 

 has still, in the detail of operations 

 committed to his charge, abundant 

 exercise for his zeal and patriotism, 

 and opportunities of establishing 

 powerful claims to public notice 

 and approbation, from which the 

 mere prominent pretensions of 

 the supreme government ought not 

 materially to detract. 



Accordingly 



