B M 652 BOM 



ving town, and carries on a considerable business in length agreed to a treaty, by which the inhabitants Bombay. 



banking. It lias four annual fairs, which are fre- were to enjoy the free exercise of their religion, and '~*"* , i 



quented by merchants from Germany and Italy. the possession of their estates under the crown of 

 The principal foreign merchants who frequent England. But although the trade of Bombay was 

 these fairs form a society, which enjoys particular at this time exceedingly flourishing, yet, as the re- 

 privileges. Those who wish to be enrolled in this as- venue of the island was not equal to the expence of 

 sociation, are proposed by a person of their own reli- the establishment, the king, in '668, made a full 

 gion. They are chosen by ballot, and the votes of grant of it to the East India Company, in whose 

 two-thirds of those present are necessary for the elec- possession it still r mains. 



tion of new members. Neither the members of this The climate of Bombay is temperate, as, from its 



society, nor their servants, nor their effects, can be ar- insular situation, it enjoys the full advantage of the 



rested within the Austrian States, while going to the refreshing breeze, which renders the atmosphere 



fairs or returning from them. cooler than in many parts of the continent of India. 



The town was governed by a council, consisting The rains last about four months, and continue with 



of a deputy, who ought to be a Count, chosen from little interruption from about the end of May to the 



the higher nobility, three of the order of Knights, beginning of October. The following Table shews 



and three of the lower nobility, with some burghers the quantity of rain which fell during this period, in 



and peasants. the course of one season : 



In May 1797, Bolzano was taken by the French ; Inches. Tenths. 



but was ceded to Bavaria by the treaty of Pres- May 1 



burgh. Since June 1808, it has been the capital of .lunc, 44 7 



thebailliage of Botzen, in the circle of Eisak. This July, 29 .0 



bailliage contains 21^ square miles, and 4:3,784 inha- August, 19 



bitants. (tc) September, 11 2 



BOMB. See Artillery, Gunnery, and Pro- October, 4 5 



jectiles. 



BOMBAX, a genus of plants, of the class Mo- Total, 110 3 



nadelphia, and order Polyandria. See Botany, (tu) This island was formerly reckoned exceedingly un- 

 BOMBAY, an island on the western coast of In- healthy, insomuch that it was considered as the gravt- 

 dia, and the seat of one of the English presidencies, of the English ; but it is now rendered much more 

 It is situated, according to Mr Howe's observations, salubrious, by the building of a wall to prevent the 

 in 18 58' North Lat., and' 72 38' East Long.; and encroachment of the sea, where it formed a salt marsh; 

 is about seven miles in length, and twenty-one in by draining the marshes in its environs ; and by an 

 circumference. order that the natives should not manure their cocoa 

 This island was taken possession of by the Portu- nut groves with putrid fish. Nevertheless, many 

 guese soon after their arrival in India ; and was af- Europeans, especially on their first arrival, are af- 

 terwards ceded, in 1662, to the English, as part of tacked by the diseases common in warm climates ; 

 the dowry of the Infanta Catharine, on her marriage but this, in many cases, is owing to the irregularity 

 with Charles II. Accordingly a squadron under the of their mode of life. 



command of Lord Marlborough was dispatched to The soil of Bombay is sterile, and incapable of any 

 India to receive investiture of the island from the material improvement. The vegetable productions 

 hand oijthe viceroy ; and his Lordship arrived at of this island are, consequently, very insignificant, 

 Bombay in September 1663, with Sir Abraham Ship- consisting chiefly of cocoa nut groves, rice, and some 

 man, as governor, on board. The viceroy was dis- other Indian fruits. However, not a spot of it re- 

 posed to comply with the instructions of his master, mains uncultivated ; so that although it is far from 

 but the powerful opposition of the Catholic clergy, producing a proportion of food adequate to the con- 

 who were unwilling that the island should be deliver- sumption of the inhabitants, yet, notwithstanding the 

 ed into the hands of heretics, terrified him into their disadvantages of its soil and situation, the produce is 

 measures, and determined him to maintain his station, very considerable. 



The obstinate refusal of the viceroy obliged Lord The city of Bombay is about a mile in length, and 

 Marlborough to retire with his fleet to Swally road, is defended, both towards the land and sea, by vari- 

 for refreshments ; and, after having laid in a store of ous fortifications, the construction of which has cost 

 necessary provisions, he set sail, in the beginning of an immense expence. The houses are, in general, 

 16()1-, for England, leaving the rest of the squadron neither splendid nor commodious : they are common- 

 under the command of Sir A. Shipman, to spend the ly only ground floored ; but are not flat roofed, as in 

 remainder of the winter monsoon in some of the near- the other parts of the East, being covered with tiles 

 est ports ; and he accordingly remained on the deso- in- the European fashion. The English have glass 

 late island of Anjadiva from April to October, du- windows; but the other inhabitants form their win- 

 ring which period he buried upwards of 200 of his dows of small pieces of transparent shells framed in 

 'men. The mon'soon being over, Sir Abraham put wood, which renders the apartments exceedingly 

 to sea, and sailed again for Bombay. On his arrival, dark. The floors of the houses are of a composition 

 he threatened the viceroy and the clergy with the of lime made from shells, which, if properly prepa- 

 vengeaiice of the kings of England and Portugal, if red, is extremely durable, and takes so smooth a po- 

 they continued to refuse obedience to their majesties lish, that a person may see his face in it. 

 contract and instructions ; and accordingly, iliey at This island is of peculiar importance, on account 



