46 A. D. 1784. 



be obliged to fubmit to their confideration all their minutes and ac- 

 counts, and alfo all their letters and difpatches for India, which the 

 commiffioners are to return in fourteen days with their approbation, or 

 difapprobation, together with their reafons for the later, under their 

 hands, to the diredtors, who are to forward their letters, &c. fo amend- 

 ed, to their fervants in India — In cafe of the diredors negleding, for 

 fourteen days after requifition being made by the commiffioners, to lay- 

 before them their intended difpatches, the later are empowered to pre- 

 pare orders or inftrudions for the governments and prefidencies in India, 

 and to fend them to the diredors, who are required to forward them to 

 India, unlefs the board of commiffioners fhall, upon their reprefenta- 

 tion, confent to make any alterations in them. The diredors are alfo 

 permitted, in cafe they think the commiffioners are extending their au- 

 thority to points not conneded with the civil and military government 

 or revenues, to petition the king in council, whofe determination fliall 

 be final But in cafes, which in the opinion of the commiffioners re- 

 quire fecrecy, they are empowered to fend their orders to a fecret com- 

 mittee of three, to be chofen out of the diredors, who, without impart- 

 ing them to the other diredors, mud tranfmit them to the governments 

 or prefidencies in India, and in like manner convey their anfwers from 

 India, which mufl; be addrefi^d to the fecret committee under feal, to 

 the board of commiffioners. — The board of commiffioners have no 

 power to appoint any of the fervants of the company — The number of 

 the members of the fupreme council at Calcutta was direded to be re- 

 duced to three (the redudion only to take place on the death or re- 

 moval of one of thofe now in office), and the commander in chief of 

 the company's forces in India is to rank in the council next to the go- 

 vernor general. — The governments of Madrafs and Bombay are thence- 

 forth to be vefted in a governor or prefident, with three members of 

 council, at each, the commander of the forces in the prefidency being 

 one, and polTeffing the rank next to the governor. — All peribns holding 

 any civil or military employment under the company are liable to be 

 recalled or turned out of office by the king, or the diredors. — The di- 

 redors are to fupply all offices in their fervice in India from their co- 

 .venanted fervants there, except thofe of governors and commanders of 

 the forces at Calcutta, Madrafs, and Bombay, to which offices they may 

 appoint any perfons whatever. — The office of governor, in cafe of va- 

 cancy by death or removal, devolves upon the fenior member of coun- 

 cil, and not upon the commander of the forces, though next in rank to 

 the governor, unlefs thereunto fpecially appointed by the court of di- 

 redors If the diredors negled for two months, after receiving notice 



of a vacancy, to fill it up, the king may appoint a proper perfon by his 

 own authority ; and the perfon fo appointed has the advantage of not 

 ibeing liable to be recalled by any but the king. — The diredors may, if 



