362 A. D. 1795. 



Bounties, not exceeding three iifths of thofe granted on inrsports from 

 the Mediterranean, &c. were alfo allowed for all foreign corn lodged in 

 warehoufes, and delivered out for confumption in this kingdom within 

 three months after pafling the ad. [c. 21] 



The provifion of 3,000 tuns of (hipping, allotted by the a<^ for re- 

 newing the Eafl-India company's charter for the ufe of the private trade 

 between India and London, was foon found to be very inadequate to 

 the demands for freight. There were not, indeed, many Britifh manu- 

 fadurers who became adventurers to India on their own account : but 

 the Britifli relident merchants in India required much more fliipping 

 than was provided for them bythead*. They complained, that the 

 company's regulations frequently difappointed them of freight, made 

 inconvenient diftributions of their goods in the feveral vefTels, and in 

 many refpects deranged the plans of their commerce. They wiflied for 

 liberty to employ veflels built in India of teek wood, which they faid, 

 could be built much cheaper than Britifli vefTels, would laft a vafl deal 

 longer, and confequently could fail on much lower freights ; and they 

 deiired no further exemption from the regulations eflabliflied by the 

 company, than that their veflels fliould be free to load and fail as the 

 owners and freighters fhould find mofl: convenient for themfelves. But 

 they could not prevail upon the company to depart from the eflablifhed 

 rules fo flir as to give an unqualified permifTion for India-built veflels to 

 fail to Europe f. 



An event, not forefeen by either party, however, Introduced thofe 

 fliips into the trade between India and London. The Eaft-India com- 

 pany, confidering the dirtrefs occafioned by the exorbitant price of corn, 

 refolved, with a fpirit worthy of the greatefl trading company in the 

 world, to import a large quantity of rice, for the relief of the country, 

 from their fettlements in India, and ordered it to be fhipped in fuch 

 vefTels as could be taken up on the fpot, on terms of freight for the 

 cargoes of rice, with permifTion to carry goods, not appropriated by the 

 company for their own trade, from London to India for account of their 

 owners. It was on this occafion that vefTels, built and owned in India, 

 firfl ploughed the Atlantic ocean, and failed into the Thames ; and now 

 alfo for the firfl time, India, which in alleges had fupplied the weflern 

 world with articles, rather of ornament and luxury than of ufe, fent to 

 Europe an article neceflary for the fupport of life. It is to be regretted, 

 that the accomplifhment of the company's benevolent intentions towards 



* Though the company were obliged by the freight from London to India were not, on an 

 nft to provide 3,000 tuns of (hipping for the ac- average of nine yearsj fufBcient to load one fmall 

 commodation of private traders, the demands for fhip. 



In the season 1793-4 the private freight was 919 tuns. 1798-9 374 tuns 



1794-5 40 1799-I8OO . . 195 



1795-6 31 1800-1 150 



1796-7 252 1801-2 27 applied for but notshipped. 



1797-9 none 



f Further fafls, derived from more recent and corredl information refpefling tliis affair, will be 

 found under the year 1800. 



