pitt's india bill. 285 



vaguely in the following terms : — "From time to time to 

 check, superintend, and control all acts, operations, and 

 concerns which in anywise relate to the civil or military 

 government, or revenues of the territories and possessions 

 of the United Company in the East Indies." They are 

 authorized to inspect all correspondence and despatches to 

 and from India, and the proceedings of the courts of pro- 

 prietors and directors ; also to have access to all papers 

 and documents belonging to the company. They have 

 power to alter and amend the instructions which that body 

 send out to their servants ; and, in certain special cases, 

 can transmit orders directly through a secret committee of 

 the directors, who act as the mere channel of their commu- 

 nications. The directors are allowed an appeal from the 

 board to the king in council, which, as Mr. Mill observes, 

 is little else than an appeal from the king to himself, and 

 has never in practice been resorted to. The same writer 

 considers the board of control as now the sole governing 

 power, and the directors as only an instrument for carrying 

 its decisions into effect. It is admitted, however, that the 

 details of Indian affairs have been generally administered 

 by the directors, without vexatious or oppressive inter- 

 ference from the controlling authority. The board have 

 influenced all the grand measures and appointments, and 

 obtained a large share of the patronage ; but the two bodies 

 have, on the whole, worked together with a greater degree 

 of harmony than might have been expected from an inde- 

 pendent and ill-defined jurisdiction. The king has the 

 nomination of the commander-in-chief; while the company 

 appoint the governor-general and all the members of coun- 

 cil, — subject, however, to the approbation of the sovereign, 

 who can at any time recall even the highest of these 

 officers. 



This act contained very strict injunctions to renounce all 

 schemes of war and conquest, and for the remedy of other 

 evils, whence the company's financial distress, and the op- 

 pression of their Indian subjects, were supposed to have 

 arisen. On this subject a unanimous sentiment at that 

 moment pervaded the British cabinet. It was obvious, 

 however, that the execution of directions sent to so distant 

 a settlement would depend upon the personal character and 

 views of the individual holding the chief authority. Much 



