403 



to conclude a new treaty with Nassar Odeen, and to constitute 

 him nabob of Surat, under the protection of the English East India 

 Company, on the following conditions, viz. That an offensive and 

 defensive alliance should take place between the contracting 

 parties; that the civil and military administration should be on 

 the part of the company; that the new nabob should be entitled 

 to all the respect and distinctions of his predecessors, should have 

 a suitable share of the revenue for his own expenses and those of 

 his officers, and security for himself, his relations, and immediate 

 servants, from the authority and process of the courts. 



These conditions were acceded to, and a treaty concluded 

 between Mr. Duncan, governor of Bombay (who went up to 

 Surat for the purpose, in May 1800) and Nassar Odeen. In con- 

 sequence of which peace, good order, and happiness, under an 

 equitable administration have prevailed ever since in the city ; her 

 commerce and manufactures have increased, and the surrounding 

 territory, placed in the hands of the company, and freed from 

 Mahratta depredations, has flourished surprizingly, under the 

 protection of the British flag. After an ample provisiou for the 

 nabob, and deducting the charges of collection, the company re- 

 ceive an annual revenue amounting to three lacs of rupees. 



When the Baroche emigrants arrived at Surat in 1783, the 

 company's affairs were not very prosperous, either in India or 

 Europe. In the latter the British nation had been at war with 

 the French, Spaniards, Dutch, and Americans, and the company 

 lost many valuable ships. In the former, the recent peace with 

 the Mahrattas had deprived the Bombay presidency of all its 

 valuable possessions in Guzerat ; the hostilities in which the Eng- 



