" Chronological Table. 161 



The outward India fleet divided into three squadrons, under an "Admiral, Vice 

 Admiral, and Rear Admiral." 



Englishmen sent to Bengal to improve the silks, and dye the green and hlack 

 colours, " but under an obligation to keep their art secret from the natives." 



The Dutch fleet so powerful off Bombay and Surat, that 500 'Rajpoots were sent 

 for to defend these places. The French had taken Trincomalee from the Dutch, who 

 now recovered it by a force from Batavia. — Bruce. 



1674. — Bombay mounted 100 pieces of cannon. — Bruce. 



1675. — The Court write out that Lahore indigo was undersold by We^t-India 

 indigo, and that less lac would be required from " the new practice of using wafers 

 instead of wax." — Bruce. 



Mr. Delboe formed a factory at Siam. — Dalrymple. 



The Court, 12th July, framed the following regulations for their civil service. 

 " In the advancement of our apprentices, we direct that after they have served the first 

 five yeares, they shall have £10 per annum for the two lastyeares, and having served 

 those two yeares, to be entertayned one yeare longer as Writers, and have Writer's 

 salary ; and having served that yeare, to enter into the degree of factors, which 

 otherwise would have been ten yeares. And knowing that a distinction of titles is 

 in many respects necessary, we do order, that when the apprentices have served 

 their times, they be stiled Writers, and when the Writers have served their times, 

 they be stiled Factors; and Factors having served their times, to be stiled Merchants, 

 and Merchants having served their times, to be stiled Senior Merchants." — Bruce. 



Civil Servants were to apply themselves also to acquire a knowledge of military 

 duties, so that in case of attack, or being better qualified for military than civil 

 duties, they might receive commissions and have military pay. — Bruce. 



1676. — The king's letters patent, dated 5th October, (2Sth of Charles II.,) autho- 

 rised a mint at Bombay to coin " Rupees, Pice, and Budgrooks." — Bruce. 



The Dutch had 6,720 fighting men in Batavia, exclusive of Civilians. — E. I. 

 Chron. 



The new charter now granted enabled the English Company to double their stock, 

 and raise it to £739,782. — Anderson. 



The celebrated Dr. Edmund Halley, by order of the king, sent out in a Company's 

 ship to remain two years at St. Helena, for perfecting the knowledge of Astronomy. — 

 Bruce. 



The pay of an European soldier at Madras, in full for provisions and necessaries 

 of every kind, was 21 shillings per month. — Hamilton. 



1677. — The Company's agent at Bantam, Mr. White, and the principal servants 

 of the agency, assassinated by the Javanese, on the 2Jst April, 1677, and the fac- 

 tory so ruined by the death of the seniors, that its transactions closed, and no 

 accounts were conveyed to the Court. — Bruce. 



Mr. Aungier, President at Surat, died 30th June, 1677. — Bruce. 

 1678. — A Judge appointed for the Island of Bombay. — Bruce. 



A troop of Horse ordered to be embodied at Bombay, the pay of the Captain not 

 to exceed £120 per annum. — Bruce. 



Sheyntham Master, Esq. succeeded Sir W. Langhorne as Governor of Madras. — 

 E. I. Chron. 



1679- — The Court finding Bombay too expensive, sent out orders for retrenchments 

 in the military charges. Surat also to be reduced to an agency, but their servants 

 were unable to obey the Court, from the unsettled state of affairs, and the wars 

 between Sevajee and the Mogul. — Bruce. 



1680. — Captain Keigwin sent to command the military at Bombay with a small 

 reinforcement ; he was to have six shillings per diem and to be 3rd in council. Mr. 

 Smith sent out as assay master on a salary of £60 per annum. 



Mr. Gyfford appointed agent and governor at Fort St. George. — Bruce. 

 1681. — Surat (such the shifting state of the Company's domestic affairs at this 

 period) again ordered by the Court to resume the rank of a presidency. The court 

 also revoked the order for Captain Keigwin's having a seat in council. Mr. John 

 Child, brother of Sir Josiah, the Governor (now called chairman) of the East India 

 Company, sent out as president, at Surat. — Bruce. 



Bengal first made separate from Madras. Mr. Hedges, a member of their commit- 

 tees, (now called director,) sent out with special powers as " agent and governor of 

 their affairs in the Bay of Bengal, and of the factories subordinate to it, or Cossim 

 Bazar, Patna, Balasore, Malda, and Dacca. A corporal of approved fidelity and 

 courage, with twenty soldiers, to be a guard to the agent's person, and the factory at 

 Hooghly, and to act against interlopers." Such the foundation of our power in Ben- 

 gal; in the sequel the centre of commerce and the seat of government in India. — Bruce. 

 The king of Bantam sent an embassy to England. — Bruce. 



1682. — The English Levant Company, deprived of their former portion of the 

 Indian trade, endeavoured to oppose the East India Company; but in April, the 



