162 Chronological Table. 



king and privy council rejected their scheme. Persian goods at this time compre- 

 hended silks of all sorts, red and black caramania wool, rhubarb, and drues.— Bruce. 



The Court ordered the institution of a bank at Madras. So violent the feeling 

 against interlopers, it was enjoined that no Company's servant should intermarry 

 with their families. 



Opium first ordered from Bengal, Bantam captured by the Dutch, and the king 

 expelled. This gave a finishing blow to our position in that quarter.— Bruce. 



1683.— By letters patent, dated 9th August, the kin? authorised the Company to 

 exercise admiralty jurisdiction within their limits. The appointed judge, Dr. St. 

 John, to have £200 per annum, and allowances at the Company's table. 



Two companies of Rajpoots ordered to be embodied at Bombay. 



Two English fleets sent out to redress the injuries to the Persian and Bantam 

 trade. 



Mr. Hedges dismissed from Beugal for misconduct, and Mr. Gyfford, who was 

 sent to Madras, (now constituted a presidency,) directed to proceed to take charge 

 also of Bengal with an escort of a Company, composed of seamen from Indiamen. 

 A factory established at Tillicherry. 



A serious insurrection at Bombay, on the 27th December, the fort was seized by 

 the troops under Captain Keigwin, in consequence of retrenchments and reductions, 

 and held in the king's name, renouncing the authority of the Company. It was 

 forcibly retained for nearly two years, and then given up, the insurgents having 

 stipulated for pardon *. — Bruce. 



The Company had to put to death some rebels at St. Helena, but on the petition 

 of the widows, to the House of Commons, the act was declared illegal and ar- 

 bitrary. 



India stock sold this year from 3(50 to 500 per cent, advance. — Chron. Table. 



Factories established at CudJalore and Commerce in the Gingee country. — 

 Bruce. 



16S4. — The English formally expelled from Java, and with the Company's proper- 

 ty, the establishments went to the Malabar coast. 



Sir John Child of Surat made a baronet, and appointed the following year, Cap- 

 tain General and Admiral in India. Sir John Wyborne, Vice-Admiral and Deputy 

 Governor of Bombay, with a salary of £250 per annum. — Bruce. 



1685. — Seat of government ordered to be transferred from Surat to Bombay. The 

 Madras government having fixed an agent and council at Priaman, on the Island of 

 Sumatra, the Court ordered the station to be supported and fortified. Also ordered 

 an uninhabited island in the Ganges to be obtained and fortified, while the works 

 at Fort St. George were to be strengthened. The factory at Masulipatam to be 

 dissolved.— Bruce. 



16S6. — Ten ships of war under Vice-Admiral Nicolson sent out to oppose the 

 Dative powers. On its arrival, the agent in Bengal (Mr. Charnock) ordered to act 

 as Admiral and Commander-in-Chief ; six complete companies were on board with- 

 out Captains, it being intended that the members in council in Bengal should act in 

 that capacity. The force to disembark at ChittagoDg, seize and fortify it, establish 

 a mint, and five per cent, customs to be levied on the inhabitants. It was wished to 

 intimidate the Mogul and his officers, who had been arbitrary towards the factories. 

 The factory at Hoogly was oppressed, and surrounded by parties of native horse and 

 foot. Surat also had been plundered by Sevajee, and the Company's possession 

 injured by the wars of the Mosrul and Mahrattas. — Bruce. 



Sir John Child appointed what is now called Governor General, with full authority, 

 in India, and discretionary powers to make war or peace with the Mogul ; ordered 

 to proceed to Madras and Bengal, Mr. Zenzan to act in his absence at Surat, or 

 rather Bombay. A company from a British regiment of the line sent out under a 

 Captain Clifton, who as well as all Captains of Infantry was to have seat in council. 

 — Bruce. 



On the 28th October, a part of the fleet under Admiral Nicolson having arrived in 

 Bengal, an affray took place at Hooghly between three English soldiers and some of the 

 Nawab's peons ; more soldiers joined, and at last the entire force came in contact, 

 and after a severe action, the Nawab's troops were defeated with loss. Hooghly was 

 cannonaded and 500 houses burnt. Subsequent to this useless affair, the agent and 



» The officers both in rink and pay had been placed lower, and the militia so much reduced, that 

 all authority of the officers over th 3 men had cease I. Captain Keigwin applied for subsistence rno- 

 nev, there being no Company's table as formerly, and after much discussion the sum of 25 its. per 

 month was granted, pending a reference to the Court. The Court "unhappily ordered the half 

 allowance for diet to Captain Keigwin to be refunded, and this parsimonious measure produced the 

 discontents and probablv the revolt of the garrison." Dr. St. John, in his report however to tiie 

 King and Council, stated, that the rebellion arose from the depredations and crimes of tlie inter- 

 lopers, with whom Captain Keigwin was intimately connected ; although he used the King's name, 

 his motives were predatory and rebellious. — Bruce. 



