Chronological Table. 1 79 



the Supreme Court. At length, (24th October, 1780,) a means of reconciliation 

 with the Judges was adopted, by appointing Sir E. Impey, to he Chief Judge, also 

 of the Sudder Dewannee Adawlut, with an additional salary of 60,000 rupees per 

 annum. This appointment was deemed most exceptionable on general principles, 

 notwithstanding the admitted advantage of his professional knowledge, and that 

 he reformed and methodised the practice of the Dewannee Courts. — Mill. Grant. 

 1781. — At Bengal, in April, the Dewannee Courts were increased from 16 to 18 ; 

 and the Foujdars, or Native Magistrates, were this year removed. In February, Mr. 

 Hastings had decreed, that a Committee of Revenue should be established at the 

 Presidency, consisting of four covenanted servants, and Provincial Councils were 

 abolished. After these changes, the Governor General proceeded, in August, to 

 Benares, determined to adopt measures against the Rajah Cheyte Sing. Demands 

 were made upon him for additional tribute to be paid to the Company, as the so- 

 vereign power now requiring assistance in its exigency. The Rajah declined, 

 pleading willingness, but inability. He was seized by Mr. Hastings' order, at Be- 

 nares : a revolt took place in his behalf, on the 20th August ; nearly two compa- 

 nies of sepoys, and their officers, were destroyed — and the Rajah escaped in the con- 

 fusion. The Governor General immediately assumed controul of the province ; and 

 troops were called in to oppose the Rajah, who now headed the numbers flocking to 

 his support. He was defeated at Lutteefpore — and lastly, his stronghold of 

 Bidjegur was seized, and his family plundered by a force under Major Popham. 

 The Rajah had fled, on his reverses at Lutteefpore, to Bundelcund. After these 

 transactions at Benares, the Governor General proceeded to Oude, to obtain an ad- 

 justment of the heavy debts due to the Company by the Vizier. The territories of 

 the Begums, (one, the mother of Sujah ud Dowlah, the late Nawab — the other, the 

 mother of the present one,) were seized, on a charge of aiding the insurrection 

 of Cheyte Sing, and in an arrangement with the Nawab Vizier, their revenues 

 and property were appropriated towards the redemption of the Nawab's debt to 

 our Government. 



Madras. — On the 17th January, the army, under Sir Eyre Coote, marched from 

 the Mount, and proceeded to Pondicherry, where the General disarmed the inhabi- 

 tants. The French fleet was off that town, but being in want of water and necessa- 

 ries, and unequal to cope with the expected English squadron, it sailed on the 15th 

 February, for the Isle of France. The English fleet now attacked Hyder's new 

 shipping, and destroyed the germs of his maritime power, at Calicut and Mangalore. 

 On the 1st July, Hyder, emboldened by a partial repulse, suffered by the English 

 General, at Chellinbrara, in June, risked a general engagement at Porto Novo, and 

 was completely routed. Hyder abandoned now his designs on the southern provin- 

 ces ; his son Tippoo raised the siege of Wandewash — and both retired to Arcot. On 

 the 27th August, another battle took place, at the place where Baillie was defeated. 

 The result was indecisive, though victory was claimed by both armies. The Eng- 

 lish troops were in great difficulty for pay and provisions. But on the 27th Sep- 

 tember, Hyder suffered farther loss at the pass of Sholinghur ; and in October, his 

 fortress of Chittore surrendered. On the 2lst November, the English returned to 

 cantonments, having lost one-third of their force in this campaign. During the 

 year, Lord Macartney had assumed the Government, on the 22nd June ; and putting 

 himself at the head of the Militia, he took Sadras and Policat, on the breaking 

 out of war with the Dutch. On the 12th November, Negapatatn capitulated to Sir 

 H. Munro, (who had left Sir Eyre Coote in disgust, and now commanded a force 

 under the orders of the Governor,) and with it fell all the Dutch settlements on the 

 coast ; — shortly afterwards, those on Ceylon shared the same fate. 



On the 9th April of this year, Lord North brought forward, at home, some propo- 

 sitions restricting the Company, and bringing their affairs more under the controul 

 of the Secretary of State. Though not adopted at this period, yet on these were 

 afterwards based three principal provisions of Mr. Pitt's East India Bill. Lord 

 North's suggestions were modified into the Act 21, Geo. III. cap. 65 ; and all 

 former privileges were granted to the Company until the 1st March, 1791. But all 

 despatches on Revenue or Civil and Military matters were, by this Bill, to be sub- 

 mitted to the Minister. 



Parliamentary attention was now much directed to Indian affairs. Two Committees 

 were formed : in one of them Mr. Burke became conspicuous — in the other, Mr. 

 Henry Dundas. By a Bill passed on the 19th June, the Jurisdiction of the Supreme 

 Court in India wa^ restricted. The Governor General, and Council, with all matters 

 of Revenue, all Zumeendars, Native Farmers, and Collectors of the Revenue, were 

 exempted from its jurisdiction. — Mill. 



1782. — Madras. — The campaign against Hyder commenced, by the English throw- 

 ing supplies into Vellore. The English fleet, under Sir E. Hughes, and the French 

 under the famous Suffrien, had aa indecisive action on the 1 7th February. The French 



