CALCUTTA. 



tcnJaiit of pc'llcc, and fevtral inforiov jiiftices of the peace, 

 xritli certain il.ited falaries. Before thcfe all petty ciclin- 

 q-jcncies are tried, and by them they are piiniflied. " Tan- 

 luihs," or giiard-houfes, are erefted in the different diftrifts 

 of the tinvn ; and the peace is maintained by a few compa- 

 nics of native foidicrs who p:ttroIc the ftreets, and prevent 

 diil'jrhaiice from quarrels, robbery, or theft. Offences of a 

 lii"Uer nature, committed by cither E\iropean8 or natives, 

 are cogni/.able by the fiipreme court of judicature, which, 

 about 2IJ years a<TO, was fubllif.Med in place of the mayor's 

 court, with ft!perior authority, and more extenfive junfdx- 

 tion. Tlie powers of this court extend not only to the 

 company's territories in this part of India, but alfo to every 

 cafe civil or criminal, tliat may occur between the Coroinan- 

 dcl and Malacca coail--. Its jurifdiftion, however, does not 

 •exteni to the higher ftations i neverthclefs in thefe, all the 

 European fettlers enter into an engagement to be amenable 

 't-o its authority. 



The commerce of Calcutta is very confiderable in fait, 

 fugar, opium, yielded by the poppy particularly cultivated 

 ill t!ie province of Bahar, filks, muflins, &c. Miifl<, borax, 

 and other commodities, ufed to be imported from Thibet, 

 in excha!i<Te for European cloths, and hardware ; but this 

 trade is probably interruoted fince Thibet became fubj'rCl to 

 the jealous Cliinef.-. O.i the Gant^es are tranfportcd to 

 Afam carsToes of fait, in exchange for gold, filver, ivory, 

 muilt, and a particular kind of filky cotton. The cowry 

 fhells, ulcd as a fmall coin, are imported from the Maldives 

 in exchancre for rice. The fine mufli"S are cliiedy fabricated 

 in the rainy ftafou, from M^y to September, and with calli- 

 coes form a great part of the exports to Europe. 



The merchants and agents of this capital arc by no means 

 confined to tranfattions with their conftituents employed in 

 different branches of the fervice : they engage largely in 

 foreign commerce to every port of note either in Afia or 

 in Europe. In fome houfes, the extent of their dealings 

 lias been cllimated, probably by an account fomevvhat ex- 

 aggerated, at two crores of rupees annually, or above two 

 milliono fteriing. Neverthelcfs, no mercantile houfe has ac,- 

 cumuiated fums equal to the fortunes acquired by many in- 

 dividuals in the fervice. The charges of clerks, Ireight, 

 infurances, and other circum'lances, particularly houfe-rent, 

 mull deeply affeft the profits arifing from every concern not 

 uncommonly lucrative. The extent of the pr'vate trade of 

 ■Calcutta cannot be eilimated juftly, either from the number 

 ■or the burden of the fliips belonging to that port. In a 

 ■period not very remote, there were only 60 that properly 

 belonged to the Britilh merchants here, and theii' burden 

 was about 27.000 tons. But their concern in foreign (hips 

 is very confiderable. The Dutch, Uanilh, and French 

 fettlements on the river afford opportunities for indireft 

 trade tc any extent ; nor are they negligent in availing them- 

 felves of this advantage. The company affords confiderable 

 ■employment to the country-built (hipu, independently of the 

 merchants. It poffeffes a marine eftablifliment, under tl'.e 

 direclion of a board inftituted for that purp..fe. Duri;ig 

 ■war, cruizers are frequently employed ; as well as tranfporcs, 

 and (foie-(!iips, for its own troops. Thefe tranfattions 

 fall under the direftion of the marine board, confilling of 

 ■five members, and a number of fubordinate officers and clerks. 

 It alfo fupenutends the pilot-fervice, which is an important 

 part of the marine eUabliihrnent in a river of fuch dangerous 

 navigation as the Hoogly, in which fand banks form.ed by 

 the fand and mud wadied down this branch of the Ganges 

 -during the rains, are continurfUy fluftuating in th.eir fize and 

 jpofitiou. Conftant attention is, therefore, neceffary to p'ace 

 ibe different buoys fo that they (hall not miflud the mariner. 



Freight in this climate is high ; and yet commerce appears 

 to be as adventurous as in any part of the world. The 

 freight of boats in the inland trade upon the river is iar 

 from being low ; and this is owing to the time neceffary for 

 performing a moderate voyage on that winding flream. The 

 larger boats upon the Ganges carry trora joo to Coo 

 mauns ; and their hire per month amounts to 20, ,^o, or 

 even 60 rupees, according to their different fizes. Budge- 

 rows (fee BuDOE-ROw), for the accommodation of gentle- 

 men and their families, are to be had of all iizes from b to 24 

 oars ; the rate of hire for the firll is C^o rupees per month ; for 

 the largeft, 230. The pinnace i? another kind of travellmg 

 boat, Ifill more expenfive than the budge-row. It has fu- 

 perior accommodation, and from its refembling European 

 craft in its ftruAure, both in its hull and rigging, it is 

 better fitted for encountering a gale in the great river. 

 Bcfides the high rate of freight charged in the inland, and 

 maritime trade, the merchants in Calcutta pay a confider- 

 able commifTion on the purchafe of goods by their agents ; 

 and this on mofl articles is 5 per cent. The mafters of the 

 country built (hips, or the lupercargoes, are the immediate 

 agents by wiiom the trade of this part of the wdrld is con- 

 dnftcd ; and they are an entcrpriling body of men, and in 

 general better informed than thofe of the fame profeflion 

 in Europe. With the common Malays, and a mixture of 

 Chinefe, and Bengalefe feamen, who never become very ex- 

 pert and intelligent in their profeflion, the country (liip- 

 mafters perform voyages in thofe dangerous feas with aflonifti- 

 ing fecnnty. Thefe veffcls are termed " Donies" ; and their 

 enterprifcs at fea are chiefly to be afcribe-d to the example 

 of Europeans ; for, before their appearance,tlie Hindoos were 

 hardly known as navigators. In Calcutta there are fix differ- 

 ent affurancf -companies ; which cover the property of in- 

 dividuals from the rifles of the fea, perhaps at as low a rate 

 of infurance as it can be done in Europe. Of the fliips al- 

 ready mentioned belonging to Calcutta, there is not a fingle 

 one commanded by a native. The internal navigation is, 

 indeed, conducted by the natives. Set Gangfs. 



The Armenians are the moil refpeftable, and perhaps the 

 moft numerous body of foreign merchants in this capital. 

 They carry on an extenfive trade from China, and moll of 

 V.,e. lea-ports to the eallward, and alfo to the weft, as far 

 as the Perfian gu'f. Tiicir information from all the differ- 

 ent quarters is deemed the moll accurate and minute of any 

 boriy of men in their profeffion. Tiiey are attentive, regu- 

 lar, and diligent inbulinefs; their houfts are of old Hand- 

 ing ; ar;d many of them are pofleffed of large capitals. As 

 members of fociety, they are peaceable and lovnl, polite and 

 inoffenfive. Some few priefts of their perfuafion are n^ain- 

 tained by them, not only in afil.ience, but in fome degree 

 of fplendour. In their fondnefs for fliew and elegance, the 

 Armenians approach nearer to the Englilh than aiiv mer- 

 chants at Calcutta ; but they are m.ore guarded in their ex- 

 penditure. 



The Mogul merchants are the next body of ftrano-ers, 

 who have indeed long rcfided in this country ; they have i j 

 different mercantile houfes of confiderable note, be(id€s 

 many other counting houfes of inferior importance. Some 

 i:idividua;s among the Moguls are very wealthy, and are infe- 

 rior in riches oii!\ to fome of the native rajahs, banians, and 

 (hroffs : of thtfe fome are more opulent than the (irtt noble- 

 men in England. A million fttr.ing, or even half of that 

 fum, which fcveral of them are faid to poffefs, yields a re- 

 venue of three times the amount of any capital in Britain, 

 from the exhorbitant rate of intereft at v/hich thefe people 

 lend their money. In the drefs and table of the Hindoo, 

 little is d"voted to the pui-pofcs either of elegance or mag- 



uiticejice. 



