552 Mineral Resources of India. [No. 139. 



hope, and indeed make not the least doubt, that you will give us every en- 

 couragement and assistance, which may enable us to carry it into execu- 

 tion. We have the honor to be, &c. &c. 



T. Motte, 



Calcutta, the 4th Nov. 1777. John Farquhar. 



The proposal was the same day sent to Mr. Alexander Higginson 

 and the Provincial Council of Burdwan, with instructions to report on 

 the facts stated ; whether the grant solicited would prove of detriment 

 to the state or to private interests ; to detail the statistics of the 

 pergunna Jerriah, and to give such other information as may bear on 

 the subject of the proposal. 



Two months having elapsed without any answer being returned by 

 the Burdwan Authorities, their memory was refreshed by a takeed at 

 the suggestion of Mr. Farquhar, who from this time appears alone in the 

 transactions connected with this speculation. I annex the reply 

 complete : — 



The Burdwan Council to Government. 



Hon'ble Sir and Sirs, — We have received your commands of the 6th in- 

 stant, requiring an immediate reply to your letter of the 6th January last, 

 respecting the proposals made by Messrs. Motte and Farquhar. 



As the information you were pleased to require appeared to us of such 

 a nature that the event of the proposals depended much upon our answer 

 to the several points which we were directed to investigate, and as the dis- 

 tance of the pergunna Jerriah rendered it impracticable for us to ascertain 

 the necessary facts without a local inquiry, we therefore stated them to Mr. 

 Hewett at Jellda, who in consequence sent an Ameen named Seebnarain 

 into the pergunna Jerriah, and who, you will perceive from the enclosed 

 translation of his letter to Mr. Hewett, could not obtain any account of the 

 amount of the Jaghire lands in that pergunna, though from the said letter 

 it is fully evident, that the Zemindar and inhabitants appear to be pleased 

 with the prospect of having an iron manufactory established in the coun- 

 try. The annual revenue to Government of the pergunna Jerriah is Rs. 

 2661. We have directed Mr. Hewett to use his endeavour to obtain fur- 

 ther information, which should we receive, shall be immediately transmit- 

 ted to you. 



The death of the late Rajah of Beerbhoom we conceive has been the 

 principal cause of our not having received the information required from 

 that district. We however expect it daily, and will immediately transmit 

 the particulars. 



