HIGH COURT OF MADRAS. 



105 



taken from the Portuguese by the Dutch in 1660, was 

 annexed to the British dominions in 1781 . 70 



The change in the constitution of the Company was 

 effected in 1784 by the Statute 24 Geo. HI, c. 25. The 

 King was thereby authorized to appoint Commissioners for the 

 affairs of India, commonly called the Board of Control, who 

 were to have the superintendence and control over all the 

 British territorial possessions in the East Indies, and over 

 the affairs of the United Company of Merchants trading 

 thereto. The number of the Governor- General's Councillors 

 was reduced to three, including the Commander-in-Chief, 

 who was to have voice and precedence in Council next after 

 the Governor- General, but was not to succeed to the office in 

 the event of a casual vacancy, unless thereunto specially 

 appointed by the Court of Directors. The Court of Directors 

 were required to appoint, from among the servants of the 

 Company in India, or any other persons, a fit and proper 

 person to be the Governor of the Presidency or Settlement 

 of Fort St. George, and two other fit and proper persons 

 from amongst the servants in India, who, together with the 

 Commander-in Chief at Fort St. George for the time being, 

 should be the Council of the same Presidency or Settlement ; 

 and also, in like manner, to appoint fit and proper persons to 

 be the Governor and Council of Bombay. And it was 

 enacted that all His Majesty's subjects, as well servants of 

 the said United Company as others, should be amenable to 

 all Courts of Justice (both in India and Great Britain) of 

 competent jurisdiction to try offences committed in India, 

 for all acts, injuries, wrongs, oppressions, trespasses, mis- 

 demeanors, crimes, and offences whatsoever, by them or any 

 of them done, or to be done or committed, in any of the 

 lands or territories of any Native Prince or State, or against 

 their persons or properties, or the persons or properties of any 



70 Aitchison's Treaties, vol. v, pp. 147, 259. 



15 



