170 C. R. Wilson — An unrecorded Governor of Bengal. [No. 2, 
Stephenson accordingly returned to Cassimbazar where he remained 
another year. At the end of 1729 he resigned the chiefship of that 
place, and came down to Calcutta, whence he sailed for England on the 
Eyles at the beginning of 1730. 1 
It was probably after his return home that “ Governor Stephenson 
married the lady whose death on the 24th February, 1744, is recorded 
in the Gentleman’s Magazine. 8 In 1764 Orme, who was collecting 
materials for the second volume of his history wrote as follows to 
Stephenson 8 :— 
“Concerning the embassy to Furruckseer. 
To Mr. Stevenson. 
Sir, 
It is not impossible that you may have seen my work of the military 
transactions in India, and if your opinion of it has induced you to wish for 
the continuance of it, my present requests to you will carry their excuse 
with them ; otherwise this intrusion will scarce admit of an apology. 
In order to explain the late revolutions in Bengal, it appears to me 
absolutely necessary to explain the embassy to Furruckshir on which you 
went with Mr. Surman. These papers are in the India house where I am 
suffered to peruse them, but from whence I am not permitted to take them. 
As I am very infirm it is very seldom that I can go there, and when there, 
my attention is distracted by the variety of clerks and business, which sur¬ 
round me. If you have these papers in your possession, I shall be very 
much obliged to you for the loan of them for a few days. I will take great 
care of them, and return them punctually at the limited time. Should you 
be induced to comply with this request I beg the favour you will omit no 
scrap however insignificant in appearance, for it has often happened that a 
few words lead to very material knowledge. 
I have always looked upon the Phirmaunds, which you obtained from 
Furuckshir, as the Magna Charter of the Company until of late years. It is 
true that the great Phirmaund, as published by Mr. Frazer, seems to imply 
a general permission of trading to all places in all articles. But I much 
doubt whether the Mogul ever intended that we should extend our sales 
beyond what was importation from foreign parts, or our purchases beyond 
what was intended for exportation. At least I am sure that all the while 
I was in Bengal, no Englishman dared to trade in salt, beetle or tobacco, 
and if they carried any others of the productions of the country from one 
port to another of the province of Bengal, they were permitted only because 
the profits were known to be very small and not worth the attention of the 
September. It was John Deane who, having thus become a second time Governor 
returned to Europe on the 25th February, 1732, 
1 See Bengal Public Consultations, 
8 Gentleman’s Magazine for 1744, p. 108. 
8 Orme Co elections XV. Letter from Mr. Orme to Mr. Stevenson, pp. 4131-4133. 
