1898.] C. R. Wilson —An unrecorded Governor of Bengal. 
171 
natives to make a quarrel about. I should be glad, therefore, to know from 
you, Sir, who are the only man alive that can tell me, whether these restric¬ 
tions were not intended, although they may not be expressed in the Phir- 
maund. 
It was a report whilst I was in Bengal that you had obtained from the 
Mogul an addition of 84 villages to the ground which contained all the 
Company’s territory ten years ago; that is from Perrings to Surman’s 
garden: but that the Nabob Jaffeir Khan set his face against this accession 
of territory, and would not suffer the company to take possession of it. It 
was likewise a common talk, that Mr. Surman offended Jaffeir Khan on his 
return from Delhi, by asserting that the title of his Munsub being higher 
than the Nabob’s, the Nabob ought in some ceremonies, which were to pass 
between them, to give him the precedence. I was young when in Bengal 
and never thinking of the work I am now engaged in, took these stories as 
they were told at table talk, and having forgot one half of the particulars, 
have little confidence in, nor indeed a clear idea of the rest. But by the 
Phirmaund published by Mr. Frazer it appears that the Mogul only granted 
40 vingas, that is about 30 acres of ground to any settlements which the 
Company might make in Bengal or Orissa. So that the 84 villages must 
have been, if granted at all, in a separate Phirmaund. 
Again, Sir, I should be glad to know what particular and extraordinary 
oppressions from the Government the Company suffered, to induce them to 
be at the expense of your embassy. 
It was in consequence of great oppressions that in the year 1685, the 
old Company sent out an armanent and ordered Job Chanock to fight. The 
papers of old date which came from abroad, are in such extreme confusion 
at the India House, that there is no possibility of divining where Job Cha- 
nock’s letter to the Company, informing them of his expedition, lies ; so that 
I despair of ever seeing it. Perhaps, Sir, you by being ill’India, not many 
years after that event, may be able to give some account of it. Where he 
marched from and to; whom he fought; and the success ; which by a letter, 
wrote by the Directors after the expedition, seems to have been no wise 
satisfactory to them. 
I am far from expecting that you should be at the trouble of giving me 
in writing all the details concerning the informations I want; but an hour’s 
conversation with you will, I hope, be deemed no unreasonable request, 
although I am a perfect stranger to you. If, therefore, y<5U will permit me 
to wait on you the first time you come to town, I shall be much obliged for 
notice the day before, when I can have the pleasure of seeing you at your 
house in Queen Square. All I can say, Sir, is, that as you are the only 
person living who can give me these informations, my obligation will be 
equal to the difficulty of obtaining them elsewhere, very great indeed. 
I am, Sir, with much respect, 
Your very obedient humble Servant, 
Harley Street, Cavendish Square, R. ORME.” 
August 4 th, 1764. 
