215 
1904.] G. N. Dutt— History of the Hatwa Raj. 
Extracts from the Proceedings of the Governor-General in Council in the 
Revenue Department , dated the 2nd November , 1784. 
Read the following letter and enclosure from the Committee of 
Revenue, dated the 28th. October, 1784. 
To 
The Hon’ble Warren Hastings, Esq., 
Governor-General and in Council , Fort William. 
Hon’ble Sir & Sirs, 
We have now the honor to reply to your letter of the 26th May 
last, enclosing a petition from Mobeshdutt Shaw, and requesting us to 
inform you if any objection existed to granting him a sunnud for the 
Malikana and Zemindary of Hosseypore to which he laid claim. 
The enquiries we were under the necessity of making prevented 
an earlier reply on our part. It appears by an explanation afforded by 
the Collector of Sircar Saran, that Moheshdutt Shaw is the great- 
grandson of the original proprietor of Husseypore, Raja Kurtal Shaw. 
That Futtay Shaw, a grandson of Kurtal Shaw, succeeds the zemindary 
on the death of his brother, Seebdown Shaw, and in consequence of the 
exclusion of Futty Shaw and his family for defection, Moheshdutt Shaw 
is the next heir in succession for the inheritance. 
On these grounds his claims are founded, but his succession to the 
zemindary is rather in our opinion to be considered as a matter of 
favour than as a right, and the objection to complying with the prayer 
of his petition arises on motives of policy and are as follows: That it 
might induce Futty Shaw, who has frequently committed depreda¬ 
tions in the Company’s Territories, to renew them, obstruct the Collector 
and probably endanger the life of Moheshdutt. Basant Shaw was ac¬ 
tually murdered by Futtay Shaw on suspicion only of his having engaged 
with Government for rents. 
The army grant of Malikana villages will be a deduction from the 
Revenue of Government, and in the present instance will, according 
to the usage of the district, amount to about Rs. 16,500 per annum. 
If your Hon’ble Board should agree to invest Mohesh Dutt with 
the Zemindary and Malikana, we are of opinion that this grant should 
be conferred on the express condition of suppressing the depredations of 
Futtay Shaw and made revocable, in case he should, from inability or 
other course, fail in executing his condition. 
But if your Hon’ble Board should think Mohesh Dutt entitled to 
any subsistence from Government, this may be done by granting him 
