every description of economical arrangement made in the presidency of Bombay, was effected, though by silent strides. Not a murmur was heard from that quarter. The revenues in the mean time gradually improved, and the treasury at that presidency gained by the articles of exchange in its negociations with Bengal. A large part of its debt bearing an interest of 10 and 9 per cent. was also liquidated, and converted at the option of the lenders, into securities subject to a reduced interest of only 8 per cent. The success of these and other fiscal operations, showed a saving in the official year 1808-9, compared with 1806-7, of not less than 400,0001.; and the receipts for the same year, ending on the 30th of April, 1809, exhibited an excess of not less than 240,0001. more than the estimate. We do not find that any accounts for the year ending on the 30th of April, 1810, have yet been received; but the former advices justify an expectation that the scale of receipt and expenditure, in each succeeding year, would correspond with that of 1808-9.

A very considerable portion of these improvements in the finances of Bombay arose from actual retrenchments in the ordinary disbursements; and consequently affected directly or indirectly, the private interest, in their present situations or future views, of many individuals, civil and military: but we have in this instance a proof that mere privations, when the public good is the object, are endured by our fellow-subjects in India, when rudeness and insolence do not awaken passions of a livelier nature than the mere love of emolument.

While the temper and proceedings of the Bombay government operated especially in favour of of all the concerns in that quarter, they were essentially conducive to the common prosperity. Perhaps sufficient importance has not been usually assigned to their influence; for although, since the transfer of the Malabar province to the presidency of Madras, the Bombay dominion has been considerably abridged, and its population and revenues comparatively diminished; yet in political, naval, and military affairs, it has a claim to high distinction, which has been well supported during the long administration of its present governor.

Since a power of general controul has been vested in the Bengal government, the administrations of the other presidencies have indeed been relieved from a large share of responsibility; but while supineness or incapacity have by that means become less injurious, and harmony in action more effectually ensured, the real merits of the respective trustees of the public interests at Madras and Bombay, have been occasionally, and in the case of the latter, sometimes disingenuously eclipsed.

The honest and liberal candidate for fame in charge of either of these presidencies, if his talents and genius are less conspicuous in measures originating else where, has still, in the detail of operations committed to his charge, abundant exercise for his zeal and patriotism, and opportunities of establishing powerful claims to public notice and approbation, from which the mere prominent pretensions of the supreme government ought not materially to detract.

Accordingly

Accordingly we have found, that on all occasions where the co-operation of the Bombay government with the views of Fort William has been required, its exertions have been fully propertioned to the exigencies of the service. Its troops assisted general Harris in the extinction of the Mahommedan power in Mysore under sir David Baird. They co-operated with lord Hutchinson in expelling the French from Egypt; they had an active share in general Wellesley's eventful struggle in the Deccan; they reduced several of Scindia's fortresses in the Guzzarat; and afterwards, led by general Jones, penetrated from thence to the seat of war in the north of Hindostan; whilst the wealth of the presidency of Bombay enriched its treasury, and enabled its government to contribute, in money as well as in men and every other species of supply, far exceeding its contingent.

The topographical advantages of Bombay cannot be easily overrated, and under the present government have been conspicuously subservient to the interests of the company and the nation.* The Bombay built shipping are indisputably the best in the world. Superior to all in durability, they are inferior to none in symmetry of architecture. They are of different dimensions; and while some

of them have furnished to the India company, the best ships of the largest size in, their service, others, originally employed in commerce, have added to the numbers and strength of the royal navy.

Its capacious harbour affords safe anchorage to a forest of shipping; where they are also sheltered from an enemy by the guns of the castle and the town ramparts: most of which in that part are of the largest caliber. It is accessible at all seasons to his majesty's squadrons in those seas, and its arsenals supply every description of stores. Ships of all classes, up to and including third rates, had been for many years accommodated and repaired in its old docks; and two others of increased dimensions lately constructed, on a scale of magnificence not surpassed by any thing of the kind in the British dominions. Early in 1810, was launched at Bombay, a fine 74 gun ship, the Minden.

The dreadful ascendency which France has acquired in Europe, will be imperfect and unsatisfactory to its ambitious and malignant chief while the power of Great Britain remains undiminished. Having exhausted all other means of assault, and relinquished all hopes of success by any other stratagem, Buonaparte is compelled to resume the consideration of a project of the old court of

France,

France, to invade our Indian possessions on the side of Persia. His difficulties, under the most favourable circumstances, will indeed be formidable, and he is not at present prepared to encounter them; but they are not insurmountable, nor are we invulnerable in that quarter. The attempt may be yet long suspended; but we may woefully rue our mistake if we consider it abandoned: and if he shall ever be in a condition to enter seriously on the execution of his threats then will the political importance of Bombay be specially felt and acknowledged by both friend and foe.

Notwithstanding all our treaties and alliances, there was a propensity in the native powers of India to combine the whole physical force of the peninsula against the English. Powers, decidedly hostile to each other coalesced for this purpose during Mr. Hasting's eventful administration. Their policy would have been the same in 1799, but incalculably more comprehensive; and had not the views of the original confederates been unexpectedly frustrated, all recollection of the deplorable disasters in the Carnatic would have been lost in the traces of more general and fatal calami

ties.

The peace with the Mahrattas, which was concluded in May 1782, chiefly by means of sir John Macpherson, at that time retrieved the British cause when nearly desperate. The dangers of 1799 were averied by Zemaun Shah's precipitate retreat, after sur mounting the principal obstacles of a long, laborious, and difficult march; and arriving nearly in

contact with the force under sir James Craig, assembled on the frontier of Oude for the purpose of opposing him, as related in our historical sketch of that year.

For this memorable retreat, and all its consequences, so favourable to the ulterior extensive views of the supreme government, the British nation, and particularly the East India company, are indebted to Mirza Mehedy Aly Khan, who had the merit of first suggesting these measures, which afterwards produced, under his skilful management, a most unexpected reverse in the condition of all parties. The Mirza at that time filled the office of company's president at Bushire; having been appointed and deputed by the Bombay government to superintend their commercial and political concerns in the gulph of Persia.

He was a native of Persia, where his father had been head physician to Nadir Shah, and the son still maintained respectable connexions at the court of the reigning king Futteh Ali Khan. Mehmood and Feroze, two brothers of Zemaun Shah, after an unsuccessful domestic quarrel, had been driven into exile, and were brooding over their misfortunes at Terhan the present Persian capital. Mehedy rightly judged that the absence of Zemaun with the whole of his army, on a distant and foreign service, presented to them an opportunity equally favou rable for vindicating their own rights and the cause of the company. He accordingly negociated with his friends at the Persian court so successfully, that for an expence not exceeding

85001. Mehmood and Feroze were equipped and detached with a force to attack the Shah's western border, at the time when he had actually reached Lahore in his route to the Oude and Bengal provinces. Mehedy's mission, including his travelling charges and other disbursements incident to negociations at an eastern court, cost the company about 26,000l. In succeeding deputations to the court of Terhan, where no essential point was gained that Mirza had not at his command when he was recalled, there was expended a sum not less than half a million sterling.

Mirza Mehedy towards the close of that year proceeded, under the orders of the Bombay govern

ment, to the presence of the Persian monarch, to return public thanks for his critical and efficient interposition. He was also secretly charged with the negociation of a variety of delicate points. He arrived at Terhan on the 4th of Dec. 1799, and was received by his majesty and his ministers with great distinction, friendship, and hospitality.

In little more than a month he accomplished the objects of his mission, as far as they were attainable; and being early in 1800, superseded in his diplomatic character by an envoy direct from the supreme government, Mehedy resumed his functions at Bushire.

CHAP.

URING the last three months

DU

of 1809, the affairs of Europe were not regarded by the people of England with much interest or concern, at least not with any emotions that might render them objects of pleasing and voluntary attention. Austria was completely subdued. The British army had been in part withdrawn, or in part lay languishing in the pestilential marshes of Holland. Battles had been gained in Spain, but the objects of the campaign had been lost. The brave Tyroleans while they commanded our admiration, excited our pity. We admired their virtue but deplored their fate. In a word, the war on the continent had ceased either to feed our hopes, or amuse our leisure. In these circumstances the public langour was diverted by domestic dissentions and contests; not amounting to what is commonly termed war, but yet not altogether without blood shed. There was a contest in the cabinet which led to action, and a contest between the audience and the managers of Covent Garden theatre, which also led to action: but both happily terminated without any convulsion in the state, and indeed without the smallest loss, but according to general opinion, in one of the cases very material advantage to the public.

When the new was opened this season, towards the end of September, an increase of price was demanded for admission, This was resisted by the public as unnecessary and unreasonable, and as arising from an intention to take advantage of the town, which, Drury-lane being in ruins, had no other place of theatrical amusement. Another, and still more popular ground of resistance was, the erection of twenty-eight private boxes in the theatre, by which the audience at large was exceedingly cramped, and which were generally supposed to have been designed as resorts of impurity, and to furnish facilities, which in a British theatre ought not to be suspected. The performances of the actors were drowned and reduced to mere pantomime, by laughing, groaning, hissing, mew ing in imitation of cats, barking like dogs, grunting like swine, growling like tygers-in short it seemed as if all the animal creation had been assembled in Covent Garden, as in a capacious lyceum, for the purpose of proclaiming their existence by their instinctive sounds. To all manner of natural sounds, emitted or excited by all manner of natural organs, was added the aid of instrumental noise; such as coachmen's horns and trumpets, dustmen's bells, and watchmen's

season, theatrds whe

rattles.