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LETTER VI.

MY DEAR SIR,

Lucknow, January 16th, 1783.

BEFOR

EFORE I leave the territories of Affoff

ud-Dowlah, or, as he is often entitled from the rank he holds, the Vizier of the Empire, I will throw together for your perusal some brief remarks on the Oude government.

THIS Country is bounded on the north, by parts of Napaul and Siranagur; on the caft, by the English poffeffions; on the fouth, by the Jumna; and on the weft, generally by the Doab, and the Ganges. The Oude territories, generally flat and fertile, are watered by the Ganges, Jumna, Gograh, Goomty, and Gunduck, exclufive of many rivulets. These rivers flow through most of the principal towns, and interfect a large space of the country; most of them being navigable for boats, in all seasons of the year. -THE English armies may be plentifully fupplied with provifions and ammunition, ni the event of executing any military operation in that quarter. These rivers also prefent ftrong barriers against the Mahrattah, Seick, or Moghul cavalry. The Vizier's provinces, which yield, it is said, at this period, a revenue of about two mil

lions fterling, have greatly decreased in produce fince the death of Shujah-ud-Dowlah. It would be prefumptuous in me to attempt an explanation of fuch decrease. It was fufficiently mortifying, to obferve the common effects of a destructive adminiftration. The inhabitants fay, that the population of the country is diminished, and that the commerce, which in former periods was important and extenfive, has fallen to decay. Thefe evils which have contributed to the ruin of the most powerful ftates, and are now precipitating the ruin of Oude, can only be eradicated by the ftrenuous exertions of a juft and wife governor a character devoutly to be wished for in Oude. It appears, that a large portion of the amount now paid by Affoff-ud-Dowlah into the Company's treafury at Lucknow, is tranfported from thence in fpecie to relieve the neceffities of Bengal, now urgent in the extreme. Much of the wealth also, which has been accumulated by the fervants of the Company refiding in this country, has been conveyed in a fimilar mode; and the mischief gathers ftrength from the tenor of our prefent connection with Affoff-ud-Dowlah. The channels of commerce operate too tardily for measures which require difpatch, and embrace only the object of the day. If treasure can be procured, no fecondary aids are called in; no fuccedaneum is fearched for. These drains, unfupplied by any native fource, muft foon exhaust the vigour of a country, where in addition to the grievance, commerce is loaded with monopoly, and influenced by the hand of power. The demand for bills on Bengal, which has been preffing and con

tinued,

tinued, gave them often a value of seventeen and an half per cent, on the Lucknow amount; a profit which enabled the bankers to export the value in filver.*-The refumption of the Jaguir, or alienated lands, has not been productive of the promised benefits. The officers who enjoyed thofe benefactions, were many of them men of expenfive manners; they promoted the confumption of valuable manufactures, and poffeffing rank and distinction, they maintained a numerous body of dependants. Whether from a fucceffion of oppreffive managers, or that the inhabitants do not experience the fruits of former liberality, it is evidently seen, that the resumed districts are ill cultivated, and thinly inhabited,

LITTLE remains to be faid of the Vizier's military establishment; it being only useful in affifting the collection of the revenue, enforcing the obedience of the leffer vaffals, or furnishing a guard for his perfon. The defence of the country wholly rests on the forces of the English, which are fupplied according to emergency. The troops at this time, amount to about eight thousand sepoys, and five hundred Europeans, with the requifite train of artillery. The treasury of Affoff-ud-Dowlah is now low, but it is said, that he has nearly paid off the residue of a large debt, which had been accumulating fince the period of his father's death. It is to be fincerely wished, that the measures purfued in future, may redress

* A flow of commerce, which now more diffufely conveys the manufactures of this country to Bengal, has reduced this premium to four per cent.

the

the grievances of this country; which though of such extenfive compass, and poffeffing so valuable a resource, bears the aspect of rapid decay: and though its position, and native weakness, might render the alliance profitable to the English, no folid benefits have hitherto arifen from our connection with Oude.

I am, Dear Sir,

Yours, &c. &c.

LET

LETTER VIL

MY DEAR SIR,

Furruckabad, January 26th, 1783.

I NOW beg to prefent you with a sketch of

my route to Furruckabad, where I purpose refting two or three days with my countrymen, whom I fhall not probably fee again until my arrival in Europe.

On the 18th at noon, I left my hoftefs's quarters at Lucknow, and after a warm and dusty ride of feven coffes, halted at the village of Nowill Gunge. The next day I arrived at Meahgunge, a stage alfo of feven coffes, and was much rejoiced to find that my little steed continued to poffefs high health and vigor. He is endowed, I fear, with a too great predominance of the latter quality, and that in its worst sense; for if I am to judge from his carnal hankerings, and strong neighings of love to every mare he fees, it would too plainly appear that his life has not been of the chastest kind. But as it is faid, and in holy writ I believe, "that there is no wisdom under the girdle," meaning, evidently, the girdles of the lords and ladies of the creation, we may furely

VOL. I.

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excufe

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