E L TS CHIEFS A GE! TS ! D B ! GA , I , , A V ER! ORS GO .

The list of Governors of , which has hitherto been referred to as authoritative , is that issued from the

Government of Central Printing Office ; but , having occasion recently to verify the names of the earliest I Governors on that list , was surprised to find that the persons whose names were given first and second never had been Governors at all , and , further, that there had been Governors of Bengal long before the date ( 1 733) assumed in that list . The first to whom the title of

Governor was applied was Mr . William Hedges , who was 1 68 1 ff i appointed , in , Agent and Governor for the a a rs of the in the Bay of Benga ff rd . G o His successor, Mr William k y , President and

Governor of Fort St . George , was appointed to act 1 683 d temporarily in Bengal in December , un er the . “ ” r ‘ l he Go title of President and Governor . title of

vernor was then dropped , Bengal being subordinated G l to Fort St . eorge, and Mr . John Beard was sty ed ” Agent and Chief in the Bay of Bengal , as were also

his successors down to Sir Charles Eyre , who , in De cember 1 69 9 , was appointed President and Governor of t ” m For William in Bengal , and Bengal was , at the sa e

time , constituted a Presidency , and has ever since had

a Governor, Governor General , or Lieutenant Governor

to preside over its Councils . A correct and complete

n m list of Governors of Be gal should , therefore , com ence '

. l m . a G fi rd with Mr Wi liam Hedges and Mr Willi y o , af ter whom there would be a gap until Sir Charles

Eyre . Thence they should be continued in rot ation in accordance w ith the annexed list down t o Warren

1 732 1 . I . 8 8 1 4 . A 2

who l t Hastings , was the ast to bear the designa ion of e l Gov rnor of Benga . The incorrectness of the Government of India list may be explained by the circumstance that all the Records at C alcutta before 1 752 were destroyed when Fort

l w as a t a - u d - a 1 756 Wil iam c p ured by Sur j Daul in , and l th r f r e i w ere . e e o e r l able materia s , , wanting from which to d compile a list of early Governors . But, it may be aske , who were the Messrs . Freek e and Cruttenden who are stated in the Government lis t to have bee n Governors of ? Bengal in 1 733 and 1 738 In endeavouring to reply to this question , I have been unable to trace any one in the F 1 733 re eke . service in of the name of It will be seen ,

l . l F ad ka however, from my ist that there was a Mr Samue 1 7 1 8 1 723 who was Governor from January to January , P and there was a Mr . Thomas eake , a factor at Dacca , in F k . ea e 1 735 . This latter Mr became Chief at Dacca in 1 745 r , and was transfer ed to the Council at Bengal 1 49 ill t in July 7 , but he was taken immediately af er his transfer , and appears never to have taken his seat h 1 5 at the Council . He died on the 7 t October 7 0 .

1 738 . In , so far from Mr Cruttenden being Governor, the Honourable John Stackhouse held that position , and one Edward Holden Cruttenden (the only one of the name I have been able to trace) was nearly at the bottom of the list of writers at Bengal . He however,

an d subsequently rose to be a Member of Council , was 1 8th appointed to that rank on the April 1 748 . He came by degrees to be second in Council , Roger Drake being then President and Governor ; but, in a de s at ch 3 1 st 1 755 p of the January , the Court wrote n t to Be gal , that , Having reason to be dissa isfied

t . w with the conduc of Mr Ed ard Holden Cruttenden , we hereby direct that upon the receipt of this he be d ’ ” immediately ismissed from the Company s service . He w as accordingly dismissed on the 28t h August 1 755 u (Bengal Consultations) , and conseq ently he never became Governor of Bengal . 3

a an d I have , in the annexed st tement memorandum , l traced the Chiefs , Agents , and Governors of Benga from the earliest date , and have given quotations from d the old Recor s to prove the accuracy of my list .

. . A! VERS F C D , Registrar and Superintendent

of Records .

1 2th June 1 888 . l h Benga , its C iefs , Agents, and Governors .

! ame .

Mr ri h of th e f ac . am ma 1 4 . 1 5 1 c 1 650. J es B dg n C ief Dec 6 0 4 De . t ories of Bal asor i and H l li . r r w t at h i . G s Ga t on 65 . M eo g Agen ug l 27 Feb . 1 7 r n ha Trevi sa D i t t . M . Jo at n o

D i t t Ch i the fac F b 1 661 . o ef of 6 e . t or ies i n t he of Bengal . W am ak Di tto Mr . illi Bl e n Sh em B ri dg es D i t t o n P w D it t Mr. He ry o ell o Wa t C a D i t t D Au . 1 677 . Mr . l er l vell o ied g Jul 1 682 at t hi a Vi n nt Di t t t . 1 D Mr. M s ce o 7 Sep 677 eposed y ~ Wi i am A n t and G u 1 Au . 1 681 . . ov 1 681 682 g Mr ll Hedges ge over 24 ! . J ly nor for t he aff airs of t he E ast I ndi a Com pany i n t he Bay of Bengal ( after w ards S i r Wi l liam Hedges Mr Wi am G fford P i n t and t n t o t . Re r re de 1 683 An . 1 684 lli y s 21 Dec . g u ed For n t r O t c . ver or of Fort S . Geo g e St . George, came 1 684. u p t o ac t 1 1! B n a e g l . h ar nt an d h l 685 . i d t i Au . 1 . 1 683 Oct . 1 684 D e 28 Mr Jo n Be d Age C ief 21 Dec. g i n t h e B ay of B n a e g l . r ob ham ok D t t l . J th Jan M C o i o April 1 686 Died o . - — . Fi ranci s E i D i t t 1 92 3. an . 1 an 1 69 2 9 3. 6 9 Mr ll s o 3 J 693 J .

1 69 4.

. ha E r at r D tt an 1 69 8 t E n an Mr C rles y e (l e i o 25 J . Lef for gl d - i Cha ) . 1 l et Feb . 1 698 99 . S r rles 1 69 . h n ar n . t and h b 1 698 Mr Jo Be d Ag e C ief l Fe . 1 699 r h ar E r P r i nt an d G0 D e ft 7 th Jan S C e y e e de 1 699 26 Ma 1 700. . i l s s 20 ec . y L on n t 1 700— 1 ac ver or of For , on Wi i am m un t i ll , co of ll B n a n e g l ( Lo healt h. d on East i n dia C m a o p ny ) . S i r E ward Li t tleton P e i d ent D e sed b rd er d r s i aa . 1 eos J ul y 1 699 p o y o 671 or t he 0 the Cou r t 1 0th q f 1 699 . B a y B eng a l : a n . 1 707 . ! o yn zs t nd b er o r other P resid en t Co n s ul f o r t he f o r the sepa ra te E ng l as h n a afi azrs of th e h on ( E ng l i sh E ng l zs h E a s t E a st Iu dza Com I nd i a Comp an y p an w as ap p om t ed .

i Mr r Pr Si e n t and Go an 00 Mr . B a i at . John Bea d 7 J . 1 7 e rd d ed n t 01 D d ras 7t h u ver or of For 1 7 . J ly Wi i am 1 gg5 ll , in Be ( Older Lo n ori East In ia C m an d o p y . ) t o Weltd en . Es . P r i n t i t he D 1 09 1 1 0 tm t re An h ny q es de n 30 ec . 7 20 July 7 Appoin en vok e d by orders n n u ver or a d of Co rt . He Comman der -l n resign ed accord Ch i ef for Fort i ngly o n 4t h Wi i i n Mar h - 1 ll am, c 1 71 0 1 . a r t he Beng l , fo ! n i t ed East In a di a Comp ny . Mar 1 Di smi ssed h r r 4 . 71 0 y o de urt L 1 71 1 . C . eft of o “ on t he Marl b oro ug h for E n an 3rd De gl d c. 1 71 3.

bert e e Es . Ditto 1 D i 28th D Ro 8 D 1 7 3 ec. H dg s, q ec. ed 1 71 7 . 5

— “ e its n com . B ngal , Chiefs , Agents , and Gover ors

“ o n t h Sam e Feak e Es . Pre dent i n the 1 2 Jan . 1 71 7 e t e De u l , q si L f ” Ba and Go 1 71 8. von shi re y , for vern or an d E ng lan d 1 7th - an 1 722 23. Comman der i n J . Ch i e f for Fort Wi l am l i , n a r t he Be g l , fo ! n ited Eas t n I di a Company . h Dea Es . Di t t Jo n ne, q o

r Ffrankl and Es . Dit t Hen y , q o

J h t a k Es . Ditt o n S c house, q o

T ma B rad d ll Es . Dit t ho s y , q o

J h r t r Es . Ditt o n Fo s e , q o

Wi iam arw Es . Dit to ll B ell, q

am Daw n Es . D i tt Ad so . q o

R r Dra Es . Ditt oge e, q o

Colonel 27 Jun e 1 758

O R ! aniah w 28 Jan . 1 760. J eph Hol ell, Esq .

n V ns i tta t Es . 23 ! ov. 1 759 27 1 760 He ry a r , q July

hn r Es . 8 Dec . 1 704 . Jo S ce , q Lord C we 3 May 1 765

rr ere ls a V t Es . 29 Jan . 1 767 H y , q

o O h a t Es . 26 De c . 1 769 . Jo n C r ier, q Warr a t n a 1 1 2 Es . 8 M 1 77 1 3 ri 77 en H s i gs, q y Ap l

In 1 633— 34 permission was given to the East India Pi li Company to establish a factory in Bengal at pp , Bal asor a village in the district , where an earlier

Portuguese settlement had existed . This circumstance was reported home from Surat in a letter to the Court

633- 34 2 1 st 1 0 . of Directors , dated the February ( C “ 1 5 1 9 — 2md w e ) wherein it was stated , The present ’ K fi rm an d received from Agra the ing s , which gives liberty of trade unto us in the whole cou ntry of but Bengala, res trains our shipping only unto the ” Pi l ee . O port of p At a later date , trade was pened at Bal asor 3 , and in a letter dated the rd ! ovember 1 642 6

1 797 . F t ) Mr rancis Day , writing from tha port

m n to the Court , re arked , Accordi g to the small time m an d of y being here , that little observation that I an d Ball as ara ad have taken , should think with the l l jacent p aces is not to be totally ost, for it is not

” as l such despisable place is voted , it being an opu ent n t ki gdom , and your having been at grea charges in n cust om e gaini g the free of all sorts of goods , believe h it , if you had but an active man , two or three , in t ose i t parts , you would find very profitable , provided you d ’ ouble stock the coast, without which tis impossible ” m u to co ply to yo r desires .

1 644 . n l In Mr Gabriel Boughto , former y surgeon of ’ “ ” hi t he the Company s s p Hopewell , was means of pro curing further valuable privileges for t he Company i n n rd Be gal . In a letter from Surat of the 3 January

1 644 - 5 4 C. 0 . ( , the circumstance is thus referred A ss al aut r ! rati o us to Channe , a very g eat mbra , g K with the ing , and our very good friends , having long

importuned us to supply him with a chirurgeon , wee , c on si d erin e g how advantageous itt may be unto you , havi n e fit t and g a opportunity , one Gabriel Boughten , ’ late chirurgeon of the Hopewell , being thereunto w illi n e very well qualified , and being g to stay , we had t u fi t ti n e tho ght g to designe him to y service , where : n with Assal Cha ne is soe well pleased that lately, m an ed w . n w as acco hen Mr Tur er to leave Agra , he p y ’ 6 K hon or d . t o Mr . Tash and Mr Turner y ing , who them more than ordinary in a long conference he held “ t w with them , dismissing hem ith vests , and sending ” e fi rm n ffi rman d . a unto y President a and agger This , s it has been tated , granted valuable privileges to the m n East India Co pa y in Bengal , under which they were Hu hli permitted to build a factory at g , but without

r . w fo tifications No trace , ho ever , of the document itself now remains . Shortly after this date the first mention

n o s is made , in the records w extant , of the exi tence of a l factory at Hugh i . In 1 650 the factori es of Bal asor and Hughl i were 7

n e 1 4th u it d , and on the of December of that year a instructions were issued , signed by C ptain John “ Brookhaven , appointing Mr . James Bridgman Chief,

Mr . Edward Stephens second , William Blake and Ff ran ci s Tayler assistants in the ffact ori es of B al l asor l and H ukely for the honb e . English East India Com

C . pany (O . , ’ Bal asor was at first the head - quarters of the Company s d Bengal factories . Mr . Bri gman appears to have gone 1 653 t he 1 7 away some time in , for , on th August of that P w l Wal d e av Bal asor . o e r e year , Mr g , writing from to d ’ Surat , referred in his letter to Mr . Bri gman s departure 28th . C . (O , and in a letter to the Court of the 3 1 65 . . 2 Wa d ra 4 C 4 5 . l e ve December (O , ) Mr g remarked , l Mr . n Hu Bridgma , when he left g y (upon what reasons

& c . other than sinister) cannot be imagined , It

would thus appear that Mr . Bridgman left somewhat

. Wal d e rave suddenly , and that on his departure Mr g

assumed charge . e 2 th 1 657 In a despatch dat d 7 February , the Court d “ of Directors , a dressing our Agent and Factors at ” Hu hl g y , stated , We have made some good progress ' as to the settlin g of our several fi ac tori es in all parts ' fi act ori es of India , and have concluded to reduce all ,

both to the northwards and southwards , Persia and b Presi den ci e the Bay to be su ordinate to our , which

we shall settle in Surratt . Wee have likewise resolved 4 vi z . to establish Agencies , , one at Fort St . George ,

one in Bantam , a third in Persia , and the other at Hu hl g y, which last place , being your Residence , it most n ecessarl i e requires your knowledge of what we n have determi ed in relation thereunto , which is as

vi z . followeth , , “ H u hl a t n At g y we doe appoint Mr . George G w o to

be our Agent, “ B all asore At , Mr . Thomas Hopkins is appointed

Chi ef e , &c .

Cassambaz ar K At , Mr . John enn for Chief, &c . 8

h 850 . At Pattana , Mr . Richard C amberlain , Chief ,

' These are t he 4 fi act ori es which we determined an d shall be settled in the Bay of Bengala, that they shall be accomptable and subordinate to the agencie of ” Hu hl &c . g y , 27th 1 658 In a subsequent despatch of the March , the Court stated “ ‘ ’ Some alteration since our last by the Love , we have made in the settlement of our !f actors within your e !fi a agencie and subordinat s, rst we have and doe p

Mr . point . Jonathan Trevise to be second to Mr George

n u h G aw t o in our Agencie at H g l y . And in case of ’ ”

Gawt on s u cceed e . Mr . decease to s and be our Agent

. Gaw to n It is uncertain when Mr arrived , and how u hl n o w long he acted as Agent at H g y . There are no t le ters extant from him in that capacity , but a letter

n 1 1 th from Fort St . George to Be gal , of the September i 1 58 . . T rev sa n 6 C . o (O , stated that Mr was then h n Hu l . his w ay to succeed Mr . G aw t o in the g y Agency

6th 1 660 - 6 1 In a despatch of the February , the Our a Hu hl Court , in a letter addressed to F ctors at g y ” Ben all and in the Bay of g , stated, This is only to

advise you that wee , upon serious debate and con fi t t sideration , have now thought , and concluded , to 6 reduce the Agency which we had constituted in y

Bay , under the power and government of our Agents ”

. & . Ff ort c . T revi sa and Counsell at St George , Mr , i t l appears , continued to act as Chief in Benga until succeeded by Mr . William Blake , who , by a Commission “ 3 1 st 1 661 — 62 dated the January , was appointed to ' bee Chi ef e in the management of our afi ai res in our ' fi act r !f actories in the Bay of Bengala , all which o i es we have subordinated to the Agencie at Ff o rt St “

& c . George , He was further instructed , At your arr ivall at Hu ghl y wee hereby give you power to call T revi sa Mr . Jonathan , and all other our servants , to accompt for all actions which hath passed since their ” being in the Bay . " ”9

a Hu hl o Mr . Blake prob bly arrived at g y as Chief ab ut 1 663 the end of March , but there is nothing to fix the exact date , and he seems to have continued in office for about six years , for in a despatch from the Court to ” Chi ef e H u hl 24th Our and Factors at g y , of the

an u ari e 1 667— 68 J , there appears the following passage i t Wee take notice that Mr . Wm . Blake makes his return e request to to England by the next ships ,

wherein we doe comply with his desire . And doe

hereby appoint Mr . Shem Bridges to succeed him , and to take the place of Chi ef e in the Bay at the time

i mb ar ue . when Mr . Blake shall q for England And in

case of the decease of Mr . Bridges then wee doe appoint

Chi ef e & c . Mr . Henry Powell to be ,

Mr . Blake , however , before he left, appears so to have acted as to have caused charges to be preferred against 20th 1 668 him , for, on the November , the Court wrote hl t . Hu bo h to Fort St George and to g y , Wee having

had information of soe many miscarriages of Mr . Wm . Blake require you to make a strict inqui ”

& c . sitiou into them , The result of these inquiries appears to have been the removal of Mr . Blak e from his position , when he was succeeded by Mr . Shem Bridges 1 6 as Chief about March 69 .

Mr . Bridges did not long retain his position , for , in Hu hl 7th 1 669 a despatch to g y of the December , the

Court remarked , Mr . Shem Bridges hath written to eare w ch us that he might come home this y , wee co m l ed have p y with , and , to prevent any question t that may arise , have appoin ed Mr . Henry Powell to succeed him as Chi ef e in t he Bay 60 d ai es after the ”

arrivall & c . of the first of these our advices , l Mr . Powell was succeeded by Mr . Wa ter Clavell , but

at what date is uncertain . It is , however , clear that

Mr . Clavell had assumed the position of Chief in the 1 672 as Bay at least as early as June , he is referred to in a p erw an a of Shaista Khan of the 1 8th of that month

C . 0 . . ( , He succeeded Mr Powell in accordance 10

Wi th the orders for succession laid down by the Court h 7 t 1 699 in t eir despatch of the h December . On the 1 1 th August 1 67 7 advices were recei ved at H u hl i B al aso r IV l . a t er g , from , of the death of Mr Hu hl i Clavell ( g Diary , B . R . S . S He was suc d d cee e . by Mr Matthias Vincent , in accordance with the order of succession laid down in the Court ’ s despatch 3 1 6 2 of the 1 th December 7 . He arrived at H ughl i on 7 th H u hl i the September following ( g Diary , The aff airs of the Company appear now to have c o n se been very badly conducted in Bengal , and 24t h quently the Court of Directors , under date the 1 681 “ November , appointed Mr . William Hedges to be Agent and Governor of and for all our aff airs in the n H u hl Bay of Be gala , in the East Indies , at g y, B al l aso re Co ss umbuz ar M anl d a , , , Decca , Pattana , and of all and sin gular other our Factori es and jurisdictions

in the Bay of Bengala , without any subordination to ” f r our Agent and Council at F o t St . George . In the

instructions to Mr . William Hedges , he was directed , “ a z C immedi tely on arrival at Bengal , to sei e upon y

of . a person Mr Matthias Vincent , our l te Chief in the B a e y , and send him forthwith a prison r on board the ” ship Defence to England . It appears that several of the Company ’ s servants encouraged interlopers at this

time , and besides Mr . Vincent , Messrs . Littleton , Pitts , i l . and Cat chpo o were also dismissed Mr . L ttleton after wards became President for the English East India

Company in the Bay of Bengal . e 2 1 st 1 683 In a lett r to Bengal of the December , the fi tt d o e Court said Wee have thought and hereby ,

as af o resd . as well by our commission , dismiss Ben al l Mr . William Hedges from being our Agent in g , and from having anything more to doe with any of

our afi ai rs in the East Indies . And have by our said ' W ll i am i l G fi or d . commission constituted y , Esq , to be President and Governor of all our affairs upon the

Ch r mandell Ben all . Coast of o o and Bay of g , Mr John l l

n e Beard to be Agent and Chief ext under the Pr sident , ’ and to remain so after the President s return to Ff ort

St . George . Our further order is that all our said c Councill , ex ept our President , who is to return to his 6 Ff ort Govt . at y , shall keep their usual Presi d n c H u hl e y at g y . In case of the death or

absence of Mr . Beard, wee doe appoint Mr . Job

Charnock to be Chief of all our ad airs in the Bay .

' G fi o r Hu hl u 1 684 Mr . y d arrived at g y in A gust

. C . ( O , and stayed there about two months, as

Mr . John Beard appears to have entered on his duties of 0 C 6th . Agent on or before the October following ( , his first letter as Agent now extant being signed on ’ Hi i li 20th that date . Mr . Beard died at g on the August 1 685 Ff ran ci s u , whereupon Mr. Ellis , the second in Co ncil , t an d ac ed as President , continued in that capacity until 1 686 the arrival of Mr . in April . The ’ evidence of Mr . Beard s death is contained in a despatch 9 h u 1 686 . t to Fort St George of the J ne , as well as in ’ 6 the Court s Minutes of the 1 5th December 1 86 . ’ H u hli The danger of the Company s position at g , in the absence of any fortified position there , had some time before this occupied the attention of the Court . 5 1 683— 84 In a despatch of the th March , they had “ ~— ad remarked , The more wee think of it the more vantage wee apprehend i i i having a f o rtifyed settle e ment for y residence of our Agent and Councill of e y Bay , in such a place as our great ships may lye e within command of y guns of our ffort . If you could obt ai n e a phi rmaund for ye perpetual i n

heritance of such a place , wee should not think much

20 i i of your giving or rps . for ye obta n ng of it , e ” nor of y charge of building a ffort to defend it . In 1 686 and 1 687 the Court again urged the necessity of n a havi g some fortified pl ce in the Bay , as well for their protection against the Dutch as against the native Princes ” u over whom the D tch have too much power . Owing b Hu hli to the out reak of hostilities at g , and the strained I2

l re ations with the Nabob,Mr . Charnock withdrew with 20th 1 686 off his Council on the December , bringing ” l e ” al . y Rt Hon . Comp concerns and our own , and Chut an u tt settled at ea (Calcutta) (O . C In a despatch of the 28th September 1 687 the Court ex pressed their determination to undauntedly pursue the war against the Mo gull until we have a fortified settle ment in Bengal upon as good terms as we hold Fort

St . George or Bombay , whatever it costs us . On the 7 th 1 688 September the Court of Directors , in a letter “ u to the Mog l , asked for the concession of some con ven i en t and he al thf ull place in Bengal to fortify and defend our concerns from the insolence of any of ! our Majesty ’ s ! nder Governors that may do injury or t violence to our servants or to our Estates , wi hout ’ ” ! our Majesty s leave or knowledge . The actual construction of fortifications at Calcutta was not , how ever, carried out for some years later , for it was not

- 1 69 6 9 7 . until January , when Mr Charles Eyre was the Governor , that , as appears from the Bengal Diary of 1 st of that month , the Government were employed in ffortif i n e y g ourselves , and wanted pr per gunns for e y points .

In a despatch to Fort St . George of the 22n d January 1 69 1 ! o u , the Court remarked , will observe by our t t Commission now sent our P resid and Councill y by e y said Commission we make B en gal l subordinate to t ffor . the , and by our letters we make Mr Charnock “ ’ afi ai res Ben all absolute Gov of our in g , without

ffort w eb . appeal to the , at first view seems to be a

contradiction of our Commission , but you will find it

is not so upon our explanation , which is this , during ’ Mr . Charnock s life we intend to trust him with such

n n t ro ul abl e u co power , but in case of his death we ~ intend B en gall shall return to its quondam subordi ' ” nation to the fi ort .

t . 29 th Subsequently, in a despa ch to Fort St George ,

1 69 1 - 92 February , the Court remarked , If it should 1 3

w . please God to take a ay our good Agent , Mr Charnock , l ” . e n a l let Mr Brown supply the plac of our Agent in Be g .

3rd 1 69 3- 94 In a despatch to Bengal , of the January , the Court said , We hear of the death of our good

n . Agent , Mr . Char ock In his stead we doe appoint

i . Ff ran c s . Mr . Ellis to succeed Agent Mr Charnock

l 0th 1 692 - 9 3 died on the January , and it is therefore probable that Mr . Ellis at once succeeded him , but I have been unable to obtain proofs of the exact date of his assuming office .

Mr . Ellis was succeeded by Mr . Charles Eyre , in com

li an ce p with the orders of Sir John Goldsborough , and he assumed office as Agent in Bengal on the 25th January

— 1 693 94 . , on which date Mr Ellis handed over to him ’

&c . . the Company s cash , (O C Mr . Ellis was transferred to Fort St . George, where he died as second 1 in Council in 704 .

Mr . Eyre was succeeded by Mr . John Beard , as appears from the following extract y bl . C m . Ho n e o The Rt p , in case of absence or

mortality of their Agent , having ordered and appoint ed

Mr . John Beard to succeed and to take the employ

upon him as Agent . It is therefore agreed (Agent Eyre bein g on his departure) that he deliver the charge

of the agency to Mr . John Beard . This evening the Rt . ‘I Wo rs p Agent Eyre departed this place for England . Chu t t an u t t e 1 s t 1 698 (Bengal Diary , , February

In a letter to the President and Council in Bengal , of 20th 1 69 9 the December , the Court of Directors , after referring to the new (English) East India Company, by f re whom their af airs in Bengal were being opposed , marked as follows “ The consideration of the great invest ments made B en all n ew yearly in g , our being possessed of a strong ff ortifi cati on d and large tract of lan , and prospect from

thence of raising a considerable revenue in due time , and of your ha ving been made independent of our other ' fi act ori es u s B , hath inclined to declare en gall a e we t Presid ncy , and have cons ituted our p aid A gent 1 4

w M t? (Mr. Eyre) on hom his a has been pleased to r confer the hon of knighthood , to be our President there

' ’ fi ort & c fi ort Governor of our , which we call ” William . t At a Cour of Committees held the same day , Sir

Evance . Stephen and Robert Dorrill , Esq , were approved securit es of to be y for Sir Charles Eyre , elected B en all President of the Bay of g , each in a Bond of ” One Tho usand pounds . The President or Chief in the Bay of Bengal for the K English Company was Sir Edward Littleton , night ,

i 1 2th in whose commiss on and instructions , dated the n 1 698— 99 Ja uary , it was also stated that a power had been obtained from his Majestic to constitute him the Minister or Con sull for the English Nation with all ” Powers requisite thereunto . 1 699 Sir E dward Littleton arrived at Hughli in July . E i Sir Charles yre , who was at the t me at home , returned o n 26th 1 700 to India , and arrived at Bengal the May ; 7th owing to ill health , however , he left again on the

January following , and was succeeded by Mr . John

Beard , the second in Council . Mr . Beard left Bengal 1 7 1 704 for Madras on the th December , where he died 7th w 1 7 on the July follo ing (Calcutta Diary, th December 1 704 and 9 th November l 0th 1 703— 4 In a despatch of the January , the Directors of the English East India Company directed that Sir E dward Littleton was no longer to exercise the authority of President for the Bay of Bengal . After this the separate aff airs of the Company were to be “ managed by one of the Council taking the chair, or presiding in the room of Sir Edward Littleton by way

of rotation , every one of the Councill in his turne . The union of the two East India Companies took place 1 02 on the 23rd July 7 . They each of them retained their separate managements at their several factories in order to wind up their respective businesses . For the l unit ed trade in Bengal a Counci was appointed , of which

a l l . e Mr , ! ath nie Ha sey and Mr Robert Hedg s were to

1 6

l . eaving Mr Hedges, who is next in course to succeed ossest w t President , p of that station , agreeable i h the ’ B n e . 3rd Company s orders ( . Pub Cons . , December 28th Mr . Hedges died on the evening of the 1 1 7 7 . December , and was succeeded by Mr Samuel Feak e who , the next in succession , assumed office on the

- 28th 1 2 1 1 1 . . 7 8 . th January 7 (Ben Pub Cons , December 1 71 7 and 1 2th January 1 7 1 7

Fe ake Mr . having been for some months in a bad ’ t state of health , lef Calcutta , by the Court s permission , hi s E by the Devonshire , on return to ngland , on the

- 1 7 1 722 23 . th January , leaving Mr John Deane , the “ o ssest next in course, to succeed President p of that ’ station agreeable to the Company s orders (Ben . Pub . 1 1 722 . 7 Cons , th January

Mr . John Deane returned to England , by permission ” t of the Court , on the ship Eyles , which lef Calcutta 3oth 1 725— 26 on the January , having first delivered over f n kl n F ra a d . charge to Henry , Esq , whom our honorable ” Masters have appointed to succeed him (Ben . Pub . 1 — 2 0 h 25 6 . F n . 3 t 7 f ra kl an d s Cons , January Mr a sumed f . F ran kl n office the same day Mr . a d returned to Europe

25th 1 73 1 - 32 on the February , and was succeeded by

. n a . . d . d o ie . Mr Joh St ckhouse (Bengal Pub Cons , ) h 29 h 1 38— 39 t e t 7 . t On January , Mr S ackhouse re signed the Presidency and Government of all the Honourable Company ’ s affairs in Bengal unto Thomas

Bradd l l . y , Esq , who thereupon immediately took the

. . d o . d i . . e chair (Ben Pub Cons , ) 4 h 1 745— 4 6 r d t . B a d ll On the February , Mr y , intending to return to England , took his passage on the ship ” ’ Wager, and , agreeably to the Honourable Company s di 7th 1 744— 4 rections in their letter of the February 5 , delivered up the charge of the Presidency to John

Forster, Esq . , appointed to succeed (Ben Cons 4 th

u . . 1 74 Febr ary) Mr Forster died in March 8, and

Mr . John Jackson , who had been appointed to succeed

D es t ch t o B en l 1 3 th J n u r 1 1 2— 1 pa ga , a a y 7 3 . 1 7

i 2 th m m W . 0 . him , hav ng also died on the ide , Mr l a Barwel , who was the next in standing , in accord nce ’ m with the Court s orders , took upon hi self the govern ’ f ment of the Company s af airs in Bengal (Ben . Cons . , 1 8th April 0 n Mr . Barwell havi g been dismissed by the Court , he

as . 1 7 w succeeded by Adam Dawson , Esq , on the th July

i n c n u 1 749 (Ben . a corda ce with instr ctions con ’ t ain ed 27th 1 748— 9 in Court s despatch of the January , wherein it was also further ordered that, in case of the demise or absence of Mr . Dawson or Mr . Eyles , that F t h . c e Mr . Wm y and the next in turn after him do r fill up the vacancy occasioned thereby in the chai . 8 1 52 7 . By a despatch of the th January , Mr Dawson ’ was dismissed the Company s service , and Mr . E dward Eyles was appointed to succeed him as President and h . . F t c e Governor, with Mr Wm y as second , who was to succeed him in the event of a vacancy . Mr . Eyles , w v 1 751 ho e er, retired from the service in August , and went home by the Britannia , consequently Mr .

Dawson handed over the Presidency to Mr . Wm . F t che 5th 1 752 y , who assumed office on the July ( Ben . F h . t c e h Cons ) . Mr y died of dysentery on the 8t i n August follow ng , whereupon the Governme t de volved upon Mr . Roger Drake , who assumed office accordingly . In 1 1 th 1 756 r a despatch of the February , the Cou t sent out a Commission constituting Robert Drake , Esq . ,

President and Governor , with a Council to preside over and manage all the Company ’ s affairs at Fort William o in Bengal , and all the several dependencies thereunt belonging , but , upon receipt of the news of the loss of Fort Will iam and the rest of the Company ’ s settlements ” al in Beng , culminating in the Black Hole tragedy , 20th 1 7 56 which took place on June , and of their re capture by Admiral Watson ’ s squadron and the forces under the command of Colonel Clive (Calcutta was re r 1 757 captu ed in January , and the was

1 7321 . B 1 8

- n 23rd ll w t i fought o June fo o ing) , the Court de erm ned to suspend for the present the method of conducting ’ ' the Company s afi ai rs by a President and Council (De spat ch 3rd August they therefore revoked the commission above referred to , and directed that, until they should be enabled to grant a new commission , by which a committee was constituted which was t o have the same power as the President and Council , of

. t whom Colonel Clive , Mr Wat s , and Mr . Manningham were to preside at their meetings for a month each in their turns . Thus , practically , Mr . Drake was deposed . s 2oth 1 758 Thi despatch was received on June , and , after that date , Mr . Drake ceased to be President . e Mr . Wm . Watts act d as President for the first month , 26th but , at their meeting on the June , the committee considered the absence of a permanent President “ repugnant to the true interests of our Honourable ” “ Masters , and deemed the Presidentship in some one person as the easiest and clearest method of conducting ” their concerns . They accordingly made an appl i cation to Colonel Clive requesting him to accept of being President of the Company ’ s affairs in Bengal ” l till a person is appointed from Europe . Colone Clive accepted the offer in a letter dated the 26th June 1 58 ll 7 , and presided at a Council meeting on the fo owing

s . d ay (Ben . Con ) 23rd 1 760 By a letter of the January , addressed to his colleagues in Council , Colonel Robert Clive resigned his position , and immediately afterwards returned home in ” ’ the Royal George . The reason of Colonel Clive s retirement was the terms of a despatch from the Court “ to 23rd 1 759 of Direc rs of the March , almost every ” paragraph of which , he observed, abounds with ” the most unbecoming language . In particular he

1 06 1 1 0 . referred to paragraphs to , relating to the ap pointment of Lieutenant - Colonel Eyre Coote as Com ’ mander - in - Chief of the Company s forces upon the “ t Establishment, in which hey certainly have paid no 1 9

gre at compliment to my milit ary capacity . He was ! t succeeded by John ephaniah Holwell as Presiden , 28th 1 60 who took his seat in Council on the Jannary 7 . But by a despatch from the Court of the 23 rd No

vembe r 1 759 . , Henry Vansittart, Esq , was appointed to be o ur President and Governor at Bengal on the ” a dep rture of Colonel Clive . Mr . Vansittart arrived at

27th 1 760 . Calcutta on the July , on which day Mr Hol well han ded over to him the charge of the settlement

(Ben . Pub . Cons ) . n In a letter of the 26th November 1 764 Mr . Va sittart f “ in ormed his Council that, the entire defeat of Shuja ’ Dowla s army by Major Monro o fi eri n g a prospect of t ranquility to the Bengal Provinces, he proposed to i n u quit the Government three or fo r days , and proceed ” to Madras on his way to Europe . He was succeeded ffi by John Spencer , Esq . , who assumed charge of the o ce 1 64 of President and Governor on the 3 rd December 7 . By a despatch of the 1 st June 1 764 the Ben gal Government was informed that “ the G eneral Court of

Proprietors having , on account of the critical situation ’ f i n e d of the Company s af airs Bengal , requ sted Lor Clive to take upon him the station of President and the ’ Command of the Company s military forces there , His Lordship has been appointe d President and Governor ” accordingly . Lord Clive arrived at Calc utta on t he 3rd 1 765 morning of the May , and received from

Mr . Spencer the charge of the garrison and Govern ” ment in the usual form (Ben . Pub . Cons ) . On the 20th January 1 767 Lord Cl ive acquainted the Council that the situation of his private affairs and his ill state of health makes it absolutely necessary that he should ” return to England this season . He then took his th leave of e Board . Lord Clive embarked for England ” V erel t ri . s re on board the B tannia , and Mr Harry cei ve d from him the charge of the Government . He took his seat as President of the Council on the 29 th J 1 767 . n s . anuary (Ben Pub . Co ) “20

1 9 rel st On the 24th December 76 Mr . Harry V e retired from the service and handed over the Government t o who Mr . John Cartier , assumed the chair after the ’ President s oath had been duly administered to him ,

B n 26t . . s on the h idem ( e Pub Con ) . By Court Minute of the 9 th April 1 77 1 it was

Resolved by the ballot that , Esq . ,

second of Council at Fort St . George , be appointed to

the same station in the Council at Fort William , and to succeed to the Gove rnment in case of the death or ” absence of John Cartier , Esq . But in a despatch of

‘ the 25th i d e m the Court remarked that Mr . C artier had t incurred their displeasure , and hey therefore directed that he do continue in the Government of our Pre sid en ey' of Fort William till the departure of the last ship of the season for E urope after the arrival of

. s Mr Ha tings in Bengal , on or before which time it is

our pleasure that Mr . Cartier do resig n the Govern

ment to Mr . Hastings . By a letter of the 8th May

1 77 1 the Court appointe d Mr . Warren Hastings to be

Governor of Bengal , and instructed him to make par t i cul ar inquiry into certain derelictions of duty of which the Government there had been guil t y . 1 3th 1 On the April 7 7 2 Mr . John Cartier took leave of the Board , and Mr . Warren Hastings assumed the

. 1 3 3 . . 6 chair By Act of Parliament Geo . III , cap , it t was determined That , for the Governmen of the Pre sid e n c y of Fort William in Bengal , there shall be

appoi n t e d a Governor General . And it is

hereby further enacted that Warren Hastings , Esq ’ ” shall be the fi rst Governor General . Instructions to the above effect were sent out by the Court under date

2 h 1 4 . the 9 t March 7 7 . Mr Warren Hastings assumed charge of the office of Gover nor General on the 20th 1 774 f October , and a proclamation to that ef ect was published at the Court House , Calcutta, on the following d day . With this appointment , therefore , ende , for the h t e . time , Governors of Bengal 2 1

3 . . 1 833 (it 4 m . l By an Act of ( Willia IV , cap xxxv ,

sect . lvi . ) the control of the whole civil and military government of the East India Company ’ s territories and revenues in India was vested in a Governor General and r a Councillors , to be styled the Gove nor General of Indi l ” in Counci , and the title of Governor of Bengal was “ r evived . It was also enacted That the Executive Government of each of the several Presidencies of t Fort William , in Bengal , For Saint George , Bombay , and Agra shall be administe red by a Governor and ll three Counci ors , to be styled the Governor in Council

of the said Presidencies of Fort William in Bengal , ’ Fort Saint George , Bombay , and Agra respectively , and that the Governor General of India for the time being shall be Govern or of the Presidency ” of Fort Willi am in Bengal . By notification in the

z 1 5th 1 834 Calcutta Ga ette of the November , the Governor General of Fort William in Bengal ( Lord William Bentinck ) that day took “ his seat in Council “ at the Presidency of Fort William ” as Governor

General of India , and also assumed his separate powers as Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in

Bengal , in virtue of the provisions to that effect made ” 56th 3 85 4 l in the section of the Act Wi liam IV . From this time the Governors General of India held

also the separate office of Governor of Bengal , until the

year 1 854 . Their names were as follows

! am T rm O fi e . e . e of f c

— W am B t k . B alcut h L r i l i . C . h t M r 8 5 C t ( z tte 1 G 1 st ! ov. 1 834 2o h a 1 3 e 5t o d l i en nc , ch a , l l cv. p8gi r ha M ar G B h M r — M r D i tt 21 15 a t a t . C 20t a h 1 835 4t l i a h 1 836 8 Si C rles e c lfe, B . . c c o , M rch i 1 5 (offi ci at n g ) 83 . Th — t e Ea k an . 4t h ar h b . 1 842 D t 9th Mar 1 G . C B . 1 836 28t h Fe 836 . rl of Auc l d , M c i o , ch

The Ea E - 1 Di t d r b h 28th F eb . 1 842 23rd 844 t 2u a 1 842 rl of llen oroug July o, M ch .

- r ar n G . . B . rd u M t a 1 8 8 D tt th C 23 IS 1 2 h J n . 4 27 u 1 844 . Lo d H di ge , J ly i o, J ly

T he a u ‘ — Da h Kll . 1 2th Jan . 1 8418 1 st Ma 1 854 D t t 1 2th Jan 1 848 . M rq is of l ousie, y i o, .

1 6 1 7 A D In accordance with Act Victoria ( .

c a . . . t p xcv , sect xvi . , the Cour of Directors w ere 22

“ empowered to declare tha t the G overnor General of India shall not be Governor of the Presidency of Fort ll Wi iam in Bengal , but that a separate Governor shall

be appointed for such Presidency . And unless and until a separate Governor of such Presidency shall i t be constituted as aforesaid , shall be lawful for the Court of Directors to authoriz e and direct the Governor General of India in Council to appoin t from time to

time any servant of the said Company , who shall have

been ten years in their service in India , to the office of Lieutenant Governor of such part of the territories under the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal as for the time being may not be under the Lieutenant ” - Governor of the s aid North Western Provinces . Accordingly the Governor General in Council appointed the Honourable F . J . Halliday , late third ordinary v Member of the Council of India , as Lieutenant Go ernor of the , and Mr . Halliday, by virtue hi s and of appointment, took the prescribed oaths assumed charge of the Lieut enant Governorship of the Bengal Division of this Presidency on the 1 st May 1 854 (Letter from the Government of India to the 26 Court of Directors , Home Department, No . , of the l st May Since that date the t itle of Governor of Bengal has been extinct .

THI S B OOK IS D! B O! TE E LA S T DA TE

A ! I ! I T IA L F I ! E O F 2 5 CE ! T S W ILL B E ASS ESS ED FO R F A IL! RE TO R ET ! RN I B K T H E D A E D ! E T H E P E AL ! TH S OO ON T . N T W ILL IN C REAS E TO 5 0 C ENTS ON T H E FO ! RTH D A ! A ! D TO ON T H E S EV ENTH D A !

OV ERD ! E.