?Jan., 1907.] WILLIAM HAMILTON, PRESER^ICET SURGEON.

Thi surgeon of the Sherborne, however, was #ri(|inal Articles. not/o be found. He made his way somehow! or cfther to Calcutta, and was there formally appointed Second Surgeon to the settlement, on WILLIAM HAMILTON AND THE EMBASSY 2%h December 1711. "We being in great want TO DELHI.* of another surgeon for to tend all the Honour- servants and soldiers of this By D. G. CRAWFORD, able Company's and William Hamilton out of LIEUT.-COLONEL, I.M.S., Vgarrison, being employ, agreed that he be entertained upon the Civil Surgeon, Hughli. same allowance and as William privileges" James, Of all tlie medical officers who have served our present surgeon (Fort William Public Con- in India during the past three centuries, sultations, 27th December 1711). He appears William Hamilton is probably the most famous, to have been serving the Company in Bengal and is certainly the one who has been the greatest for some time prior to his formal appointment, benefactor of his country. The story of Gabriel for, in a list of Company's servants in the Bay, in Boughton may be for the most part apocryphal, November 1711, appear the following names:? but there is no doubt of the reality of the ser- William James, going up with the King's vices of William Hamilton to his country, and to present. his masters, the East India Company. Yet his William Hamilton, at Culcutta (sic). name does not appear in the Dictionary of Incidentally it throws rather a curious light National Biography, though that work records upon the relations existing between the Com- the lives of at least sixty medical officers of pany's different settlements in India, two tew of an the Indian services, whom have done centuries ngo, that officer, who had deserted their country service in any degree approaching at Madras, could be, within a few months, to that accomplished by him. deliberately placed upon the establishment at William Hamilton was a cadet of the family Calcutta. of Hamilton of Dalzell, and originally came out In the list of salaries paid at Calcutta at to India as Surgeon of the frigate Sherborne. Michaelmas, 1712, appear the names of the two The whole ship's company appear to have been Surgeons. perpetually in a state of chronic mutiny. Hamil- William James, Surgeon, half a year at ?36? ton was not on good terms with the Captain, Rs. 144 Henry Cornwall, and, after standing by him in William Hamilton, Surgeon, half a vear at one mutinj', closed his naval career by desert- ?36?Rs. 144. ing his ship at Fort St. David on 3rd May The famous Embassy to Delhi started from 1711. Several references to Hamilton occur in Calcutta in April 1714, after having been under the Madras records of this period. On 22nd consideration for at least three years. In the December 1710, Captain Cornwall laid before the consultations of 5th January 1714, Mr. John Mad ras Council a complaint against his surgeon. Surman was appointed chief of the Embassy ; (Madras Press Lists, No. 336 of 22nd December Mr. John Pratt, second ; Mr. Edward as Stephenson,' 1710; Public Consultations, Vol. XLI, pp. 207, third; with Hamilton medical officer. "It of our 208). On 13th March 1711, Cornwall again being necessary one surgeons go up with , writes that if his surgeon be removed, it will the gentlemen who go with the present, agreed cause a disturbance among his men. (M. P. L., therefore that Dr. Hamilton be sent." Again No. 450 of 13th March 1711; Letters to Fort " Ordered that Rs. 350 be allowed Mr. Edward St. George, Vol. XII, p. 47)- On 4th May 1711, Stephenson ami Rs. 300 to William Hamilton Cornwall writes from Fort St. David to the to provide themselves with clothes, &c. neces- Governor and Council at Fort St. George, that sary for their proceeding to the Mogull's court Surgeon Alexander (sic) Hamilton had made his with the present, and that the Buxey pay the escape in a boat from Cuddalore under false sam^." (Consultations, 26th February 1714). pretences, the ships in the roads are to be Subsequently Pratt was excused, and "Coja searched for him, any other surgeon of those at Serhaud," (Khwaja Sarhad), an Armenian was second in Madras would be preferred. (M. P. L , No. 503 merchant, appointed the Embassy, of 4th May 1711; Letters to Fort St. George, and general adviser. The opportunity of going XII, 101, i02). Finally on 7th May the Council to Delhi does not seem to have been much at Madras directed the surgeon of the Sherborne sought after, for William James, the senior sur- ; to return to his vessel. (M. P. L., No. 505 of 7th geon, who had originally been appointed to the May 1705; Public Consultation XLII, 95-97.) Embassy, like Pratt, did not go. The list of the With this entry Hamilton's name disappears Company's servants in Bengal for 18th January of from the Madias records of 1711, to appear again 1715, gives the names all who actually wen t under more favourable circumstances in Sur- as follows:? man's letters from Delhi. Factor John Surman, arrived 19th August 1707, Chief in }Te Negotiation. See "Notes on the History of the Medical " Bengal Factor Edward arrived 2nd-Feb- I. M. 1901, p. 2, and Preservice Sur- Stephenson, Service," G., January with geons," I. M. G., January 1902, p. 5. ruary 1709-10, gone ye present. THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. [Jan., 1907.

Surgeon William Hamilton, arrived 27th reward for Mr. Hamilton's care and success, the December was on 30th to him in 1711, gone with ye present. King pleased the give Writer Hugh Barker, arrived 17th August public, viz., a vest, a culgee* set with precious 1711, gone with ye present. stone3, two diamond rings, an elephant, horse, Writer Thomas Phillips, arrived 19th Novem- and 5,000 rupees ; besides ordering at the same ber 1711, gone with ye present. time all his small instruments to be made in Out of six factors on the list, Surman stands gold, with gold buttons for his coat and waist- and brushes The same first; Stephenson fifth ; out of 23 writers, Bar- coat, set with jewels. ker an stands eleventh ; Phillips fourteenth. day Khoja Serhaud received elephant and Copies of the letters from Surman and Ste- vest as a reward for his attendance on this phenson at Delhi to the Council at Calcutta have occasion." been preserved in the Madras records, where The welcome news reached Calcutta on 9th they may be found in Volumes 46 to 48 of January 1716. It seems wonderfully quick the Public work for a letter from Delhi to Consultations. Copies are also pre- to have gone served in the records of the India Office in Calcutta in 33 days, 7th December to 9th Janu- London. In Calcutta, where one would naturally ary, in these days. The Embassy was, however, expect to find the originals, or at least copies, detained at Delhi for another year and a half. were in a almost all old records were destroyed at the Its members received by Farakh-Sij'ar capture of Fort William by Sirajaldaulat in 1756. farewell audience on 23rd May 1717, when the The Embassy started in April 1714, remained Emperor announced his intention of keeping a to his as for long time at Patna, left Patna on 19th Hamilton permanently attached person but was to let April 1715, and on 4th September 1715 news surgeon, induced with difficulty was received at Calcutta that the mission had him return to Calcutta, on his promising to come reached Delhi. back to Delhi after a visit to his native land. Extracts from some of the more interesting This audience and subsequent events are des- of the letters, taken from the copies preserved cribed as follows : in a letter from Delhi, dated at Madras, are given by Mr. J. Talboys Wheeler, 7th June 1717, the receipt of which is mentioned in his "Early Records of British India"* from in the Calcutta Consultations of 18th July 1717- which the :? 7th June 23rd ultimo. following passages are quoted Delhi, 1717.?"The Surman His a horse Delhi, 6th October 1715?" We designed to have John received from Majesty and as was and the 30th presented our petition on the first good oppor- cungerf pre-appointed, we were sent Khan Dauran to tunity, but His Majesty's indisposition continu- ultimo for by and Mr. receive our which we had. accord- ing, Hamilton having undertaken to cure despatches, it has ; a and to John him, been advisable by our ingly serpawj culgee being given thought and to Serhaud and Edward friends, as well as by ourselves, to defer deliver- Surman, serpaws it till as likewise to the rest of our com- ing such time as it shall please God that Stephenson, We were ordered to one one, His Majesty in some measure returns to his panions. pass, by to our then to move from the Dewan. former state of health, which advice, we intend obeisance, to We did so. But when it came to Mr. Hamilton's follow, considering that, whilst he is in so much it can he was the had him pain, be but a very indifferent turn, told, king granted a vest as a mark but not for opportunity to beg favors of him. The first of his favour, the his So he was ordered up to his distemper doctor took him in hand for, was despatch. he was swellings in his groin, which, thanks be to God, standing again. Whilst performing this, a the We were he is in fair way of but within these King got up. highly surprised curing; at this not the least few days last past he has been taken with a unexpected motion, having notice of it till that minute, either from our violent pain, which is likely to come to a fistula; it hinders or an3' of ; it near a His Majesty from coming out, so patron authority being a twelvemonth since Mr. Hamilton had been in naturally puts stop to all manner of business, wherefore we with His and in all this time must have patience perforce." private Majesty, not the least notice taken. We were much Two months later came Surman's letter of very concerned at his detainment, and the more 7th December 1715, reporting Hamilton's cure of the Emperor. because we were assured of his firm aversion to the even with all its charms Delhi, 7th December 1715.?" We write your accepting service, Honors the of vast that if the did welcome news of the recovery. pay, honour, &c.; King King's detain him if he outlived the trouble As a clear demonstration to tho world, he washed by force, of his he be himself the 23rd ultimo, and accordingly received esteeming imprisonment, might at an which had the congratulations of the whole Court. As a endeavouring escape, every way its ill consequences. " * " To free our Honourable Masters from any Early Records of British India : a History of the Eng- lish settlements in India, as told in the Government Records, damages that might accrue to them from the the works of old travellers, and other contemporary docu- from the earliest period down to the rise of British ments, * power in India." By J. Talboys Wheeler, late Assistant Sec- Oulgee (Kalghi), a turban ornament. retary to the Governmentof India in the Foreign Department, t Cunyer (Khanjar), a dagger. Calcutta. Office of the Superintendent, Government Printing, X Serpaw (Sar-o-paJ, a vest, given as a mark of honour, or 1875. khil'at. Jan., 1907.1 THE RESULTS OF THE EMBASSY.

" passionate temper of the King, our patron Khan Stewart, i:i his History of Bengal" (pp. 397, Dauran was applied to for leave, twice or thrice; 398), gives the requests made by, and granted to, but he denied to speak, or even have Surman's embassy, as follows. He says that the positively " a hand in this business, till our friend Sayyid petition besides various subjects of complaint Sallabut Khan had an opportunity to lay the from Bombay and Madras, stated the numer- us the Nawab of case open to him, when he ordered to speak ous impositions practised by to the Vizier, and, if by any means we could Bengal and his inferior officers. It therefore gain him to intercede, that lie would back it. prayed? " " or We made a visit to the Vizier the 6th That a dustuclc, passport, signed by the instant, and laid the case open to him in a peti- President of Calcutta, should exempt the goods tion from Mr. Hamilton, of how little service he it specified from being stopped or examined by could be without any physic, language, or the officers of the Bengal Government under any experience in the country medicines, or their pretence. the dis- " of the names; besides which heart-breaking That the officers mint,at Moorshedabad, tractions of being parted for ever from his wife* should at all times, when required, allow three and children would be insupportable, and days in the week for the coinage of the English entirely take awa}^ his qualifications for the Company's money. King's service; that under the favour of His "That all persons,' whether Europeans or be or Majesty's clemency, with the utmost submission, Natives, who might indebted account- he desired that he might have leave to depart able to the Company, should be delivered up we at on the first with us. From ourselves informed the Vizier to the Presidency Calcutta, that we should have esteemed this a very great demand. " honour, hut finding the doctor under these That the English might purchase the lord- the same as troubles not to be we were obliged to ship of 38 towns with immunities persuaded, 0>>shan had them the case before His Majesty, and we humbly the Prince Azeem permitted lay and Govind- desired he would use his intercessions to the to buy Calcutta, Chuttanulty King, that His Majesty might be prevailed upon pore. Farakh farman is to despatch him. The good Vizier readily A translation of Siyar's " in Vol. Ill, offered to use his utmost endeavours; and since given in Hill's Bengal 1756-57, but the case was the business was to the another translation, fuller, so, gain p. 375; " practically Broome s of the doctor's despatch without displeasing the King; much the same, in History to be vi. and lie ordered a petition drawn up to His Bengal Army," Vol. I, appendix, p. as writes thus?" As a Majesty in the same form that given to him- Sir William Hunter* he was the Delhi self. It was sent him, and the Vizier was as good matter of fact, while curing own as a to risk ol his it the his word ; writing very pathetic address Emperor at the life, His Majesty, enforcing Mr. Hamilton's reasons operation went wrong, and exhausting his credit and them with his own opinion, that with his august patient to obtain indulgences for backing his Honourable Masters it was better to let him go. The King the EnglishCompany, on the other side of returned an answer, which came out the Gth, as had, in?a fit of parsimony ' to with his follows : Since he is privy my disease, and the alobe, done away appointment, " of on perfect^ understands his business, 1 would very and ordered the discharge Dr. Hamilton From this fain have him, and given him whatsoever his return from Court." ingratitude kept of he should have asked. But seeing he cannot, the Directors were spared partly by the fear to be I influence with the be brought on any terms content, agree losing Hamilton's Emperor, that death. wrote to it; and on condition after he has gone and partly by Hamilton's They to Europe and such medicines as are grudgingly in their Bengal despatch of January procured us how not to be here, and seen his wife and 1717?" Finding by the letters before got been in the Great child ren, he returns to visit the Court once more, success full he "has curing will forward let him go.' We hope in God the troublesome Mogul, which very probably help an easier of some business is now blown over." and get grant our5negotiations now if Dr. Hamil- It was five months later, however, before of our "requests, we say that, in our the Embassy reached Calcutta on its return ton shall desire a continuance service, at to it, and let him see journey. It was received Tribeni, with great you readily consent you benefit to if the President, Robert Hedges, and are sensible of the accruing us, you pomp, by his and four of his Council, about 20th November 1717. find he any hath, by undertaking Surman's embass}7 is not mentioned at all accomplishing that cure. in the " Seir-i-Mutaqherin." Orine in his It is probable that Hamilton was suffering " return and knew Military Transactions," while he refers its suc- from sickness, on the journey, far on the cess to Hamilton's skilful treatment of the that his end was not off, for 27th his will at a Emperor Farakh Siyar, makes no mention of October 1717 he made Surajgarh, on the south bank of the any special reward to Hamilton, or of any small town Ganges, intention to detain him at Delhi.

* " The Thackerays in India, and some Calcutta Graves." 1897 Hamilton never married ; lie died a bachelor. By Sir W. W. Hunter, Henry Froude, London, (p. 33). THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE, [Jan., 1907.

this will ?e twenty miles west of Monghyr. In i I ^(*a ,+Jvi* appoints John Sunnan his trustee or executoi. ^ji. i ^ <6 The provisions of the will are as follows k_A^j j'^.^. ijs^. ^.vj( ^ z,y ))*ji .jij^ will be noticed that all the European membeis ? i.? lo us jjjj &+X\X> fcLj }s'lMkA.I>Uu of the Embassy are remembered in it. t&jS ^\ jX^J ? jj 1+) ^H.c friend James Williamson, five hundred pounds , anc* JS^y^j u^^_) #Lj ^ y to Edward Stephenson, five hundred ruI)??s 0*oA^j jljfj and Ihomas a diamond to Barker i?^j ring; Hugh ^ ^i_yt J*-"*^^ i diamond to John Surman, the Phillips, rings; " Furruck- large diamond him by King V L^i ring given of l^V-VJj seer," and his culyie ; to the Church Bengal, Mrs. Anna The Persian be translated one thousand rupees ; to his cousin, epitaph may literally Hamilton, five hundred pounds; and as follows :?" William Hamilton, Physician, Hamil- residue of his estate to his father, "John servant of the English Company, who had gone ton of Boogs, living in the parish of Bothwell, along with the English Ambassador to the to be had raised his or in case of his father being dead equally illustrious presence and name and sisters, lhe in the four of the world reason divided among his brothers high quarters by in his the will is given in full by Wilson, Early of the cure of the King of Kings, Asylum of 294 the Muhammad Farakh the Vic- Annals," Vol II, Part I, pp. 293, World, Siyar John Cock- with a difficulties Hamilton's will was witnessed by torious, thousand having burne and John Sturt. These names aie not obtained, from the Court of the Asylum of the of the leave of absence to his native the among those of the members Embassy. World, land, by have the Embassy, on decree of God on the 4th December 1717, died in They may " accompanied A Dr. John was its return, from Patna to Calcutta. Calcutta, and in this place buried. died in Calcutta When the news of Hamilton's death in Cal- Sturt, possibly the same man, was the it is on 1st December 1726. The witnesses proved cutta reported to Emperor, said and Council a to the will before the Bengal President that he sent special messenger Calcutta to whether was or had at Calcutta, on 9th December 1717. ascertain the report true, Hamilton died in Calcutta on 4th December been published simply with a view to enable arrival of the of his 1717, within a of the Hamilton to escape fulfilment promise to fortnight old Embassy, and was buried in the churchyard return to Delhi. Farakh Siyar himself, however, in that city, in the ground where St. John s was not to enjoy the imperial dignity much was was and assassinated in Church now stands. When the ground longer; he deposed 1719. cleared to build that church in 1787, his tomb- had stone, which had fallen down, and been covered with earth and forgotten, in the seventy his came years which had elapsed since death, to light. Warren Hastings, then Governor- General, suggested that the lettering should be the entrance hall gilded, and the stone set up iu of the church. This suggestion was not carried J?^ Chainock s out. The stone was set up iu the tomb, at the north-west corner of ground of St. John's, where it may yefc. se

* two is A facsimile of the tombstone, with the epitaphs, in " and AlcxanderC- raiit,.... given Physician Friend, of his autobiography and his letters from the Marquis Dalhousie." Edited by George Smith, ? L.ondo ., John Murray, 1902 (p. 6).