The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-06-09 00:00:00

EAST INDIA COMPANY.

The First Report from the Select Committee on
he Affairs of the East India Company has been

printed and laid before the linuse of Commons.
It states, that open a view of the Company's 'pecu-
niary concerns in England,dnring the last 10 years,
when compared .with the estimate for 1808-9, there
are deficiencies in the last and present years, which
it ascrilles principally to the following causes, in the
followinq words:—

Ist. To the disaisished male of the Company's goods ; the
sons estimated to be received from such ;ales for the year
lana-9, being 1,394r5891. less than tlic average of the ten
procesliag years; 9,200,901 lass than the svi•ra;• of the
Ant live years of that period; 588,183 i. li as than the
average of the last five years.

11 would lead your Committee much beyond the

limits within which they propose to cchitine this
Report, if they were to enter upon the discussion
of all the causes to which the gradual decrease in
the anionitt of the Company's sales, during the
last ten )(tars, may possibly be ascribed. It will
appear, however, from the account of ~des during
that period, that in the article of tea, which forms
a large proportion of their whole trade, no diminu-
tion has taken place, but that it has chiefly oc-
curred in the imports from India, and particularly
in the different descriptions of piece goods. The
increased consumption of cotton stuffs manufac-
tured in Britain, and the advantages derived to
neutral nations front the expense at which the
trade to India mast necessari iy be carried on during
war, as well its the ohstructioas inseparable front
that state of war which has existed with little

intermission since the renewal of the Company's
charter in i 793, are the causes to which, in the
opinion of your Committee, the diminished sale
of Indian importi may principally be attributed.

idly. To the increased expense of freight and dernorne
of the Company's shipping ; the estimated amount of the
same fur the year isos-g, being e 76,2511, 1130 IT than the
'mirage of the ten preceding pars ; 276,7121. more than
the average of the tint tire years of that period; and
275,79u1. mule than the average of the last tire years.

In estimating this charge, to which the com-
merce of the CoinTany is exposed, from the rote of
freight, it must he reeniketed, that the means of
defence and consequent security which the size and
structure of their ships afford to their valusilde car-
goes, and to The transport of troops and military
stores, must neeees4rily be included in any coin
ri,on between the present and any other system
whip i may lw suggested.
nifty. To the amount of Bills of Eltehaine
drama ire the Company in F.nzlatid, from !WM ana Chian ;
thitestiniated amount of which for the year 1an0..9
711,40eL more thou the avers;e of the ten pm-m(llaq teens ;
555,970. more than thy aiarne of the first five years of that
period; and 94148451. usury than the average of the List fire
years.

The Report then goes on to stone. that it it, u

questionably to those heavy drafts from India end
China. on the Company's funds at home, the
largest portion of the dcliciettey, in the last 411.1
present year, must be ascribed; but that in conse-
quence of new arrangements, the amount of bills
from China is likely to fell considerably below the
average of former years ; but that they have not
born able to form any such expectation with regard
to the amount of bills from ladle; as any interrup-
tion in the tranquillity of the Company's to ri-
tories would create incrtaeed demands On their
treasury at home, which can only be avoided by a
surphia revenue in India. The Report then states,
that " The attainment of th..t object, either by a
reduction of expenditure or by additional revenue,
or both, is indispensable to the maintenance of the
Company's credit and power in India, and that the
Committee will without delay direct their atten-
tion to that important subject." These the Re-
port states as the principal causes of the deficiency,
Litt that there are others of inferior amount, among
which it uotiecs the charge of payments to mili-
tary and marine officers retired from service, which
has been gradually increasing for several years;
soil also the increased charge for interest u wu
the addition to the Bonded Debt of the ('am-
patsy. —The Report concludes with observing-
-Your Committee have prepared an Aecoutif of

the probable assets of the Company, on the Ist
March, 1809, in which the amount of debt due to
them by the public, as the balance of their ac.
count, is taken only at £1,800,419, instead of
R:2,40,000, which the Company chinas, and I.
which nothing is allowed for their property afloat,
and which will arrive in England subsequently to that
period, thougha large portion of the charges afferent-3
that property will be incurred and paid doing the
current year. E.timating the amount in that most
unfavourable mode, there will remain a balance of
£1,819,587 in favour of the Company. If er.:dit,
however. is given for the value of !hat properly,
and the sum due by the public is stated at ties
amount claimed by the .Company, the estimated
balance in their favour will be 9,0304871.

COrTENBURGH MAIL.

GOTTRNBURON, KAY 30.

Some persons arrived here this day from
burgh, which they left on the 14th iust. state dmu
the last English lctters which were brought thither
from Heligoland, were not only seized, but the
bearers of them hanged. All intercourse with
England and Sweden was forbidden upon pain t..f
death.

The Eup,Fish expedition, commanded by Sir
John Moore, still lies in our harbour, waiting
olden from England.
A few days since, • the Tribune frigate sailed
f.vm hence unit a convoy for the Baltic, three of
which were taken by the Danish gun-boats near the
Sound.

By advises from Koningsberg, received this days
we learn that the whole l'rossian army is nearly
disbanded, and that the soldiers have retired to their
homes ; not more than 5,001) men remain of this
once great and flourishing force.

s roc Imo f.M, VI AT 25.

Hi; Majesty received yestcid.-.y the following Re-
port from Itlajor-General Baron .11.Aav,wan1,
touching the transaction in the Lit,: of