The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-04-22 00:00:00

EAST INDIA HOUSE, APRit. 21.

A General Court of Proprietors of Fit India
stock was this day held, by adjournment, at the
Company's House in Leadenliall-street, for the
purpose of proceeding in the consideration of a
motion made in the General Court on the 24th
March, to approve a Resolution of the Court of Di-
rectors, of the 17th February, granting to Mr. Janie@
IV't!known, under the circutostsoces therein stated,
the sum of 75,000 siccu rupees, at its. the current
rupee, with interest thereon, at Piz per crut. per
tumults, from the 11111 October, 1816, to the dry
when payment shall be made.
The minutes of the last Court haring been read
—and certain papers laid before the Court, to
conformity with the By-Laws the CHAIRMAN
(Campbell llarjoribanks, Esq.) briefly stated the
business which the Proprietors were assembled to
consider.

[lt may here be necessary to observe, that Mr. Wilkinson
was, fur many years, a free merchant, in India. The Cam.
pany, from the year 176.3, had etijoyed a m puly of the
saltpetre trade; but, by a revolution honed by the Besor.ll
Government, in 1812, they threw open the trade in that
commodity. The conseipience was, that Mr. Wilkinson was
Induced to embark very extensively in that trade. He enter-
ed into contracts fur a supply of saltpetre. will, ""14in i"di-
viduats, its the province Behrar, fur five years. The
Besmal Government, however, suddenly resumed the mono-
poly, and thus defeated his hopes of profit. He complained
lo the Governor-General Ist Council on the subject, and the
list to Mr. Wilkinson to

result was, It. . permission was given . 0....__
putted with the contracts into which he bail entered, on
his giving security not to reuse to be manufactured
a greater quantity of saltpetre than he hod originally con-
tracted for—and secondly, that he should not employ any
of the N0011E44141 (or saltpetre isaisufacturers) who were in-
debted to the Company. Mr. Wilkinson endeavoured to
avail himself of this permission—hut, notwithstanding his
uncessiug efforts, lie could neither procure from the proper
authorities a statemetit of the snivels. of securities, which
it was expected he shoield give, nor a list of the Nownealte
iu balance with the Company. The coneemtence was, that
his opportunity of realising a large property by his spear-
latiau m saltpetre was totally destroyed. lie applied far
redress to the Indian Guirernmens, and hie coat was referred
to the Board of Trade. They reported in his favour. The
Governor in Council then referred his case to ■ Special COM-
'mince of live, elm awarded hint a still larger rentaiserviitm.
laresseveri after six years of atimetv, Mr. Wilkia-
sou's claim fur reillsilefalteil was laid before lice Court of
Bstecters fur ailjndicatiou—and a majority et' that Court
on the 17th of February, that Mr. Wilkinson
should receive ?Spun sires rupees, at 2.. each, with interest
at six per cent. fruin October, 1816. This pied was
brought before the General Cued on the 24th of March,
■nil uu aCCOllkat of the Imams' uf the hoer, In
Ibis day.)
The proceedings of the Court of Directors of
the 17th oh February, granting a suits of 75,000
✓icer rupees to Mr. Wilkinsine, founded on the
Report of the Committee of Buying raid Ware-
houses—slid also the p►otest of nine of the Direc-
tors to the said Resolution, welt read. lit the lat-
ter document, the dissentients 'aimed to admit
that Mr. Wolkitisoit had made out wily case on
which the Court hail a right to proceed. They
conceived it would be improper to compensate
Gentleman fur losses not siilrstatitirted. This.
they observed, was a speculation. and might or
might not have succeeded ; therefore, it was impro-
per to ►peak of a positive loss—and 6.r such a loss
only could the Company be ausweruble. They
also obaerved. that if Mr. Wilkiiition had r fair
ground of Orlin, so also had Dhoolum Dora. the
person who hod contracted to supply hint with salt.
petre, who. of course, expected a certinii profit, sod
who►e prospects were es completely blighted or those

" Loudon, 30th March, 1819."
The CHAIRMAN sad, before lie put the goes-
lino, lie wished to state, that. as the sum which
they were called on to dispose of was a very large one,
1w held in hi. hand a list of nine Proprietors, who
requested that there should be a ballot on the
question.
Mr. HUME wished the list to be read.
Mr. R. JAcKsom treated the requivition as au
absurdity, since at present there was no question on
which a ballot could be demanded.
Mr. A. Rottman said, that there was no eh., ,
su►dity whatever in the case. The Hon. Chairman
had merely stated, for the information of the Court,
thirt;it was the intention of certain Proprietors to de-
mand a ballot, at a proper period.
Mr. S. Dixon, Mr. Hume, and Mr. lowstims,
also censured the motion of ballot, which had been
mentioned by the Hon. Chairman.
Sir J. JACKSON mid, as the statement relative to
an Intended ballot was considere,i to be irregular,
any further descant on it must lir omit of order, he
therefore hoped the subject would he dropped.
The CUAIRMAN then moved " That this Court
do agree to the resolution lathe Court of Directors
of the 17th of February, granting the sum of
75,000 rice* rupees to Mr. James Wilkinson."
The DEPUTY CHAIRMAN 'seconded the motion.
CMAS. FORBES, Esq. M.P. then rose, and, in a
sensible and feeling speech, took ti review of all the
circumstances of Mr. %V i.kitisoi.'s case. Ile called
the particular attention of the Com t to the Report
of the Special Committee appointed by the Goa
armor General in Council to investigate the claims
of Mr. Wilkinson. That Committer, appointed
without the knowledge of Mr. Wilkinsoti, after live
months deliberate ssivevtigation—after the most
mature consideration of all the cticumstimces--
decided that this Gentleman was entitled to
Y 88,801.1 sicct rupee►, to indemnify him for the loss
he had sustained, its cuasequelice of the renewal of
the monopoly by the Indian Government. The