Volume 1

Materials towards a statistical account of the town and island of Bombay in three volumes.

  • Bombay Presidency
Date:
1893-1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Materials towards a statistical account of the town and island of Bombay in three volumes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    186/522 (page 168)
    168 BOMBAY TOWN Chapter I- History. Instructions to Lieut. Inchbird, 1733. Sidi pa}dng‘ the Honourable Company the expense and charge they have been and may be at in preserving of it with the usnal lawf ul interest of nine per cent per annum. In case that the Sidhs affair will not admit of reclaiming the said fort^ that then the same shall remain to the Honourable Company as their sole right and property, and the garrison of sepoys shall become the subjects of the said Honourable Company and remain in their pay and service at the usual pay that is now paid to the garrison sepoys of Bombay. The hoisting of the English flag and the taking of the island and fortress of Under! into the Honourable Company’s immediate protection and defence will convince the enemy that we are fully determined to defend it and support it to the last. This, I flatter myself, that Sidi Balal and all honest Musalmans will prefer to the giving it up to the Marathas on their specious but most false promises ; believing that we have no other motive in making this proposal but to give a cheek to the growing insolence of that treacherous set of people, since I shall be much better pleased to see the Sidks family and his heirs restored to their ancient authority and command in this neighbourhood and in restoring to them the said island and fortress than being at the expense of entertaining it on the Honourable Com- pany's account without any other prospect of advantage than that of keeping it out of the common enemy^s hands. If on your taking a survey of the island you find it impracticable with the succours you now carry and what you are capable of jirdging we ma}^ hereafter be able to send you to defend it either through the de- ficiency of the fortifications, the contiguity of its situation to the main- land of Thai, and the batteries the enemy may raise thereon against it, or the repugnancy of the Sidi and his people to the conditions under which I propose to give them the present assistance, you are then to forbear the landing of your detachment, artillery, provision or stores until you have made a report to me of the condition and circumstances you find the place in, and wait my answer thereof. If my expectations are answered, as I have no room to doubt they must be, you are then to expedite as much as possible the putting the place in a proper posture of defence and sending hither all the unnecessary people, completing the number of the garrison to what you may think sufficient of fighting men. On so doing you may acquaint Captain Holden of the Mary that there is no farther occasion of continuing in his station but that he may return with his ship into Bombay harbour. The charge of the ]3rovisions you are to put under the care of some Serjeant or some person of trust and that of the ammunition and war- like stores under another, with the assistance of two lascars who are best versed in those affairs, and each of them is to keep a regular book of receipts and issues of each species to be laid before me as often as required. Antonio He Mello who goes with you as chief gunner I have advanced to the pay of a quarter gunner for his encouragement. If he exerts himself with as much zeal and fidelity as I know he has capacity in that employment I doubt not but he will deserve the advance. If at the first and second trip of the boats with the women and children they cannot send off the whole number you may send the