Mss Eur Orme India I

1, pp. [i-iv] and 1-49. General Idea of the Government and People of Indostan, by Robert Orme, Sept. 1753. Apparently a copy of the missing volume 53. Preface and three Books." Book I. composed at Calcutta., Sept. 1752, corrected on board the ship Pelham, 1753" ; "Book II. Composed at Calcutta in Sept. 1752, corrected, retrenched in some, enlarged in other places on Board the Pelham in 1753"; “ Book III. Composed on board the Pelham, in 1753." Deals with the nature of the imperial and provincial governments; the tenure of land; manufactures; arts and sciences; trade; war; characteristics of the Moors, Gentoos and Brahmans; civil and criminal law; administration of justice; Government oppression. Printed, with a list of authorities in 1805, in the volume entitled Historical Fragments of the Mogul Empire (first published alone in 1782), pp. 391-454.

2, pp. 51-100/1-50. History of the Carnatic to 1749 by Paupa Bramin. (1) pp. 51-80/1-36. The state of the Province of Arcot, alias Pauyeen Ghaut Carnatica. Copied from 14.3. (2) pp. 87-89/37-39. Some account of Chunda Saheb by Paupa Bramin. Copied from 14. 3. (3) pp. 90-91/40-41. Account of Sied Mahomed Khan's death (June 1744) by Paupa Bramin, Copied from 14.10. (4) pp. 92-93/42-43. The meaning of some titles in Indostan by Paupa Bramin, 1752. Copied from 14.1. (5) pp. 94-96/44-46. Letter from Hussain Doast Cawn or Chunda Sahib at Arcot upon his going to Tritchenopoly. Recd. 18 Sept. 1740. Copied from 14.4. (6) pp. 96-97/46-47. Letter from Shamarow Vakeel at Arcot. Recd. 13 May 1740. Copied from 14.5. (7) pp. 97-98/47-48. Letter from Gullam Mahommad, old Vakeel. Recd. 13 May 1740. Copied from 14.6. (8)pp. 98-99/48-49. Letter to Subder Ally Cawn, Nabob at Arcot, 10 June 1740. Copied from 14.7. (9) p. 100/50. Letter from Nabob Subder Ally Cawn at Arcot. Recd. 17 June 1740. Copied from 14.8. (10) p. 100/50. Some dates of affairs in the Carnatic by Paupa Bramin. Copied from 14.17.

3, p. 89/39. A plan of Cobelong by Lord Clive. So noted by Orme. On a fragment of paper, inserted in Number 2 above by mistake, but belongs to II. 24 below. Orme says that this sketch was made in pencil by Lord Clive, to explain the attack of September, in 1752 (45, p. 9).

4, pp. 101-107. Journal of the siege of Madras [in 1746] by Hallyburton. Copied from 14.20.

5, p. 107. Letter dated - July 1762, from Richard Smith to Orme. Gives a brief description of Cuddalore.

6, pp. 108-111. Letter undated, from Clive to Orme. Copy. Replies to certain queries from Orme regarding events at Fort St. David during the French attacks in January, February, and March 1747. Clive explains that he escaped from Madras after its surrender "disguised in the habit of a Dubash, and blacked," and made his way to Fort St. David. In the covering letter (p. 108) Clive says that he served as a Volunteer in the first attack, and as an Ensign in the second (1st to 3rd March 1747), but as a matter of fact he did not receive his commission as Ensign until the 16th March. See No.9 below.

7, pp. 111-120. Siege of Pondicherry, 1748, by Lord Clive. Copy. Clive opens this account with remarking on the ignorance of the English officers and soldiers at this time in regard to the Art of War, an opinion endorsed by Orme (History, I., p. l06), but Malleson (Lord Clive, p. 33, note) says that Orme's account of the siege is taken from a Journal which still exists (?), and which was reprinted in the Asiatic Annual Register. Apparently he refers to the "Authentic Account of the late Admiral Boscawen" printed amongst the Characters, pp. 34-43, of the year 1802, i.e., after Orme's death. The present paper was written by Clive in 1762 at Orme's request (45, p. 81). It contains details not mentioned in Orme's History.

8, pp. 121-137. Effeminacy of the Inhabitants of Indostan, by R. O., 1767. Copy. Printed with Orme's Historical Fragments, 1805, pp.455-472.

9, pp. 137-141. Letter, dated Condover, 19 July 1762, from Clive to Orme. Copy. Gives a few details regarding the French attacks on Fort St. David in 1747, and mentions (a) the service of John Hallyburton, in command of the Corps Brilliant; (b) the treachery of De Leyrit's Dubash, who gave information to Mr. George Jones, in consequence of which the English captured two French officials who were afterwards exchanged for Governor Morse and other prisoners; (c) the conspiracy of the Tellicherry Sepoys in the English service; (d) the treachery and hanging of Mr. Morse's Dubash, and his assistant; (e) the transportation of the Tellicherry Sepoy officers to St. Helena; (f) how Mr. Floyer and Major Lawrence tricked the French into an useless attack upon Cuddalore. See Nos. 4 and 6 above. Orme gives (45, p. 79) the name of the Subahdar of the Tellicherry Sepoys as Becon Cawn (? Bhikham Khan). His correspondence with the French is inserted in the Fort St. David Consultation of the 30th Sept. 1747, and his trial by Court Martial and that of Dubash, " Letchema," is to be found in the Fort St. David Factory Records, Vol. XI. Apparently he escaped from St. Helena, as he was apprehended at Tellicherry in 1756. (Madras Public Consultations, 18 Oct. 1756.) Presumably "Letchema" was Mr. Morse's private Dubash, as Papaiya Brahman was the official" interpreter."

10, pp. 142-:-161. Batavia. Intended to be delivered to Lord Bute by Lord Clive. Composed by R. O., 1761. Copy. Duplicate of 207. 2. Describes the great wealth and military weakness of the Dutch in the East Indies. The naval strength, apparently great owing to the number of ships, was really trifling owing to the weakness of their crews and the ignorance of the officers, thus explaining Clive's order to three English merchant ships to attack seven Dutch men-of-war in the River Hugli in 1759. Details are given of the Dutch towns or forts of Batavia, Cochin, Negapatam, Padang, Chinsura, and Malacca, and of the Island of Ceylon. The great commercial advantage enjoyed by the Dutch over other Europeans in India was that their possessions produced commodities which were exchangeable in the East Indies, China, and Japan, or others suitable for export to Europe, thus making it unnecessary to remit money from Europe. On the other hand, the Dutch could be deprived of the Spice Islands if the English debarred them from the supply of saltpetre, which was necessary for the manufacture of gunpowder, and of opium. Which was the most attractive article which the Dutch could offer to the natives of the Islands with which they used to trade. In short, the object of the paper is to show the advantages and facility of capturing the Dutch possessions in case of another war between them and the English. Orme says (40, p. 17) that this paper was written at Clive's request in 1761, during the disputes between the Dutch and the English East India Companies, in which Dunning wrote his address to the King. Probably Orme refers to "A defence of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies and their servants (particularly those of Bengal) against the complaints of the Dutch East India Company; being a memorial from the English East India Company to his Majesty on that subject drawn up by John Dunning (first Baron Ashburton) on behalf of the Directors of the English Company in 1762, and published in the same year." Clive's original letter asking for this statement will be found in 41.5.

11, p. 161. Letter dated 28 July 1762, from Henry Powney to Orme. Copy. Gives certain details about affairs at Fort St. David in 1747-1748.

12, pp, 161-163. Letter dated 2 August 1762, from Henry Powney to Orme . Copy. Gives a few details regarding the arrival of ships at Fort St. David in 1748-49, and about the expedition to "Divecota" (Devikottai).

13, pp.163-165. Religion of the Indians on the Coast of Coromandel. Translated from the Latin of Niecamp by R.O., 1761. (Copy.) This is incomplete, being a translation of the first 21 and part of the 22nd paragraphs of Chapter X, of Part I of the Historia Missionis Evangelicae in India Orientari, by Jo. Lucas Niecampus, Halle, 1747, See No. 31 below.

14, p.201. Of the Justice administered in Carnatica by Paupa Bramin. Copied from 14. 2.,

15, pp, .202-217. Jemindarry of Bengal in 1752 by R. O. Copied from 12.19.

16 (1), p. 218. Letter, dated 13 Aug 1762, from Henry Powney to Orme. Copy. Gives a brief description of " Arioncopang." (2) pp. 218-219. Letter, dated 3 Sept. 1762, from Orme to Henry Powney. Copy. Asks information as to the exact date of the cessation of arms, as to the Tanjore Pretender, and certain other details.

17, pp. 219-225. Devi Cotah. Lord Clive. (Copy.) Clive's own description of the two attacks, the second of which was successful, on Devikottai in 1749, in favour of the Pretender to the throne of Tanjore. Interesting, as containing details of Clive's personal service in the field.

18, pp. 226-234. Letter, dated "Princess Mary," in Fort St. David’s Road, 12 Feb. 1748, from Admiral Griffin to the Admiralty. Describes the movements of the fleet from September 1747 to Jan. 1748. To it is appended (p. 233) a letter of the same date, giving the disposition of the fleet; and (p. 2:34) an État de l’Escadre de M. St. George.

19, p. 235. Morrattoe Kings of Tanjore. (Copy.) From 1680 to 1732. A list giving the length of each reign. See Nos. 24 and 27 below.

20, pp. 2:36-237. Plan of Devi Cotah, with references, from R. Smith, 1762. (Copy.)

21, p. 238. Tritchanopoly, Tanjore. (Copy.) On these Orme remarks:-" The following memoranda are copied from Major Smith. They appear of no use. They may by comparison with others be of service."

22, pp. 239-240. Kings of Tritchanopoly from 1509 by a Bramin of Tritchanopoly, and to me by Joseph Smith. Copied from 14. 19 or 31. 1.

23, pp. 240-242. The narnes of the principal rivers from the River Ganges to the Cape Comorin, by a Bramin, and to me by Joseph Smith. (Copy.) Copy of 65. 12.

24, p. 242. .Morratoe Kings of Tanjore. Copy. See Nos. 19 above and 27 below. A few details regarding Pratap Sing, son of Nana. Orme describes this as "scarcely intelligible". (46, p. 5).

25 p. 242. War of Coromandel, 1748. (Copy.) "These from Mr. Powney." A few particulars of no importance.

26, p. 243. The names of the Provinces under three Nizams belonging to Delly. Copied from 65. 4.

27, pp. 244-245. Morratoe Kings of tanjore. Copied from 14.18. See Nos. 19 and 24 above. A few details regarding chiefly Pratap Sing.

28, pp.245-247. Letter, dated 26 September 1746, from the Honble. Nicholas Morse, President and Governor of Fort St. George, to Nabob Anwaradean Khan Bahauder Soobah of Arcot. Copied from 14. 11.

29, pp. 247-248. Delhi, Revolution of the Afghans. From Governor Bourchier. Copy. Given to Orme by Mr. Richard Bourchier, Governor of Bombay. See 45, p. 19, where Orme describes this as an "Account of the wars between the Kings of Candahar and Delhi from the death of Naelir Shah to 1700."

30, pp. 249-250. Extract of News from Delhi. Death of the Mogul Hamed Shah. (Copy.) In 45, p. 19 this is described as an Account of the murder of the Emperor Hamed Schah . . . written at Delhi and sent to Bengal I believe by the English Intelligencer at Delhi." By Hamed Shah is meant (see Beale's Dictionary) Alamgir II., who was assassinated by the order of the Wazir in 1759. pp, [i-ii]. Index, i.e., Table of Contents.

31, pp. A.-B. Reflections on the Vidam and on the different professions of faith in Indostan, intended as an introduction to my [Orme's] translation of Niecarnp's description on of the Religions of chormanndel, transcribed in this volume, page 163. See No. 13 above. Copied from 71. 7.

32, pp. C. D. Bramins differing in their faith on the Coast of Coromandel. Extracted from Rogers "Porte Ouwerte," by R.O., 1763. Copied from 71. 8. A short summary of the tenets of the six Brahmanical sects. 33, pp. D. E. News, 18 October 1742, concerning Mortiz Ally's entry as Nabob into Acot after the death of Subder Ally, with other particulars of that revolution. Copied from 14. 9.