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Mss Eur Orme OV.293

Record Id:

040-003677770

Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:

032-002305428

MDARK:

ark:/81055/vdc_100104452410.0x000001

LARK:

SLARK:

Format:

ISAD(G)

Reference (shelfmark):

Mss Eur Orme OV.293

Title:

Letters to and from R. Orme, Esq.

Scope & Content:

p. [i]. Endosement as follows:- Letters to and from R. Orme, Esq. p. [iii-iv]. List of Contents.

1, pp. 1-2 (23 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Fort Marlborough, 11 Feb. 1755, from Thomas Combes to Orme. Original. Congratulates him on his arrival in India and promotion to the Council; ascribes his own forced retirement to Mr. Saunders; refers to Orme's unsociable milk diet.
2, pp. 5-6 (24.5 x 18 cm.). Letter, dated Moorshedabad, 1 Aug. to 18 Oct. 1757, from Clive to Orme. Apparently a draft. Imperfect. Promises him quantities of information for his History.
3, pp. 7-8 (23.8 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 28 Oct. 1756, from Orme to Clive. Original. Expresses regret at the small reinforcements which are all that can be sent, and assures him that his private business concerns are safe in his hands. This letter, like Pigot's of the 6th Sept. 1751 (287. 24), shows that Clive during his stay in India engaged in private commerce concurrently with the discharge of his public duties.
4, pp. 11-12 (23.2 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 13 Nov. 1756, from Orme to Clive. Original. Says that war was declared between England and France on the 17th May; mentions Byng's failure at Minorca. From a postscript it appears that Clive left his wife in Madras when he went on the Bengal expedition.
5, pp. 15-17 (23.2 x 19 cm.). Letter dated Madras, 29 Feb. 1757, from Orme to Clive. Original.
6, pp. 19-20 (23.2 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 5 May 1757, from Orme to Clive. Original. Chiefly about Clive's business affairs, but urges his return to Madras.
7, pp. 23-24 (23.2 x 19 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 19 June 1757, from Orme to Clive. Original. Sent by Mrs. Clive who was going to Calcutta with two other ladies, and the engineer, Mr. John Brohier; says that Caillaud's relief of Trichinopoly has disgraced d'Auteuil, who has been relieved of the command of the French troops by M. de Saubinet:-"This is a very active man and makes rapid marches"; Col. Lawrence is going "to join the army as a volunteer and as a member [of Council] in the Company's service very capable of concerting proper measures; his military abilities are likewise acknowledged to be wanted in the camp."
8, p. 27 (23.2 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 8 Sept. 1757, from Orme to Clive. Original.
9, pp. 31-33 (23.2 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 22 Oct. 1757, from Orme to Clive. Original. Says that he is eager to write his History, and will discuss with Clive how to include the Bengal Reyolution. "Dear Clive I laugh with you, but if you publish my trifling chat I shall be laughed at, which I abominate"; refers to Clive's generosity, especially to Pybus, and begs him to help Mr. Roberts.
10, pp. 35-37 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 8 May 1758, from Orme to Clive. Original. Says that in spite of Admiral Pocock's defeat of D'Aché the French have carried their troops into Pondicherry; Lally got ashore before the fight and immediately started to attack Fort St. David; Cuddalore has already surrendered and the prospects of the English are very bad. "I have wrote Mr. Walsh that I shall write your history but it must be done at your elbow, and so must that I have already wrote be revised by you, for John Call gave me t'other night a description of the battle of Covrepauck which was as like my battle of Covrepauck as I am to the Mufti at Constantinople. I write to write truth not to flourish periods. To comprehend the truth well is in all circumstances a work of labour, but that accomplished, all the rest is as easy as to write a letter to your taylor." See VII. 19.
11, pp. 39-41 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 26/27 May 1758, from Orme to Clive. Original. Says that they expect the early fall of Fort St. David, and gives details of Lally's force (which included the Irish brigade of 1,200 men); Jacques Law had been badly wounded, losing an arm, and was reported to be dead; after Fort St. David they expect Lally to attack Madras as soon as he has received his expected reinforcements. From a letter to Mr. Pigot (Malcolm's Life of Clive, I. 369) it would appear that Lally did not bring the Irish Brigade with him, but, if so, it is difficult to account for the large number of Irish officers whom he is known to have had with him. See also J. C. O'Callaghan's History of the Irish Brigade in the service of France.
12, pp. 43-44 (23.5 x 18.8 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 18 Oct. 1758, from Orme to Clive. Original. Says that he now understands Clive's reasons for not leaving Bengal and returning to Madras (see 28.11 (4)); thanks him for his kindness to Mr. Roberts; asks for an account of the military transactions in Bengal.
13, pp. 47-50 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Trichinopoly, 14 August 1755, from J. Caillaud to Orme. Original. Merely complimentary.
14, pp. 53-55 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Trichinopoly, 2 October 1755, from J. Caillaud to Orme. Original. Recommends the case of Volunteer Smith to Orme's attention.
15, pp. 57-63 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, undated, from Trichinopoly, from J. Caillaud to Orme. Original. Gives his ideas as to the proper course of dealing with Madura and Tinnevelly, which he thinks should be left to the management of the Nawab, in spite of its certain injustice and oppression, the English looking only to military matters; promises accounts of the revenues.
16, pp. 65-71 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Trichinopoly, 29 November 1755, from J. Caillaud to Orme. Original. Chiefly complimentary.
17, p. 73 (37 x 25 cm.). Letter, dated Madras, 13 April 1759, from Col. William Draper to the officers of the two battalions in the Company's service. Copy. Copied in III. 56. This letter shows a very friendly feeling between the King's and the Company's officers which was, unfortunately, not long maintained.
18, p. 75 (22.7 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Cossimbuzar, 17 May --, from M. Collet to [Clive]. Original. Probably written in 1758, but of no importance.
19, pp. 77-79 (38 x 23.5 cm.). Letter dated London, 17 January 1759, from Joseph Godfrey to Orme. Original. Chiefly of private matters and the overbearing behaviour of Mr. [John] Payne.
20, p. 81 (24.8 x 19.3 cm.). Letter, dated 1 Nov. 1787, from Orme to John Hankey. Draft in Orme's handwriting. Regarding Orme's concern in certain Grenada estates.
21, pp. 83-84 (24 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated London, 30 Oct. 1758, from M[ary Lady] Holdernesse to [Orme]. Original. Sends him a pair of “Candelsticks" in acknowledgment of the trouble he has taken in procuring her some Cambrick. "You execute your Commission so wel, that it is impossible for me not to be troublesome." The spelling of this letter is distinctly aristocratic. See No. 26 below.
22, pp. 87-90 (30.5 x 18.2 cm.). Letter, dated Calcutta, 1 March 1759, from J. Z. Holwell to Orme. Original. Reproaches him for not writing, and thinks that he [Orme] might and should have made a much stronger reply to Mr. Pigot's charges (see Love's Vestiges of Old Madras, II. pp. 514-16), or disdained to reply altogether; thinks that Lally's attack on Madras will fail and ruin both himself and Pondicherry; finds that he has lost 50,000 Arcot rupees by the loss of Calcutta; begs him to agree, as all his other creditors have done, to allow "poor Harry Wedderburn" to compound his debts.
23, pp. 91-94 (23.5.x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Calcutta, 16 Dec. 1778 (?), from W. Hosea to Orme. Original. Asks him to pay, on his account, a quarterly allowance to his parents and to attend to some other private affairs.
24, pp. 95-97 (22.5 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Paris, 22 Sept. 1785, from M. [Jean] Law de Lauriston to Orme. Original, in French. Sends him a copy of his "Relation" of part of the transactions in Bengal up to the 15th Jan. 1761. As this letter is in the same hand as 272. 1, the latter is evidently the paper referred to. This letter informs us that Law wrote his Mémoire on his return to France in 1763, and that in doing so he utilized Orme's own History.
25, p. 99 (32 x 20 cm.). Note, dated Cape, 31 Jan. 1759, from Orme to Captain W. Martin and his reply of the same date. Original. Sends the amount of a wager which he has lost and asks for a receipt. Captain Martin's reply endorsed on the same. See No. 42 below.
26, pp. 101-105 (22.5 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Rowhampton, 30 October 1758, from John Payne to Orme. Original. Speaks very indignantly of the treatment which Holwell has received from the Directors; mentions the heroic deeds of Frederick the Great; sends a box from Lady Holdernesse. See No. 21 above.
27, p. 109 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Camp Chandernagor, 30 Nov. 1759, from Lieut. Frederick Cobb Pitman to Clive. Original. Asks for the Grenadier Company rendered vacant by the resignation of Capt. Henry Delaval.
28, p. 113 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Camp Chandernagore, 30 Nov. 1759, from Lieut. Frederick Cobb Pitman to Clive. Original. Asks leave to resign the Company's service as his request made in No. 27 has been refused. N.B. This officer's second request was apparently granted, as in 1761 he obtained a certificate from Col. Francis Forde (dated Dublin 22 Oct. 1761) to the effect that he had behaved well in the action against the Dutch at Biderra in 1759, see Col. Lionel Forde's Lord Clive's Right Hand Man, p. 214.
29, pp. 117-120 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated Camp, 28 Oct. --, from Col. Joseph Smith to Col. --. Original. Points out the absurdity of trying to pursue Haidar. Apparently written to Col. John Call and in the year 1768.
30, p. 121 (22 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, undated (?1758), from H. Speke to Orme. Original.
31, pp. 123-128 (28 x 18.5 cm.). Letter, dated 26 Jan. 1759, from H. Speke to Orme. Original. Written from England. Begs him not to overwork himself; says that Vansittart is intriguing against him; that Walsh has made a present of £10,000 to his brother Fowke; that Clive will have, when his affairs are settled, £250,000; that the Company has behaved with gross ingratitude to Watson; that there is no prospect of peace.
32, pp. 131-133 (37 x 24 cm.). Letter, dated Calcutta, 20 Jan. 1775, from J. Clavering to Brigadier-General [Joseph] Smith. Duplicate. Gives his opinion on the proper stationing of the troops in Madras, and asks for certain information regarding Haidar Ali.
33, pp. 135-136 (22.5 x 18.7 cm.). Letter, without date, from Orme to the Honble. G[eorge] P[igot]. Original. Gives certain explanations regarding the Accountant's Books.
34, pp. 140-141 (37 x 23 cm.). Robert Orme's Account Current, 31 Jan. 1759, signed Joseph Godfrey.
35, p. 143 (37.5 x 19.7 cm.). Unfinished draft of a Minute intended to be delivered when the Governor opposed Capt. Caillaud's promotion. In Orme's handwriting. Endorsed Aug. or Sept. 1758.
36, pp. 147-149 (37.5 x 19.7 cm.). Draft of letter, dated Madras 1758, from [Council] to Caillaud. In Orme's handwriting. Contains orders to Caillaud to withdraw from Trichinopoly and come to Madras. Approved by Mr. Pigot.
37, pp. 151-154 (23 x 18.5 cm.). A Minute, dated Madras 1758, by R. Orme. In Orme's handwriting, Unfinished.
38, pp. 155-156 (30.5 x 18.5 cm.). Memorandum by Or'me of what ought to be done at Madras when the French captured Cuddalore. In Orme's handwriting. Incomplete.
39, p. 159 (30.5 x18 cm.). A paragraph inserted in a letter to Bombay from the Madras Council on the subject of reinforcements, wrote by R. O. In Orme's handwriting.
40, p. 163 (43.3 x 28.3 cm.). An Account of Sundries received by R. Orme, Esq., Fort St. George, 15 Sept. 1758.
41, p. 165 (37.5 x 23 cm.). Note of Exchange sent by W. Hosea to R. Orme and Brig.-Gen. Richard Smith. Patna, 26 Nov. 1778.
42, p. 167 (37.5 x 22.5 cm.). An engagement in favour of Capt. John Oliver. Dated, Cape of Good Hope, 22 Jan. 1759. Apparently the original. In French. This is signed by Nicholas Vincent (ex-Captain of H.M.S. Weymouth), W. Martin (ex-Captain of H.M.S. Bridgewater), R. Orme, Charles Boddam, and Robert Palk. These gentlemen, who have been set free on parole, agree to pay the sum of £1,000 to Messieurs de Ruis and Mendion, Commandant and Intendant of the French squadron, if Captain Oliver (Captain of the Company's ship Grantham), who has been set ashore to be cured of scurvy, does not surrender himself when required to do so.
43, pp. 169-201 (23 x 18.5 cm.). Receipts for papers, &c., received by James Alexander from R. Orme. Originals.
44, p. 203 (12 x 18.5 cm.). Receipt, dated 11 Nov. 1778, for £200 received by W. Jones, from R. Orme. Original.
45, p. 206 (21.5 x 14 cm.). A fragment containing some Italian verses. In Orme's handwriting.
46, pp. 207-208 (38.5 x 24 cm.). Petition from Appajee Ninar, Renter of Conjeveram, to the Worshipful Robert Orme, Esq. Asks for protection against the Nawab and his servants.

Collection Area:

India Office Records and Private Papers

Project / Collection:

India Office Private Papers

Hierarchy Record Ids:

032-002305428
033-003394094
040-003677770

Is part of:

Mss Eur Orme : Robert Orme papers.
Mss Eur Orme OV. : Orme Various

Mss Eur Orme OV.293 : Letters to and from R. Orme, Esq.

Hierarchy:

032-002305428[0001]/033-003394094[0264]/040-003677770

Container:

View / search within Archive / Collection: Mss Eur Orme

Record Type (Level):

File

Extent:

1 volume, pp. [iv], 208.

Digitised Content:

Languages:

English

Scripts:

Latin

Start Date:

1755

End Date:

1778

Date Range:

1755-1778

Era:

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Physical Characteristics:

Dimensions: Various sizes, up to 43.3 x 28.3 cm.

Binding: Vellum-bound volume.

Material Type:

Archives and Manuscripts

Legal Status:

Not Public Record(s)