arrangement for the administration of the government during his absence. On that occasion I deemed it proper to state to his Excellency the various considerations connected with the welfare and prosperity of his dominions, and with his Excellency's individual comfort, which, in my judgment, rendered the prosecution of his declared intention highly inexpedient; at the same time I explicitly and repeatedly assured his Excellency that I had no intention to oppose any obstacle to his departure, if, after full deliberation upon the considerations which my regard for his Excellency and my solicitude for the welfare and prosperity of his dominions, had induced me to state to him, his resolution should remain unchanged.

His Excellency appeared to be perfectly satisfied by these assurances, and deliberately, in my presence, took notes of the several arguments which I had adduced, with a declared intention of communicating to me his sentiments upon them in writing.

From the commencement of my discussions with his Excellency I had never ceased either in person, or by message, to urge him on the subject of the immediate discharge of a large portion of the arrears of subsidy. In reply to my applications, his Excellency always assured me that the state of his Treasury did not admit of the immediate payment from it of any considerable sum, but that he was endeavouring to provide cash for that purpose from other resources. At the conference last mentioned, his Excellency informed me that he had provided to the extent of eight lacs of rupees in part of the arrears of subsidy, and that he had not even deposited that sum in his Treasury, but had set it aside for the express purpose of applying it to the discharge of a portion of his debt, and this fact was confirmed by collateral intelligence. This information naturally led me to expect that his Excellency would immediately pay that sum into the Resident's Treasury; in this expectation, however, I was disappointed, I therefore, directed the Persian Secretary to wait on his Excellency, and to express to him my earnest request that no further delay might occur in the payment of a sum which he had expressly provided for that purpose, and which had been withholden without any reasonable cause. From the reply which his Excellency returned to this requisition, I learned, with the utmost degree of surprize and indignation, that his

Excellency had resolved to render the payment of that sum dependent on the conclusion of an arrangement for his Excellency's departure on his projected pilgrimage.

After the solemn assurances which I had given to his Excellency of my disposition to conform to his wishes on the subject of that arrangement, the conclusion of which had been suspended solely in consequence of his Excellency's declared intention to communicate to me in writing his sentiments on the observations which I had stated to him in person, his Excellency could not be justified in entertaining a doubt of my acquiescence in his determination as soon as that determination should be finally signified to me, nor could his Excellency be justified under any circumstances, in connecting transactions so distinct in their origin and nature, as his Excellency's discharge of an acknowledged debt, and my concurrence in an arrangement for his Excellency's temporary absence from his dominions.

I could not be insensible to the disrespect manifested by his Excellency towards my public character by his implied doubt of my veracity, and by the unworthy spirit of stratagem which dictated this undignified and suspicious conduct. I, therefore, addressed to his Excellency the letter of which a copy is annexed to this minute,* and to preclude the delay

To the Nawaub Vizier.

Written 20th February 1802.

At the conference which I had the honour to hold with your Excellency the day before yesterday, your Excellency informed me that you had already provided to the extent of lacs of rupees, in part of the arrears due for the additional troops. This information induced me to expect that your Excellency would immediately pay that sum into the Resident's treasury. Disappointed, however, in that expectation, I yesterday directed Mr. Edmonstone to express to your Excellency my earnest request, that no further delay might occur in the payment of a sum which has been withholden without a reasonable cause, since your Excellency expressly informed me that it had been actually provided for the express purpose of liquidating a part of the demand which your Excellency has consented to pay.

From the reply which your Excellency returned to this requisition, I am led to suppose that your Excellency has resolved to render the payment of that sum dependent on the adjustment of a request from you wholly unconnected with the question, a request which I have manifested a sincere disposition to gratify. The final arrangement of your wishes

of rendering it into the Persian language, I directed the Persian Secretary to wait upon his Excellency and translate

having been suspended solely in consequence of your Excellency's declared intention to communicate to me your sentiments in writing, on the observations which I had the honour to state to your Excellency, when on Thursday last the question of your Excellency's departure from Lucknow was agitated in person between your Excellency and

me.

On that occasion I explicitly stated to your Excellency that I had no intention to oppose any obstacle to your departure, if, after full deliberation upon the considerations which my regard for your Excellency, and my solicitude for the welfare and prosperity of your dominions, induced me to state to your Excellency, your resolution should remain unchanged.

Your Excellency, therefore, could not be justified in entertaining a doubt of my immediate acquiescence in your Excellency's determination as soon as that determination should be finally signified to me.

Since I have had the honour of a personal intercourse with your Excellency, you have experienced the most unequivocal proofs of my disposition to promote your Excellency's wishes in every practicable mode, to conciliate your confidence and regard, to support your dignity, to assist in the arrangement of your affairs, to strengthen your authority, and to secure the stability of your government. Your Excellency has been pleased to acknowledge your satisfaction at my personal conduct towards you, and your sense of the friendly motives which have regulated my advice and communications to your Excellency; in return, I had reason to expect, on the part of your Excellency, an equally sincere disposition to conform to the just requisitions which I have made on the part of the Company. My concern and disappointment are, therefore, considerable, when I find that, on the eve of my departure, your Excellency has resorted to the unfriendly measure of exacting unreasonable conditions from me, as necessary preliminaries to the discharge of your own solemn obligations, and to the satisfaction of the just rights of the British Go

vernment.

Your Excellency is already apprized, and it is superfluous to repeat, that if your resolution to depart from your dominions be fixed, I am prepared instantly to enter into the consideration of providing for the government of your dominions during your absence, and of vesting the exercise of the government in one of your sons.

But I cannot consent to the admission of any delay which shall connect this transaction with the payment of the Company's additional subsidy.

The impression which your Excellency's conduct has made upon my mind can only be removed by the instant payment of the sum which your Excellency has provided, in part of the whole amount of arrears, and by a settlement of the future kists. I, therefore, renew my request that your Excellency will immediately issue orders for that purpose, and that you

it to him verbally. A translation of the letter from his Excellency to the Persian Secretary referred to in my address to his Excellency also accompanies.* That letter affords a singular instance of his Excellency's insincerity, and of his unwarrantable distrust of my declarations and assurances.

will unite with me in bringing to a speedy termination all other points of business depending between us; your Excellency's perseverance in your present measures will certainly accelerate my departure, and will even compel me to alter the channel and mode of communicating with you.

If advantage is to be taken of my personal disposition, for the purpose of frustrating the public service, I must request your Excellency to receive this final expression of my good wishes, as announcing my immediate departure, and my determination to communicate with your Excellency hereafter through the ordinary official channels.

Mr. Edmonstone has communicated to me your Excellency's letter of this day, the reply to it is anticipated in this note.

(A true Copy.)
(Signed)

N. B. EDMONSTONE.

Persian Secretary.

* From his Excellency the Nawaub Vizier to the Persian Secretary to Go

vernment.

Received 20th February, 1802.

It was to-day iny intention to have the pleasure of attending the most noble Marquess Wellesley, Governor-General, at dinner; but, being indisposed, I shall be prevented from doing so.

I have received the papers which you sent by Gocul Chund Chobey, but it will be necessary that you should come to me for an hour, to explain some parts of them in person.

I am anxious for an answer to what I stated to his Lordship the other day after breakfast, at General Martin's house. I request that you will obtain an answer.

My desire to conform to his Lordship's wishes induced me to agree to what his Lordship proposed. It is now incumbent on his Lordship to fulfil the object of mine. My wish and desire is, that one of my sons should be invested with the regency (Neabut) here, in his Lordship's presence; that whoever may be appointed Resident here may be instructed to carry into effect, in concert with me, whatever arrangement may be concerted between his Lordship and me with respect to this country, and that I may be enabled to make preparations for my intended journey. The more immediate his Lordship's promotion of these objects, the more satisfactory will it be to me. Delay will occasion me much vexation and embarrasment.

(A true translation.)
(Signed.)

N. B. EDMONStone.

Persian Secretary.

My address to his Excellency produced the effect of obtaining a solemn promise from him to pay the sum in question on the following morning, and that promise was punctually performed. His Excellency also engaged to complete the payment of the whole arrear of subsidy by the ensuing month of September, but declined pledging himself to discharge the amount by fixed instalments.

On the 22nd of February I held another conference with his Excellency. On that occasion, his Excellency declared that his determination to proceed on the intended pilgrimage was unalterable, and that he, therefore, had not thought it necessary to commit to writing his sentiments on the observations which I had stated to him on that subject, as he originally intended. His Excellency then expressed his wish to appoint his second son Mirza Ahmud Ali Khaun to be Regent during his absence, and communicated to me a request that I would be present at his son's investiture as Regent. His Excellency's selection of his second in preference to his eldest son, originated in a disagreement which had long subsisted between the latter and his Excellency; and as the proposed arrangement did not appear to me to affect the question of the succession to the musnud on the death or abdication of the Vizier, or to impose any obligation on the Company to concur in the future elevation of his second son to the musnud of Oude, if it should be his Excellency's wish to change the regular order of succession, I signified to his Excellency my compliance with his request, and the ceremony of the investiture of Mirza Ahmud Ali Khaun as eventual Regent, was accordingly performed in my presence at his Excellency's palace on the following day.

On the 22nd of February his Excellency delivered a paper*

* Modification, proposed by the Nawaub Vizier, of the Answers of the Governor-General to the Vizier's Papers of Propositions, delivered on the 15th February 1802.

Answer to the 1st Article.

This arrangement is unobjectionable, and shall be adopted in future. Let the Nawaub and the Resident consult with each other with perfect cordiality in all important concerns, and let them use their utmost endeavours in consulting upon and discussing such concerns.