Chap. V.] SUPPRESSION OF UNLICENSED TRADING. 313
other duty for the same ; as also to transport and carry over such number of ad. leeo. men, being willing thereunto, as they shall think fit."
The invasion of the exclusive privileges of the charter by imlicensed traders The suppr&s- had occupied too much of the attention of the Company, and had too often been miiicensed the subject of petition and cum})laint to the crown, to allow it to be overlooked. Several minute and stringent clauses are accordingly devoted to it. Thus " full power and lawful authority" is given "to seize upon the persons of all such English, or any other our subjects in the said East Indies, which shall sail in any India or English vessel, or inhabit in those parts, without the leave and license" of the Company, "or that shall contemn or disobey their orders, and send them to England." The only security against the abuse of these enormous powers was an appeal, but the exercise of it was attended with consequences which must have made it a mockery ; for the moment an appeal was entered the Company were empowered "to seize u])on" the person or persons convicted and sentenced, "and to carry him or them home prisoners into England." As milicensed traders were not the only persons of whom the Company were apprehensive, it was provided that "for the better discovery of injuries and abuses to be done unto the said governor and Company, or their successors, by any of their servants I)y them employed in the said East Indies or voyages thither, it shall and may be lawful to and for the said governor and Company, and their respective presidents, chief agent, or governor in the said East Indies, to examine upon oath all factors, masters, pursers, supercargoes, commanders of castles, forts, fortifications, plantations, or colonies, or other person, touching or concerning any matter or thing as to which by law and usage an oath may be adminis- tered." In spite of all these precautions, it was still possible that by smuggling or otherwise the exclusive privileges conferred by the charter might be invaded ; and therefore, as an additional security, custom-house officers are enjoined not to "permit any entries to be made of any goods or merchandizes of the growth, production, or manufactiu'e of the ports or places aforesaid in Asia, Africa, and America, above limited or appropriated to the trade of the said governor and Company, other than such as from time to time shall be allowed of by the said governor and Company, or their successors, under their common seal, or tlie hand of the officer to be by them appointed to sit in the custom-house for that purpose." Thus the Company who not many years before had been threat- ened with utter extinction, had obtained a charter in which the crown, for the purpose of making their privileges as ann)le as possible, stretched its prero- gative to the very utmost, and took every imaginable precaution for their security both at home and abroad.
At this very time when the Company seemed about to enter on a new course Threatened of prosperity, a severe shock was given to their trade in Bengal by the rashness m ueugai. of their agent at Hooghly. Irritated beyond measure at the oppression practised or countenanced by the governor, he resolved to take the remedy into his own Vol. I. 40
