rich carpets of Persia and of Cambaya, quilts of satin taffety, painted
calicoes, Benjamin, damasks, satins and taffeties of China, quilts of China
embroidered with silk, galls, sugar candy, China dishes, and porcelain of
all sorts.

Though several articles of Chinese manufacture are specified in the
proclamation, yet we have no notice of any direct trade to China till
nearly fifty years after this time, viz. in the year 1680. In this year the
East India Company sent out eleven ships, including two to China and the
Moluccas; their general burden was between 500 and 600 tons: in these ships
there was a stock of nearly 500,000_l_. Besides the articles imported
from India enumerated in the proclamation of 1631, there now appear
cowries, saltpetre, muslins, diamonds, &c.

In 1689 the East India Company published a state of their trade, from which
it appeared that in the last seven years they had built sixteen ships from
900 to 1300 tons each,--that they had coming from India eleven ships and
four permission ships, the value of their cargoes being above 360,000_l_.:
that they had on their outward voyage to Coast and Bay, seven ships and six
permission ships, their cargoes valued at 570,000_l_.: that they had seven
ships for China and the South Seas, whose cargoes amounted to 100,000_l_.
That they had goods in India unsold, to the amount of 700,000_l_. About
this period, Sir John Child, being what would now be called governor
general of India, and his brother, Sir Jonah, leading member of the Court
of Committees, the policy was introduced through their means, on which the
sovereign power, as well as the immense empire of the East India Company
was founded; this policy consisted of the enlargement of the authority of
the Company over British subjects in India, and in attaining political
strength and dominion, by retaliating by force of arms, on those Indian
princes who oppressed their settlements.

In the year 1698, in consequence of complaints against the East India
Company, and their inability to make any dividend, they thought it
necessary to give in a statement of their property in India. In this they
asserted that they had acquired, solely at their own expence, revenues at
Fort St. George, Fort St. David, and Bombay, as well as in Persia, and
elsewhere, to the amount of 44,000_l_. per annum, arising from customs
and licenses, besides a large extent of land in these places; they had also
erected forts and settlements in S