ief of the said prince, the brother
of the said Nabob, but, without obtaining any satisfactory and
specific assurances, either from the said Nabob or the said
minister, the said Warren Hastings did content himself with
advising the said prince to return to his brother, the said Nabob."
The answer of Mr. Hastings to that part of the 17th article states:--
"And the said Warren Hastings says, that in or about the month of
July, in the year 1783, a paper was received, inclosed in a letter
to the Governor-General and Council, from Mr. Bristow, purporting
to be a translation of a letter from three brothers of the said
Vizier, in which they did represent themselves to be in distress
for dry bread and clothes; but whether such distress actually
existed, and was relieved by the said Bristow, the said Warren
Hastings cannot set forth.
"And the said Warren Hastings further says, that some time in the
month of September, 1784, the said Warren Hastings, being then at
Benares, did receive information that Mirza Hyder Ali was arrived
there, and the said Warren Hastings, not knowing before that time
that there was any such person, did write to the Nabob Vizier, to
the purport or effect following:--'A few days since I learnt that a
person called Mirza Hyder Ali was arrived at Benares, and calls
himself a son of the deceased Nabob Sujah ul Dowlah, and I was also
told that he came from Fyzabad; as I did not know whether he left
Fyzabad with or without your consent, I therefore did not pay him
much attention, and I now trouble you to give me every information
on this subject, how he came here, and what your intentions are
about him; he remains here in great distress, and I therefore wish
to know your sentiments.'
"And the said Warren Hastings further says, that, having received
an answer from the said Vizier, he did, on or about the 13th of
October, 1784, inclose the same in a letter to the said Mirza, of
which letter the following is a copy:--'An answer is arrived to
what I wrote on your account to the Nabob Vizier, which I inclose
to you: having read it, you will send it back. I conceive you had
better go to the Nabob Vizier's presence, who will certainly afford
you protection and assistance. I will write what is proper to carry
with you to the Nabob, and it
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