, before their departure from Dacca,
and reimbursed myself out of _the advances_ directed to be issued for
the provision of the salt." Thus one illicit and mischievous transaction
always leads to another; and the irregular farming of revenue brings on
the misapplication of the commercial advances.

Mr. Barwell professes himself to be sensible "_that a wish to add to his
fortune may possibly have warped his judgment_, and that _he rather
chooses to admit an error than deny a fact_." But your Committee are of
opinion that the extraordinary caution and the intricate contrivances
with which his share in this transaction is wrapped up form a sufficient
proof that he was not altogether misled in his judgment; and though
there might be some merit in acknowledging an error before it was
discovered, there could be very little in a confession produced by
previous detection.

The reasons assigned by Mr. Barwell, in defence of the clandestine part
of this transaction, seem to your Committee to be insufficient in
themselves, and not very fit to be urged by a man in his station. In one
place he says, that "_it was not thought consistent with the public
regulations that the names of any Europeans should appear_." In another
he says, "I am aware of the objection that has been made to the English
taking farms under the names of natives, as prohibited by the Company's
orders; and I must _deviate_ a little upon this. It has been generally
understood that the scope and tendency of the Honorable Company's
prohibition of farms to Europeans was meant only to exclude such as
could not possibly, in their own persons, come under the jurisdiction of
the Duanne courts of Adawlet, because, upon any failure of engagements,
upon any complaint of unjust oppression, or other cause of discontent
whatever, it was supposed an European might screen himself from the
process of the country judicature. But it was never supposed _that an
European of credit and responsibility_ was absolutely incapable from
holding certain tenures under the sanction and authority of the country
laws, or from becoming security for such native farmers, contractors,
&c., &c., as he might protect and employ."

Your Committee have opposed this construction of Mr. Barwell's to the
positive order which the conduct it is meant to color has violated.
"Europeans of credit and responsibility," that is, Europeans armed with
wealth and power, and exercising offices of authority and trust,