eir
creditors, which would produce a sum equal to that which they were
empowered to add to their stock. Previous to this, in consequence of
intelligence from India, Pitt felt called upon to adopt some plan for
amending the act of 1784. A bill was brought in for this purpose by
Mr. Dundas, which bill conferred on the governor-general a privilege of
acting in cases of importance, without the consent of the other
members of the council; enabled the directors to unite the offices of
commander-in-chief and governor-general in the same person; rendered
not only the present, but the farmer servants of the company, whether
resident in India or not, capable of being appointed to seats in the
respective councils; empowered the governors of presidencies to nominate
temporary successors to members of council who might die or vacate
their office; altered a clause in the former bill, which compelled
the company's servants to rise by gradation; repealed another, which
required from them a disclosure of their property, on oath; and made
several changes in the court of judicature and mode of trial for crimes
and misdemeanors in India. This bill was strongly opposed by Fox and
Burke, with other members of opposition; but, after several debates and
divisions, it passed both houses, and received the royal assent.

The only other business of importance brought under notice during this
session, was the impeachment of Warren Hastings. This will be noticed in
the following section, where we propose to take a retrospective view
of the progress of the English arms, and our policy in that part of the
world. After much discussion on this subject which was left undecided,
on the 11th of July parliament was prorogued.

{GEORGE III. 1786-1787}

A RETROSPECTIVE VIEW OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.

Hitherto, to avoid embarrassing the narrative of the American war, no
notice has been taken in this "Continuation" of the progress of the
British arms in India. The last event recorded in the history, was the
capture of Pondicherry by Colonel Coote, by which event the French power
in India was destroyed. An attempt, however, was made to revive this
power in the province of Bengal, About the middle of the year 1760, the
year in which Pondicherry was captured, an adventurer, named Law, nephew
of the celebrated projector, at the head of some French fugitives,
persuaded the Mogul, Shah Zada, who had lately sealed himself on his
father's throne, to invade this prov