don Packet, which had been allotted to carry back the Sultan of Sooloo.

After the departure of the transports for Batavia, Alexander Dalrymple remained at Sooloo, in a fmall galley, without any other European, having fent the London Packet to Balambangan, in expectation of the thip from Madras, on the 8th of June 1764.

Having feen the old Sultan peaceably re-established in the government, Alexander Dalrymple received, from him and the principal Officers of the State, on the 29th of June, a grant, for the Company, of the Northern part of Borneo, from Keemannees. on the Weft fide, to Towfan Abai on the North Eaft. Alexander Dalrymple then proceeded in the galley to Balambangan, where he planted many cocoa-nut and fruit trees; and returned to Sooloo, having continued till he defpaired of any ship arriving from the coaft; for notwithstanding the afflurance given in his inftructions when he embarked on the Neptune, no fhip was fent although the Pitt arrived at Madras in January 1764 from England, with the Company's favourable fentiments, dated the 13th of May 1763, viz.

Par. 18. "We now direct, if you find a refidence at Sooloo is feasible, that Mr. Dalrymple be appointed our Refident there, if he chooses it. Although there may not be an immediate profpect of any confiderable profits by trade, yet, by a refidence there, oppor tunities may be had of exploring thofe parts, and itriking out fome advantages very beneficial to the Company; and from what we have obferved of Mr. Dalrymple's conduct in this affair, we make no doubt of his acquitting himself in the faid itation fully to our fatisfaction.”

In October 1764, Alexander Dalrymple left Sooloo, in the London Packet, for China, and arrived on the 22d of November.

Alexander Dalrymple found at Canton, in a private letter from Madras, a copy of the Company's favourable fentiments in his behalf, which operated as a trong incitement to return to England, in hopes of having the inter. courfe with the Eaftern Islands ettablifhed on a firm bafis; but, unfortunately, when Alexander Dalrymple got home on the 10th of July 1765, Mr.

Sulivan was no longer in the Administration of the Company's affairs, and Alexander Dalrymple found very little countenance, in his fucceffors, to the plan which Mr. Sulivan had fo warmly efpoufed.

The advantages which would have attended an establishment in the Eastern Ilands, not only to the East India Company but to this country, are fully itated by Alexander Dalrymple, in a pamphlet entitled A Plan for extending the Commerce, &c. published in 1771, though printed in 1769.

Manila being captured by the Englifh in 1762, Captain Kempenfelt brought home the Admiral's dispatches of that event. The Earl of Egmont, who then prefided at the Admiralty, was intent on profecuting discoveries in the South Seas, and applied to Captain Kempenfelt for information on the fubject: that gallant Officer, with the liberality fo diltinguishable in his character, instead of recommending himfelf to the attention of the First Lord of the Admiralty by the information he had received from Alexander Dalrymple, without any referve or confiden. tial communication, but merely in converfation, told the Earl of Egmont, that all he knew on the fubject he had learned from a Gentleman, who was expected home, offering to introduce him to his Lordship when he arrived. The Earl of Egmont defired him to do fo; and Captain Kempenfelt called on Alexander Dalrymple, after his return to England, and informed him of the Earl of Egmont's defire to fee him, with an offer to introduce him; which Alexander Dalrymple declined, as Lord (then Sir George) Pigot and the Earl of Egmont

like fuch an office? Alexander Dalrymple replied, that if he did not go back to India, he should like it very much. Some time after, Lord Howe called on Alexander Dalrymple, who happened to be from home; but meeting in the street, in a few days after, Lord Howe informed Alexander Dalrymple, that in confequence of what had paffed with his brother, he had urged Lord Egmont to establish fuch an office, and had informed his Lord fhip, that there was a very proper perfon in his eye, whom he would name, if fuch an establishment took effect. Lord Howe faid, he had called on Alexander Dalrymple to fay that Lord Egmont had recently informed him his Majefty had been pleafed to approve of the office, and promised to affign 500l. per annum for that purpose. Alexander Dalrymple mentioning this to a perfon in the Royal Navy, now dead, he immediately went to Lord Egmont, and got his Lordship's promife in his own behalf. However, the appointment did not then take place.

Difcoveries in the South Sea having been a favourite object of Alexander Dalrymple's refearches, he communi cated his collection on that fubject to the Secretary of State, Earl Shelbourne (now Marquis Lanidown), who expreffed a strong defire to employ Alexander Dalrymple on thefe discoveries, at the fame time expreffing his regret that he was not acquainted with Alexander Dalrymple when Captain Wallis was fent.

Afterwards, when the Royal Society propofed to fend perfons to obferve the Tranfit of Venus, in 1769, Alexander Dalrymple was thought of as a proper perion; and the Admiralty approving of his being employed for this fervice, as well as for profecuting difcoveries in that quarter, Alexander Dalrymple accompanied the Surveyor of the Navy to examine two vellels that were thought fit for the purpose. The one e approved was accordingly purchafed; but the worthy Admiral Hawke, who then prefided at the Ad miralty, was wrought upon by infinuations that he would be expofed to a parliamentary impeachment if he employed any but a Navy Officer; and although offers were made to Alex. ander Dalrymple that the instructions for the voyage fhould be entrusted to him, and the Officer commanding the vellel be politively ordered to follow his opinion, on the compliance with

which his promotion was to depend, yet Alexander Dalrymple, fenfible, from experience in his own outlet in the Cuddalore, that a divided command was incompatible with the pub lic fervice in fuch voyages, declined going out on that footing. As the perfons by whofe infinuations Alexander Dalrymple was fet afide, on that occafion, are now dead, it would be improper to enter into further detail of the fubject; except to take notice that Alexander Dalrymple withheld no information in his power to give.

Subfequent to thefe tranfactions, in June 1769, the Court of Directors were pleafed to give Alexander Da!rymple 500l. for his pait fervices; equivalent to the emoluments of Secretary at Madras, which he had relinquifhed, in 1759, to proceed on the Eattern voyage.

It would be to no purpose to recite the various proceedings concerning Balambangan, a circumftantial account to that time was published in 1768; fuffice it to fay, the Court of Directors appointed Alexander Dalrymple Chief of Balambangan, and Commander of the Britannia; but fome unhappy differences ariling with the Directors of the East India Company, Alexander Dalrymple was removed from the charge of that intended fettlement, and another perion, to fay the leaft, very incompetent to that truft, appointed in his tead.

In 1774, the Court of Directors be. ing diflatisfied with that perfon's conduct, had it in contemplation to fend a Supervifor thither. Alexander Dalrymple then made an offer of his fervices to redeem the expedition from deftruction, and offered these iervices without any prefent emolument, except defraying his expences, on condition that a fmall portion of the clear profits of the establishment thould be granted to him and his heirs; offering that this allotment fhould not take place till every expence had been reimburied which had accrued under his management, even on his exploring voyage, and to engage that the expence of the establishment fhould not exceed 10,000l. per annum. This offer was referred to the Committee of Correfpondence to examine and report; but that report no where appears. However, this offer was not accepted: and not long after the fettlement of Balambangan was cut off by fome Sooloo freebooters, if cut off can be applied to

the lofs of a fettlement without bloodShed.

To this fcandalous neglect, to give it no worse a name ! our footing in the Eastern Iflands was loft; and although Balambangan was established with a profufe and idle extravagance, and loft entirely by mifmanagement; yet from thefe caufes, although groundlessly, that important object will probably never be again attempted; though, under good management, the expence of establishing this, as a moft profitable fettlement, would have coft lefs than the amount paid for port charges at Canton for a couple of years.

Alexander Dalrymple, from the time he returned to England in 1765, was almost conftantly engaged in collecting and arranging materials for a full expofition of the importance of the Eaftern Islands and South Seas; and was encouraged by the Court of Directors to publith various Charts, &c. It is pofitively affirmed, that the Chart of the Northern part of the Bay of Bengal, published in 1772, was the occafion of faving the Hawke Indiaman from the French in the war.

Alexander Dalrymple took every occafion to keep up his claim on the Madras Establishment; but after Lord Pigot was, in 1775, appointed Governor of Fort St. George, Alexander Dalrymple was advised, by the then Chairman and Deputy-Chairman, to make a specific application, before the arrangement of the Madras Council was made, his former letters being confidered as too general.

On the 3d of March 1775, Alexander Dalrymple accordingly applied to be reftored to his ftanding, on the Madras establishment; which application the Company were pleafed to comply with, and he was appointed in his rank as a Member of Council, and was nominated to be one of the Committee of Circuit.

In the proceedings of the Council at Madras, no man, however violent in his animofity or oppofition, ever imputed to Alexander Dalrymple any want of integrity, or zeal, for what he thought was for the Company's intereft, and he had the fatisfaction to find that the Court of Directors gave him diftinguished marks of their approbation.

On the 1st of April 1779, when the Company were pleafed to accept of his fervices in the employment he at prefent holds, by advice of Sir Geo ge

Wombwell, the then Chairman, Alexander Dalrymple accepted on the 8th, that employment by letter read in Court on the 9th of April, on condition it should not invalidate his pretenfons at Madras.

On the 27th of May 1780, the Court of Directors refolved that Meffrs. Ruffell, Dalrymple, Stone, and Lathom, having come home in pursuance of the Refolution of the General Court, in 1777, to have their conduct inquired into, and no objection having been made in fo long a time, nor appearing against their conduct, fhould be again employed in the Company's Service.

The other Gentlemen were afterwards appointed to Chiefships, Alex. ander Dalrymple continuing in his prefent employment, with the refervation of his Madras pretenfions.

When the employment Alexander Dalrymple now holds, was confirmed on the 19th of July, he expreffed by letter, that he trufted, if he wished to return to Madras hereafter, that the Court would appoint him. This letter requiring no prefent refolution, as his former acceptance was conditional to that effect, and his prefent acceptance explanatory of the fame con. dition till fubfifting, it was ordered to lie on the table.

In 1784, when the India Bill was brought into Parliament, there was a clauie precluding the Company from fending perfons back to India, who had been a certain time in England; Alexander Dalrymple reprefented the injustice this was to him, who had accepted his employment, on condition, that it should not injure his pretenfions at Madras; a claufe was thereupon inferted, precluding that meafure, unlefs with the concurrence of three fourths of the Directors, and three fourths of the Proprietors; he was ftill hot fatisfied, because it put him on the fame footing as a Delinquent; when he stated this to the then Chairman and Deputy, the Deputy, afked, if, when he confidered the good nature General-Courts had always fhown on those occafions, Alexander Dalrymple could entertain any doubt of being reftored? in cafe he fhould hereafter with to go abroad.His reply was, that if the General Court acted under an engagement of juice, he could have no doubt; but, if ever he did go abroad, it must be in a high flation; the friends of those,

whole

whofe interefts were affected, might therefore give their votes against him, and thofe votes collectively be more than one-fourth of the Proprietors, who would attend on a private bufinefs, regarding an individual only.

It having been intimated, that the Minifter would give his confent to an individual exception, in his behalf, if the Court of Directors would make the application;

Alexander Dalrymple on the 27th of July 1784, addrefled the Court of Directors, defiring an application might be made to Parliament for an exception.

The Court refolved not to make the application, as the claufe of exception had fufficiently provided for any claim he might have: although this is the oftenfible reafon for refusal, it is faid, the true reafon was, because fuch an application would be tantamount to an appointment by Act of Parliament; but the refolution, as it ftands, recog. nizes his claim. To make this claim of public notoriety, he petitioned the Houle of Commons, the House of Peers, and the Sovereign; taking every precaution to establish and avow the claim.

As Alexander Dalrymple was in a very useful employment at home, he thought there was an option left with him; he preferred that employment to an inferior ftation abroad, and never withed to fuperfede any man who was his fenior in the Company's Service; fo long as Mr. Ruffel remained in India, he had therefore no motive for vivifying his claim; but after Mr. Ruffel's return to England, when he learnt that there was an intention of re-establishing the Government in a Civil fervant, Alexander Dalrymple made his application to the Court of Directors, for that appointment, as the oldelt fervant of the Company; they were not pleased to grant him that honourable and lucrative ftation; but having been affured that the reafon for his not being appointed, was not from defect in, or objection to him; he thought he was well juftified in defiring the Company's bounty might be extended to an old and faithful Civil fervant, in like manner as it had been bestowed on military men, whofe expectations had been difappointed by their arrangements..

The Court of Directors thereupon with (Alexander Dalrymple has been aflured) only two negatives, granted

him a penfion for life; to the kindness of Sir Stephen Luthington, then Chairman, and to Mr. Nathaniel Smith, Alexander Dalrymple has always expreffed his particular obligations on that occation. This penfion is 500l. per annum, much lefs than what the Company have granted to military men, viz.

To General Sloper £1500 per annum, Dalling 1000

Lang 1000 Nelfon 1000

The Prefident and Council of Fort St. George's inftructions to Alexander Dalrymple, 7th June, 1762, before recited, recommending to him a full confilence in the Company's generous confideration of bis zeal, as the fureft way to obtain their favour. Alexander Dalrymple might by this, have been taught to expect fomething more than a bare equivalent to the emolument of Secretary, which comfortable office he relinquifhed to go on a voyage exposed to great hazard and fatigue ; and although he received 5000l. in 1769, he refused to receive it on the firft warrant, which expreffed "in full of all demands and expectations," and received it on another, expreffing, "in full for paft fervices," yet it cannot be thought what Alexander Dalrymple has received can merit the appellation of generous confideration of his real.

From 1769, when he received 5000l. as equivalent to what he would have received as Secretary, to 1779, when he was appointed to his prefent employment, being ten years; the advantage, fuppofing he never had been in a more lucrative ftation, would amount £. 5000

to

In that period he received lefs than 1000

So that in truth he received £4000 lefs from the Company than if he had remained in the office of Secretary; and has been at the expence of a voyage to India; not to mention the expences that attended his appointment as Chief of Balambangan, for which he never received any confideration.

Alexander Dalrymple's opinion having been asked on divers public occafions, he trufts that the several perfons who have, at thofe times, filled the confidential stations in the Direction, will do him the justice to fay, that he always gave that opinion zealously for the Company's intereft.

(To be concluded in our next-)