India Office Records, British Library, London
G/12/60/3
Letter Book 1777
Note: This type of letter book is quite useful as a source to learn more about the trade and mechanisms of collaboration and communication between the Council of Supercargoes (in Macao), the governors of different Presidencies in South Asia and individual Captains of both Country ships and England-Canton liners.
p. 3-9
To Captain Charles Deane Commander of the Earl of Sandwich from the supercargoes based in Macao: Matthew Raper Junr., James Bradshaw, William Henry Pigou, Geo. Rogers, Abraham Roebuck, Henry Browne, John Harrison
p. 3 ‘Sir
We are directed by the Court of Directors to acquaint you with the following Orders which they expect you and your Officers, who are to be informed of the same, will strictly comply with…
That you take great care that all Goods delivered out of, or received into your Ship are duly entered in the Boats book we being to sign the same, for which purpose when your homeward bound loading is completed, you are to deliver it to us; that your own and Ships Companies Private Trade be registered with us before your departure, in which the Quantity, Quality, Mark, Number and Value of every Parcel are to be particularly mentioned, and to whom they belong, and we hereby give you notice as well for your own information as for that of your Officers and Ships Company that all Goods not so registered will be (forfeited?).
That you do not load or suffer to be loaden on board your Ship any Camphire or Musk, (lest) the scent spoil of Teas, and no more Arrack than is necessary for Stores, and that is to be stored in such a manner as not to prejudice the Tea.
p. 4 That you are on no account to load any Goods belonging to yourself, your Officers, or Ships Company in the Boats that carry the Companies Goods to and from Canton…
p. 5 Danes Island was some years past appointed by the Chinese Government for the English Seamen to walk and divert themselves upon and the French Island for the French, to prevent any Quarrels between the two Nations, you are therefore hereby ordered not to suffer your People on any account to go to the French Island and when they go to the Danes Island, you are to give Orders that they do not break the Graves nor any way molest the Chinese.
p.7 The Hon.ble the Court of Directors having received intimation that the Commanders have Contrary to their Orders made use of foreign Companies and their Agents to make remittancies from Canton, we are positively ordered to repeat that you are forbid making use of any foreign Channels for remitting Money to Europe under pain of absolute dismission, and as it is impossible that these illicit practices should remain long secret we shall be under the necessity of transmitting to the Hin.ble Company an account thereof…
Neither you nor Your Officers are to land from on board your Ship any kind of merchandize without leave first having been obtained of us.
We think it necessary to transmit to you the Orders we have received from the Hon.ble the Court of Directors communicated to us in the 44th pargraph of their Instructions dated 24th November 1775 Viz.
“We have thought proper o prohibit the carrying out to Canton without our especial licence any Clock, Watch, (elegible) or Toy, or other curious article whatever and of which prohibition the Commanders of all the Ships now proceeding the either for themselves, their Officers and Ships Company, have had due notice: in case therefore any such articles are landed at or brought to China by any person, or persons whatsoever, you are to seize, and confiscate them to the Companies use and the Offender or Offenders, be they whom they may, upon our being fully informed of the circumstances, be subject to a dismission from the Companies Service” (p.9).
Macao
May 3. 1777
G/12/60/8
Letter from the Court of Directors to the supercargoes
Dated London, 11th October 1776
Information about the name of the ships dispatched from Bombay to Canton, returning to Bombay in the Season of 1777:
‘Alfred 758 tons (Capt. James Williamson) incl. Tons 213,,11,1,,03 of Pepper[1]
Stormont 723 tons
Princess Royal 864 tons
Prime 264 tons
Resolution 804 tons
Royal Charlotte 758 tons
Worcester 723 tons
True Briton 758 tons’
The intended consignmens from hence this season will consist nearly of the following articles viz. 748 Bales of Cloth value about £ 44900
1250 Ditto Long Ells value about £57900, 26 Ditto Camblets…£2500, 320 tons of lead…£5480.
G/12/60/10
From Robert Hay Esq. of Fort Marlborough (brother of John Hay in Fort St. George?)
Fort Marlbro, 17th July 1777
This short letter is about the treasure sent on the Lord Holland by the China Merchants one year earlier. The content is not very clear, but it is interesting that direct correspondence between him and the China supercargoes existed.
Robert Hay has left a very long and interesting inventory (see shelfmark in Margot C. Finn, Colonial Gifts)
G/12/60/11
From John Hay, James Stevenson, Giles Holloway, George Salmon et al. to the Council of Supercargoes in Macao. Fort Marlbro, 17th July 1777
‘The Alfred Capt. James Williamson now proceeds to Canton, on which Vessel we have laden Tons 213,,11,,1,,03 of Pepper, agreable to the Invoice and Bill of lading inclosed.’
G/12/60/19
Letter from Peter Mitchell Secretary of the India House to the Royal Charlotte
Dated London, 4th February 1777
‘Gentlemen
The society established here for the encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce having transmitted to the Court of Directors, a Paper, setting forth their desire to promote the important cultivation of the Bread Fruit Trea, and describing the places where the same is to be found in the East Indies, I am especially ordered by the Court to send you a few Copies of that Paper and particularly to recommend it to you on your own part and by every communication to make the laudable Intensions of the Society as diffusively known as possible, that the introduction of so valuable an Article into this Kingdom may be speedily effected.’
G/12/60/22
Letter from the Governor and Council of Bombay undated.
‘the Marquis of Rockingham, which we dispatched to Canton the 9th of May was stranded on a Rock about 33 miles to the southward of Madrass, the 26th of the same month. We had shipped on board her twenty three Chests of Treasure amounting to R? 237,172,3,,79 to compleat her stock to Forty Thousand Pounds, twenty two of which have been saved from the Wreck, and we conclude will be transmitted to you from Madras, but the Cotton and Pepper we fear are totally lost.’
G/12/60/33
Letter from the Supercargoes to the Governor and Council of Bombay
Dated November 1777
‘As Sandal Wood is likely to bear a good Price in China next year by reason of the small quantity imported this season we must recommend if possible to procure a large Quantity for the Ship bound to China in 1778. The Medicines and Drugs go by the Charlotte except the Bark of which we have not been able to procure a single Catty but will ot fail to indent to Manilla for a large Quantity to be imported annually supply your Presidency with than necessary article.’
G/12/60/52
Letter from the supercargoes to the Court of Directors in London
Dated 24th November 1777
‘By the Fox we had the honor to transmit an account of our proceedings last Season, and since that time have sent a few lines to be forwarded by the way of Suez in case the Channel for intelligence remains open, but as it is very uncertain, we have expressed ourselves in such general terms that incase of an accident the affairs in China cannot receive the least detriment as will appear by the dublicate inclosed…
We are very sorry it is not in our power to render better account of the Furrs sent out by the Ships Prime and Royal Charlotte but they were this year an article very little in demand, and besides these were so much damaged that they had lost at least half of their value and in so bad condition we were fearfull unless we disposed of them immediately they would not have fetched as any thing at all the merchants absolutely refused to purchase them on any terms we therefore sold them to Shy Kinqua for 6000 Dollar, they may answer very well in small quantities for people that have Opportunities to dispose of them in barter but we do not think them a Commodity worthy of honors attention.‘
G/12/60/57
Letter from Joseph Cotton Commander of the Royal Charlotte
Dated: Canton, December 15th 1777
I am directed by my owners to apply for a list of the consignments for Europe to be laden on the Royal Charlotte, that I may give such directions about the storage that the fine Goods may be least liable to damage.’
Answer: The supercargoes wrote back ‘that it never has been the Custom of this place to give a list of the Consignments for Europe.’ See G/12/60/58
Why would the owners of the ship want to see a list what was purchased? Could be interesting.
G/12/60/63
Signed by all supercargoes, letter to George Stratton Esq. Governor and Council Fort St. George
Dated: 6th January 1778
‘Mr Cuming a Member of the Council with Mr Fitzhugh a writer in the Hon.ble Companies Service having a desire to visit their Brothers at your Settlement we request you will be kind enough to show them such marks of attention as you may judge proper for their respective Stations.’
Under the present shelfmark there are multiple requests and permissions granted to Portuguese officials who sought passage on one of the ships returning to England. There seems to have been quite a good relationship between the English Supercargoes and the Portuguese in Macao. (Despite some rare cases of personal quarrels)
Do we know more about these relations and the life in Macao?
G/12/60/73
Letter from the Council of Supercargoes to the Court of Directors
17th January 1778
‘The China ware Merchant with whom we have contracted for the investment of next year acquainted us he had receiv’d letters from the place where it is manufactured that it would not be possible to glase the Tops of the Milk pots and Sugar Bason, nor to have the large Mugs, Bowls and Fruit dishes (riblit?) moreover they apprehend it will be very difficult to make the Patty pans exact according to the pattern sent out, as we are convinced no person is more capable and that he will do his utmost to Compleat his Contract to our Satisfaction we have no thought of Changing but have strongly recommended to give orders to his Agents that they comply with our directions as nearly as possible.’
Keywords: Porcelain, new patterns, production process, quality
G/12/60/75 + 87 +88
Letter from Capt. Rogers to the supercargoes
Canton 3rd February 1778 and several other letters concerning the same subject matter
The Captain and his Charter Party do not want to be liable for any damage on raw silk maybe caused during the journey as rats are on board of the ship and the silk is packed in bales rather than chests, what he had proposed in time to the supercargoes.
Capt. Rogers (of the Stormont) and soon after Captain Joseph Cotton (in the name of his owners) protest agains the heavy delay of the departure from Canton to London, caused by the supercargoes.
[1] This additional information can be found under G/12/60/11 Letter from the Governor and Council of Fort Marlbro to the council of supercargoes.