Page 61 - Gulf Precis (1-B)_Neat
P. 61

267

                In the 20th Paragraph of their letter of tho 21st April speaking of the State
            of the Business as that settlement when the Agent arrived thore, they say “ Dis­
            bursements and Stewards supplies ini quitiously managed ”. They must be called
            upon to explain this, and to point out to the iniquitous practices alluded to.
               Wo cannot help being of Opinion their expecting or oven supposing Mr.
            Boddam should ask their pardon for not advising them of his being at Musoat,
            was most absurd aud ridiculous, as he was in no shape under their orders, or
            accountable to them for his proceedings.
               The Agent and Council should not in our opinion have made Messrs.
            Beaumont and Levis any extraordinary allowance for their passage without our
           leave being previously obtained, and in future no more than one hundred (100)
           Rupees must bo allowed on his account, being in proportion to what was for­
           merly allowed to, and from Gombroon.
               Wo entirely concur with the Agent and Council that the having all goods
           laden on the Freight ship from Bengal consigned to British subjects would be
           for our Hon’blo Masters’ Interest but we apprehend could it even be effected,
           that it would involve us in disputes with the Turkish Government who would
           of course be injured thereby. If the Agent and Council can remove this
           Difficulty we shall most readily exert every means in our power to get tho Goods
           consigned in the manner they recommend.
               If a Crew of Mahomcdan Lascars oan possibly be prevailed upon to remain
           at Bussorab, we shall agreeable to their Request send a Pattamar Boat thither
           at the opening of the season and in the meantime acquieso in their hiring a
           Traukey, or other proper Boat for the Purposes they intend the Herfors.
               Reperused the several Depositions and other Papers relative to the Conduct Skipp’a conduot.
           of Mr. George Skipp together with his letter to Us, and the Queries and Answers
           enclosed therein and the Deposition upon Oath of Signior Rigo (copies of which
           must be sent to the Agent and Counoil) and the whole being now taken into
           deliberation, the following Remarks are made and Resolutions taken thereon.
               We are of opinion Mr. Skipp did not employ Rigo as his Agent as surmized
           by a Shaada, nor do we think any Dependanco can be had on the Assertion of
           this last that Mr. Skipp kept the key of the ware house from him as Mr. Skipp
           was not at Bussora till almost three months after Mr. Price left it, nor had he
           charge of tho Ware-house till twelve months after his arrival.
               We are of opinion Mr. Skipp did not influence Mr. Wrench in the sale of
           the Shalloons but at the same time think He acted wrong, and did not do his
           Duty to his Employers in not disapproving of this Transaction, more especially as
           by his afterwards receiving a Part of the Profits arising thereon it is reasonable
           to conolude he knew they would fetch more. The Affair of the Cloth does not
           appear to Us in the same bad light, for as it was sold by Contract many years
           before, our Hon’ble Masters were in fact no sufferer's, but still notwithstand­
           ing it was the means of so much Cloth being realized sooner than it otherwise
           would have been, we think Mr. Skipp would have aoted more prudently, and
           more consistent with his Duty as a Company’s servant if he had not been con­
           cerned in this Transaction.
               Upon the Whole we approve of the Agent and Council having suspended
           him under the circumstances proved against him but at the same time highly
           condemn them for having done it before they gave him an Opportunity of
           vindicating his conduct, which appears to us to have been rather an error in
           Judgment than any real Intention of injuring his Employers, and as he has given
   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66