History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.237

v2.c41.237

On the 20th November Rājā Jānuji Bhonsle wrote another long letter, in which he complains of the long negotiations conducted by Udepurī Gosāin and of their failure and informs the governor that he has sent one Bhagvant Viṣṇu Rāy to Udepurī and threatens war. A letter, received on the same date from Lakhmanji Jāchak, confirms the arrival of Bhagvant Viṣṇu Rāy at Sambalpur on his way from Nagpur to Calcutta.⁴ A congratulatory letter was written by the governor to Rājārām Pandit on the 16th April, 1771, stating that Mr. Marriott was the English resident at Balasore.⁵ A letter received on the 18th of May from Udepurī Gosāin informs the governor of the former’s arrival at Nagpur and of the displeasure of Rājā Jānuji Bhonsle for not receiving the money for *chauth*. Jānuji now required an explicit answer from the English about the payment of *chauth*. On the same date a strong letter was received from Jānuji himself complaining of breach of promise regarding the payment of *chauth*.⁶ letter received on the 3rd of June confirms the previous report about the appointment of Rājarām Pandit as Ṣubahdār of Orissa. In this letter Bābujī Nāyak informs the governor of his arrival in Orissa with a number of sepoys two months ago. He also states that Rājarām Pandit has received the Governor's letter through Mr. Marriott. There is a reference to a certain differnce with an Englishman at Chikakol.¹ A letter was received on the 16th of June to Bābujī Nāyak and a copy of it, sent to Lakhmanjī Jāchak, informed them of the re-appointments of Mr. Alleyn to Katak as he has to recover large sums of money from his debtors. The old officials at Katak were unfriendly to him and therefore the governor recommended that Bābujī Nāyak should take Mr. Alleyn under his special protection.² The same two persons were informed on the 21st of the same month that one of the officers of the king of England was going to Madras by land and requesting them to furnish the former with provisions and transport.³ A letter received from Bābujī Nāyak on the 16th of July 1771 may be regarded as complimentary. It refers one Mr. Weeks to Mr. Cartier for further particulars. The name actually given is "Mr. Weches" but it cannot be identified.⁴ The governor wrote to Bābujī Nāyak on the 28th August which shows that the latter had complained against the conduct of Mr. Weeks who had been appointed Resident at Katak in the place of Mr. Alleyn. It is stated in the letter that this Mr. Weeks was left at Katak only to officiate for Mr. Alleyn during his absence and that he has been censured severely.¹ Another letter was written to the same Maratha governor and Lakhmanjī Jāchak of Sambalpur requesting them to help Captain Bruce, who was going to Madras by land.² A Raja of Kujang, whose name is given as Kosal Sandi Ray, invited the English East India Company to erect factories in his jurisdiction. To this a reply was sent on the 13th May 1772 stating that his suggestion might be acted upon.³ This invitation from the Raja of Kujang shows a tendency to invite English traders in their territories on the part of Oriya Chiefs. In March 1773 the Maratha governor of Orissa was reduced to the necessity of begging the aid of English troops to reduce refractory zamindars. Though the name is not given the person must be Bābujī Nāyak. He requests the Governor of the East India Company to send him a battalion of troops whose expenses he was prepared to meet through Mr. Allen.⁴ The old Mr. Allen appears to have died and his place was taken by his relative of the same name. Lakhmanjī Jāchak was informed of this change in a letter dated 26th March, 1773.⁵