A History of the Mahrattas v2.c33.17

v2.c33.17

² [William Hornby became Governor of Bombay on February 26, 1771, and held office until January 1, 1784. His name has been given to the well-known Vellard (Portuguese *Vallado*, ‘a fence’), which was constructed during his governorship on the west side of Bombay Island between Mahālakshmī and Varlī, to shut out the sea which at high tide rendered the central portion of the Island a swamp. Hornby is stated to have built this embankment without the sanction of the Directors of the Company, who were disinclined to face the expenditure (Rs. 100,000). Hearing that he had completed the work in defiance of their orders, the Directors sent a dispatch ordering his suspension from office; but Hornby, whose term had nearly expired when the dispatch was received, kept it in his custody until after he had handed over charge to his successor. The Directors were irate,