The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke

space of three years more on the same conditions, namely, the payment of 80,000 sicca
rupees for each year: to which was added a permission to Mr. Frazer to make dobunds, or
special repairs, whenever he should judge them necessary, at the charge of government.

That the said contracts, both in the manner of their acceptance by the Supreme Council,
without having previously advertised for proposals, and in the extent of their duration, were
made in direct violation of the special orders of the Court of Directors.

That, so far from any advantage having been obtained for the Company in the terms of
these contracts, in consideration of the length of time for which they were to continue, the
expense of government upon this article was increased by these engagements to a very great
amount.

That it appears that this contract had been held for some years before by the Rajah of
Burdwan at the rate of 25,000 rupees per annum.

That the superintendent of poolbundy repairs, after an accurate and diligent survey of the
bunds and pools, and the Provincial Council of Burdwan, upon the best information they
could procure, had delivered it as their opinion to the Governor-General and Council,
before the said agreement was entered into, that, after the heavy expense stated in Mr.
Kinlock's estimate, viz., 119,405 sicca rupees, if disbursed as they recommended, the
charge in future seasons would be greatly reduced, and, after one thorough and effectual
repair, they conceived a small annual expense would be sufficient to keep the bunds up and
prevent their going to decay.

That, whatever extraordinary and unusual damages the pools and bunds might have

sustained, either from the neglect of the Rajah's officers, or from the violence of the then

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