THE Directors' dissatisfaction with the way things were being
conducted at Calcutta had grown more acute as each year had
passed and brought no improvement. Their dispatches to the
Governor and Council expressed ever greater vexation and concern.
Why, they asked, has so little attention been paid to our repeated orders
for economy and retrenchment? Why were the military and civil estab-
lishments increasing all the time and to such an extent that there was
no surplus from the revenues to provide the investment? Why had their
government failed to apply means to correct the disorders? At last their
tone became desperate, as full realization of the shame and humiliation
of the Company's position came upon them:

"We wish we could refute the observation that almost every attempt
made by us and our administration at your presidency for the reforming
of abuses has rather increased them and added to the miseries of the
country we are so anxious to protect and cherish.

"Are not the tenants more than ever oppressed and wretched? Are
our investments improved? Has not the raw silk of the cocoons been
raised upon us fifty per cent in price?" [ ¹ ]

The note of despondency is remarkable. It would be hard for any
government to make a more positive and damning admission of failure.

The desperation of the Directors was increased by the fierce attacks
that were being made upon them. They were under intensive fire from
two directions: on the one hand the shareholders demanding dividends,
and on the other Parliament fulminating more vehemently than ever
against the mismanagement of the national interests and the misconduct
of the Company's servants. It was plain that something had to be done,
and in the autumn of 1769 the Directors appointed a Commission of
three, one of whom was Vansittart, to carry out a thorough policy of
reform, with overriding powers over the governing council. The three
Commissioners sailed, but never reached India. Their ship was lost with
all hands, and none on board was ever heard of again.

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