Historical View of Plans, for the Government of British India, and Regulation of Trade to the East Indies.

presentation copy from Henry Dundas

With a presentation slip reading 'With Mr Dundas's Compliments'. Henry Dundas was Home Secretary, Secretary of State for War, President of the Board of Control, and Pitt the Younger's right-hand-man during his tenure as Prime Minister. He was also responsible for amending William Wilberforce's motion for the abolition of the slave trade in 1792 to include the word 'gradual', allowing the motion to pass the Commons.

This defence of the monopoly of the East India Trading Company in India was written to encourage the smooth renewal of their Charter through the Act of 1793. It would be the last time the Company was granted a monopoly in India: in 1813 their control of Indian trade would be revoked and marked the end of the supremacy of the Company in the region. The first half of the work includes a considerable history of India and its governance, particularly of the Mughal Empire, in an attempt to place British rule within a context of continuity. The second half contains the key arguments for the Company's rule and monopoly, although the argument for the monopoly is clearly weaker than the argument for continued political control. There were other factors that made the argument compelling: the French revolutionary wars had erupted and greater pressure on European trade meant that the revenues from from the East were vitally important. Britain had also made gains against the French in India with the capture of Pondicherry that same year, Tipu Sultan had been defeated in the Third Anglo-Mysore War the previous year, and reforms were being enacted such as the implementation of the Permanent Settlement in Bengal.

John Bruce (1744-1826) was a Scottish academic who was made the second historiographer to the East India Company in 1801 following the death of Robert Orme. He was also the tutor of Henry Dundas's son Robert (1771-1851), who would go on to have his own successful political career, and was likely patronised by Henry Dundas with his appointments.

First edition; 4to (32.5 x 26 cm); half-title, final errata leaf, discreet armorial bookplate to pastedown, presentation slip loosely inserted; original paper backed marbled boards, spine professionally restored, printed paper label to spine with manuscript date added, top edge trimmed, others uncut, extremities a little worn, a very good copy; xii, [2], 632p.

Goldsmiths' 15632.