Most of the gentlemen in the Company’s service reside in the fort, or at houses a few miles off, in the country, or at St. Thomas’s Mount, about six miles from Madras, where the Artillery are usually quartered, together with the troops destined to defend the works in case of attack. The incursions to which the Carnatic was formerly exposed, during the times of Hyder, and of Tippoo, rendered it expedient to fortify the Black-Town; which is very extensive, and contains the houses of many highly respectable European merchants, chiefly British and Portugueze, together with the entire property of the richer natives of rank and consequence. I cannot say the Black-Town is an enviable site for residence; but the situation, being subject to the land and sea breezes, the latter of which are as refreshing as the former are debilitating, reconcile the older inhabitants to many inconveniences, among which, smoke is by no means the least obnoxious. The musquitoes are here tolerably numerous, as are also rats of all sizes, cock-roaches, and scorpions: the latter grow to an immense size, and are peculiarly venomous. That most loathsome companion, the bug, is to be found here in such swarms, that it is by no means uncommon to see them crawling about at all hours, and in all places. St. Thomas’s Mount is certainly the more pleasant station and may be fairly put in competition with any of those rural retreats, called ‘Garden-Houses,’ scattered every where in the vicinity of the capital: at these, many families reside all the year round; the gentlemen who have offices to attend, being conveyed thereto in the mornings, either in palanquins, or in their carriages; the climate by no means favoring much exercise on horse-back. Except at that season when the flag-staff is struck, Madras Roads are, in general, much resorted to by shipping. Being the seat of government on the Coromandel coast, it necessarily has become the emporium of that side of the peninsula. Most of the China ships touch there, and very few of those proceeding to Bengal omit to call; especially when war either prevails, or is expected to break out. It is much to be lamented, that no means have yet been devised, nor, indeed, appear easily practicable, of rendering the Roads safe against the attack of an enemy. The fort certainly could repel any attempt to land within the reach of its cannon; but there does not appear any possibility of preventing an enterprising enemy from causing all the shipping, either to surrender, or to run ashore. Perhaps hulks might be so stationed, as to become very efficient in the defence of whatever shipping might remain beyond the surfs. One or two old 64 gun ships properly prepared against boarding, might, at all times, suffice, if moored with chains in proper situations, under cover of the batteries.