[8] A witness examined before the Committee of Secrecy says that eighteen per cent was the usual interest, but he had heard that more had been given. The above is the account which Mr. B. received. [9] Mr. Dundas. [10] For the threats of the creditors, and total subversion of the authority of the Company in favor of the Nabob's power and the increase thereby of his evil dispositions, and the great derangement of all public concerns, see Select Committee Fort St. George's letters, 21st November, 1769, and January 31st, 1770; September 11, 1772; and Governor Bourchier's letters to the Nabob of Arcot, 21st November, 1769, and December 9th, 1769. [11] "He [the Nabob] is in a great degree the cause of our present inability, by diverting the revenues of the Carnatic through _private channels_." "Even this peshcush [the Tanjore tribute], circumstanced as he and we are, he has assigned over to others, _who now set themselves in opposition to the Company_."--Consultations, October 11, 1769, on the 12th communicated to the Nabob. [12] Nabob's letter to Governor Palk. Papers published by the Directors in 1775; and papers printed by the same authority, 1781. [13] See papers printed by order of a General Court in 1780, pp. 222 and 224; as also Nabob's letter to Governor Dupré, 19th July, 1771: "I have taken up loans by which I have suffered a loss of _upwards of a crore of pagodas_ [four millions sterling] _by interest on an heavy interest_." Letter 15th January, 1772: "Notwithstanding I have taken much trouble, and have made many payments to my creditors, yet the load of my debt, _which became so great by interest and compound interest_, is not cleared." [14] The Nabob of Arcot. [15] Appendix, No. 3. [16] See Mr. Dundas's 1st, 2d, and 3d Reports. [17] See further Consultations, 3d February, 1778. [18] Mr. Dundas's 1st Report, pp. 26, 29, and Appendix, No. 2, 10, 18, for the mutinous state and desertion of the Nabob's troops for want of pay. See also Report IV. of the same committee. [19] Memorial from the creditors to the Governor and Council, 22d January, 1770. [20] In the year 1778, Mr. James Call, one of the proprietors of this specific debt, was actually mayor. (Appendix to 2d Report of Mr. Dundas's committee, No. 65.) The only proof which appeared on the inquiry instituted in the General Court of 1781 was an affidavit of _the lenders themselves_, deposing (what nobody ever denied) that they had _engaged_ and _agreed_ to pay--not that they _had_ paid--the sum of 160,000_l._ This was two years after the transaction; and the affidavit is made before George Proctor, mayor, an attorney for certain of the old creditors.--Proceedings of the President and Council of Fort St. George, 22d February, 1779. [21] Right Honorable Henry Dundas. [22] Appendix to the 4th Report of Mr. Dundas's committee, No 15.