The fame of a great territorial revenue, exaggerated, as is usual in
such cases, beyond even its value, and the abundant fortunes of the
Company's officers, military and civil, which flowed into Europe with a
full tide, raised in the proprietors of East India stock a premature
desire of partaking with their servants in the fruits of that splendid
adventure. Government also thought they could not be too early in their
claims for a share of what they considered themselves as entitled to in
every foreign acquisition made by the power of this kingdom, through
whatever hands or by whatever means it was made. These two parties,
after some struggle, came to an agreement to divide between them the
profits which their speculation proposed to realize in England from the
territorial revenue in Bengal. About two hundred thousand pounds was
added to the annual dividends of the proprietors. Four hundred thousand
was given to the state, which, added to the old dividend, brought a
constant charge upon the mixed interest of Indian trade and revenue of
eight hundred thousand pounds a year. This was to be provided for at all
events.

By that vast demand on the territorial fund, the correctives and
qualifications which might have been gradually applied to the abuses in
Indian commerce and government were rendered extremely difficult.

[Sidenote: Progress of investments.]

The practice of an investment from the revenue began in the year 1766,
before arrangements were made for securing and appropriating an assured
fund for that purpose in the treasury, and for diffusing it from thence
upon the manufactures of the country in a just proportion and in the
proper season. There was, indeed, for a short time, a surplus of cash in