Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/366

 332 HISTORY OF INDIA. [Book II

A D. 1683 as an independent English settlement, and the seat of the power and tra/le of the English nation in the East Indies.

Kiigwins While the court at home were conferring this magniloquent title on Bombay,

an event had taken place which threatened to render it a mockery. Captain Richard Keigwin, the commander of the gan-ison, in concert with Ensign Thorn- bum and others, suddenly, on the 27th Decemljer, 1683, seized Mr. Ward, the deputy -governor, and the membei"S of council who adhered to him, and issued a proclamation annulling the authority of the Comj)any, and declaring the island to be immediately under the protection of the King of England. Dissatisfaction with the treatment which he had received from Sir Josiali Child, and his brotlier, Mr., afterwards Sir John Child, who had obtained a complete ascendency, the one as governor of the Company and the other as president of Surat and governor of Bombay, had tempted him to turn rebel, while the general discontent pro- duced by the paltry reductions and other impolitic proceedings already adverted to, soon made the rebellion completely successful. With comparatively few exceptions the garrison and the inhabitants, when assembled, approved of his conduct, and recognized him as governor. The whole power of the island was thus in his hands. It is not easy to see on what grounds he could have imagined that his usurpation would receive any countenance in England ; but as if he had been acting with the sanction of the crown, and with a single view to its interests, he required all the inhabitants to renew their allegiance to it, and proceeded to administer the government in its name. Immediately on hearing of the insurrection President Child despatched three of the Company's homeward bound ships from Surat, having on board commissioners authorized to take measiu-es which it was thought would prove effectual. When the}' arrived the frenzy was at its height ; and the crews of the ships, catcliing the infection, so far from assisting in suppressing the revolt, began openly to fraternize with the revolters. The commissioners, alarmed at this new danger, were glad to avert it by allowing the ships to continue their voyage. In the meantime thej' remained on board a country vessel.

Its alarming About a mouth after the insurrection broke out President Child arrived with

j)iogress _ ,

three other Company's ships, and on finding from the spirit which prevailed, both on the island and among his own crews, that force was out of the question, made lavish promises of pardon and redress of grievances. Keigwin listened to his proposals, but it was only to reject them ; and after two months spent in unavailing conferences, the president despatched the ships to England, and with his commissioners returned crest-fallen to Surat, leaving the revolters still masters of the island. Keigwin, aware that appearances were entirel}' against him, drew up a justification, which he transmitted to the king and the Duke of York. His principal pleas were that by the misconduct of the parties in- trusted with the management of the Compan}- at home and abroad, Bombay was on the point of being lost, and nothing but the energetic measures