Page:The Marquess Cornwallis and the Consolidation of British Rule.djvu/124

118 address, for the success of several of the most important and useful measures of my Government, and that I shall consider myself fortunate if it should at any time be in my power to mark my personal regard for those individuals who have a particular claim to my esteem and gratitude, or to continue in any degree to promote the general prosperity of the British inhabitants of Calcutta.'

Shortly after this reply reached Bengal, the inhabitants of Calcutta were forwarding a congratulatory address to Warren Hastings on his final acquittal from the impeachment of Burke. Almost the last despatch of Cornwallis to the Court of Directors is dated from Madras in September, 1793. He tells them that on the Declaration of War against England and Holland by the French, he had taken immediate steps for the reduction of Pondicherry and the other French settlements, which had been crowned with success; and in all the bustle of departure, he finds time to address a letter of thanks to Sir John Shore, who had been his right hand and chief adviser. Cornwallis left Madras on the 10th of October, 1793, and he came to an anchor in the Swallow packet, in Torbay, on the 3rd of February, 1794. He had accomplished a great work in settling the land revenue system of Bengal on an intelligible basis. He had entirely changed the character of the Civil Service. He longed for a little peace and quiet; but there was still much work before him.