Page:Vizagapatam.djvu/71

 but his own. The sequestration therefore continued. The question of the arrears, indeed, was only one of several which were at stake. As the Board of Revenue put it in June 1794 —

'The objects we had in view and which we trusted would result from the sequestration of the Zaraindary, were, to reduce the military force which this Zamindar (notwithstanding the repeated orders, to the contrary, of the Honorable Court of Directors, within the last twenty years, and of successive Governments) had not only retained,but even increased ; to meliorate the condition of the inhabitants and families of those Zamiudars, who had been dispossessed by the most unjust and ambitious projects of the Vizianagram Zamindar; to afford relief to those who retained their countries, but who have been exposed to great oppressions; to heal the distractions, which had so long prevailed under a weak, fluctuating and improvident administration; to ascertain the real value of the different purguunahs and the extent of the improper alienations of land, whether for military services, or to Braminies and favorites; to clear off all debts (particularly to the Rajah's troops); to introduce some fixed principle of management, in order to secure tranquillity, and the realization of an adequate revenue; and, by affording the Zamindar a more intimate knowledge of the resources of his country, we hoped to provide for the punctual discharge of the Company's future demands.' It seemed clear that as long as the Rája remained in the district the arrears would continue uncollected and the estate be unmanageable; and he was accordingly directed to proceed to Masulipatam within a stated time. He was given an allowance of Rs. 1,200 a month and the Chief made him an advance of Rs. 30,000 for the expenses of the journey. He marched out ten or twelve miles and then (11th May 1794) wrote to the Chief stating his inability to proceed further owing to the turbulence of his peons, who clamoured for their arrears of pay. These people were pacified by an assurance from the Chief that the Company would discharge their claims and the Rája was left without excuse for further non-compliance with the orders of Government. His reluctance to leave his country was however extreme. He considered the orders not only harsh and disparaging to his position, but a sure precursor of the entire extinction of his power. He seems to have hoped that a determined attitude would stave off extreme measures, and so retired with his camp to Padmanábham, a village between Vizianagram and Bimlipatam and in quite. the opposite direction to the main road to Masulipatam. By this open movement he was now declared by the Chief and Council 'to have broken with the Company;' and intelligence was shortly received which left very little doubt of his intentions.