Public records, private accounts, and the moving parts of empire come together in this official report.
This volume gathers the Minutes of Evidence, accounts, and papers laid before a House of Commons committee investigating the East India Company, offering a detailed view of governance, finance, and international affairs in 18th‑ and 19th‑century India and China.
Readers get a firsthand look at debates over military expenditure, naval operations, financial management, and the pressures of trade policy. The material is presented as testimony and documentary evidence, helping to illuminate how decisions were made and who held influence in those pivotal years.
- Transcripts of witness statements from naval officers, Company officials, and government audiences.
- Financial and administrative discussions, including the handling of debts, assets, and home charges.
- Accounts of events in Canton, Whampoa, and Canton Factory, including military and security measures.
- Contextual notes from committee reports that frame the evidence and its implications for policy.
Ideal for researchers, students of imperial policy, and readers seeking a documentary window into the administration of the East India Company.