POLITICAL HISTORY.
In 1694 the Seer Lascar had his hands full with revolts by the local Rájas, among whom the Rája of 'Potnore' (Potnúru) and 'Samba Deo' (the Rája of Jeypore) were prominent, and at length had to 'condescend to dishonourable terms.' The malcontents had made two attempts to plunder the factory at Vizagapatam (and also the Dutch settlement at Bimlipatam) and Mr. Holcombe accordingly seized the opportunity to begin fortifications there at the expense of the inhabitants. The Seer Lascar approved at the time, but afterwards demanded the destruction of the new walls. The Chief, however, stood firm and they were not touched.
This Chief, who was a man of good birth, had a 'lavish way of living and fond affectation of appearing great in the eyes of the Country Government,' to which the Directors strongly objected. They said, 'The extravigantcy of Vizagapatam under the managm: * of Mr. Holcombe by theire last books, is insufferable, for 3 or 4 ffactors at most to spend 3902 Pagodas in one yeare whereof 1034 is for their servants. Wee know no necessity for their two horses and them of so great a value as 250 Pagodas; they must be better Husbands, and keep within bounds, and not give 40 Pagodas for a Saddle, etc' The Directors strictly limited the Chief in future to 600 pagodas (Rs. 2,100) per annum to defray the charges of dyers, factors, provisions, servants' wages, stores and garden, exclusive of 100 pagodas for presents.
In October 1697 Jeypore ('Somberdu') and other Rájas again revolted ' and took and slew the Seer Lascar and the greatest part of his army.' His successor (' Rustundill Khan ') was severe to all the friends of his predecessor, and the Madras authorities warned the Vizagapatam Council not to proceed, without his express approval, with certain additional fortifications which had been begun, but to level their foundations with the ground and cover them up until a more favourable opportunity. They also ordered the Chief to hold himself in readiness to abandon the factory immediately if the Seer Lascar should attack it, instructing him to embark everything he could and to leave a notice on the factory gate setting out the cost of the buildings, the reason for quitting them, and the items of property still remaining in them. These timid orders were partly due to the fear that resistance in Vizagapatam might light a general conflagration in the south,partly to the decline in the trade at Vizagapatam which had followed the numerous internal commotions there, and partly to the impossibility of carrying on the factory within the limit of expenditure which the Directors had prescribed and to which, in spite of protests from Madras, they for long vehemently adhered.
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