Bhután had been strengthened by the maintenance of a yearly fair at Rangpur, and by two missions which Bogle's comrade, Dr. Hamilton, led within three years to the Deb Rájá's capital. At last, in 1783, a second embassy to the Teshu Láma made its way under Captain Turner to the point which Bogle had once reached. In March of the following year, Turner reported himself to Hastings at Patná. But the great Governor's career in India was fast nearing its close; and the fruits of his wise policy finally disappeared when Gúrkha ambition forced the Chinese to block all the passes leading into Tibet[1].
Before the cold season of 1774, Hastings had wrought a marvellous change in what seemed to him at the outset 'a confused heap of indigested materials, as wild as the chaos itself.' If his efforts to improve the Company's revenues had borne but little apparent fruit, he had striven hard at any rate to keep down the public debt, to encourage thrift in every department, and to increase the balances in the Calcutta Treasury. He had made his influence felt for good in all branches of administrative work. The trade of the country had been stimulated by the removal of many local imposts and by the adoption of a low uniform customs duty. The village weavers, rescued from bondage to grinding task-masters, were set free to make their own bargains with the Company's agents for the produce of their looms. The manufacture of salt and opium was brought
- ↑ Markham.
