REASONS FOR THE East-India Company's sending out Twelve SHIPS to INDIA about the 15th of January next.  
THE East-India Company had Four Ships arrived from India in Septemb. 1691. and in October they delivered into the Honourable House of Commons a Paper said to contain a true Account of all their Stock both at home and abroad, wherein they make their Estate then in England to amount to about Thirty Nine Thousand Pounds: And in that they value their Dead Stock at about Ten Thousand Five Hundred Pounds, for their Buildings and Equipage for a Troop of Horse.  
Now to pass over all Reflections on the many Notorious Falsities in that Paper, It may suffice here to observe, That were this Article true, 'Tis yet inconsiderable, even to a Scandal; For that our East-India Company should have Four great Ships from India: whose Cargoes they valued in their aforesaid Account at Three Hundred and Seventy Thousand Pounds, and that all that, conjoined with every thing they could possibly pretend to here before, should yet altogether, according to their own accounting, make the Total of their Quick Stock in England, no more than Twenty Eight Thousand Five Hundred Pounds, Is too plain a Discovery of their ill Condition.  
But though they were, by their own Confession, thus utterly destitute of a sufficient Stock to carry on the Trade, yet they obtained leave to send out Five Ships in the Spring, wherein, if they adventured any thing for account of the General Joint-stock, It must be borrow d; For the foresaid small Sum was as little as they could reserve for incident Charges and Secret Service. But 'tis well known, that a great part of the Effects laden on those Ships, were for the particular Accounts of a few ruling Gentlemen amongst them, with such Friends as they pleased to admit into the Concern; together with the Armenians, whom, to the great Dishonour and Detriment of the Nation, they have of late introduced into the Trade. And to cover these private Concerns from public Notice, so that they might pass as the Company's own Goods, the Proprietors were obliged to let them go under the Company's Mark, and be entered at the Customhouse in their Name.  
Since this, they have had no more than One Ship from India, which is the Kempthorn, lately arrived, and after she had been detained above Two Years in the Country, and the Commander at last forced to protest for his Dispatch, she is now returned about a Hundred and Fifty Tuns Dead Freighted. Neither were the Goods she brings provided by the Company's own Stock; For, by the Confession of a Principal Member of their , their Servants have, for this occasion, made use of the moneys of particular Merchants of London remaining in their hands, to the amount of Fifteen Thousand Pounds, for which they have drawn Bills on the Company; And that is at least one half of the Cost of her Cargo.  
This is the best Face they themselves can put upon their Affairs here at home: And as to their Condition abroad, if the Evidence in the last Session of Parliament were not sufficient, There is now come by the foresaid Ship Kempthorn a further Confirmation of the whole Matter, in a Letter from one of their principal Factors, to an Honourable Member of the House of Commons, Declaring, That the English had lost their Esteem in all Places, That the Companies Servants were kept as Prisoners in the City of Suratt, And that the Natives were so Incensed against them for their late Hostilities, That they could scarce refrain from treating them at present after a more severe Manner, though their own Interest required it till they had recovered satisfaction for those Injuries: Which, if not complied with, 'twas feared their Rage would drive them to Extremities: And moreover that there was so great a Debt upon the Company at that Place, as would demand a large Stock to be sent out to discharge it.  
And now, Tho their Affairs labour under all these dismal Circumstances, which render them wholly Incapable to act as a Company, according to the true Intent of their Charter; and make it apparent, that this valuable Trade will be entirely lost to the Nation, if any longer continued in their Hands: Yet those Gentlemen who preside in the present Management, are Masters of so great Assurance, To Petition the King in Council, for leave to send no less than Twelve Ships to India this Season; And they were so successful on Thursday last, to obtain a Grant for half that Number. But  
'TIS humbly Hoped and Prayed, That our Honourable Representatives, who are now (in pursuance of His Gracious Majesty's Message to them) Considering of the most proper Methods to Preserve, Improve, and Establish this Trade to a National Advantage, Will be pleased to Interpose with their prevalent Applications to His Majesty, to prevent so great a Prejudice to the Public, as must unavoidably be the Consequence of permitting these Ships to proceed; At least until it be first effectually Provided, That they shall carry out no Effects but what are entirely for Account of their General joint-stock, And give sufficient Security to discharge all Debts and Demands on them in India.   

LONDON: December 7. 1692.