1st Earl of Amherst (1773-1857), the grand-nephew of Jeffrey Amherst and the former Governor-General of India. ALS signed "Amherst," one page, 7.5 x 9.25, July 7, 1834. Addressed from Amherst's residence in Grosvenor Street in London, England, handwritten letter to J.C. Melville, mentioning Clive of India's grandson, in full: "I request that the sum of 5 lacks of Rupees standing in my name in the 6 per C.[ent] Bengal Remittable Loan may be transferred into the names of the Honble. Robert Henry Clive of Oakly Park in the County of Salop and Henry Percy Esqr. of Rose Castle in the County of Cumberland second son of Hugh Lord Bishop of Carlisle." In fine condition, with a small stain in the signature area.
William Amherst, 1st Earl of Amherst was the grand-nephew of Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst (1717-1797), a military commander made notorious on the North American continent during the French & Indian Wars. William succeeded to his grand-uncle's honorary title by special dispensation in 1797, and afterwards he was styled as 'Amherst.' William began his professional career in foreign service. He served as a rather inept Governor-General of India between 1825-1828, after which he returned to England.
Robert Henry Clive (1789-1854), the paternal grandson of first British governor of the Bengal Presidency 'Clive of India' aka Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive (1725-1774). The younger Robert was currently a member of the British Parliament. ('Salop,' the county where the Clive's familial estate Oakly Park was located, is better known as Shropshire.)
Henry Percy (1813-1870), the second son of the Bishop of Carlisle, Hugh Percy (1784-1856). Henry followed in his father's ministerial footsteps, eventually serving as an Anglican minister at Greystoke in Cumbria.
A Bengal Remittable Loan was an investment in the Bengal government, i.e. the British Raj. Its 6% annual interest was paid out in two installments per year; investors currently residing in India could accept the payments in cash, while investors living in Europe could draw in cash or bills subject to a set currency conversion rate of '2 shillings and one penny the Calcutta Sicca Rupee' (an East Indian coin).
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