[68]
XLV. That a proposal was soon after made by the said princess and her
daughter-in-law, praying that their ministers aforesaid should be
returned to Fyzabad, and offering to raise a sum of money on that
condition;[69] as also that they would remove from one of their palaces,
whilst the English were to be permitted to search the other.[70] But the
Assistant Resident, Johnson, did, instead of a compliance with the
former of these propositions, send the following orders, dated 23d July,
1782, to the officer commanding the guard on the ministers aforesaid:
"Some violent demands having been made for the release of the prisoners,
it is necessary that every possible precaution be taken for their
security; you will therefore be pleased to be very strict in guarding
them; and I herewith send _another pair of fetters to be added to those
now upon the prisoners_." And in answer to the second proposition, the
said Resident did reply in the following terms: "The proposal of
evacuating one palace, that it may be searched, and then evacuating the
next, upon the same principle, is apparently fair; but it is well known,
in the first place, that such bricked-up or otherwise hidden treasure
is not to be hit upon in a day without a guide.
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