A report of Major Hart's case, of rice-frauds, near Seringapatam

The document opens a vivid chapter of early‑nineteenth‑century British India, centered on a dispute over rice supplies near Seringapatam. It follows Major Hart, a cavalry officer accused of diverting government grain for private profit, and the tangled accusations he exchanges with fellow officers such as Major‑General Macaulay. The narrative captures the tension between personal ambition and the strict regulations that were supposed to keep the army’s provisions honest, giving listeners a front‑row seat to the bureaucratic drama that threatened both reputation and livelihoods.

Presented as a transcribed report with extensive footnotes relocated to the end, the text blends official minutes, personal letters, and the Board of Control’s deliberations. Its language is formal yet surprisingly candid, revealing how colonial administrators wrestled with ethical lapses while trying to maintain supply lines. The account offers a rare, unvarnished look at the inner workings of the East‑India Company’s military logistics and the human stories hidden behind its paperwork.