Prospectus

PROPOSALS PROPOSALS for Printing a NEWS-PAPER, in Bengal, to be Published every Saturday,, by J. A. Hicky. under the title of The BENGAL-GAZETTE, or Calcutta Advertiser. IN every part of the British Dominions, particulary the West India Islands, and every Province and City in America, News-Papers are Established, and found of the utmost utility, and Convenience, to all Ranks and Degrees, of Persons, more especially the Trading and Merchantile. There seems to have been no other obstacle to a convenience of this kind in Bengal, but the want (hitherto) of Printing Presses, Types, and the Apparatus proper for executing the same. These Impediments being now obviated by the industry of Mr. Hicky, who is amply provided with every Implement &c. requisite for a Printing-Office, He is advised by several Gentlemen of the first Situation, and Character, to attempt a Specimen of a News-Paper. To be conducted on a Plan of the Strictest decorum, and a Rigid adherence to Truth and Facts. The Editor is hereby induced to submit a Sketch or outline of the Plan intended to the opinion of the Inhabitants of the Settlement. 1st. The Paper is designed to be published every Saturday, and also another in the middle of the Week, if hereafter found convenient, ( The Price a Single Sicca-rupee. ) To be delivered only to yearly Subscribers. 2dly. No anecdote Personal or Domestic that can Possibly convey the smallest offence to any single Individual, shall ever be inserted, and the Editor Pledges himself, that the most attentive, caution, shall be observed on this Point. 3dly. The Chief intention of a News-Paper, being to effect the more easy circulation of such informations, as are either usefull or entertaining, and tending to promote the trading Concerns of industrious individuals. This Paper is set on foot with that design, and to bring into one Focus, or immediate Point of View, the Numerous Notices, Advertisements, &c. now handed about by Harcarrahs, in Manuscript, The usefull intentions of which are defeated by the impossibility of their being attentively regarded. The BENGAL-GAZETTE, will Exhibit at one View 1st. Advertisements of Goods and Merchandise on Sale; 2d. Estates and Houses for Sale, Mortgage, or to Lett. 3d. Horses, Carriages, Palanquin's, &c. 4d. The arrival of Ships, and their respective Ports, and Cargoes. 5th. Ships clearing out, and their destination, for the convenience of Insurers, Freighters, and Passengers. 6th. Custom House, Entrys. 7th. The General Price, Current of Goods. 8th. Sales of the Effects of Persons deceased. 9th. Notices of Administrations, Granted. 10th. Notice of Term, and all Citations, Summons, &c. relative to the Hon'ble, the Suprme Court, as inserted in the London-Gazete. 11th. Extracts from the Dhelbi Papers, & other Country intelligence. 12th. Tables of Tides, State of the Country Rivers, and Depth of Waters, &c. from time to time, in the Cassumbazar, & Jellingee, Rivers. 13th. Camp Inteligence, Deserters, &c. 14th. PlayBills, and Notice of Public Assemblys. 15th. Promotions, Civil and Military. 16th. Marriages, Births, and Deaths. 17th. Occurrences, and Casualties. 18th. Articles of various kinds Wanted. 19th. Notice of things, Lost, or Stolen. 20th. Commitments, from the Cutcherry. 21st. The regulated Price of Provisions, as signed by the Clerk of the Market. 22d. And The Public Notices, issued from the different departments, in Circulation. IN Short, a News-Paper, on this footing, will be a commodious Vehicle, thro' which the various wants, and wishes, concerns, and occurrences, of all Parts of the Settlement, may be interchanged, and communicated without that interruption of Idea's, occasioned by the Legion of Harcarrahs, that now infest Calcutta, Disturbing Gentlemen at unseasonable Hours, in their Private-Houses, and assaulting Palanquin's, with bundles of Written advertisements, a Nusance long complained of, as a disgrace to the Police of so Refined, and Opulent a City, as Calcutta. Should the Bengal Gazette, meet with encouragement, The Editor, hopes to establish a regular and speedy correspondence's, with all the HON'BLE. Companys Precedencies, and to be enabled, to lay before his Readers, such Historical Events, and political occurrences, as occasionally happen, both in the Carnatic, and Marratta Empires; Nothing will be inserted, unauthenticated. Such is the Editors Plan, those who may be pleased to encourage the Attempt, are requested, to Subscribe their Names, to the Proposals in Circulation, or to address their Commands, either to Mr Hicky. the Proprietor, at the Printing-Office, or to Mrs. Marquett. at Champaul-Gaut. Mr. Andrews. at the Circulating-Library. and at Mr. Cantwells. in the China-Baazar. All Advertisements, Notices, Articles of Intelligence, Essays on usefull Subjects, and Improvements, Written by Gentlemen, of India, will be thankfully received, immediately inserted, and with the most impartial attention, to induce Gentlemen of Genius, to continue their Favours, to the Editor. The Paper will be forwarded, the day it comes out, by the Dawke, to all Subscribers, resident up the Country. N. B. There will be a Poets Corner, and a Column for Genuine Oriental Productions, Literary Essays. &c.