William Pitt Amherst arrives in Calcutta as Governor-General

Background. The office of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William was established in 1773, with the officer holding direct control over the presidency and supervising other East India Company officials. Amherst's appointment occurred immediately after the removal of Governor-General Lord Hastings in 1823. He was a British diplomat and colonial administrator who succeeded to his title in 1797, serving as Governor-General from August 1823 to February 1828.

Administrative Context. Amherst was considered an inexperienced governor who was heavily influenced by senior military officers in Bengal, such as Sir Edward Paget, during the early days of his tenure in Calcutta. He inherited a territorial dispute from John Adam, the acting Governor-General prior to his arrival, concerning the Anglo-Burmese border on the Naaf River. This dispute spilled over into violence on 24 September 1823.

Institutional Role. The Governor-General headed the central government of India, administering provinces such as Bengal. While the governor-general became the controller of foreign policy, he was not the explicit head of British India in the sense of ruling all territories directly. The office was created in 1773, and the governor-general was selected by the Court of Directors of the East India Company until 1858.