Now and then they may invite one to take a dinner, which is a favour; but the men which he distinguishes are not company for your second." The social status of the Company's officers appears later, when an Act was passed to extend the Mutiny Act to the East Indies and St.Helena, in consequence of the Company's right to exercise martial law having been questioned.

In opposing the bill, the Earl of Egmont said-- "If I am rightly informed, there are some of the Company's officers of a very low character.

One of them was formerly a trumpeter at a raree show in this country, and when he was discharged that honourable service he listed himself in the Company's service as a common soldier, and I suppose was made an officer by one of those governors for trumpeting to him better than any other man could do it in the country.
Another, I am told, was a low sort of barber--one of our shave-for-a-penny barbers--here in London.

And another of them was a butcher here, and when he is not upon duty I am told he still exercises his trade there.

Can we think that such officers will not be despised by gentlemen who have the honour to bear his Majesty's commission ?" He based his opposition to the bill on the unfitness of the Company's officers to exercise authority, and to the bad relations sure to arise between them and the King's officers.[7] In quarters they were not allowed to give any orders to their men, or to have any control over them, the most trivial matters being kept in the hands of the merchants and factors.