Chapter INDIAN to INTERLOPER of I by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

morning Mr. Littleton, Mr. Nedham, and Mr. Douglass came to y^e factory, and being sent for, were asked ‘Whether they did now, or ever intended, directly or indirectly, to trade with any Interlopers that shall arrive in the Bay of Bengall?’

“Mr. Littleton answered that, ‘he did not, nor ever intended to trade with any Interloper.’

“Mr. Nedham answered, ‘that at present he did not, and that he came to gett money, and if any such offer should happen, he would not refuse it.’

“Mr. Douglass answered, he did not, nor ever intended to trade with them; but he said ‘what Estate he should gett here he would not scruple to send it home upon any Interloper.’

“And having given their respective answers they were dismist.”—Ibid. Hak. Soc. i. 90-91.

1694.—“Whether y^e souldiers lately sent up hath created any jealousye in y^e Interlop^rs: or their own Actions or guilt I know not, but they are so cautious y^t every 2 or 3 bales y^t are packt they immediately send on board.”—MS. Letter from Edwd. Hern at Hugley to the Rt. Worshp¹¹ Charles Eyre Esq. Agent for Affaires of the Rt. Honble. East India Comp^a. in Bengall, &c^a. (9th Sept.). MS. Record in India Office.

1719.—“… their business in the South Seas was to sweep those coasts clear of the French interlopers, which they did very effectually.”—Shelvocke’s Voyage, 29.

„ “I wish you would explain yourself; I cannot imagine what reason I have to be afraid of any of the Company’s ships, or Dutch ships, I am no interloper.”—Robinson Crusoe, Pt. ii.

1730.—“To Interlope [of inter, L. between, and loopru, Du. to run, q. d. to run in between, and intercept the Commerce of others], to trade without proper Authority, or interfere with a Company in Commerce.”—Bailey’s English Dict. s.v.

1760.—“Enterlooper. Terme de Commerce de Mer, fort en usage parmi les Compagnies des Pays du Nord, comme l’Angleterre, la Hollande, Hambourg, le Danemark, &c. Il signifie un vaisseau d’un particular qui pratique et fréquente les Côtes, et les Havres ou Ports de Mer éloignés, pour y faire un commerce clandestin, au préjudice des Compagnies qui sont autorisées elles seules à le faire dans ces mêmes lieux. … Ce mot se prononce comme s’il étoit écrit Eintrelopre. Il est emprunté de l’Anglois, de enter qui signife entrer et entreprendre, et de Looper, Courreur.”—Savary des Bruslons, Dict. Univ. de Commerce, Nouv. ed., Copenhague, s.v.

c. 1812.—“The fault lies in the clause which gives the Company power to send home interlopers … and is just as reasonable as one which should forbid all the people of England, except a select few, to look at the moon.”—Letter of Dr. Carey, in William Carey, by James Culross, D.D., 1881, p. 165.

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