▁still ▁offer ▁a ▁unique ▁resource ▁for ▁sch ol ars ▁inqu iring ▁into ▁the ▁nature ▁of ▁early ▁British ▁rule ▁in ▁Beng al . ▁ ▁The ▁voyage ▁of ▁the ▁Giuseppe ▁e ▁Ter esa , ▁ 1 7 7 6 - 1 7 8 1 ▁In ▁ 1 7 7 5 , ▁Bol ts ▁offered ▁his ▁services ▁to ▁the ▁Imperial ▁government , ▁putting ▁forward ▁a ▁proposal ▁for ▁re - est ab lish ing ▁Aust rian ▁trade ▁with ▁India ▁from ▁the ▁Adri atic ▁port ▁of ▁Tri este . ▁His ▁proposal ▁was ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Em press ▁Maria ▁Ther esa , ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁September ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁Bol ts ▁sa iled ▁from ▁Leg horn ▁( today ' s ▁Liv orno ) ▁in ▁the ▁domin ions ▁of ▁Leopold , ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁of ▁T usc any , ▁the ▁younger ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁Em press , ▁to ▁India ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁ship ▁under ▁the ▁Imperial ▁flag , ▁the ▁former ▁Ind iam an ▁Earl ▁of ▁Lincoln , ▁renamed ▁the ▁Giuseppe ▁e ▁Ter esa ▁( also ▁called ▁Joseph ▁et ▁Th ér èse ▁or ▁Joseph ▁und ▁Ther ese ). ▁He ▁took ▁with ▁him ▁a ▁ten - year ▁char ter ▁author izing ▁him ▁to ▁trade ▁under ▁Imperial ▁colors ▁between ▁Austria ' s ▁Adri atic ▁ports ▁and ▁Pers ia , ▁India , ▁China ▁and ▁Africa , ▁and ▁from ▁Africa ▁and ▁Mad agas car ▁to ▁America . ▁This ▁enter prise ▁required ▁substantial ▁capital , ▁which ▁Bol ts ▁sought ▁in ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Netherlands ▁( Bel g ium ),