The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-05-02
From the New York Daily Times.
England, India, and tile United
States, -


ted and erroneous ideas have prevailed IN E1:s
rope and her Colonies, concerning the wealth
of India, and the extent Of her influence on the
destinies Of the civilized world. But never,
fperhaps. have those ideas been more forcibly
expressed than by the eloquent Senator from
California, during the course of that very inter.
esting and instructive speech, (which he recent
Iy delivered in the Senate of the United States,
in support of the Pacific Railroad.
This honorable gentleman did not hesitate
to assert, on that occasion, that the wealth, the
power, and the greatness of Eng gland had arisen
from her. Eastern Empire.
'sThere she stands now," says he, "in all the
plenitude of her power, ruling directly or ndi-
rectly, in the East, one hundred and twenty
seven millions of people. The wealth which
she has poured in upon the British Isles from
the East, is beyond estimate. 1t has made the
seat of her power City of Palaces, and adoln-
ed its inhabitants with profusion of wealth
and luxury, to which there is no parable! in the
history of the world. II has covered the ocean
with fleets, consolidated the national power so
thai, while she defed the continent of Europe
in arms, it has given that strength by which
sue has DGell dul0s W shOSPluo'OnSh
the chain that binds her numerous colonies,
dotted around the great circle of the earth, and
on which the sun never sets. 1t has given her
means by which representatives of her strength
are placed upon every sea, to assert her power
and defend her interests"
We have seldom seen an extIact,' so Short as
that, 50 heavily freighted with error and exag.
geration. Senator Gwn' doubtless supposes
that if England did not possess India, London,
the seat of her power, would be another Lace
damon, whose coin would be of iron, and the
black broth in which the Spartan palate SO
much delighted. He fancies that, were not
for India, England would not cover the ocean
with her heets-could not keep unbroken that
chain which binds together her numerous colo
nies-could not maintain, on every sea and in
every zone, those proud representatives Of her
strength that protect in all lands the person and
the property of her citizens, nor send forth
those magnificent ornaments that astonish Eu-
rope and confound tyrants. He imagines, in
fact, that England, without India, would be
neither rich, nor powerful, nor great; that Eng
land, if bercft of India, would quickly become
weak, paral yzed, and impotent Such is the
high estimate that the Senator from California
has formed concerning the value of that En-
pre that England has acquired in the East.
But what ground had he, compercial or Fl.
nancial, for the formation of that estimated
Senator Gwin is ~ statesman, and must be
aware that no nation can cover the ocean with
her fleets, or maintain her authority over dis.
fbu 1uoc
and rights of her citizens in remote and bar.
barous countries, or fit out mighty armaments
to humble the pride of the oppressor, without
having at command an abundant and ever flow.
ing revenue 1t is the possession of this all
powerful instrument that has enabled England
to do great things. But docs the honorable
gentleman really suppose that she has drawn
the. greater portion of that revenue, or even any
considerable portion of it, from her Indian en-
pire! If he does, no supposition can be more
erroneous. India is indeed fine country-a
very fine country for aristocratc adventures to
repair their fortunes in, but to the State, she
has been oftener source of burden than OF
benefit. glance at the statistical tables pub
lished annually, by order Of the British House
Of Commons, will convince any unpreJudlced
person that India has never been liberal and
regular contributor to the Imperial treasury;
that she has been more frequently under the
necessity Of being debtor than in position
to become creditor to Britain; aud that even
rocky, mountainous Scotland, and poor, pros
trate Ireland, have furnished the government
with larger amount of revenue for the maln-
tenancs of its fleets and armies, than that i'm.
mense and much extolled country. The aver.
age income of the British Government may be
set down at about s5O,OOO,O00 sterling annu-'
ally; the average revenue yearly derived from
India, at about one.twenteth of that enormous
sum! Yet India is the country, according to
Senator Gwin, that has enabled England to
make those extraordinary displays OF power,
on every sea and in every cline, that have ex.
cited the wonder and admiration of other lands!
But though India has ever been poor con.
tribator to the Imperial Treasury, perhaps the
value cfh exports, and the greatness of her.
imports, may have given an impetus to thesin.
dustral energies of the British people, that has
added materially to the prosperity and power
of the empire, and made ample atonement to,
it for her financial and monetary deficiencies.
The. commerce of country so vast and so pop
ulous as India, must always be of considerable
Importance In proportion to its extent, its
continuance must ever have favorable effect
on the prosperity of the country with which it
is chiefly carried on, while its interruption or
cessation must in an equal degree, prove inju-
fious to the interests of her inhabitants. Ihe
commerce of India is undoubtedly of impor-
lance to England; but in comparison to that
of a country of which we shall presently speak,
it is not of much value or consideration: Its
imports into England, save to very small sx.
tent, are not articles of "prime necessity