San Andreas independent., 1856-11-22
British FiIIibusferisrn.

British FiIlibuSferism.
The history of British India is among the
wonders ofmodern civilization. England,
mere island in the northern ocean, so in
considerable in territory, so small in pop
ulation, and SO distant in position: India,
SO ample in her peninsular boundaries as
to be the seat of several kingdoms, all once
rich and powerful, sending out strong
armies and equally afluent in the resources
of war and of peace India, with pop
ulation of one hundred and fifty millions,
or one-sixth part Of the population of the
entire globe, on the opposite side of which
it is located, as if to be forever beyond
the reach of British influence and inter
ference; and yet this immense territory and
population subdued by an English Com
pany, not by the English nation; by fill
busters who can only compare with the Gu
ban, and whose leaders Nicaraguan Walher
would often blush for; and all within CEN
tury, the world looking on and making
no complaint or resistance; such are the
leading facts in this astounding record, and
yet it may be hoped from what isseen from
partial developments, as it may be unhesi-
tatingly believed from the highest assu-
rance, that despite the cupidity, the vio-
lence, and the innumerable and deep
wrongs which have instigated or attended
the British conquests and annexations in
India, an amount of good will be secured
which will vastly overbafancet evil, even
| the selfshness, the cruelty, and the crimes
of her oppressors being made subservient
to higher civilization and the introduc-
tion and triumph of pure Christianity.
Having lately spent some days with an
intelligent German in the service of the
English Church Missionary Society, who
has resided for many years, indeed during
all his active life, in India, and who is
well acquainted with the state of things in
the kingdom of Dude, recently annexed
to the British dominions, will embody
facts which l obtained from his conversa-
ton with others, obtained from various
sources, which may give your readers some
new ideas of British expansion and British
civilization in the East.
The Marquis of Dalhousie, who has gov
erned India for the last eight years, closed
his administration the last spring, and re-
turned to England. His administration
was marked above all others by a success
sion of annexations to the British empire
in India, the morale of which in all cases
was about the same. A very .furor of
annexation seemed to possess him; and re-
| ~ loc4 of Il
ministration, he added to the British In
dian empire, already very monster for
magnitude, the kingdom of Oude-a coun-
try larger, richer and more populous than
his native Scotland. In the first place,
he annexed the Puniaub, with an area of
4 900 square miles, and population of
100000. Then he annexed Berar, with
an area Of $4,000 square miles and pop
ulation of 100000. He also annexed
Pegu, with an area of 10000 square
miles and population of 100000. Be
sides these, heannexed Saltara and Jhansi,
of whose dimensions and population / am
not informed, but believe they are both
considerable. In closing his career he
annexed the kingdom of Dude, with a
territory of 25,000square miles and pop
ulation of 3,50O,0O0 In eightyear only
the Governor General annexed territories
exceeding 100000 square miles and a
population of more than seventeen millions,
or territory equal to twice the size of
England, Scotland and ireland, with a
population exceeding in number all the
! inhabitants together of Belgium, Holland
Denmark, Sweden, and Norway! And
yet it is impossible to open an English
newspaper or converse half an hour with
an Englishman, without reading or hear
ing the most insulting reproaches of the
United States for their territorial annexa
tionsl
1t was openly avowed that the Punjaul
and Pegu were annexed by conquest ane
not by treaty they were coveted as usefu
appendages to British India, and therefore
British troops were marched into these
weaker States to overrun and subdue them
: AS to the kingdom of Dude, as we'll a
!. some other independent States, the gov
!. ernment of India had agreed some fifty
: years ago to protect it from internal ane
4 external enemies on the condition OF re
e ceiving certain concession of territory
and a certain sum of money The conse-
! quence of this policy was, that the KING
r like true Oriental, gave himself up te
n habits of Incidence and dissipation, feeilne
e less responsibility in the administration o.
: his kingdom because the English haf
$ come under obligation to preserve ordel
and keep the machinery of government il
motion, for which purpose British agen