Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-10-02

least ambition of political power. Mean
vbile. under the administration OF Col
bert, the French had planted colonies on
the Coromandel coast, and were success
fully competing with the English Tor tne
trade of India. The rivalry between
France and Great Britain, which kept
Europe in perpetual war during the hrst
part Of the 18th century, extended 70 the
remote East, and they were precipi.ated
into a struggle for the conquest OF one
another's Indian possessions. Despite
the heroic efforts Of Duplex and Busy,
The French were ultimately subdued BY
the genius of. Give and the energy OF the.
English Government. After the battle at
Of Plassy, in 1857, Great Britain once
more welded an exclusive ascendancy ~
the East. In the progress of the s.rpg1
Ole the military resources Of the Sbelllgerf
ents were recruited in proportion to the
enterprise and sagacity OF their respect.
i've governments. And not that only, pus
each party reinforced itself BY alliances
with the native princes. The french
made the first experiment OF this policy
and they also suggested the idea Of dist
ciplining and employing native troops ~
their service. Thus it was, that at the The
moment when the English began to rea>
| lie the advantage of taking part in the
politics Of the country, they found them.
selves free from European rivalry and
able to exert a commanding influence
over the native rulers. Circumstances
opened before them career OF conquest.
They had displayed extraordinary militia
ry resources, and their ambition was in
famed by their splendid success. The
exterprising spirit of Give determined
the policy OF the Company. 1mpelled as
much by passion for gain as aIhirst for
glory, and seeing an easy prey in the
helpless fragments of the mogul Empire.
he resolved to neglect the slow but Ger.
tain profits OF trade for the more splendid
fortunes of war. A plain path lay before
him. The native princes were engaged
in incessant feud. Reigning nabobs were
constantly in fear of ambitious pretend
ers. Under these circumstances the Eng
lish had not but to play off one Rajah
against another, and meanwhile to ag'
grandise themselves by the subsidies Of
whatever party it was their interest Il
support. They pursued this policy
steadily and successfully. They foment'
ed strife; they aggravated disorder; they
infamed war; they unsettled thrones
they sold their services to the more man>
ageable instluments-and in compensa.
ton they got laos of rupees and cessions
Of territory. So they went on, until in
1865 the East India Company was for.
mally invested with the sovereignty oil
Bengal. All this while the Board Of Di.
rcctors in England was demonstrating
against the political usurpations of its
servants in India; for the income of the
company diminished in proportion as
their power was extended, until they
were reduced to the necessity of solicit>
ing loan from the British Government.
But the irresistible force of circumstances
impelled them along career of conquest,
even against their interest and their in.
clination. Hastings followed in the foot
steps of Give. The policy Of subjugation
and annexation was persisted in by sue.
cessiye Governor. Generals. no matter
what the original aim Of their administra.
lions. In vain did the moderate Corn
wallis endeavor to undo the work Of the
i energetic and ambitious Wellesley. The
tide Of conquest flows on with an increas-
ing momentum; province after province
is swallowed up. until in our own day
Lord Dalhousie has we'll nigh completed
the work Of reducing Hindostan 10 the
sway Of the East India Company.
But the Eas. India Company is nc
longer commercial enterprise. In 1918
it lost its exclusive privileges. and in 1884
it entirely renowned the pursuits of trade.
1t is now simply political corporation
and is employed only as an instrument
for the government OF tho British Empire
in India. This end is accomplished
rather clumsily and Intellectually howev.
err. through the agency of Court of Di-
rectors and Board of Control. The pros
prietors, of whom there are 1850, with
$500 votes, only enact bye laws for the
Company and fix the salaries of its SER
wants. Its annual income is about Sl9e.-
ooo. 600; its expenditures are something
more. 1t keeps an army Of 29o, 900 men
in its service, of whom Sc, 900 are Euro.
pean soldiers and the rest Sepoys. Ofits
civil agents we find no enumeration
Its dominions embrace SOC, 900 square
miles, and not less than coo, ooo, 600 of
souls are subject to its rule.
From this brief summary the reader
may understand something Of the career
of British conquest in the East, and of the
causes which have contributed to expand
few commercial settlements into the
most MOI splendid colonial empire upon earth.
While India is the theatre of SO momen.
tous struggle, every intelligent person
will desire more ample and familiar ac>
quaintance with the details of lhe.storv
as well as more accurate appreciation