Litchfield enquirer., 1857-11-12

the stockholders was Governments guarantees
of dividend of 10 10 per cent. on the steck
On these, or very similar terms, the chartc
was renewed-for an indefinite per od-at III
expiration in 1854.
1t will thus be perceived at glance that
to all practical intents and purposes, the East
India Company is myth, and that the real
governor of Hindostan is the British Ministry
The Ministry or Cabinet which rules Eng
land also rules India, though under different
title--that Of BOARD OF CONTROL. BY the
Board of Control all matters of Indian poll
| tics finance, expenditure, legislation, war, and
peace, are finally determined the Company
cannot even draw a draft or send an mapor-
tant dispatch to the Government Of India,
without permit from the Board of Control.
And the Board of Control is composed, IS we
said, of the Ministers of the Queen.
The Board of Directors OF the Company is
still kept up. 1t is deliberately elected ill.,
geniously subdivided into committees and
enormously supplied with clerks and writers.
But in reality, the only substantial part of
the functions, is the distribution Of Indian pat
ronage. Naturally enough, the Board of
Control does not cucumber itself with the dis
posal Of the cadetslil,s which fall vacant in
the Indian service. That it leaves to the Di-
rectors it is the function which suits them
best. One of the committees of the Bourd
piques curiosity. 1t is entitled the SECRET
COMMITTEE. 1t consists OF three members
the chairman, vice-chairmap, and senior direct
Or BY law this committee has no secretary
for fear the fellow might divulge the terrible
secrets disclosed in committee. 1t is popular
y supposed that this secret committee regu-
lates the politics Of East India ; that these
| three old gentlemen, sitting ominously round a
table i'll darkened room in the Indian House.
dispose of thrones and municipalities with a
stroke Of the pen. The outside public gaze
with awe at /. trowning, solid door in the In
dia House On which are inscribed the words,
SECRET CoMM!rTEE-RooM.
In point OF fact the Secret Committee is,
like the Court Of Directors, mere sham. 1t
enjoys the privilege Of copying the dispatches
OF the Board Of control, and forwarding them
! to the officers OF the government in lnda-
when the Board of Coatrol chooses !; just as
the often orders are sent to the Goyernor-Gen-
eral directly, without the interpositon of Ell
ther the Secret Committee or the Board Of
Directors.
OF course the Board of Directors are rot
always satisfied with their share OF the spoil
! namely the punctnal dividends and the pat
ronage. They often protest that if they were
Entrusted with the management OF the Conpa-
ny's territories, things would be much better
managed. Colonel Sykes persists that the
war with Afyhanistan might have been avoid
ed had the Court Of Directors been consulted :;
and, ludicrous!y enough, Oh the occasion OF
the Compalys war with Burmah, he made
noisy aud repeated Efforts to ascertain why he
and his associates were going to War--a fact
which, be said, he learned from the newspa-
pers.
The object of the English Government in
keeping up the nominal Board OF Directors is
probably to preserve scape-goat for their La
dian blunders. The most obvious effect OF the
duplex arrangement is an immense complica
ton of business details. With the exception
of the important matters which are decided by
the Board of Control, and lot communicated
to the Board of Directors, all dispatches be-
tween the Indian and Home government are
copied and re-copied, sent from bureau to bu
reau, and from. committee to committee, i'll
true Circumiocution Office style Some OF
these dispatches are Of fabulous length. A
financial dispatch of 1855 contained 1851
folios one irO:u the revenue department, l6,-
263 pages and another from the same de-
partmeut, in lS45, the enormous number OF
46 600 pages. OF such dispatch:s between
1920 and 5000 are exchanged annually at
the India House so that ole learns without
surprise that the dispatches from 1898 to 1919
comprise 1904 great folio volumes, aud those
from 1914 to 1929, l2,4l4. just faEcy such
dispatches passing from committee to commit
tee and from board to board, and an idea may
be formed of the manner in which business
must be transacted by such method
The fortunate individuals who own East In
da stock vary from $500 to 1000 in number.
| The aggregate amount of the slock-which
was $50, 600 in 1600-is now G6,000,000
The arrangements for voting are ingenious and
complicated The ownership of $1,000 OF
| stock entities a holder to Que vote, $4,000
confers two votes, $4,000 three, aud so on.
We are distinctly informed, in the bylaws of
the Company, tha@ even women and foreigners
may vote All which is very interesting, as
the votes of the Board are never OF the least
consequence.
1t is, however; great thing to be an East
! India Director, as the title implies wealth and
q certain amount of political consideration. So
people who have served in India, and made a
fortune, aspire ardent!y for the distinction Col.
Sykes says he spent seven years and 92, $50
in the attempt. How he laid out the money,
one cannot imagine. Surely East India pro-
prietors do not sell their votes. Let us chart
tably suppose he invested the twelve Thousand
dollars in persuasive turtle aud port
The public have lately read petition from
certain inhabitants of Calcutta, praying the
British Government to take the country out OF
the hands of the Company, and administer it
like other British Colonies. AS to the future
administration Of the government OF Bengal,
we suspect it will be found necessary to con-
suit third party, as we'll as the British Gov
ernment and the Anglo-Indians- namely, the
natives aud, as to the past;>we have already