The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-27

British india comprises the chief part of the PENN.
sula of Hindostan, with the island Of Ceylon, and several
dependent states. 1t covers an area of eight hundred
aud eigteen thousand square miles. The population is
eminent of the British Empire in India is divided into
three distinct local governments, called presidencies
Each presidency is under a governor and council, and
all are subject to the authority of a 60. ernor general
The presidenciesa are Bombay, Madras and Bengal. AL
most the whole of India is thus rendered amenable to
the British government. The commercial relations Of
England with the country over which she has ruled
Queen Elizabeth, but the date of the empire does not
extend beyond a century. In 1899 there was a com
pany formed in London, with a capital of 3O,OOOI From
this period the company increased, met a formidable
competition, overcame it by absorption, and finally in
1908 were trading under a capital of 3,200,00Ol, and
the name of The United Company of Merchants Thus
far the relations of England with India were entirely Of
a commercial character. During the next forty years,
however, the political cauldron dubbed and seethed,
until war was declared and carried on against the ma.
tives. The policy of the British government then began
to be apparent. In 1856 was fought the great battle
between the native army commanded by Sarajah Dowla,
and the English under Col. Give. Calcutta was lost
teen years, there were a number Of battles fought, vic
tories won, concessions made. and great privileges
granted to the invaders. In l773 the territorial acqui.
sit;eas ef the company, AID its financial ADVERTISEMENTS,
drew the specia! attention of parliament to affairs in
the East. A bill was introduced, asserting the right Of
the crown to the possession of all the land acquired by
the company. The year before this the celebrated War
rem Hastings had been appointed governor-general Of
Bengal. His after acts gave rise to the trials Of im-
peachment, in which Edmund Burke became so famous,
lasting as they did seven years and three months, and
ending in Hastings acquittal. Wars, continued and
bloody, ragged up to the year 1892, during which period
many native hero leaders sprang into notice. The most
formidable Of these were Hyder Ali, and his son, Tippoo
the last-named leader, which was observed on his part
but seven years. The French had all along been the
aiders and abettors Of the natives against the English,
and again joined Tippoo Saib in 1893. The war under
these influences broke out afresh. Before its conclusion,
the willy chieftain was slain. Here it was that Arthur
Wellesley, afterwards Duke Of Wellington, first distin.
guished himself. From this time up to 1856, there was
not q year In which battles were not fought, and new
territory gained by England. We may mention the
bloody conflicts Of Ahmednuggur, Assaye, Argaum,
Bhurtpoor, Nepaul, Rsngoon, Cabul, Ferozepore,
Ferozeshah, Sobraon, the Puojaub, Mastaban, Pegau
and Ande. In 1857 commenced the now pending dif6-
culties. The reputed origin Of the disaAection our
readers are familiar with, as we'll as the recent events
which have transpired. The darkest page of history
presents no parallel to tie atrocities which have tran
fpired there. Yet these Sepoys have their a~pologists,
and in England, too, but the massacre of Cswnpore, on
the 18th or 10th Of August last, in its terrific horror,
must silence even fanaticism. Nena Sahib, the Nero of
the century, looked on the slaughter, prolonged, cruel,
indecent, of 80 officers, 100 men, and 100 women, all
with the British army, beside soae 400 others
of the Christian population. We turn fiom the scene
with horror, nor could We have referred to it, were it
ut that our imperfect chronological sketch led as 10 it,
mention .-Golden Rule.