New-York tribune., 1890-05-27

Sir William Hunter opens new series eh'i'iru W
"The Rulers of India" edited by himseIi' "l'h
an admirably clear and compact monograph 0"
Lord Dalhousie The life OF that statesman
has been written before, but there was room oi "
hook which being rather a historical retrospect
than a biography, affords opportunity ior ccaI-
ing away many Misrepresentation ana errors
grown I'M since the Muiiny, and for tie most part
Generated by the passions and preludloes OF lhat
stormy period. No man living could ne better
qualified than Sir William Hunter for such TASK
for no man is more thoroughly Informed respect
ing Indian affairs and history. The work done IN
India by Lord Dahousie is moreover. marshalied
here so simply and perspcuousiy that the reader
Is enabled 10 grasp the entire results of his eight
wears of administration almost at once, ana 10
gauge the significance OF all that he accomplished
with its relations both to the past and the future
Sir William holds that the Marques of Dalhousle
ranks among the greatest of the Govcrnor-Gen-
erals of India and this judgment is certainly war
ranted by the facts as presented HIS laDofs
are divided into three parts: conquest consoloa-
,ion and deyelopment lie brdged over the
first period of the Companys rule and may DE
said to have laid the foundations OF lmperlai
India, though the change itself so far as form
Is concerned. did not take place Until after lie
had retired.
When be took his place as Governor-General
the old system was Ill luIl i'iNO' 'H'-N
governed with a view to the littoral possessions
of the Company. All the strength of the ia''er
gay virtually upon the coasts The interior was
still in the hands of the native princes The orSh"
policv of the Company, which aimed at aNoiulhs
absolute possession of native States, while con-
trolling the action of their governments u'Io"sn
Residents and through special military ioIces' ScV
obtained: but its inherent defects had aIle'uS
doomed it, and it reserved Tor Daihousre W
nut an end to it, BY the conquest OF 'he u"J"''
that energetic ruler at one stroke shii'eu uc
balance of power to the north, and maze brl'lSh
India an interior instead of coast territory
The annexation of Dude and the conquest ana
anpexation of Lower BurInah also occurred during
his administration. though the Oude annexation
was forced upon him by the Courts of Directors
AGAINST his own Judgment. The annexation OF
tho Puniab was unavoidable after the revolt OF
the Raiah of Multan and the assassination OF the
British envoys had been followed 10y general
rising OF the Sikhs; and IN this case Dalhousles
tremendous energy, backed by the knowledge ana
loyal service of the three LawIcnces, pluckeu |
victory from very near approach to defeat 'r
William Hunter has some Interesting ana ne" !
statements on the relations between the Ld"IeHo''
Ind tbe overnor-General. Lord IIardinge had |
permitted the Lawrences 10 establish Nlhu oI
family monopoly in the Punjab, which they
Sucb a state of things could not I've tolerated 10y
Dalhousie. who from the first made 1t clearly
understood that he. and lie alone, was TO 'e
master in India The Lawrences chated under tnc !
restraints he nut upon them, but they continued
IN serve him. Henry with some reserve aIHaES' |
Int John loyally and faithfully. When the con |
ouest of the PunJab effected DalhouNie p"' !
the administration in the hands OF hoaru oi
three members, John and Henry Lawrence ocih5
two of the members. But the Governor-"eheI"I
di1 this because he meant to govern the province
himself through the Board, and he dld 50 uhIoush-
put. ,;.
Several other anncXations were enec'ed uul1ns
his term through the application of the socaile'
aoctrne of "Iapse7 When a native dependent
ruler had natural heirs it was the custom 10 rec
rrize the succession in case Of the death oil inc
,u,er Rut many Hindu princes sought to secure
.bo nomination of their successor by adopting an
be;r ON their deathbed, and in all such cases 'he
naramount power held itself free to recognize OF
refuse TO recognize the adaptive heir. Inc re-
sult was at first commonly determined pS tie
character of the government OF the last ihcu"-
lent If that had been benciicent, the adoptlFe
heir was sometimes recognized If that had been
vicious the principle of lapse" was applied ana
the control of the State was taken over by the
compapy Dalhouse saw clearly that a great
wrong 10 Uilc Itoplc VI bLtot ''"''' w."
in such policy When bad native prince
reigned with the support of British bayone's'
the practical effect to make the British Gov
ernment responsible for the rulers oppression
This responsibility was the heavier because IN
The absence of British support the oppressed peo-
ples would certainly have relieved themselves by
revolt but were deprived OF this recourse by the
presence and power of the Company. Even when
the rule of a native prince was good, there could
he no guarantee for that of his successor ana
experience amply proved that these arrangements
IN nractica more often than not resulted in sac
,fcing the best interests of the people TO the greed
luxury, vice and sloth of as thoroughly corrupt
md incapable class of rulers as ever existed 10
under Dalhousic the doctrine of lapse was
applied at every opportunity, and the immediate
effect was 10 secure peace, justice ana Order 10
millions of people who had been living in anarchy
for cenerations In all these cases, however, the
Government was careful not to interfere with the
priyate property of the depOsed families. linda
prince dying without heirs could VIII his personal
possessions TO whomsocver he pleased. Nhat he
could not bequeath was his sovereignty.
With the annexation of the PunJab, Dude,
Lower Burmah and the territory now the Cen
tral Provinces, immense territory and nearly !
10000, 600 people passed under the Company |
government. Dalhousic had sooner enlarged
the empire in this way than he set about con
solidating his conquests, and having cOnsOli- !
dated he proceeded to develop them. lie
the introducer of the railway, the telegraph and
the cheap post in India. 1t was his prolific and
sagacious mind that planned and partly carried
out the far-reaching system of internal improve
ments which since his time has changed the face
of the country and the character of its products
and industries. Before his time the produce OF
the interior had been Of little account Cut off
from market by the absence of available trans
portation, it languished lie brought il within |
reach of the coast, and thus erected an immense
and ever-growng commerce. The incessant
activity. the prescient wisdom, the comprehcn-
sive surveys of this great statesman. actually !
compressed into the eight years of his admins