The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-11-02
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CuO OuCCII, CIlC ICllCu dill WdIlC0U d
finger in the pie and began to make
themselves disagreeable to the English
company and to each other by stirring
up strife and opposition among the
natives. Seeing that force might be
needed to carry out their undertakings
successfully, the English fortified them
selves at Surat and established trading
post and fort at Madras on the south
east coast, employing drilled body of
one hundred white soldiers at each
point augmented by larger disciplined
force OF natives. Cromwell renewed
the cOmpany'S charter in 1857. Charles
the second extended this charter giving
the company power to make peace with
or war upon all people beyond the pale
Of Christianity. For some years the
company had trouble to gain renewals
of its charter but the riches Of India
were ever potent and they continued to
increase their wealth and extend their
possessions. France too had progressed,
but with less commercial success; yet
with considerable more territorial eX-
tentiOn, especially on the west coast.
This condition of affairs brought on
collision of the two natiOnalitieS and a
taking up with native allies. The Brit
ish triumphed but were left, though
with vastly increased territory, an in
heritance of warfare.
Meanwhile in the northeast on the
banks of the Hoogly, another colony
and fort had been established here, for
awhile French Vaccinations triumphed
and the Franco-Bengalese alliance ter
minated in the Black Hole horror of
Calcutta. But the triumph was brief.
Circumstances had developed a military
genius out of bill clerk. He might
not have been the equal of Napoleon
or Wellington. of Lee or Grant. but he
knew how to handle and lead men to
victory. Having failed to blow his own
brains out he made himself busy in
cOuntry'S enemies. The victory at
Plassy in 1855 against overwhelming
odds placed Give among the great gen.
erals of the age and was the first step
towards the final overthrow OF native
rule in India. Thus did company of
traders step by step become rulers of an
empire and the arbiter of the destinies
of millions of men. In 1888 the new
charter granted was no longer to
mercantile company but to a body of
rulers. The doors of trade with India
were thrown open to all British subjects
and the territory was vested in the
crown which guaranteed the stockhold-
ers 1O12 per cent. on their existing
stock. This charter expired in 1854 and
its successor was hardly in the hands
of the governing body when, in accord
ance with some prophecy, the great
Mutiny of sepoys burst upon them in
1857. The end of the Mutiny with all
its terrible memories of battles and
masSacres, was the end of the East
India company, which ceased to exist
by act of Parliament in Aug. 1858, leav-
ing the entire country, from the Himal-
ayas to Cape Cormorin all appenage
of the British crown, ruled by an army
of soldiers and civilians in occupation.
Some few of the native rulers, who
wisely bowed to the inevitable, main
tain a modified home rule subject
to the dominating influence. At least
twenty languages and four religions
are found within its borders. The
hatred existing between Moslem and
HindOO inSureS quiet continuance of
the British power, whose advantages
the masses are gradually learning to
appreciate as the schOolmaster spreads
himself abroad.