formed a part of Scindia's dominions, was taken 19th Cenunder direct British rule. tury. tration of Amherst. In 1824, Singapore, a settlement comprising one Adminis island and about fifty islets off the south point of Lord the Malay peninsula, and which had formerly been the site of a Malay kingdom, was purchased in fee simple from the Sultan of Johore, for 60,000 Spanish dollars, and an annuity of 24,000 in the same coin, for the natural lives of the proprietors. And in the following year Malacca, a settlement comprising an area of about 1000 square miles on the West Coast of the Malay peninsula, and which had been held by the Dutch, was by them exchanged with the British for Bencoolen in Sumatra. These acquisitions, together with the Prince of Wales' Island, or Penang, have been since formed into a subordinate Government under the Presidency of Bengal, and called the "Straits Settlements." At this period, the aggressions of the Sikh Chief Runjeet Singh having been successfully parried, the British dominion was extended over almost all Northern India from Calcutta to the Indus. In the meantime, in consequence of a dispute respecting the Island of Cheduba on the Coast of Arracan, war was declared with the Birmese. In 1826, by treaty of peace concluded at Yandabu, Feb. 24, the four Provinces of Arracan, Mergui, Tavoy, and Tenasserim on the Coast of Siam, were ceded to Great Britain, a British resident was established at Assam, and a payment of a million and a half sterling was exacted from the Birmese. In the 19th Cen- same year Bhurtpore was taken under British pro tury. Adminis tration of Bentinck. tection. In 1828, Lord W. Bentinck became GovernorLord W. General, and India enjoyed under his rule nearly six years of peace,* and under his auspices the system of employing natives in the subordinate offices of Government was, for the first time, generally introduced into India. In 1833, by statute 3 and 4 Wm. IV. cap. 85, the possession of the British Territories in India was confirmed to the Company for a further period of twenty years; their privileges of exclusive tea trade to China, and their commercial business in general, was discontinued,--a fixed dividend of 10 guineas per cent. per annum was guaranteed to their Stockholders on conditions of the payment of two millions by the Company, to the Commissioners for reduction of the National Debt, the dividend being subject to a redemption by Parliament after April 1874, on payment of 2001. for every 100l. Stock; or if the Company should be previously deprived of the Government of India, on three years' notice at any time after 1854. The Board of Commissioners for the affairs of India was remodelled, seven Cabinet Ministers being made ex-officio Members, and the Board was invested by the Act with powers of demanding copies of minutes of Courts of Proprietors and Directors, and of all *The only forcible annexation which took place under Lord William Bentinck, was that of Coorg, in Southern India, in 1834. tury. material letters and dispatches proposed to be sent 19th Cento India by the latter; and in the event of fourteen days' default on the part of the Court. in preparing dispatches in pursuance of the Board's instructions, the latter was empowered to frame such dispatches, which the Court was compelled to forward. The Board was also invested with powers to modify or reduce the Annual Estimates for the Home Establishment of the Company, and privileged to send such dispatches as the Board might see fit so to send, through a Committee of three Members of the Court, constituted by the Act, and called the "Secret Committee." The Act introduced, also, important changes in the local Government of India, which had, up to that time, been committed to three Governors at the three Presidencies invested with authority, almost co-ordinate with each other within their respective jurisdictions. By the Act of 1833, the whole Civil and Military Government of India was vested in the Governor-General, ci-devant "Governor-General of Fort William in Bengal," and four Councillors, three of them to be persons who had been in the Civil or Military Service of India, at any of the Presidencies for at least ten years, and the fourth a person not previously in the Service of the Company. The Council was to assemble at such place in India as the Governor-General might appoint, and to make laws (now for the first time called "Acts"), subject to the disallowance of the Court of Directors. It was also provided that Governors and Councils 19th Cen- of three should administer the Government of the tury. Presidencies of Madras and Bombay, with powers to administer their respective Governments, but not to make laws or grant money. Administration of Lord Auckland. All the patronage of all appointments to India, Civil and Military, from the Governor-General downwards, was by the Act vested in the Court of Directors— subject in certain cases to the sanction of the Crown, signified through the Board of Control, and the lapse of such appointments to the Crown, should any vacancy remain unfilled up for two months. By s. 86 of the Act, permission was granted to all natural-born subjects of Her Majesty to purchase and reside on lands within the territories of the East India Company. Provision was likewise made by the Act for the payment and jurisdiction of Bishops to be appointed at Madras and Bombay. The Island of St. Helena was vested in the Crown-the GovernorGeneral was empowered to appoint a "Law Commission" to report on the system of judicial and police establishments in India,-an authority which he exercised December 27, 1833. By s. 116 of the Act, it is provided that accounts of the revenues and disbursements of the Indian Government shall be annually laid before the Imperial Parliament, the rights of which to legislate for India are, by s. 51 of the Act, expressly reserved. In 1835, by statute 5 and 6 Wm. IV. cap. 52, the Directors of the East India Company were authorised to suspend the provisions of the last-cited Act, so far as they related to the subordinate govern tury. ment of Agra. And the Governor-General in Coun- 19th Cencil was empowered during such suspension to appoint a Lieutenant-Governor of the north-western Provinces. tration of Ellenbo In the same year (1835), the hitherto protected State of Mysore was taken under direct British management. In 1838-9 Afghanistan was unsuccessfully Adminisinvaded.* In 1841 Kurnool, in Madras, was annexed, Lord and in 1843 Sinde was conquered from the Ameers. rough. In 1845 a war with the Sikhs commenced, and Lord Hardinge. ended in the cession of the Cis-Sutlej Territory and the Doab, between the latter river and the Beas, and of the sovereignty over certain other portions of the Maharajah's dominions, as defined by the Articles of the Treaty executed at Lahore, March 8, 1847. In 1848 the Territories of the Rajah of Lord Sattara (who had been established by us thirty years before in a portion of the dominions of the then deposed Peishwah), lapsed, and were taken under the direct control of the Anglo-Indian Government. In 1849 the Punjaub was subjected to British rule, in 1852 Pegu was conquered from the Burmese, and in 1853 Berar was annexed on the death of the Rajah. In 1853, by statute 16 and 17 Vict. cap. 95, all the provisions of former Acts relating to the Government of India, not inconsistent with that Act, were confirmed; and the possession of their Territories in India was continued to the Company until Parliament The fortress of Ghuznee in Cabool was taken, and afterwards abandoned. Dalhousie. |