BRITISH KULE IN INDIA. 159 



The sole object of the Government is to lule India 

 for the benefit of her people, no selfish vieAV of filling 

 her own coffers being part of that policy ; trade and 

 agriculture are alike unshackled by any restriction, 

 and whatever taxes and duties are imposed they are 

 solely employed to meet the expenditure of the Indian 

 Empire, to further education, and to extend public 

 works in India. 



The benefits of Christianity are placed at their door, 

 ready to exercise theh^ civilizing influence, but are by 

 no means forced upon the natives ; on the contrary, 

 their religious prejudices, even when mere superstitions, 

 are scrupulously respected. 



The people of British India, however, are not of that 

 docile and apathetic nature which characterizes the 

 Javanese, who have, until recently, been ground down 

 by then' rulers, as we shall see in a subsequent chapter. 

 Moreover, the vast extent of the Indian Empii-e, and 

 the conglomeration of race, as well as the presence of 

 powerful semi-independent Princes, require a strong 

 military organization, which has become a serious 

 burden to the country. The combined force of British 

 soldiers and sepoys in India numbers, in round figures, 

 two hundred thousand men, comprising about one-third 

 of the former, and two-thirds of the latter class ; which, 

 on the highest military authority, is deemed sufficient. 



