ORIENTAL. 215 



were mostly dispossessed by the British. In 1665, a French East 

 India company was chartered ; and it ultimately secured a permanent 

 establishment at Pondicherry. 



The first British East India company, was chartered by Queen 

 Elizabeth, in 1600; and twelve years after, it obtained a foothold at 

 Surat, by permission of the great Mogul. In 1634, the English 

 also obtained from him a station on the Ganges ; and, in 1700, they 

 built Fort William, at Calcutta. In 1708, the company was rechar- 

 tered, and rival claims and pretensions united. Three Presidencies 

 were formed, at Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay; with separate coun- 

 cils. Their political power began with the Carnatic war, in 1748 ; 

 in which the English and French took sides with opposite parties of 

 the natives. In 1756, Surajah Dowlah, nabob of Bengal, took 

 Calcutta ; but Col. Clive soon regained it, and, by the battle of Plas- 

 sey, made Meer Jaffier nabob ; obtaining from him large concessions. 

 By the Peace of 1763, France resigned most of her Hindoo posses- 

 sions to the British; whose most formidable foe, thenceforward, was 

 Hyder Jlli, chief of Mysore: but he was defeated in 1780; and 

 Tippoo Saib, his son, made peace soon after. Tippoo afterwards 

 renewed the war ; but was again brought to terms by Lord Corn- 

 wallis, in 1792; and in a third war, the sultan Tippoo was slain, and 

 Seringapalam taken by Gen. Harris, in 1799. The Rajah of 

 Nepaul invaded the British possessions, in 1815 ; but he was defeated 

 by Lord Hastings, and lost a large portion of his territory. Thus 

 has risen the British power in India, which, we hope, may aid in 

 regenerating the east. 



The history of Chin-India, is so obscure that we shall pass it with 

 the utmost brevity. The religion of Boodha was introduced there in 

 the seventh century ; and this region was first visited by the Portu- 

 guese, in 1511. Birmah became a distinct state soon after; and in 

 1757, its king, Jllompra, conquered Pegu. His successors conquered 

 Siam ; but it regained its independence. In 1825, the Birmans made 

 war against the British ; but they were defeated by Gen. Campbell, 

 with the loss of Arracan, and other provinces. 



6. The authentic History of China, extends back only to 722 

 B. C. ; Confucius, (or Confu-tsee), being their oldest historian; but 

 their traditionary history begins with Fohi, (Foo-hee), whom some 

 suppose to have been the patriarch Noah. The seventh monarch 

 after him was Yao, (Yau), in whose reign the Chinese say that the 

 sun did not set for a space of ten days. The first dynasty, that of 

 Kia, (or Hia), is said to have commenced with Yu, about 1900 B. C. 

 Poen-keng, of the second dynasty, that of Shang, (Chang, or Yn), 

 is said to have removed, with all his subjects, to a new settlement, 

 1401 B. C. Too- Vang, (Wu-wang), founded the third dynasty, that 

 of Chew, (Tcheoo), 1122 B. C. ; and the fourth, or Tsin dynasty, 

 commencing 256 B. C., included the famous Shee-hoang-tee, (Chi- 

 hoang-ti), called also Ching, (Tching), who united the scattered 

 provinces, founded many cities, and commenced the great wall, to 

 defend the northern frontier. He is said to have burned the ancient 

 historical books, 213 B. C., except those of Confucius, which were 

 accidentally saved. 



