BRITISH INDIAN GOVERNMENT. 273 



dostan. They were originally divided into cantons, under 

 a republican form of government ; but they have since 

 owned the supremacy of the R.ijpoot states, particularly 

 that of Bikaneer. Tod considers the peasantiy of North- 

 western India, as well as the sectarian race of the Seiks, to 

 be chiefly composed of this tribe. 



CHAPTER VITI. 



British Government of India. 



Early Management of the Company — Interlopers — Courten's Associa- 

 tion—United Joint-stock — Rival Company in 1698 — Union — Constitu- 

 tion of the United Company— Early Settlements — Acquisitions in the 

 Carnatic — Conquest of Beng3l — Financial Distress— Plans for its 

 Remedv — Administration of Hastings — Charges against him — Trial — 

 India Bill by Mr. I ox— Another by Mr. Pitt— Hoard of Control— Ar- 

 rangements with subsidiary States — The Carnatic — The Nizam — 

 Oude, &c. — Population of India — The Army— Sepoys — Revenue — 

 Mode of levying Land-rent— Judicial Arrangements. 



Is the preceding history, we have traced the steps by 

 which the company arrived at their present vast dominion 

 in India. It remains that we take a view of their constitu- 

 tion, commercial and political, and the manner in which 

 they have administered their affairs. This subject, which 

 has given rise to much controversy, is obviously too exten- 

 sive to be treated here in detail. Referring those to whom 

 it may be an object of particular interest to more voluminous 

 works, we shall endeavour to present an outline satisfactory 

 to the general reader. 



The company for some time were little more than an asso- 

 ciated body of private adventurers ; the governor and di- 

 rectors merely receiving the funds contributed by each indi- 

 vidual, managing them according to his suggestion, and 

 accounting to him for the proceeds. But in 1612, by repre- 

 senting the complexity and inconvenience arising out of this 

 arrangement, they prevailed upon the merchants to unite 

 into what is termed a joint-stock company, where the whole 

 sum subscribed was placed under the control of the direct- 



