Interlopers and Interloping. 123. 



The first principle of the old established factory, the 

 foundationstone upon which the " man in possession " 

 builds his exclusively protective claim, is nothing 

 more nor less than that of vis major, the proprietor 

 of an indigo concern, having nestled down comfort- 

 ably in any tract of country, satisfied himself that 

 he has thereby acquired an inalienable lien upon 

 the whole tract to the exclusion of all others. Argu- 

 ment carries no conviction with him the interloper 

 is his Men du diable beyond the pale of mercy, 

 beneath all consideration, to be hounded out and 

 ruthlessly " smashed " wherever encountered. Such 

 arguments as these find favour with the pseudo- 

 monopolist : " I am first in the field. I have, at 

 great cost, and with much diplomatic difficulty, 

 established friendly relations with the zemindars, 

 conciliated the trading community or mahajuns, who, 

 seeing in my arrival on the scene a saviour of the 

 needy landholder, their immemorial victim, opposed 

 me with the myriad wiles known to their usurious 

 cult, but who quickly came to see that my object 

 was, not ultimate possession, but terminable tenure. 

 I have been a blessing to the peasantry, to whom my 

 coffers were always open ! I have rendered to the 

 Government of the country an inestimable service in 

 the better farming of the soil on my own part ; and 

 in the beneficial effect of my example upon the 



