rules of India. Will they pretend that it was really designed, and
necessarily so, solely for the purpose of defeating subtle and dangerous
intrigues on the part of Russia and Persia? Listen to the language of
one of the responsible authors of the policy since followed by such
fearful consequences, Sir John Hobhouse--who, on the 11th July 1840, on
the occasion of a dinner given to their richly and prematurely rewarded
hero, Lord Keane, thus poured forth his insane, exulting avowal of the
real object they had had in view:--

"The gallant officer had alluded to the late addition made to
the vast territory of the East India Company. _It was just
possible_ that that territory had _at that moment_ received a
further and important increase. _It is just possible,_ that
since he (Sir John Hobhouse) last met the Directors at the
festive board--now about six months since--the Government of
India _has been enabled to make an addition to its territory,
the vast consequences of which could scarcely be imagined in
the wildest dream of fancy_, and which for centuries would be
of advantage to the empire!!! In the history of the world there
was no instance of yearly sovereigns (as the Directors of the
Company were) having conquered so vast a territory as that of
India. There was no instance of such successive success. To
them the happiness belonged of giving to the vast country under
their control the blessing of education. It was owing to God's
ministering hand, by which successive Directions had sprung up
to spread the benefits of light and knowledge in India, and
among a people enshrouded in darkness and idolatry. It was
scarcely a hundred years ago since the power of the East India
Company was felt in India; their banners were now flying from
the Indus to the Burrampooter. He would say emphatically, go on