In such circumstances did Britain acquire the sovereign dominion of Bengal, and of other rich manufacturing and trading countries in India; which, at the time they fell to her, were capable of not only defraying every charge of their own government and defence, but over and above that, of yielding annually5 to the sovereign a sum equal to 1,300,000 l. sterling, as can be readily demonstrated. Nor do we include in this sum the benefit which Britain had been accustomed to receive, in her commercial capacity, by her trade with those countries: the sum here specified6 would have arisen purely7 in consequence of dominion: and, whether transmitted from those countries in merchandize or in money, would at last have arrived at the public treasury8 in specie: and would thus have served to alleviate9 the burden of those taxes, that are pressing every branch of her domestic commerce to ruin. And, if Britain had bestowed10 the smallest attention on the political government of those countries, she might have continued to draw from them the 7abovementioned tribute sum in perpetuum, without any danger of draining or impoverishing11 them: nay12 it is certain, that under a just, equitable13 and well ordered government, their commerce and agriculture might have been extended to a degree, that would have enabled them to afford a still larger annual tribute to the sovereign. The possession of this Indian dominion is likewise so particularly secured from domestic and foreign danger, by the extraordinary submissive disposition14 of the natives, the singularly defensible situation of the country, and the naval15 superiority of Britain, that, by a very trifling16 expence of men, and no pecuniary17 charge, she might have maintained it against all enemies. So that Britain might have derived18 from this dependent dominion resources sufficient to relieve her from all her difficulties and distresses20.
This is what Britain might have done: and this was not simply possible, it was easy of execution. But if we enquire21 what Britain hath done, we shall find that, instead of applying these resources by a proper care and attention to the purpose, for which it would seem the all-wise dispensation 8of Providence22 had at this critical conjuncture bestowed them upon her, she hath indolently and desperately23 thrown them from her, and left them to the will of blind chance. For surely it may with propriety24 be said, that the government of Britain consigned25 all these resources to the guidance of blind chance, or rather to certain destruction, when it scrupulously26 withheld27 its own care, and implicitly28 confided29 the sovereign charge of governing and defending this foreign dominion to a Company of Merchants, so evidently unequal to such a charge, that, instead of being surprized that these countries should now at last be impoverished30 and ruined, we have reason to be astonished, that they have supported, for such a length of time, the complicated evils of tyranny and anarchy31.
The consequences of committing this sovereign charge to the Company have been long foreseen, and likewise foretold32, by some who were acquainted with the nature of their government: but the power and influence of those who were sharing amongst them the plunder33 of those wretched countries, blasted the credit of 9their representations: until at last, the effects being felt at home, it hath become impossible to totally suppress the truth. Nay even now, that these men are forced to partly acknowledge the ruinous situation of this foreign dominion, yet have they still the assurance to mislead the public judgment34, by representing the Company as the only party concerned in the consequence: though it is certain, that this Indian concern, which hath been leased or farmed out by Government to the Company, is of the very highest importance to the public interest, as having been for many years the principal support of national opulence35 and credit, as well as of commerce and revenue. For, in the article of opulence, the private fortunes acquired in those countries by the servants of the Company, ever since the time that their power prevailed over the native government, that is ever since 1757, hath created an annual influx36 of specie to Britain of about 700,000 l. and the dedomagement paid to Government by the Company, since the assumption of the dewanny in 1765, is a farther influx of 10400,000 l. the drawback on teas is reckoned about 200,000 l. and the Company hath increased her dividend37 since the last mentioned period 200,000 l. though only one half of this last sum may be reckoned to remain in the country, the other half being paid to foreign proprietors38. These four sums, making together 1,400,000 l. have been yearly drawn40 from India in consequence of dominion: and, whether sent from thence in merchandize, in bills, or in specie, have produced so much money to Britain: and notwithstanding the private fortunes have been acquired by means that have exhausted41 these sources of wealth, that might otherwise have flowed perpetually into Britain; and the dedomagement may be considered as a base composition, received for alienating42 the sovereign rights of the British crown and nation, and for furnishing a force to support the most detestable tyranny of a few individuals over fifteen millions of men, who are to all intents and purposes British subjects; yet did the opportune43 importation of so much wealth, serve to support the credit of the nation under the grievous accumulation of debt contracted in the last 11war; and to prevent her feeling the drain of specie made by her foreign creditors45, which otherwise would by this time have completely exhausted her. By her commerce with those countries, Britain hath exported yearly 5 or 600,000 l. worth of her own manufactures and merchandize, and for these she received the commodities of India; which commodities, being re-exported, formed the most essential article of her traffic with Africa, on which her West India colonies do entirely46 depend; they are likewise the most valuable article of her trade with America. And the duties levied by Government, on such part of these Indian commodities as is expended47 at home, create a very considerable, and by far the most equitable and convenient branch of revenue.
But the value and importance of this Indian concern will appear in a still stronger light, if we shall look forward to the consequences that must naturally and unavoidably ensue to the public interest from the loss of it. The first and most immediate48 of these consequences will be national bankruptcy; or, which is the same thing, a stop to the payment of interest 12on the national debt; for a deprivation49 of that annual influx of specie from India will quickly produce national poverty; and an incapacity of paying in specie the interest of the foreign creditors. But the loss of our Indian commerce will operate this effect still more speedily; for, on the supposition that the nation shall be deprived of this branch of commerce, it must necessarily follow, that Government will lose that branch of revenue which arises from the home consumption of Indian commodities; and it is plain, that Government cannot then continue to pay the usual expence, without making good this deficiency of revenue by additional taxes on land, and the necessaries of life: but as this additional load, falling on our little remaining commerce, would by one year’s experience be found insupportable, Government would be forced to retrench50 its expence, in that only article that can be dispensed51 with, the payment of interest on the national debt; and when this happens, what advantage will the public creditor44 hold above the India proprietor39? The only difference will be, that the latter will have felt his 13loss a little earlier than the former. But national bankruptcy, though it may be the first, is not the only, nor even the greatest, public damage, accruing52 from a deprivation of this Indian concern: loss of future credit, of trade and navigation, and consequently of naval power and defence, will soon follow; and, in this general calamity53, everyone individual of the community will come in for his share, in proportion to his rank or situation.
Such are the consequences that must ensue to the public interest from a deprivation of the benefit hitherto derived from this Indian concern: and if the nation is to suffer so grievously by the loss of this object, can she allow herself to be persuaded, that she hath no interest in its preservation54. Now this object stands in danger of being lost to the nation by two different causes; the first being, the neglect or incapacity of the Company to maintain and defend it from the assault of enemies: and the other danger arises from the oppression and misconduct of this Company’s political government; tending to despoil55 those countries of their circulating specie, their arts, manufactures, commerce, and inhabitants, 14which were the only means that enabled them to afford this benefit to Britain. The first of these dangers is scarcely dreamt of, and yet it is perhaps immediately imminent56; at present however we are treating of the danger to be apprehended57 from the political cause.
How far the interest of this foreign dominion hath been injured by the Company’s political misgovernment; or how near it may be reduced to a state of utter inability to afford any farther benefit to Britain, is but little known by the public. For though people have heard in the gross, that affairs in those countries are rather in a bad situation, yet do not they either understand or believe it to be so very bad as it really is; or rather they do not comprehend how it should be so bad; as not being acquainted with the full power of the cause that hath produced the evil; and every one will form his notion of effects that he neither feels nor sees, from his knowledge or opinion of the nature and power of the causes that produced them. In the case before us, people have been taught to consider the oppression and extortion of its government, (of which certain 15instances are quoted) as the sole cause of evil to Bengal: of consequence it is supposed that Bengal hath suffered no farther damage from its government, than what may have been caused by some private acts of extortion, exercised by the few persons vested with the powers of governing: and, besides that the authenticity58 of these acts is denied or disputed, and men who are to judge only from report are apt to make allowance for the prejudice or passion of the accuser who brings a charge against individuals; still if all these acts of oppression that have been narrated59 should be fully60 credited; nay, if the hearer should suppose still more than is represented, yet cannot he conceive or allow himself to believe that such acts of extortion, exercised by a small number of individuals, could suffice to reduce the lately rich commercial kingdom of Bengal to such a deplorable state of misery61, poverty, and distress19: the cause assigned will appear too trivial for the effect; and of course the effect, at least the degree of it, will be discredited62.
But he who means to acquire a just notion of the present state of those countries, 16and the extent of damage they have sustained from their present Government, must fully inform himself of the true nature and condition of that Government, and the manner of its operation on the general interest of the people governed; he must learn, not only that which it hath done, but likewise that which it hath not done; for the interest of a community may suffer far more detriment63 from the nonaction, than from the oppression, of its government. To the end, therefore, that every one may be enabled to form a proper judgment on these matters, we mean to present a general view of the nature, and effects, of the Company’s Government in Bengal.
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1
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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3
levied
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| 征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税 | |
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bankruptcy
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| n.破产；无偿付能力 | |
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5
annually
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| adv.一年一次，每年 | |
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6
specified
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| adj.特定的 | |
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7
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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8
treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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9
alleviate
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| v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等) | |
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10
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
impoverishing
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| v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的现在分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化 | |
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12
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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13
equitable
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| adj.公平的；公正的 | |
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14
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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15
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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16
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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17
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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18
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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19
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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distresses
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| n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 )；痛苦；贫困；危险 | |
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21
enquire
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| v.打听，询问；调查，查问 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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23
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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24
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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25
consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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30
impoverished
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| adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化 | |
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31
anarchy
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| n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序 | |
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foretold
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| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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opulence
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| n.财富，富裕 | |
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influx
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| n.流入，注入 | |
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dividend
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| n.红利，股息；回报，效益 | |
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38
proprietors
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| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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40
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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41
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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42
alienating
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| v.使疏远( alienate的现在分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等） | |
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43
opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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44
creditor
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| n.债仅人，债主，贷方 | |
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45
creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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46
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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47
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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48
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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49
deprivation
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| n.匮乏；丧失；夺去，贫困 | |
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50
retrench
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| v.节省，削减 | |
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51
dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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52
accruing
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| v.增加( accrue的现在分词 )；（通过自然增长）产生；获得；（使钱款、债务）积累 | |
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53
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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preservation
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| n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持 | |
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despoil
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| v.夺取，抢夺 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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57
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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authenticity
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| n.真实性 | |
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59
narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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discredited
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| 不足信的，不名誉的 | |
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detriment
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| n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源 | |
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