Page 194 - Dilmun 21

he irst overnor eneral o lndia was Warren Hastings. Under his
dispensation, the epansion o British rule in india was pursued vigorousl,y
and the British sought to master indigenous systems o knowledge. Hastings
remained in lndia until 174 and was succeeded by ornwallis, who initiated
the permanent Settlement, whereby an agreement in perpetuity was reached
with 2amindars or landlords or the clolection o revenue. For the net ity
years, the British were engaged in attempts to eliminate lndian rivals and it is
under the administration o Wellesley that British territorial epansion was
achieved with ruthless eiciency. ajor victories were achieved against ipu
Sultan o ysore and the arathas, and inally the subjugation and conquest
o the Sikhs in a series o Anglo Sikh Wars led to British occupation over the
entirety o lndia. ١n some places, the British practiced indirect rule, placing a
Resident at the coutr o the native ruler who was allowed sovereignty in
domestic matters. Lord Dalhousie s notorious doctirne o lapse whereby a
native state became patr o British lndia i there was no male heir at the death
o the ruler, was one o the principal means by which native states were
anneed but oten the anneation, such as htat o Awadh(udh) in 156, was
justiied on the grounds that the native pirnce was o eivl disposition,
indierent to the welare o his subjects. he anneation o native states,
harsh revenue policies, and the plight o the lndian peasantyr all contirbuted
to the Rebellion o 157-57, reerred to previoulsy as the Sepoy utiny. In
15 John Stuatr ill dissolved the East lndia ompan,y despite a valiant
deense o its purpotred achievements, and the administraiton o lndia
became the responsibility o the rown.

e lndian Presidencies

he three principal centers o the ompany s trade and later its
administration in india Bombay, adras and alcutta were known as the
presidencies. Each Presidency had a governo,r but ater the arrival o Warren
Hastings, the Fotr William (alcutta) Presidency took precedence and
Hasting became the irst overnor eneral in 1774.

adras:

eded by treayt in 169, adras was the isrt permanent toe hold that hte
ompany gained on the sub continent. ١t had ew natural advantages apatr

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