Page:Lord Amherst and the British Advance Eastwards to Burma.djvu/41

 of our military system. For the former there was abundant guarantee.

'The same arts that did gain A power, must it maintain.'

But to the adequacy of the Company's armaments, the thrifty spirit of Leadenhall Street was the standing impediment. 'Adapt your revenue to your ruling requirements' was the contention of Sir Charles Metcalfe. 'Adapt your military requirements to the exigences of economical finance' was the unceasing burden of the deputations from home. And in a sense the Directors were right. The disaffection created by excessive or inappropriate imposts is no whit less dangerous than weak battalions, and the problem of finance pressed very heavily on the minds of those responsible.

Revenue means of course for India to a very large extent land settlement. Since the beginning of the century, experience had been secured by our officials at the expense alike of owners and of cultivators. The policy of the Permanent Settlement, which had been adopted for Bengal in 1792 and was subsequently extended to the Benares districts, remained the stock subject of debate in the time of Lord Amherst and remains the stock subject still. With it was conjoined in the talk of officials at Calcutta and Madras or of the district officers as they discussed affairs before the camp-fire in some remote tract, then perhaps first seen by European eyes, the merits