Page:The Galaxy, Volume 6.djvu/77

1868.] which took place between the rivals ended in the total destruction of the Portuguese, and they ceased to be a nation of any consideration.

By the middle of the seventeenth century the Dutch had obtained almost complete ascendency in the Indies, when another rival appeared to share in the riches of the East. Having failed to discover a northern route to China, the English boldly followed the Portuguese, and, in 1602, an English squadron established their first trading post in India, and the ships returned laden with rich cargoes to England. The English, having been successful in their struggles with the Portuguese, were beginning to gain an ascendency in India, which exciting the jealousy of the Dutch, the latter attacked them at every point, and were so successful that at the death of Charles I. the English East India Company was but an empty shadow, and its trade reduced to insignificance.

Cromwell's war with the Dutch forced the latter to grant free trade to the English. From this time the English power steadily increased, and, in 1702, the various rival companies settled their dissensions by uniting in one powerful body—the English East India Company, since become so famous.

The attempts of the French to establish a trade with the East Indies met with various successes and reverses. At one time they enjoyed considerable power in India, but in 1761, Pondicherry, their principal station, was taken by the British, and their commerce received a blow from which it never recovered. From this epoch we may date the commencement of the colossal British dominion in India, since all the other European powers succumbed to her. The progress of England since 1761 has been uninterrupted save by the rebellion of the Sepoys. The control of India has been gained by incessant wars between the East India Company and the native princes, in which the Company's armies have nearly always been successful, and in the end the British obtained the absolute dominion of nearly all the peninsula of Hindostan.

Such is a very brief outline of the energy expended in attaining a trade whose possession has always conferred riches and power on the nation that secured it.

America already enjoys a fair share of the India trade; but a monopoly so vast as that of the East India Company has advantages that cannot be obtained by single individuals. Our object should be to establish a new route for the productions of all the Indies, and more especially for those of China and Japan; and it is to the native energy of the American race that I look for the accomplishment of this most desirable result. If our statesmen do not involve us in useless wars, and sacrifice the country to their mad passions, our march to power and wealth will be unparalleled.

Congress, however, must become more liberal toward the commercial interests of the country. Seven years ago the sails of our mercantile marine whitened every sea, and our seamen were pioneers in penetrating wherever they could establish commercial relations. We were in a fair way to rival England in our tonnage. Our ocean steamships were among the best in the world, and New York reminded one of the great seaports of England, as sea steamers were continually departing in every direction. Many of these bore the American flag, and the fastest and most commodious made their voyages to France and England, filled with passengers and freight, which yielded rich profits to their owners. Our Government never fostered these lines, as it should have done, and only allowed them a small stipend for carrying the mails, which scarcely repaid them for the room lost in freight. The English Cunarders, on the other hand, commencing with a few steamers, well supported by the British Government,