Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/688

* EASTHAMPTON. eoo EAST INDIA COMPANY. goods, and yams. Eastliaiupton has a public library, and the Willislon Seminary, a- well- known preparatory school lor boys. The gov- ernment is administered by annual town meet- ings. The water-works are owned and operated by the municipality. Easthampton was first settled in 1003. was incorporated as a district in 1785, and was organized as a town in 1809. It was the scene of an Indian massacre on -May 13, 1704, in which lil persons were killed. Popula- tion, in 1800. -i:t!i.5: in 1000, 5003. EAST HAMP'TON. A town in Suffolk County. X. V., at the eastern end of Long Island, on the Long Island Railroad, lOi miles from New York (-Map: New York. U 5). It is noted for its picturcsqueness, and is a popular summer resort. It was the home of .lohn Howard Payne. Clinton Academy, incorporated in 1784, is situ- ated here. At the neighboring Montauk Point, owing to the healthfulness of the situation, an army camp was established after the .Spanish- American Var. The government is administered by town meetings, lield every two years. The town, settled in 1049. came under the jurisdiction of Connecticut in 1057 and under tluU of Xew York in 1004. During the Revolution it was frequently ])illaged by the English. Population (town including part of Sag Harbor village), in 1890, 2431: in 1900, 3740. Consult: Hedges, History of the Town of East Hampton (Sag Harbor, 1897): and Gardener, liccurds of East Hampton (4 vols.. Sag Harbor, 18SG-89), EAST HART'FORD. . town in Hartford County. Conn., e;ist of Hartford: on the New York. New Haven and Hartford Railroad (ilap: Connecticut, E 2). It has a town library, and the Raymond Library; and is engaged prin- cipally in paper-making, tobacco-growing, and market-gardening. There are also railroad shops. East Hartford was settled in ie40-,')0, and was incorporated in 1783. The government is ad- ministered by town meetings. Population, in 1890, 4455; in 1900, (5400. EAST HUM'BOLDT MOUNTAINS. A range of lofty niiiuntaiii> in Elkn Couiity, Nev., about fifty miles long, and extending from north to south" (Jlap: Nevada, F 1). They are a northern continuation of the Ruby ilountains, and are well wooded. Fremont's Pass is in this range. EAST INDIA ARMY. Originally, the troopa in the pay and ^luployment of the East India Company. They Aere largely natives, with a scattering of European adventurers, liberated convicts, and army deserters. Later a few regi- ments were raised in England, which since the Act of 1801 reorganizing the Indian army have been a part of the British reu'ular nrruy, under the army numbers of the 105th, lOOtli, 107th, 108fh, and lOOth Regiments of Infantry, and the Twenty-first Regiment of Hussars. Before the Indian Mutiny in 1857, the army in the pay of the East India Company consisted of about 24.000 British regulars, lent from the English military establishment, but paid for by the company; IS.OOO European troops, raised and drilled in England, but the property of the company: ISO.OOO native regulars: and 00.000 native irregiilar horse — about 280.000 in all. In 1801 the East India army ceased to exist, the Europeans joining the British Army, as before stated, and the n.Ttivo irimp forming the nu- cleus of what is now the British Indian native army, for which see paragraphs on armies of the British Empire, under the title Armies. EAST INDIA COMPANY, The name given to trading companiis entrusted by various Euro- l>ean governments with the numopoly of their trade with the East Indies. The most important one was the Exousu Comi'a.w. the original charter of which was obtained from tj>ueen Eliza- beth on December 31, 1000, granting for fifteen years the monopoly of trade with all parts of the world, not held by friendly European powers, between the Cape of Cood Hope eastward to the Straits of Magellan. There were originally 125 stockholders, from whom were chosen each year the governor and twenty-four directors, to man- age all the business of the company. The origi- nal stock was £72.000; indeed, (lie first voyages of the company were undertaken at the risk of such of the stockholders as would advance the requisite capital. In 1(!12 it was made a joint- stock company, with £400.000 capital. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the stock had increased to three millions, and in 1853 it was valued at six. At first the venture was esteemed to be of such a precarious nature that the company was aided by exemption from export duties, and in other ways. The first voyages, however, were highly successful, and the trade continued to in- crea.se, notwithstanding the bitter and often bloody struggles with foreign coni])anies, the wealth of the Orient having attracted other European nations than the English. The Portu- guese had a practical monopoly of the trade dur- ing the sixteenth century, but they made but sorry traders, being rather concerned with establishing an empire and spreading Catholicism. With them the whole trade was a royal monopoly. When Portugal was united with Spain under Philip II.. nearly all its East Indian possessions were lost to the Dutch in the wars of the latter against Spain. The Dutch, who were traders only, looking for immediate returns, and being without far-sighted jtlans of future gains and em- pire, did not maintain their great advantage. In their struggle with the English Company, they indeed mainlaincd their estaliHshiueiits in the Spice Islands, Sumatra, .rava, Malacca, and else- where, and drove the English away, but they lost their possessions in India. Then came the most serious struggle lietween the English and the French company, the latter having l)een established in 1004. It began in 1745. and was not finally terminated until 17lil. Victory fell to the English through the genius of Olive, which was almost matched by the Frenchmen l.a Bour- donnais and Duplcix. These wars caused the Europeans to mini;le in the affairs of the native States, with the result that during the eighteenth century the English Company had become a great territorial power, and laid the foundations of the British Empire in India. .s a trading organization, it held for over two hmdrcd vears the practical monopolv of the trade of C.rci't Britain with the Far Eait. The most important trade was with India and China, importing tea. pepper, spices, drugs, calicoes, silks, diamonds, etc. Its chief exports were the precious metals, for which reason the company «as, from its inception, very impopiilar at home. AciordinL' to the current economic doctrine of