441
cantile agents are to be found in the rice districts, the jutedistricts, the cotton districts; and persons of German nation-ality have rapidly increased in the Indian Census returns. 1
England emerged the prize-winner from the long contest of Causes ofthe European nations for India . Her success was partly thegood gift of fortune, but chiefly the result of four elements in India ,the national character. There was—first, a marvellous patienceand self-restraint in refusing to enter on territorial conquestsor projects of Indian aggrandizement, until she had gatheredstrength enough to succeed. Second, an indomitable per-sistence in those projects once they were entered on; and atotal incapacity, on the part of her servants in India , ofbeing stopped by defeat. Third, an admirable mutual con-fidence of the Company’s servants in each other in times oftrouble. Fourth, and chief of all, the resolute support of theEnglish nation at home. England has never doubted thatshe must retrieve, at whatever strain to herself, every disasterwhich may befall Englishmen in India ; and she has neversacrificed the work of her Indian servants to the exigencies ofher diplomacy in Europe . She was the only European Power Fixedwhich unconsciously but absolutely carried out these twoprinciples of policy. The result of that policy, pursued during ; n India ,two and a half centuries, is the British India of to-day.
The increasing extent to which the chief continental nations European of Europe now resort to British India, may be inferred from mthe following table. These figures are exclusive of Euro- 1881’, andpeans in French and Portuguese territory, and in the Native lS 9 I -States :—
1 See table on next page.
[Comparative Table.