EAST INDIA COMPANY. Several of these have been known in tho south and east of Asia.
The Portuguese, who xvere the first to visit India by way of tbe Cape of Good Hope, doubled by Da Goma 22d November 1497, never put their eastern trade into the hands of an incor porated company, excepting only in the year 1731, when the king gave permission t,o one ship to make one voyage to Surat and the Coromandel coast, to the exclusion of all other ships. That instance excepted, the monopoly vested in the Crown, until it was abolished in 1752.
The first French East India Company was formed in 1604 ; a second in 1611 ; a third in nth ; a fourth (Richelieu's), 1642-43 ; the fifth (Colbert's), 1664. The eixth was formed by the French East and West India, Senegal and China Companies uniting under the name of the Companies of the Indies, 1719. The exclusive privileges of this company were, by the King's decree, suspended in 1769 ; and it was finally abolished by the National Assembly in 1790.
The Dutch EMI Iutlia Company AV AS formally instituted in 1602, by the union of the funds of various rival companies, which had sprung up in Holland in consequence of tho success of Hout inan's voyage in 1596-97.
The first Danish East India Company was formed in 1612, and the second in 1670. When tho charter of tho East India Company was sus pended, Mr. Henry Keying of Stockholm obtained a charter for a Swedish Conipany, dated 13th June 1731.
The Spanish Royal Company of the Philippine Islands was incorporated in 1783.
The Ostend Last India Company was incor porated by tho Emperor of Austria in 1723, but the opposition of the maritime powers forced the court of Vienna to suspend the coinpany's charter for seven years. After a trying existence, it became bankrupt in 1784, and was finally extinguished by the regulations which were pre scribed on the renewal of the British Xast India Company's charter in 1793.
The English East India Company obtained their first charter from Queen Elisabeth in 1699. Their second charter In 1661, from Cluirles waa extended in 1665. In 1702, Lord Godolphin united the old company with a new one that hail been established in 1698, and renewed their charter in 1773, with a grant of a monopoly to China. When renevred in 1813, it was with permission for other merchants to trade; but a fresh charter in 1833 disconnected them wholly from commercet mode them entirely a political body, and permitted British subjects to mettle in India. In the beginning of 1857, on a sudden moving of the martial races the native army of Bengal revolted, and the predatory races in great portions of Northern India rose in a rebellion, which was only suppreased with much loss of life and at great expenditure of money ; and it was then deemed advisable for Her British Majesty in 1858 to assume the direct government of the country, and to rule through a Viceroy, the first of whom was Lord Canning. On the 1st November
1858, it was proclaimed throughout India that its govereinent had been transferred from the East India Company to the British sovereign.
The English East India Company, formed in 1599 by royal charter, had a mpital of £30,133. Their first adventure of goods was to the value of £37,000, in fivo vessels under Captain Lancaster, and in the first fifteen years their profits were to the extent of two hundred per cent. In 1613 they were allowed by Jahangir to settle in Surat. In 1634 Shah Johan gave a firman for two English factories to be formed in Bengal ; end subsequently, in gratitude for the benefits derived by one of the ladies of the zonana of prince Slinks, from the medical skill of Mr. Boughton Shah Johan granted the privilege to the English of free trade in Bengal. The first factory of the company was at Masulipatam, but in 1625 it was removed to Armegon, and subsequently (1639) Mr. Day removed it to a village in the territory of the raja of Chandragiri. I-lere he erected a factory, which was first called Fort St. George, but afterwards known tux Madras. In 1662, Charles II. ceded Bombay to the company. In the time of James ft., the company, in 1690, obtained tho King's permission to send Admiral Nicholson with 12 ships of war, 200 pieces of cannon, and GOO mem, to seize and fortify Chittagong, and establish a kingdom ; but this proved failure, and fresh troops were sent out under Captain Heath who burned down Balasore, and proceeded to 'Chit tagong. But, finding this too strong, ho sailed to Madras, which, with Bombay, were tho solo possessions remaining to the English. But at this time Aniangzeb had accepted the terms of peace which the English offered, and allowed them to return to trade. Aecordingly, Mr. Job Charnock, on the 24th August 1690, landed on the left bank of the Iloogly, and laid the foundatioe of Cal entta. In 1698, the three villoges of Calcutta, C h uttauu t ti, and G ovi nd pore were purchased for Rs. 16,000, eind shortly after, dunng the reign of IVilliam ill. of England, the fortress of Fort IVilliam wa.s erected. About this time, 1693, a rival English company had been started, froin which much injury resulted to the English inttrtt ; but on tho 22d July 1702 these two companies 1% ere runalgamated, under the title of the United Com pany of 31erchants tmding to the East. In 1715 _ an embassy was sent to the emperor Farokhsir at Al; with surgeon William Hamilton.