* DALIIOUSIE, JAMES ANDREW BROUN RAMSAY, tenth Earl and first Marquis of, was born in 1812. His father was a general in the army, employed in the Peninsular war and at Waterloo, was for a time governor of Canada, and commander of the forces in India from 1828 to 1832. James was the third son by the heiress of the Brown of Colstoun in Haddingtonshire. He was educated at Harrow, and subsequently at Christchurch, Oxford, where he was fourth class in classics (1833), and graduated M.A. in 1833. By the deaths of his elder brothers he became Lord Ramsay in 1832, and in 1834 he strove for a seat in the House of Commons, contesting Edinburgh against Sir John Campbell, now Lord Campbell, and James Abercrombie, after wards speaker of the House of Commons and Lord Dunfermline. Ile was unsuccessful then, but in 1837 he was returned for the county of Haddington. In 1833, on his father's death, he was called to the House of Lords, where he showed great attention to business details, but did not distinguish himself ti -9 a speaker. He first entered official life in 1843, during the ministry of Sir Robert Peel, to whom his business habits had recommended him. He was appointed Viee President of the Board of Trade, and in 1844 became President of the same department. In these offices he actively investigated all the details of the railway system, made himself acquainted with the financial and practical management of railways, and framed regula. tions for the conduct of the numerous bills that were pressed upon parliament during the railway mania of 1844-45. His reforms and improvements in the Board of Trade had been so extensive and so judicious, that on the acceseioo of Lord John Russell to office in 1846, Lord Dalhousie was requested to retain his position, with which request he complied.
Towards the close of 1847 Lord Hardinge was re-called from India, sod the governor-generalship of that country was offered to Lord Dalhousie. He went to India with a plan of action already formed on certain principles, and to those principles he firmly adhered during the eight years of his government. He felt that the pacific policy of
his predecessors had not succeeded, and that situated as India was, it required to be ruled by a firm and uncompromising hand. When he entered on the government of that country peace prevailed. But a long continuance of peace could scarcely be expected among 120 millions of subjects, between whom and ourselves conflicting interests and the variety of caste and opinion are apt to raise constant hostilities and feuds. On reaching Calcutta, Lord Dalhousie lost no time in proclaiming his policy : " We are lords paramount of India, and our policy is to acquire as direct a dominion over the territories in pos session of the native princes, as we already hold over the other half of India." Soon after his arrival, news was brought that British officers were murdered at Mooltan, and that Moolraj was in revolt; Lord Dalhousie marched a force into the north-western provinces, defeated the Sikhs and Afghans, and annexed the Panjab to our dominions In the East. When little more than two years were passed, the government of India found Itself involved in hostilities with Bunnell, where British traders 'had been insulted by the officern of the King of Art. Remonstrance proving useless, Lord Dalhousie despatched an expedition against l'egu, and in a few weeks the entire coast of Burmah was in his hands. Finding that the King of Ave still refused our just demands, he ordered the British troops to occupy Pegu, and incorporated it with our dominions. This was effected at the close of 1852 ; from that time to the end of his administration our Indian empire enjoyed comparative peace. The rich districts of Nagpore, Sattara, Jhansie, Berar, and Oude were severally annexed to our possessions by Lord Dalhousie, either in consequence of the failure of rightful heirs among the native dynasties, or else to put an end to the cruelty and oppression which those princes exercised towards their own canbjects. It is almost needless to add that the social condi tion of each of the annexed provinces has proportionably improved.