39.
opinion of him, & extreme views have been
taken of him on both sides: on both
sides there is much that may be said.
In reviewing his policy it is clear that
the first point on which he must come
up for judgement is his system of subsidiary
treaties. The head of a strong
European power, he practically forced
each powerless ruler of a weak & ill-
governed state to consent to become dependent
on the Company & to receive within
his dominions a large British force to
be paid for by him either in money or
in lands. Wellesley, say his supporters,
saw the benefit that these native states
would derive from civilized government.
On the other hand the benefit that such
treaties conferred on the Company is
much more obvious. It gained a double
advantage, obtaining at once more revenue
& more power. It is at least plausible
to charge Wellesley with behaving
as the wolf to the lamb; & indeed there
can be no doubt that many of the subsidiary
treaties were signed with far
more willingness on the British than the
Indian side. In short, Wellesley's policy
appears - on the face of it - to have been
one of continual grabbing for power. But
EN