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GS History Modern India
Q.

With reference to Lord Wellesley, consider the following statements:

1. He was the first European governor general to use the system of subsidiary alliance in India.

2. He concluded the Treaty of Salbai with the Marathas.

3. He reformed the administration and introduced the civil services.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Lord Wellesley used the system of Subsidiary Alliance. Under his Subsidiary Alliance system, the ruler of the allying Indian State was compelled to accept the permanent stationing of a British force within his territory and to pay a subsidy for its maintenance. However Wellesley did not introduce the policy of Subsidiary Alliance. Long before him the French Chief Dupleix introduced the policy of lending the European troops in return of a fixed amount of money. The English also adopted the system. Ever since the governorship of Clive, almost every governor applied it, though with little insight. The special achievement of Wellesley was that he developed and elaborated the policy and applied in almost every Indian state.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Treaty of Salbai was concluded with Warren Hastings, after the end of the First Anglo-Maratha war.

Statements 3 is incorrect: The Civil Service was brought into existence by Lord Cornwallis. Cornwallis, who came to India as Governor-General in 1786, was determined to purify the dministration. He therefore enforced the rules against private trade and acceptance of presents and bribes by officials with strictness. At the same time, he raised the salaries of the Company‟s servants. Cornwallis also laid down that promotion in the Civil Service would be by seniority so that its members would remain independent of outside influence.

Thus, Option D is Correct.

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