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Queen’s Proclamation of 1858 : And we, reposing especial trust & confidence in the loyalty, ability, & judgement of our right trusty & well-beloved cousin & councillor, Charles John Viscount Canning, do hereby constitute & appoint him, the said Viscount Canning, to be our first Viceroy & Governor-General in & over our said territories, & to administer the government thereof in our name, & generally to act in our name & on our behalf, subject to such orders & regulations as he shall, from time to time, receive from us through one of our Principal Secretaries of State. [Buckland: John Canning (1812-62), Gov.-Gen. from Feb.1856, became 1st Viceroy] And we do hereby confirm in their several offices, civil & military, all persons now employed in the service of the Honourable East India Company (q.v.), subject to our future pleasure, & to such laws & regulations as may hereafter be enacted. We hereby announce to the native Princes [actually mere feudatories] of India that all treaties & engagements made with them by or under the authority of the Honourable East India Company are by us accepted, & will be scrupulously maintained [of course if wasn’t], & we look for the like observance [=meek surrender] on their part. We desire no extension of our present territorial possessions; &, while we will permit no aggression upon our dominions or our rights to be attempted with impunity, we shall sanction no encroachment on those of others. [$By the late 19th century, the British Empire was the largest... the world had known..... Apart from southern Africa, the move into sub-Saharan Africa did not really begin until after 1885, when the major western European nations agreed to divide Africa into spheres of influence. The British Army used the Dum Dum bullet invented by its Ordnance factory in Dum-Dum Bengal in 1896, against Asian & African opponents, but it was thought “too cruel” for use against Europeans. The Dum Dum was banned by the Hague Convention of 1899 which decided that its use in warfare was “contrary to the humanitarian spirit”, despite the British delegation’s protests that it was needed for colonial wars. Throughout 19th century, the British claimed that the empire maintained the Pax Britannica (q.v.). However, in what has been called Queen Victoria’s Little Wars, the British Army was at war somewhere around the world every year during Queen Victoria’s reign. The British Empire was at its largest following World War I, when Britain was granted control of a number of German colonies in the Treaty of Versailles$.] We shall respect the rights, dignity & honour of native Princes [Her Princes – no longer Rajas & Maharajas in their own right] as our own [hence Malharrao of Baroda & many Princes harassed, humiliated, deposed]; & we desire that they, as well as our own [=British India’s] subjects, should enjoy the prosperity & that social advancement which can only be secured by internal peace [through murderous taxes] & good government [through open partiality to Muslims]. ― We hold ourselves bound to the natives of our Indian territories by the same obligations of duty which bind us to all our other [black, not white] subjects, & those obligations, by the blessings of [our] Almighty God, we shall faithfully & conscientiously fulfil…. Firmly relying ourselves on the truth of Christianity (q.v.), & acknowledging with gratitude the solace of [only our] religion we disclaim alike the right & desire to impose our convictions [but commend the corrupting control of all Christian & Govt. bodies on] our [native] subjects. We declare it to be our royal will & pleasure that none be in anywise favoured , none molested or disquieted [see St Paul’s School], by reason of their religious faith or observances, but that all alike shall enjoy the equal & impartial protection of the law [such as Arms & Vernacular Press in 1878 & myriad other Acts]; & we do strictly charge & enjoin all those who may be in authority under us that they abstain from all interference with the religious belief or worship of any of our [Christian & Muslim] subjects on pain of our highest displeasure. And it is our further will that, so far as may be [here’s the sting

], our subjects, of whatever race or creed, be freely & impartially admitted to offices in our service [hence reduction of the age limit for the Civil Services Exams in 1876 held only in London

], the duties of which they may be qualified, by their education, ability, & integrity, duly to discharge [see J.C. Bose] …. We know, & respect, the feelings of attachment with which the natives of India regard the lands inherited by them from their ancestors, & we desire to protect them in all rights connected therewith, subject to the equitable demands of the State [=British Indian Govt.]; & we will that generally, in framing & administering the law, due regard be paid to [non-Hindu] rights, usages, & customs of India. Our clemency will be extended to all offenders, save & except those who have been, or shall be, convicted of having directly taken part in the murder of British [not native] subjects. With regard to such the demands of justice forbid the exercise of mercy [except to Europeans]. When, by the blessing of Providence, internal tranquillity [Pax Britannica] shall be restored, it is our earnest duty to stimulate the peaceful industry of India, to promote works of public utility & improvement, & to administer its government for the benefit of all our [Christian & Muslim] subjects resident therein. In their prosperity will be our strength; in their contentment our security, & in their gratitude our best reward. And may the God of all Power, grant to us & to those in authority under us, strength to carry out our wishes for the good of our people. [Cf. Speech of H.R.H. Prince Albert, K.G., F.R.S., at The Lord Mayor’s Banquet, in the City of London, October 1849, published in Illustrated London News]