The Evolution of British Imperial Perceptions in Ireland and India C. 1650 – 1800
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UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE The evolution of British imperial perceptions in Ireland and India c. 1650 – 1800 Alix Geneviève Chartrand Gonville and Caius College July 2018 This dissertation is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy i This dissertation is the result of my own work and includes nothing which is the outcome of work done in collaboration except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. It is not substantially the same as any that I have submitted, or, is being concurrently submitted for a degree or diploma or other qualification at the University of Cambridge or any other University or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. I further state that no substantial part of my dissertation has already been submitted, or, is being concurrently submitted for any such degree, diploma or other qualification at the University of Cambridge or any other University or similar institution except as declared in the Preface and specified in the text. It does not exceed the prescribed word limit for the relevant Degree Committee. ii Acknowledgments Any research project of this magnitude is the product of extensive collaboration and I have been fortunate to receive help from people in Europe and in Canada. I wish first to underscore the patience and expertise of my supervisor Dr. Sujit Sivasundaram, who has provided great assistance throughout the writing process. The chapters have all taken shape under his guidance and have evolved far beyond the only half-coherent thoughts in which they first appeared during our supervisions. He has been an exceptional support throughout my time as a doctoral student and has always willingly provided any help within his power, even when extenuating circumstances unexpectedly extended my studies beyond the initial projected deadline. Professor John Morrill very kindly switched roles from a first-year examiner to a secondary supervisor and has been a wonderfully generous fountain of wisdom. His stories of Irish history have always been a delight to hear and I look back on our discussions in Selwyn with great fondness. Although retired, Professor Morrill always graciously made himself available to help, even once I had returned to Canada for my final year. Back in Canada, Dr. Richard Connors went far above and beyond the duties of a former master’s supervisor and provided invaluable feedback and advice during my last year. For this great kindness, I am truly grateful. Thanks must also go to Kira Kathleen Jones of Emory University for photographing the Gregory Papers material in the Stuart A. Rose Library, Atlanta. I also wish to acknowledge the funding provided by the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. I also wish to particularly acknowledge the feedback that I received from the world history group, especially Hatice Yildiz, Stephanie Mawson, Callie Wilkinson, and Tom Simpson. Their comments have greatly helped me to shape and clarify my own ideas. My parents Nicole Labossière and Bernard Chartrand have shouldered the burden of proofreaders throughout the entire doctoral process, patiently sifting through countless drafts. My father, in particular, devoted long hours towards trying to help me see the bigger picture and link the different pieces of the thesis together. Both of them have been pillars of strength and their confidence in my abilities has never wavered. To my brother Zachary, who was all too willing to provide distractions whenever needed, I say thank you for making me think of silly things. Throughout my research trips to London and Dublin, Mary and Peter Eaton, and Angie and Andy Burdon, have always provided the most wonderful homes away from home, for which I consider myself very fortunate. Their thoughtfulness and hospitality have always meant that I looked forward to any research trip with the absolute greatest of excitement. On a more personal side, several friends proved to be excellent sounding boards and have also been a wonderful support group. Hatice Yildiz and Cirenia Chavez were steadfast companions in many adventures both big and small, and I still cherish our late-night conversations as a highlight of my time in Cambridge. Kevin Greenbank and Amir Khan both provided invaluable support and friendly ears in a time of great need and were the first to encourage me to consider advice that I most needed to hear at that time. Finally, greatest thanks must go to Hatice Yildiz and Finn Eaton for their unending and unquestioning support and friendship through it all. Meeting them proved to be pivotal moments in my life. For all they have done, I will always be more grateful than I can ever say. iii Abbreviations BC Board’s collections BCJC Bengal criminal and judicial consultations BRCon. Bengal revenue consultations BL British Library, London BL, Add. MSS Additional Manuscripts BL, IOR India Office Records BW Bengal wills CPJ Criminal proceedings collections, judicial CSPD Calendar of state papers, domestic CSPI Calendar of state papers relating to Ireland CUL Cambridge University Library, Cambridge EIC East India Company EU Stuart A. Rose manuscript, archives, and rare book library, Emory University HMC Historical Manuscripts Commission HMC, Ormonde Calendar of the manuscripts of the marquess of Ormonde, preserved at Kilkenny Castle (New Series) ML Archbishop Marsh’s Library, Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin NAI The National Archives of Ireland, Dublin NLI The National Library of Ireland, Dublin PP HC Parliamentary papers session, House of Commons RIA Royal Irish Academy, Dublin SLNSW State Library of New South Wales, Sydney TCD Trinity College Dublin, Dublin TNA The National Archives, London WBSA West Bengal State Archives, Kolkata iv Table of contents Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................... ii Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................... iii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter I. Histories of Ireland and India ............................................................................................... 29 Chapter II. Criminal jurisdiction in Ireland and India........................................................................... 55 Chapter III. Punishment and transportation overseas ........................................................................... 86 Chapter IV. Land settlement policies .................................................................................................. 118 Chapter V. Visual representations of empire ...................................................................................... 152 Chapter VI. The Irish experience of empire ..................................................................................... 1822 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 2088 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................................... 2233 1 Introduction Focusing on the pivotal early modern period and the eighteenth century, this study draws connections between the different British colonial experiences in Ireland and India, while also exploring different thematic elements of empire to demonstrate that comparable theories and practices were consistently implemented in both places. Though the traditional characterisations of Ireland and India would seem to preclude converging imperial experiences, this connected and comparative study highlights recurring patterns in the relationships between the colonisers and colonised, regardless of geographical or temporal distances. Complicating the distinctions between colonial metropoles and peripheries by adopting a triangular method that moves between England, Ireland, and India, the six chapters adopt a perspective encompassing the histories of emotion, law, politics, economy, and material culture to argue for a more layered and evolutionary development of the British empire in response to colonial challenges. This dissertation emerged out of a longstanding interest in British colonial practices and, more specifically, in potential points of connectivity linking different experiences within the empire. I am particularly interested in the connections between disparate areas of the empire, and this thesis seeks to complicate the traditional divisions of colonies according to ‘types,’ whether of trade or settlement, or of first and second empire that used to dominate the historiography of British imperial history.1 In addition to traditional differentiations between Ireland and India as different types of colonies, they are often cast separately in the historiography because of the different religious conflicts, colonial experiences, and processes of nationalism and decolonisation which ensued in both places throughout the early modern and modern periods. However, concurrently examining the histories of Ireland and India, which routinely have been considered distinct forms of colonial enterprise, allows me to integrate separate traditions of writing about religious encounters, land use and rebellion, as well as forms of colonial power and government. The