others make any of these observations? Because no one could make
telescopes like Galileo. He gathered pupils round him, however, and
taught them how to work the lenses, so that gradually these instruments
penetrated Europe, and astronomers everywhere verified his splendid
discoveries.

FOOTNOTES:

[29] It is of course the "silver lining" of clouds that outside
observers see.

[30] A fifth satellite of Jupiter has been recently discovered; and
Kepler's guess at two moons for Mars has also been justified.

[31] The next year Galileo discovered also the spots upon the sun
and estimated roughly its time of rotation.

BEGINNING OF BRITISH POWER IN INDIA

A.D. 1612

BECKLES WILLSON

By chartering the original English East India Company, Queen
Elizabeth took the first step toward establishing that empire
in the Orient which has since become such an important appanage
of the British crown. This oldest English company in India is
also called the "Mother Company" and the "John Company." It
began English trade with India, and its operations prepared the
way for British government in that vast country.

After the Portuguese discovery of the passage round Africa,
toward the end of the fifteenth century, other European nations
for some time appeared to recognize Portugal's exclusive claim
to the navigation of that route. In 1510 the Portuguese made a
permanent settlement in India at Goa. But during this century
the Dutch obtained a foothold in the country, and in 1580
Portugal was conquered by Spain.

Dutch enterprise and the Spanish absorption of Portugal's
Indian establishments aroused the commercial spirit of England.
In 1599 an English association was formed, with a large fund,
"for trade to the East Indies." In December, 1600, Queen
Elizabeth granted this association a charter, incorporating the
"Adventurers" under the title of "the Governor and Company of
Merchants of London trading into the East Indies." The company
was allowed unlimited rights of purchasing lands, and a fifteen
years' monopoly of trade. In 1609 the charter was renewed and
made perpetual by James I; but at first the company appears to
have done no very extensive business. The beginning of its more
active career, in the midst of grave difficulties and
conflicts, is well described by Willson, whose history th