1688-1783 
As years went on, even Jacobite Highlanders, tactfully 
handled, found openings to their mind as hard-fighting 
soldiers in Highland regiments of the British Empire ; 
and in colonising, in trading, and, after the Old Empire 
had passed away, very conspicuously in the mission 
field, Scotsmen gave to the British Commonwealth an 
invaluableelementofinitiative, strength and endurance. 
Not comparable to the Union of the two Kingdoms, 
but still of first-rate importance to British trade and 
prestige in the East was the union of the two tival 
East India Companies, which was completed in 1708. 
The palmiest days of the old East India Company, as 
a purely trading company, ended with the Stuarts. 
As directed by Sir Josiah Child, who lived till 1699, 
and who was a master of the art of wholesale cortup- 
tion, the Company had with good cause made many 
enemies ; and the Whigs favoured a counter associa- 
tion which was incorporated in September 1698 with 
the title of ¢ The English Company trading to the 
East Indies.” The title of the old Company, under 
which it had been incorporated by Queen Elizabeth, 
was © The Governor and Company of Merchants of 
London trading into the East Indies,’ and, as against its 
new competitor, it was known as the London company. 
But both private interests and public policy pointed to 
compromise and combination ; and after an interval 
of friction and negotiation, finally ended by an award 
by the Lord High Treasurer, Earl Godolphin, in 1708, 
the two associations were combined under the title 
61 
engaged far into the design of Datien, and were great losers by it, 
saw now an honourable way to be reimbursed, which made them wish 
well to the Union and promote it.” Bishop Burnet's History of his own 
Time (Oxford, 1823), vol. v, pp. 278-9.