Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellesley?

The correct answer is To secure a fixed income for the Company.

Understanding the Subsidiary Alliance System:

The Subsidiary Alliance was a policy introduced by Lord Wellesley (Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805) to expand British imperial power in India.

Key Features and Objectives of the System:

1. Maintaining a Standing Army at Others' Expense: Indian rulers who entered into the alliance were forced to accept the permanent stationing of a British force within their territory and pay a subsidy for its maintenance. Hence, this statement applies to the system.

2. Protection from Foreign Threats (Napoleonic Danger): Wellesley aimed to eliminate French influence in India and prevent any potential invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte by bringing Indian states under British control. Thus, keeping India safe from Napoleonic danger was a major objective.

3. Establishing British Paramountcy: By controlling the foreign affairs and military of the allied Indian states, the East India Company effectively made them dependent vassals, establishing British supremacy over Indian rulers.

Why "To secure a fixed income for the Company" does not apply:

The main purpose of the Subsidiary Alliance was military and political dominance, not securing a fixed regular revenue or income for the East India Company. Fixed income systems were related to land revenue settlements (like the Permanent Settlement introduced by Lord Cornwallis in Bengal), whereas the Subsidiary Alliance was specifically designed for territorial control and military expansion.