Let's analyze each statement regarding the Subsidiary Alliance system to determine which one(s) are correct. The Subsidiary Alliance was a system widely used by the British East India Company in India.

Analyzing Statements on Subsidiary Alliance

We will examine each statement provided in the question:

• Statement (A): It was devised by Lord Dalhousie in 1798.
  This statement is incorrect. The Subsidiary Alliance system was primarily devised and perfected by Lord Wellesley, who became the Governor-General of Bengal in 1798. While the system had precursors, it was under Wellesley that it became a prominent tool for expanding British influence and control over Indian states. Lord Dalhousie is known for the Doctrine of Lapse, which came much later.
• Statement (B): The British would be responsible for protecting their ally from external and internal threats.
  This statement is correct. A core component of the Subsidiary Alliance was the British promise to protect the allied ruler from any invasion by a foreign power and also from internal rebellions or revolts. In return, the ally had to accept the British Resident and pay for the maintenance of the subsidiary force.
• Statement (C): In the territory of the ally, a British Christian missionary was to be stationed.
  This statement is incorrect. There was no mandatory clause in the Subsidiary Alliance treaties that required a British Christian missionary to be stationed in the territory of the allied ruler. The alliance terms focused on military, political, and financial aspects of the relationship, not missionary activities.
• Statement (D): The ally could enter into agreements with other rulers only with the permission of the British.
  This statement is correct. A significant consequence of signing a Subsidiary Alliance was the loss of external sovereignty for the Indian state. The ruler was forbidden from having any political contact, negotiation, or alliance with any other Indian ruler or foreign power without the explicit permission of the British East India Company.
• Statement (E): The ally could enter into war without taking permission from the British.
  This statement is incorrect. Statement (E) directly contradicts statement (D) and the nature of the Subsidiary Alliance. The allied ruler surrendered their right to wage war or enter into any conflict independently. All diplomatic and military matters with other states were to be conducted through the British.

Key Features of the Subsidiary Alliance System

Based on the analysis, the correct statements highlight some crucial aspects of the Subsidiary Alliance. Let's summarize the key features:

• The Indian ruler had to accept a permanent British force within their territory.
• The ruler had to pay for the maintenance of this subsidiary force. Failure to pay often led to the cession of territory to the British.
• A British Resident was stationed at the court of the Indian ruler. The Resident interfered in the internal administration of the state.
• The ruler could not employ any European in their service without consulting the British.
• The ruler could not negotiate with any other Indian ruler or foreign power without the permission of the British.
• The British promised to protect the ally from external and internal dangers.

Looking at our analysis of the statements (A) through (E), only statements (B) and (D) accurately describe components of the Subsidiary Alliance system.

Therefore, the correct statements are (B) and (D).

Revision Table: Subsidiary Alliance Facts

Additional Information: Subsidiary Alliance in British India

The Subsidiary Alliance system was a clever diplomatic tool used by the British East India Company to bring Indian states under their control without directly annexing them initially. It was an effective method for expanding British political influence and military presence across the subcontinent. States that entered into a Subsidiary Alliance essentially traded their independence in external affairs for British protection, which often led to increased British interference in their internal matters as well, through the British Resident.

States like Hyderabad were among the first to accept the Subsidiary Alliance under Lord Wellesley in 1798. Other states followed, either voluntarily or under duress, including Mysore, Awadh, the Peshwa, and various Rajput states. The system weakened the Indian rulers, drained their resources through payments for the subsidiary force, and paved the way for eventual British paramountcy over India.