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ABRIDGMENT
O? THB
HI8TOEY OP INDIA
ABRIDGMENT
HISTORf OF INDIA
FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE
PRESENT TIME
BY
JOHN CLARK MARSHMAN
C.S.I.
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
MCMV
INTRODUCTION
I HAVE HEEN ADVISED that an Abridgment of the
History of India which has been in use by the students
of the University of Calcutta for eight years would be
welcome to them, and I have endeavoured to compress
the substance of the three volumes into one, which,
.iKhmigh scanty in detail, will suffice to give them a
view of the salient events of the different periods.
The space allotted to the Mahomedan period has
been abbreviated to make room for a fuller narrative
of the progress of British power, in which the Queen's
Indian subjects are more particularly interested. This
will not be considered a matter of regret, as Elphin-
stone's classical and standard History of India, which
treats exclusively of the Musulman dynasties, is in-
cluded in the student's curriculum of study.
The present abridgment has been brought down to
the close of the administration of the East India
Company, and the annexation of the empire of India to
the crown of Great Britain, which forms one of the
most important epochs in Indian history. A brief
notice of events from that date to the death of Lord
Mayo has been added.
Since the publication of the original work a new
system of spelling Indian names, designated the trans-
literal, lias been introchiced in India, which in some
Vi INTRODUCTION
cases differs so materially from that which has hitherto
been in vogue, that it is not easy to identify the places
or persons. I have adhered to the old form of ortho-
graphy, as the student may have occasion to refer to
the records and despatches of Government, to Parlia-
mentary papers, to previous histories, and to current
English journals, in which it has been, and continues
to be, used. There are some cases in which names
have been variously spelled by different writers, but the
diversities are neither important nor embarrassing.
On the principle of preferring general usage to philo-
logical nicety, I have in every such instance collated
diverse authors, and, to the best of my ability, made
choice of that mode which appeared to have the pre-
ponderance. For the convenience of the native student,
the two forms of spelling are placed in juxtaposition in
the following table.
JOHN CLARK MARSIIMAN.
LONDON: October, 1873.
NOTE TO THE PRESENT EDITION.
MR MARSHMAN did not long survive the publication of this
Abridgment of his * History of India.' He died in London, July
1877, and India lost in him a zealous worker, and a conscien-
tious and faithful historian. During a long life his efforts were
unceasingly directed to promote her interests, and the welfare
of her people ; and lie held it his proudest title to be called "the
Friend of India." In the present edition the summary of im-
portant events, from the death of Lord Mayo in 1872 to the
close of the year 1891, has been briefly clnonicled by a member
of the author's family.
LONDON, April 1893.
TABLE OF OETHOGEAPHY
CUSTOMARY
TKANSLITERAI,
CUSTOMABY
TRAJSSLtTERAL
Abdalfo
Abdali
Bed n ore
Bed nor
Abdoolla
Abdullah
Beejanu^er .
Bijanagar
A boo
Abu
Beejapore
Bijapur
Abul F.izil .
Abul Fazl
Beema .
Bhnna
Acharjyu
Afzool Khan.
Acharya
Afzul Khan
Begum .
Behar
Begam
Bihar
Agra
Aw'ah
Bcllals
Ballalas
An rued .
An mad
Bellary .
Ballary
Ahmedabad .
Ahm.idabad
Beloch .
Biluch
Ahmednuftur
Ahuiadnagrar
Belochistan .
Biluchistan
Ajeet .
A lit
Beloli .
Buhlol
Ajmere .
Ajmir
Berar
Barar
Ahverdy .
Alla-ood-deeii
Alivardi
Ala-ud-din
Beyas .
Bharutu
Beya
Bharata
Alhwal .
Aliwal
Bhawut))ore .
Bhawalpur
Allygurh
Ali^arh
Bliocm . .
Bhima
Alum
Alain
Bhonslay
Bhonsl6
Alumtfeer
Alamgir
Bhoobaneshur
Bhuvaneshwar
AluptUK<'<*n
Alpti^in
Bhurtpore .
B hart pur
Ambajee
Ambaji
Biana .
Bianah
Amboor .
Ambur
Bithoor .
Bithour
Ameor .
Amir
Bokhara
Bukhara
Amercoto
Anmrkot
Boohddha
Buddha
Amrut .
Amrita
Booddlnsm .
Buddhism
An^ha .
ln^lia
Booddlust
Buddhist
Anund . .
Anand
Boorhanporo
Burhanpur
Anwar-ood-deeu
Anwar-ud-din
Bootwul
Bhiitwal
Arpaum . .
Argaon
Brahmin
Brahman
Arracan .
Arakan
Brumhapootor
Brahmaputra
Aseei »rurli
Asir^ahr
l>.i^* 1,1 .«•
Baj-Baj
Asof Khan .
A sat Khan
|{h l'i!^ , • .
Badakshan
Assye
Ash.ll
Bukhtijar
Bakhtiar
AuruiiK:ih:id .
Auian^rabad
Bulbun .
Balhan
Auruugzobt*
\in,n>K/.ob
Bullabhis
Vallabhus
Aylah .
Ah.iiya
Bundlerund
Bamlelkhaud
Aznu
Azam
Burdvvan
Bardwan
Azimpjurh
Azimgarh
Burmah
Bar mah
Bsiber .
li^bar
liuxar .
Baxar
Baboo .
Babii
Bye
Bai
Bagdad . .
Baghdad
Byram .
liairam
Baliadoor
Bahadui
Cabul
Kabul
Bah inin co
Balimnni
Caehar .
Kachar
Baioe Rao
Hail lino
Calicut .
Calicat
Balaghaut
Bal.-ighat
Cahpli .
Khahf
Ballajet;.
BAlaji
Calliuger
Kalinjar
Bandoo .
Bapoo .
Banda
Bapii
Gal pee .
Cam bay
Kaipi
Kambay
Ba reel ore
Harcelor
Cambuksh .
KAmbaksh
Bareilly.
Barch
Camran .
Kamran
Beder .
Bidar
Candahar
Kandahar
Vlll
TVBLE OF ORTHOGRAPHY
CUSTOMARY
1 |{ \N-I.I I 1 1LV1,
CUSTOMARY
1KANSLITERAI
Candesh
Khar-ii^^h
Fyzabad
Fuizabad
Carrical .
K4rikal
Furruckabad
Furakhahad
Cashmere
Kashmir
Gawilgurh .
. Gawilgath
Cauvery
Kaveri
G6riah .
. Gheriah
Cawnpore
Cawnpur
Ghauts .
. Ghats
Chanderee .
Chanaeri
Ghazee .
. Ghazi
Chariderriagore
Chandernagar
Ghazeeporc .
. Ghazipur
Cheetoo .
Chenab .
Chitu
Chin&b
Ghillio .
Gholam .
. Khilii
. Ghulam
Cheyt Sing .
Chait Singh
Ghoro .
. Ghor
Chillumbrum'
Chilambram
Ghuzni .
. Ghazni
Chitrtore
Chitor
Gingee .
. Gingi
Choule .
Choul
Godavery
. Godavari
Ohoute .
Chauth
Gogra ..
. Ghoghra
Chumbul
Chambal
Gohud .
. Gohad
Chumpanere
Champ4uir
Gohur .
. Gauhar
Chunar .
Chan&r
Golab .
. Gulab
Chunda.
Chan d &
Golconda
. Golkandah
Chundergiree
Cliandragiri
Goomsoor
. Gumsur
Chiindraxooptn
r* „ i - ., r:i
Gooptu .
. Gupta
Chutt.'uiuttco
< V..I
Goorkha
. Ghurka
Chutter .
Chattar
Gtooroo .
. Guru
Coirabatoor .
Coimbator
Goruckpore .
. Gorakhpur
Colapore
Kohlapur
Gour
Gaur
Coles .
Kols
Gnkkera
Gakkhars
Coorg .
Kiirg
Oiiiiiciiilhur .
Gangadliar
Corah .
Korah
(i\llll •(>!
. Guntur
Cosaim .
Kilsun
Guzcrat
Guzarat
Cossim bazar .
K.LShii'nn'/ai1
Gwalior.
. Gwahar
Cuddalore
Cuddalor
Gya
, Gay a
Ouddapa
Kadapa
liafiz Ruhmut
. Haiiz RaUniat.
CunouKe
Kan an]
Hajce .
. Hah
Curumnassa .
Karmanasa
Hamed .
. Hanmid
Cutch .
Kach
Hejira .
. Hijrah
Cuttack .
Cattack
Hornu .
. Himu
Daniel .
Dany^l
Herat .
. Harat
l)aood Khan .
Baud Kh&n
Hmdee .
. Hindi
I)eccan .
Dakkin
Hindoo .
. Hindu
Deeg .
Dig
Hindoo Coosh
. Hindu Kush
Deogaum
Deogaon
Hindostan .
. Hindustan
Deogurh
Deogiri
Hooghly
. Hu^h
Devicotta
Devikotta
Hooscn Ah .
. Husian Ah
Dewan .
Diwan
Host mil gubad
. ULusliatiKabad
Dewanee
Diwani
Ilurnayoon •
. Humayuti
Dholpore •
Dholpur
llnoornan
. II , i, -..i-
Dhriturastu .
l)hritara-stra
Hnshun Gunga
. II, -•! i.:.-.
Pinf,' <•••• SliiLT
Dtnilip SniRh
Hustinapore
. Ifust niapiiiM
Dhyan .
Biari
Hy<lerabad .
. M.Liduabad
Delawur
Dela-war
Hydpr All
. HaidarAli
Dilero .
Bihr
Indore .
. Indor
Pindigul
Bindigal
Irrawaddy .
. I raw Adi
Doondhoo Punt
Dhandu Pant
Jain .
. Jain a
Dooranees
Durania
Jaulna .
. Jalna
Doorjun Sal .
Durjan S&l
Jaut
. Jat
Dooryudhun .
Duryodhuna
Jehander
Jah&ndar
Povvlut .
Daulat
Jehangeer .
. Jah&tigir
Drupudee
Draupudi
Jolian Lodi .
. Jahan Lodi
Duniduin
Damoatn
Jellalabad .
. Jal4tabad
Dushuruthu .
Dasaratha
Jellal-ood-decn
. JnlAl-ud-diM
Eldoze .
Ilduz
Jenghis Khan
(Minngi? Khan
Ellichporo .
Iliolipur
JfBWUflt
. Jeswant
Emam^urh .
Imangurh
Jeyporc .
. Jaipur
Eusufoies
Yusufznis
Jey Sing
. JHI Singh
Ferokshere .
Farrukh Siyar
Jhelum .
. Jholam
Feroze .
Finiz
Joudhporo
Jodhpur
Ferozopore .
Firuzpur
.Iounpor«
Jaunpur
Firman .
Fai man
Juggut Sett
, Jagat Set
Furnavose
Farnavis
Jullunder
. Jallandar
Fntteh Khan
l^ithklian
Jummoo
. Jammu
Futtehpore
Fathpur
Jumna .
. Jnmnah
TABLE OF ORTHOGRAPHY
IX
CUSTOMARY
TRAN8LITKRAL
CUSTOMARY
TRANS LITERAL
Junkojee
Jaukoji
Moslem
Muslim
Junuku.
Janaka
Mozuffer
Muzaffar
Katrnandoo .
Khatmandu
JMudzzim
Muazzarn
Kharism
Khwanzrn
Muck wan pore
Makwanpur
Khelat .
Kalat
Mugudu
Magha(ia
Khizir .
Khizr
Muhabharut
Mahabharat .
Kbojah .
Khwajah
Muhanudee .
Mahar.adi
Khoond .
Khond
Mulbar .
Mai bar
Khorahan
Khurasan
Mundel
Mandal
Khosroo
Khusrau
Muneuporo .
Mampur
Khurruk
Karak
Munoo .
Manu
Khyber .
Khaibar
Musulman .
Musalmfm
Khyrpoie
Kmeyree
Kbairpur
Kuieri
M ultra .
Mysore .
M.ittra
Maisur or Mysoi
Kirkee .
Kharki
Nabob .
Nawab
Kistna .
Krishna
Nagarcote
Nagarkot
Koh-l-noor .
Koh-i-nur
Nagpore
Nugpur
Kolapore
Koombho
Kolhapur
K bumbo
Nahapan
Nalagurh
Nahapana
Nalagarli
Kooroos
KuruH
Nanuk .
Nanak
Koorooksh< 1 ru
Kuruksbetin
Narrain .
N&rayana
Kootub .
Kutb
Nazir Jung .
Nasir Jang
Korygaum .
Krishnu
Koregam
Krishna
Nepaul .
Nerbudda
Nepal
N.,rbaddah
Kshetriyus .
Kshatriyas
Nifcain-ool-inoolk
Niz&m-ul-mulk
Kuloosba
Kulusha
Noor Jell an .
Nur Jahdn
Kulyan .
Kalian
Nuddea
Naddea
Kureem.
Kharim
Nundu .
Nauda
Kurnool
Karniil
Nunkoomar
Nandakumar
Kurracheo
Karachi
Nuzeeb-ood-do\\ -
Xazib-ud-daulal,
Kootub .
Kutb
lah .
Lahore .
Labor
Omar .
Umar
Lall
Lai
Omichund
Um&chand
Leswaree
Laswari
Omrah .
Umara
Lohanee
Loli am
Ooch .
Uchh
Loodiana
Ludhianah
Oodyporo
TTdai pur
Lucknow
Lakh 11 au
Oody Sing
Udai Smgb
Lucknowtce .
Laknauti
Oojem .
Ujjam
Lueksmunu .
Lackamana
Oud«
0 udh
Madhoo
Madu
Pal ghaut
Palkkat
Mahmood
Mali mud
1'andoos
PAndavas
Mahomed
Muhammad
Pandyas
Pandiea
Mahomedan
Muhammad an
Paniam .
Ponarn
Mallojee
Ulalloji
Pamput
Pan i pat
Malown
Maloun
Patans .
Pathans
Mama Sahib
Mandoo.
Mama Saheb
Mandu
Pcelajee
Persaiee
Pilaji
Parsjyi
Man gal ore
Man gal or
Portal) Sni^c .
Prntab Singh
Maw u lees
I\l a wall s
Pohhawur
Poshawar
Meeanmeer .
Mianmir
Pindarees
PindAris
Meeaneo
Mianl
PI assy .
Plassey
Meer
Mir
Poona .
P\ina
Meer Jaffler .
Mirjafar
Pooranus
Puranas
Meer Joomla
Mir Jam la
Pooroe .
Purl
Meerun .
Ml ran
P(K)rnea
Purniah
Meerut .
Mlrat
Pooroosram .
Purasu Rama
M chid pore .
M elown
Mali id pur
Mellun
Poorundur .
Punehala
l>iirandhar
Panchala
Merdai,.
Mardan
Pun dor pore .
Pan d bar pur
Mowar .
Mai war
Punjab .
1'anjab
Mednapore .
Mobarik
Midnapur
Mubarak
Punt
Purwandiiria
Pant
Parwandm ra
Mogul .
Mughul
Pritheo .
Pnthvi
Monghyr
Monghlr
Owttah
Kettah
Mooakee
Mudkl
llaiseen
Raisin
Moolraj .
Mulraj
Raigurh
Raigarh
Mooltan
Moornhedabad
Multan
Mnishidabad
Rajpoot.
Rajpootana .
Rajput
Rajputana
Morad .
Murnd
Ramayun
R4mayana
Morteaa
Murtaza
Ramnugger
Ratunagar
TABLE OF ORTHOGRAPHY
CUSTOM ABY TBANSLITEBAI,
CUBTOMABY TBAifSLITKBAX
Ramraj .
Ramraja
Soor
Si\r
Ramu .
Rama
Sooruj Mull .
Surai Mall
Rnmi S;.ivJ'. .
Ran* Sanga
Siiliii"t.iig<'<'ii
Sebaktigiti
Kll IL-,., -II
Rangiin
Succaram
Sakaram
Ravee .
Ravi
Suddaseo-rao-bho
w Sivadas rao bhau
Ravunu
Ravana
Suddoosain .
Suddosam
Rawul-pindee
Rawal-pindi
Sufdor .
Safdar
Rezia .
Raziah
Suraj-ood-dowlal
Siraj-ud-dauluh
Rhotas .
Rahtas
Surat .
Sau rash tra
Rinthimbore
Rantambhor
Sutlej .
Satlaj
Rohilcund .
Rohilkhand
Sutnaramees
Satnuramis
Roopur .
Ropar
Suttee .
Sati
Rughoojoe .
Raghuji
Syhadreo
Syhadri
Svuds
Sayyids
K-.i'/ I > :"ir
JtangU tMiiirli
Talhkotta .
Tahkot
ba auui .
Sa'adat
Talpooras
Talpiirs
Sahoo .
Sabu
Tamul .
Tamil
Salabut Jung
Salabat Jung
Tanjore .
Tanjor
Salbye .
Salbai
Tanna .
Thana
Sambajee
Sambaji
Taptee .
Tapti
Satgang
Satgawn
Tara-bye
Tara-bai
Satpoora
Satpura
Tartar .
Tatar
Saugor .
Sagar
Tellicherry .
Telhchori
Savanoor
Savanur
Teloogoo
Telugu
Savendoorg .
Suvarnadrug
Teraee . .
Tarai
Secunder
Sikandar
Thanesur
Thuneswar
Seeta .
Sita
Tinnevelly .
Tmnevelh
Seetabuldee .
Sitabaldi
Tippoo .
Tipp6
Seeva .
Siva
Tirhoot .
Tirhut
Selim .
Sahm
ToderMull .
Todar Mall
Seljuks .
Saljuks
Toghluk
Tughlak
Sen
Sena
Tokajce .
Tukaji
Seoraj .
Sioraj
Tonk
Tank
Setts .
Sets
Toulsee-bye .
Tulsi-bai
Sevajee .
Sevaji
Toombudra .
Tumbadra
Shah Alum .
Shah Al am
Travancore .
Travanct^r
Shahee .
Shahjee .
Shah Jehan .
Shahhi
Shaji
Shah Jahan
Tnchinopoly
Trimbukjee Pan^
ha
Tnchinapalh
- Trunbakji
Dainglui
Shahpooree .
Shahpuri
Tumlook
Tauihik
Shariar .
Shahryar
Ugin-Kools .
Agmkulaa
Shastur .
Sastra
Umntsir
Auintsar
Shustree
Sahstri
Urjoon .
Arjuna
Sheah .
Shiah
Vedic .
Vaidik
Sheiks .
Shaikhs
Vellore .
Veilor
Shore .
Sher
Vencajee
V. nk&ji
Shirjee .
Shirji
Vikru m aditj'U
Shunkur
Sankara
Vishnoo
Vishnu
Sikkini .
Sikhnn
Vizier . .
Vnzir
Smde .
Sind
Warungul .
Warangal
Sing
Singh
Wassil .
Wasil
Siprce .
Sipra
\Vishwanath
ViHhwanath
Sircars .
Ci rears
Wiswas . .
Viswas
Sirlund .
Sarhind
Wurda .
Warda
Sirjee Angengaurr
Sir ji Angengaon
Wurgaum
Wargam
Soane
Son
Wuzeerabad.
Vazirabad
Solunan .
Sulaunan
Yoodistheer .
Yudlnsthira
Soobah .
Subah
Zabita .
Zabitah
Soobadar
Siibahdar
Zeman .
Zaman
Sooder .
^udra
Zemindar
Zamiridar
Shoojah
Shuj&
Zoolftkar
Zulfikar
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHRONOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
CHAPTER I
SlCTION I. pA
Boundaries and divisions i.f India
Early history and chronology
The AbmiKines , the Aryans
UC. Rise ol Brahnnmsm
1400 Thu Muhabharut; the Pandoos
and the Kooroos
The battle of Kouroo Ksl.c tin .
1200 Kingdoms of Ujodhyu .md Mi-
tlnla ... .
Events recorded in the Rmiayun
Conquest of Ceylon by Itamu
900 The code of Munoo
SECTION II.
593 Birth ot Hooddhu ....
Doctrines of Booddhism
641 His death and his relics
521 Invasion of India by Darius
3-7 Invasion of Alcxandei the Great
Battle of the Jhelum with Porns
He turns back from the Bey as .
321 Death of Alexander the Gnat .
Kingdom of Mugudu .
3J5 Chundiajfooptu founds the
Mauryan dynasty
He repels the invasion of Seleucus
300 Great prosperity of the dynasty
260 Asoka, its greatest pi mee
Extent of his kn ir-ifii , his edicts
He establish) s Booddhism .
220 Death of Asoka ....
18Sl)>iuust\ of the Suugas ; their
tenmlro
The, Ugm-Kools revive Brahmin-
ism
Prevalence of Booddhism in the
seventh century A.I).
57 Rise of the Andhra dy musty .
Vikrum-adityu; tho Augustan
age of Sanscrit Ittcratmo .
Bengal and its capital Gour
Adisoor founds the Sen dynasty .
Cashmere conquered by the Gun-
durvus
PAGE
Dyi rt^ty of the Shahs in Surat . 15
Displaced by the Hnllablns . . 15
•J
tenth centuries of the Christian
2
era
15
3
First settlement of the Deccan —
the Dravidian ....
16
4
The Pand\as and the Cholas
16
5
The Mahrattas and tho Ooriyas .
16
c>
(5
473 The Kesari dj nasty m Onssa
17
8
CHAPTER II.
SECTION I.
5('0 Birth of Mahomed and spread of
g
18
s
711 Mahomed ben Coss>im invades
8
y
Raipootana and is expelled
872 The Samanides established in
18
9
Khoiasan and Afghanistan
19
tt
Aluptmreeri establishes the king-
in
19
1U
10
97«i Succeeded by Suhuktugeen .
10
10
iU»7 Mahmood of Giiuzni
20
1001 He entires in twelve expeditions
in
20
in
10
1001 To Naparcote and Thanesur
20
11
HH7 To Cunou^o and Mutirn.
21
11
102t Plunder ot Somnath
21
11
12
10.JO Mahmood's death and character.
1186 Extinction of Ghuzni .
22
23
12
SFX^TION II.
ThedMiasty ot GHORE . . 2.1
Mahomed Ghory the real founder
of Mahomedan power in India 24
State of the Hindoo kingdoms . 24
The virtues of Bhoie Raj . . 24
j 11M Prithee raj defeats Mahomed Ghory 25
13 I ll 93 Mahomed crushes the Hindoos at
14 ! Tirann 26
It ' 1 194 Conquest of Bengal and Behar . 26
J I20t» Demolition of Hindoo nower . 27
14 ' 1200 Death and character of Mahomed 27
b
xii
CONTENTS
A.D. PAQK
1206 Kootub-ood-deen establishes the
SLAVE dynasty . .27
1219 Invasion of Jenghis Khan , 28
1219 Conquests of Altumsh . . 28
1286 Reign of Sultana Rezia . . 28
1166 Reign of Bulburi . .29
1288 Succession of the GHILJIB line . 30
'•,:'. >;•!'• IK • '. . ' .' '.' .30
1295 Alla-ood-deen mounts the throne 30
1298 His struggles with the Moguls . 31
1309 Malik Kafoor ravages the Deccan 31
1316 Alla-ood-deen's misfortunes and
death 32
Extent of his conquests . . 32
1321 Five years of anarchy . .32
SECTION III.
Origin of the TOGHLTJK dynasty 33
1321 Ghazee Toghluk's accession . 33
1325 Mah«»meti I <•* i. , 's wild projects 34
18 10 Dismemberment of the empire . 34
1340 Hindoo kingdom at Beejanuger . 34
1351 Feroze Toghluk's magnilicent
buildings 35
His great canal . . . .35
1388 His death at the age of ninety . 35
1394 Universal anarchy ; rise of four
independent kingdoms . . :;6
IP- T\. v,i' -i, ot Malwa . . .36
1 >••><>.,/• i; ii 36
Candesh 86
1394 Jounpore ,i6
139H Invasion of Timur . . . .36
1411 The STUD dynasty ... 37
1450 The last monarch resigns his
throne to Beloh-Lodi . . 38
The LODI dynasty at constant war
with Jounpore . . . .38
T> H. ... • <• „• • ;»::•!,.
iliiiMi i • *••' I- : 'i •: • J .,• -
pore 38
1478 It is reanriexed to Delhi . . 38
1488 Beloh Lodi's conquest . . . 38
D17 Ibrahim third ai id la^t king ; uni-
versal revolt . . . .39
1396 Kingdom of Guzerat established 39
1411 Ahmed Shxh's constant wars . 39
1459 Mahomed Shah's illustrious reign
ot fifty years ; his navy . . 40
1526 Bahadoor Shall conquers Malwa 40
1535 Killed, as supposedly the Portu-
guese 40
1572 Axbar annexes the kingdom to
the empire 40
1401 Dilawur G- i. cri-iY •! • iMV.u-i 40
1*35 Mahomed (i: j> •«';•;- U ••
throne, his reign passed in inces-
sant wars 41
1482 His son As, : »-i's- sarf" > . . 41
1531 The kiiifi'i . !. • \, ! .T..II . i . .41
1500 Rana Sanga the most powerful of
the Rajpoot princes . .42
1847 Rise of the BAHMINEE kingdom
in the Deccan . . . .42
Constant wars with the Hindoo
kingdoms of Telingana and
Beejanuger . . . .42
1397 The splendid reign of Feroze . 42
A i>. PACK
1 482 The kingdom crumbles to pieces . 43
Five independent kingdoms
created out of it . . . .43
1489 Adil Shahee dynasty remains in-
dependent 197 years; capital
Beejapore 43
1490 Nizam Shahee dynasty j indepen-
dent 150 years ; capital Ahmed-
nugur 43
148ilmad Shahee dynasty; capital
Berar ; independent HO years . 44
1512 Kootub Shahee dynasty ; inde-
pendent 173 years; capital Gol-
conda . .... 44
1498 Small stato at Beder ; period of
its extinction uncertain . . 44
SECTION IV.
Mogul dynasty . . 44
Early career of Baber . .45
1519 First irruption into India . . 45
1526 Fifth irruption ; conquers Ibra-
him Lodi at Paniput, and
mounts the throne ... 45
State of India at the time . . 46
1527 Baber totally defeats the Raj-
poots 46
152^ Recovers Oude and Behar . . 46
I,j30 His death and character . . 46
lo.'>0 Humayoon succeeds him . . 47
5.J4 He conquers and loses Guzerat . 47
Early career of Sliere Shah . . 48
1540 Defeats Humayoon, and mounts
the throne 48
1542 Humayoon flies to Candahar . 48
1545 The live years of Shore Shah's
reign the most brilliant period
of Indian history . . .49
1553 Empire lost to his family . . 60
Humayoon's adventures abroad . 60
1656 Recovers the throne and dies . 50
1656 Akbar mounts the throne . . 50
1550 He'nu defeated at Paniput . . 61
1656 Akbwr's great minister, Byram,
his arrogance and tall . . 61
Akbar's conflict with his satra) B 52
1568 His power fully established. . 63
His matrimonial alliances with
Rajpoot princesses ... 63
1672 Conquest of Guzerat ... 54
1576 Conquest of Bengal . . 54
1578 Conquest of Orissa ... 56
Sketi h of its previous history . 56
1560 City of Gour depopulated . . 56
1586 Conquest of Cashmere . . . 56
Akbar's army annihilated in the
passes of Afghanistan . . 57
J592 Annexation of Sinde ... 57
1694 Recovery of Candahar ... 57
SECTION V.
Akbar's views on the Deccan . 59
State of the Deccan ... 57
1336 The great Hi <!••••> n < : uicliy of
Beejanuger * -i HI .1 •• .1 ." .58
Its magnitude and power . . 58
1565 Confederacy of the Mahomedan
princes of the Deccau against it 6P
CONTENTS
XU1
A.D. PAGE
1665 Extinguished at the battle of
Tallikotta 59
1595 Deplorable state of the Deccan . 59
1595 Akbar invades the Deeean . . 59
1595 Siege of Ahmednugur— - heroism
of Chan (1 Sultana ... 59
1000 Capture of Ahmednugur . . 00
1605 Death and character of Akbar . 61
His admirable institutions; his
heterodoxy ; his toleration . 61
His revenue settlement; splen-
dour of his court and pro-
gresses 62
CHAPTER III.
•Si CTIOX I.
1605 Accession of Jeliair.reer . . 63
Antecedents of Noor Jehan . . 64
1611 Marriage with Johangeer . . 64
1612 Malek Amber defeats the im-
perial armies in the Deecan , his
great talents .... 65
1614 Shah Jehan conquers Oodvpore . 65
1615 Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to
the court of Delhi . . . 65
1620 Shnh Jehan in the Decean . . 66
1622 Persecuted by Noor Jehan . . 66
1625 Mohabet diiven into revolt by
her 67
1626 Ho seizes the emperor . . 67
1620 Noor Jehan rescues him . . 68
1627 Death of Jehanireer ... 68
SECTION II.
1627 Accession of Shah Jehan . . OS
State of the three Mahomedan
powers in the Deccan . . 09
1628 Rebellion of Jehan Lodi . . 6'»
10.^7 Ahinednugur extinguished . 70
1637 Beejapore rendered tributary . 70
1637 Oandahar recovered . . .70
Hxpedition to Balk h ... 71
1047 Persians recover Cnndahar . . 71
Aurungzcbe fails to regain it . 71
He renews the war in the Dec-
can 71
1656 He plunders Hyderabad . . 71
1657 Recalled to Delhi . . .72
1657 Shah Jehan's dangerous illness;
his four sons intrigue for the
succession , their character . 73
1657 Dara defeats Soojah . . .7:5
1658 Aurungzebo defeats Dara; de-
poses hit father, and n (.us t- li, *
ihroi.e 7V
Character of Shah Jehan ; mag-
nificence of Ins biuidmits and
his court; his enormous wealth 74
1660 Aurungzebe putts his brothers to
death 75
J662 His dangerous illness and re-
covery 75
1663 Meer Joomla's expedition to As-
gam 76
SECTION III.
AJ>. PAGE
Rise and progress of the Mai ratta
power 7t>
1620 Origin 'i 1 • p irr"-.- of Shahjee;
his -i; nr:<-' K, the soubh . 77
1627 Birth of Sevajee, the founder of
Mahratta power . . 77
1046 His daring ad ventures . . . 78
16*9 His acquisitions of territory . 78
1657 Intercourse with Aurungzebe . 79
1659 Treacherously murders Afzool
Khan ... . . 79
1662 His possessions at the age of
thirty-five 80
1661 Baffles the imperial generals . 80
1064 Plunders Surat .... 81
1 065 Origin of the chout . . .82
K3G5 Proceeds to Delhi ; is confined
and escapes 82
1668 Revises his institutions . . . 83
1672 \gain defeats tho emperor's gene-
rals 83
1673 Aurungzebe defeated in the Khy-
ber 83
1677 He renews the persecution of the
Hindoos 84
1077 Alienation and revolt of the Raj-
poots 85
1 674 Sevajee assumes royalty . . 86
1676 His expedition to the Carnatic . 85
1680 His death and character . . 86
SFCTION IV.
1683 Aurungzehe marches to the Dec-
can with a magnificent army . 87
1684 Disastrous march to the Concan . 88
1(386 TV -i L-.iO . •* Heejapore . . 88
I i i1-1;! hi) 'Magnificence of the
edifices of Beejapore ... 89
1687 Aurungzebe extinguishes Golcon-
da 89
The Deccan a scene of anarchy . 89
1080 Sambajee succeeds Sevajee , . 90
1689 His vicious leign and tragic
death 90
1689 Collapse of the Mahratta power;
the court retreats to the Car-
natic 91
Comiiimvii of the Mogul and
Muhinttii sir .ict . . .91
169S Siege of (lingee f\>r nine . \ears . 92
1701 Aurungzcbe's marvellous activity
at the age of eightv . . .92
Treats with the Mahrattas . 93
1707 Retreats in disgrace towards Del-
hi ami dies at Ahinednugur . 93
His character 94
1707 Hahadoor Shah emperor . . 94
1700 Discord among the Mahrattas . 94
1708 Daood Khan, the Emperor's lieu-
tenant, wants them the chout
of tho Dccciiu . . . .35
Origin of the Sikh common-
wealth; Naiiuk; Gooroo Go-
vind f5
1712 BahadoorShah drives li.esr chief-
tain Bandoo to the In .s, ai.ti
dies 9C
riv
CONTENTS
A.D. PAGE
1713 Jehander Shah emperor , murder-
ed by Ferokshere ... 96
1713 Ferokshere mounts the throne
under the galling yoke of the
Syuds 96
.714 Rise of the Nizam .... 90
1714 Ballajee Wishwanath revives the
vigour of the Mahrattas . . 96
1717 His independence aekn< >wledged . 97
1717 The ch<>ut confirmed . . .97
1718 Ferokshere murdered . . .98
1719 Mahomed Shall emperor . . s»8
1720 Relieved fromthe tyranny of the
Syuds 98
17:20 Saadut AH soobndar of Oude . 9.)
1724 Nizam-ool-moolk establishes an
independent power in the Dec-
can 99
1720 Ballajee Wishwanath establishes
the power of the Peshwas . . 99
1720 Succeeded by Bajee Rao . 9!>
1730 Rise of the Gaickwar family . 101
1730 And of the Sindia family . .101
1730 And of the family of Holkar . 101
1732 Baiee Rao's conquests on the
Jumna 102 |
1734 Acquires possession of Malwa 102
1734 Ilis demands on the emperor 102
1737 He inarches to the gates of Delhi 10'5
1788 Defeats the Nizai-j. . . . 103
Early career of Nadir Shah . . 101
1738 He crosses the Indus and defeats
the emperor . . . .104
1739 Sacks Delhi and returns with
thirty-two croi es of rupees . 103
State of India at -his invasion . 105
CHAPTER IV.
SECTION I.
Rise and progress of the Portu-
guese ......
1486 Bartholomew Dias first doubles
the Cape .....
1497 Vasco (te Gama discovers India by
the Cape; lands at Calicut on
the Mai abar coast . . .
1500 Second Portuguese expedition
1502 The third under Vasco de Gama.
1506 \" . "i ts the combined
I . Guzeratee fleets .
1508 Albuquerque appointed viceioy:
he founds Goa . . . .
1508 Extends the Portuguese power
over 12,000 miles of coast, and
:rii:\es 1'ieir, paramount in the
K.'U-t- in *.:i- . . . .
1515 Ungratefully dismissed and dies.
1517 P • ..--i... ov,i« Ceylon . .
A- «« i :i" M i- •» • 1 1 China . .
1537 They defeat the Turkish and Gu-
zeratee fleets . . . .
1570 Resist the attack of the wholeMa-
homedan power in the- Deccan
for nine months with success .
1538 Establish themselves in Bengal .
1596 Rise of the Dutch power and de-
cay of the Portuguese . .
106
106
107
108
108
{
109 ;
109
110
110
110
no
r o
ill
SECTION II.
..
Rise of the French power . . 112
1674 Martin founds Pondicherry . . 112
1076 It is captured by the Dutch and
restored ..... 112
1719 French East India Company re-
organised . . . . 112
1735 Dumas the governor raises the
first sepoy army . . . .113
1740 Obliges the Mahiattas to retire . 113
1710 Dupleix enriches Chandernagore .lit
1741 Is appointed governor of Pondi-
c'u'iry ...... 114
1745 Laboimlonnais arrives with a
large armament .... 115
174.") 1-irf.t engagement in the Indian
SCHS between an English and
French fleet ..... 115
17t<'» Labourdonnais captures Madras . 116
1746 Nabob of the Carnatic attacks the
French and is utterly defeated . 117
Consequences of this first en-
counter ..... 117
174S Admiral Boscawen besieges Pon-
dicherry without result . .117
1748 Peace of Aix-la-Clvipelle restores
Madras to the Company . . 117
SECTION III.
1749 Madras Government invade Tan-
jore .... .118
Ambition of Dupleix . . 118
1748 Death of Xi/-- i •«. > -MI --'.k . . 119
1749 Dupleix ?i- *•* M< /MI! r his
* become soobadar
. 119
1749 Bussy defeats the nabob of the
Carnatic ... .119
Mahomed Ah supported as nabob
by the English . . . .119
Chunda Sahib supported as na-
bob by the, French . . .119
1750 Naxir Jung soobmlar - .120
Hr is defeated by Bussy and shot
by the nabob of Cmldapa . 121
1750 Mozuffer Jung soobadar ; is shot
by the nabob of Kurnool . . 121
1751 Bussy makes Salabut Jung soo-
b'idrir ..... . 121
1751 Siege and defence of Trichino-
poly ...... 122
17.")1 Clivo's defence of A rcot. . ,123
1754 Dupleix superseded and recalled . 124
1764 Disgraceful treatment of him . 125
1764 Greatness of his character . . 125
1754 Convention between the French
and English ..... 125
SECTION IV.
1751 Bussy seats Salabut Jung in his
capital ...... 126
1751 He defeats the Mahrattas . .120
175- Ghazee-ood-deen poisoned by his
stepmother ..... 127
1753 Bussy acquires the Northern
Sircars ...... 127
17r>6 Salabut Jung dismisses him . 12S
1756 He completely recovers his power 129
1758 Lally, governor of Poi.dicherry . 1 SO
CONTENTS
4.D. I'AOE
1758 He ruins Bussy's power . . 1 '>o ,
1768 Lally besieges Madras . . . 130
1759 Obliged to retire . . . .131
1759 Indecisive action of the fleets . 131
1759 French defeated by Sir Eyre
Coote at Wandewash . . .131
1761 Pondicherry captured and de-
molished 132
1763 Trial and ex< cutiou of Laliy at
Paris ... . . 132
ShCTION V.
1747 Ahmed Shah Abdalee invades In-
dia and is defeated . . .133
1748 Death of Mahomed Shall, empe-
ror of Del hi 133
Succeeded by his son Ahmed, Na-
bob of Omle appoint ( d vizier . 133
1764 Ghazee-ood-deen blinds Ahmed
and raises Aluiugeer to the
throne 1'U
1756 The Abdalee again invades India
and sacks Delhi: leaves the
Punjab under Ins son Tnmir . 131
1757 Ghazee-ood-deen invites the Mali-
rat tas to drive hmi out . . 1 >4
1758 Raghoha captures Delhi and
marches to the Indus . . I'M
1758 Poshwa extorts large concessions
of teintory from the Nizam . 135
17C9 Alahrattasat the zenith of their
power ....
1759 Tho Abdalee's last invasion .
1759 He defeats Sindia and Holkar .
1700 Peshwa puN forth the whole
strength of the Mahratta com-
mon wealth to meet him . . ISO
1761 Total delcat of tho Alahrattaa at
Pamput . . . I,i7
SKCTION VI.
1600 The E.ist India Company . . 138
1601 Charter granted by Queen Eliza-
beth 138
1611 Thev dispatch vessels to Surat . 13S
I OK) Sir Thomas Roe's emb.issy . . 18«»
t620 Air. Broughton cures the eiupe-
ro^'s * . • ins pri-
vilege • » . .139
1639 Madras founded .... 139
1662 Bombay acquired by the Com
pany
1683 The Company aim at p Htical
power in Bengal ; its disastrous
result 140
1690 Job Chamock founds Calcutta . 141
1695 Permission to foitify it . . 142
1693 Establishment of a rival Com-
pany 142
1702 Union of the two Companies . 14't
1702 Moorshcd Kooly Khan dewan of
Bengal 143
1715 Embassy to Delhi for permission
to purchase thirty-eight vil-
lages near Calcutta . . . 144
1710 Mr. Hamilton cures the emperor
and obtains permission . .144
1717 Moorshed Kooly Khan frustrates
it . .'.... 144
A.D. 1'AGE
17J5 His admirable administration ot
twenty-five years . . .144
1725 R( venues of Bengal . . .141
1725 His sonSujah-ood-deen succeeds
him 145
1739 He is Miceeeded by Serefraz Khan . 145
SECTION VII,
1741 Ahverd> Khan supplants him at
Delhi by bribery. . . .145
1742 Mahrattas invade Bengal and
plunder Moorshedabad . .145
1712 The English surround Calcutta
\\ ith the Mahratta Ditch . , 146
1751 Ahverd> cedes Onssa to the Mah-
rattas, and pays the chout of
Bengal 146
1756 His death 146
1750 Suraj-ood-dowlah succeeds him . 146
1750 He marches against Calcutta . 147
1756 Its defenceless state ; Nabob cap-
tuies it 147
1738 Trairedy of the Black Hole . .148
1756 The Com pany expelled from Ben-
ir,il 148
1755 Cine captures the port of Ghe-
ruh 140
17")7 He recaptures Calcutta . .149
1757 He defeats the Nabob at Dum-
dum 150
1757 He captures Chandernagi>re . 150
1757 Confideracy against the Nabob
by his ministers, joined by
dive 150
1757 Battle of Pliwsy; Nabob is de-
feated and flies .... 151
1757 Deception of Omichund . . 151
1757 Clive makes Meer Jnffier Nabob. 152
1757 Suraj-ood-dowlah brought back
and killed by Meerun, Meer
Jaflier's son 153
. 139
CHAPTER V.
SECTION I.
1757 AH finhur, the emperor's son. in-
vades Bengal and is obliged to
retreat 153
1759 Meer Jaffier invites the Dutch
from Java to count«rbalance
Clivo 154
1759 Tho Dutch army defeated at
Chi 1 1 sui ah 154
17M Clive returns to England . .154
17608»eomi invasion of Ali-Gohur,
military operations at Pntna . 155
1760 Mr. Vnns'ittait succeeds Clive . 155
1760 Piofligae^ of the Council in Cal-
cutta . ... 156
17»iQThey depose Meer Ja flier and
mak«i Meer Cossim Nabob. . 156
1762 His vigorous administration . 158
17(53 Disputes about the transit duties 157
1763 He seizes every European in Ben-
gal. .... 158
1763 The Council take the field ; he is
defeated, and ma^sactcs48 Eng-
lish gentlemen and 100 soldiers . 15C
IV!
CONTENTS
A.D. PAGE
1763 Meer Jaffler igain nabob . .159
1765 His death 159
1765 Base conduct of the Council . 159
1764 First Sepo\ IMM: in \ . . .159
1764 Battle of Km «r; Naboo of Oude
totally defeated .... 160
1765 Olive created a peer j sent out to
retrieve the Company's affairs . 160
1765 He mediatizes the Nabob of Moor-
shedabad 161
1765 Restores Oude to the Nabob . 1GI
1765 His arrangement with the em-
peror 161
1765 He acquires the Dewanee . .161
1765 Congratulates the Directors on
the extent of their povc-MOhs. lfi>
1766 Quells the mutm\ o! the Euro-
pean officers .... 163
1767 His eminent success; his un-
grateful tr»!Lt .cut .11 r-.ifland . 164
1774 Hi, (l.-uth . . 161
SECTION II.
Transactions at Madras and Bom-
bay 164
1762 Misrule of Mahomed All . . 1H5
1763 Spoliation of Tanjore . . . 105
1765 The Northern Sircars granted to
the Company by the emperor . 165
1766 Madras Council basely agree to
pay tribute for them to the
Nizam 166
Rise and progress of Hyder Ah . 160
1749 His first repute at Deonhully . 166
1761 At sixty is master of Mysore . 167
1763 Acquires Bednoro and its wealth 167
1765 Is defeated by the Mahrattas . 167
1766 Annexes Malabar . . . .168
1767 Madras Council join the Nizam
* and the Mahrattas against
him 168
1767 The Nizam joins him against the
English 168
1767 General Smith twice defeats the
confederates . . . .168
1767 The Nizam reduced to extremity 1H9
1768 J)!-t:- ••<<'' :r:u-V i • -i,l- .1 i>. '•:•.
lit Mr. I' i »,.- .- : r< fMi-:rvi 169
1768 Mailra- ir \< , • . i .1: the lowest
p.t -i, ..rd-kTi.:i" i. . . . 170
1769 Hyder dictates peace under the
walls of Madras . . . ,171
1770 The Council engage to assist him
in his wars 171
1770 He attacks the Mahrattas; is de-
feated at Milgota, and besieged
for flve weeks .... 171
1772 Madras Government refuse him
succour, and ho loses much
territory 172
1769 Mahratta expedition to Hindo-
stan 172
1772 Transactions in Rohilcund . 17-i
1772 Anomaly of the Government in
India 173
1772 Great embarrassmentat the India
house 174
*77<J Interference of Parliament; the
Regulating Act . . 171
CHAPTER VI.
SECTION I.
A.D. PAOB
Early career of Hastings . . 175
1772 Appointed Governor of Bengal . 176
1773 Abolishes the double government
of Olive, introduces great re-
forms, makes anew settlement,
removes the, treasury to Cal-
cutta . . ... 176
1773 Unhappy treaty with the Nabob
of Oude 176
1773 Embarks in the Rohilla war . 177
1774 New Government in Calcutta . 177
1774 Hastings Governor-General; his
counsellor 177
1774 They bully him ; their unjust
treatment of the Nabob of Oude 178
1775 They supersede Hastings' author-
ity 178
1775 Gross charges against him . .170
1775 Execution of Nunkoomar . .179
1775 Hastings tenders his resignation,
and then recills it ... ISO
1776 Directors appoint Ins successor . 1>0
1777 Confusion in Calcutta by this
event 181
1777 Death of Sir John Clavering . 181
17^0 After six years' contest, Hastings
fights a duel with Mr. Francis,
who is wounded and goes home 181
SECTION II.
Progress of Mahratta affairs . LSI
1772 The Peshwa Naravun Rao as-
sassinated; Rfudioba ascends
the throne 182
1774 Widow of Nnrayun delivered of
a posthumous child, and a re-
gency formed .... 182
1775 Baghoba negotiates with the
Bombay authorities . . . 182
1775 Treaty or Surat results in war . 183
1775 Mahrattas defeated at Arras . 18.1
".?• TI ' . . . • •" troa»y 184
. -'.I I , '- •••• .'. •.' Poona 184
1777 French adventurer at" Poona . 185
177H Eevolution at Poona, first in
favour of Raghoba, and then
against him . . . .185
1778 Expedition fi 'MS Ho":!1 i\l P»"'iai
disgraceful e >..\ ; i ..: • " \\ ur-
gaum 186
1778 General Goddard's expedition
from the Jumna to Bombay 187
1780 Brilliant capture of Gwahor . 188
1781 Complete defeat of Sindia . . 188
1770 General confederacy against the
Company . . . . .189
M 'Tun ,»:•• ru'" •« .it U-m i kV . 189
1780 HIM: •,»•-<' r,i..i;i •« N«urp n« . 18U
1781 COM- . in I)-,U<T wi'1! S:: din . lift
SECTION III.
Transactions at Madras 1771-1780 191
1771 Proceedings against Tanjoro . Itn
1774 Paul B'-nfleid'n deium.d . . 192
1776 The (' u til arrest Lord Pigot . 19?
CONTENTS
xvii
A.D. PAGE
1779 Hastings reverses their trans-
actions regarding the Gutitoor
Sircar 193
Progress of Hyder AH 1773-1780 193
1 779 War between France and England 194
1780 Hyder joins the confederacy . 194
1780 He bursts on the Carnatic . .191
1780 Destruction of Colonel Baillie's
force 195
1780 Hastings's energetic efforts . 196
SECTION IV.
1781 Sir Eyre Coote proceeds to Ma-
dras and thrice defeats Hyder . 197
1781 Lord Macartney Governor of Ma-
dras 198
1781 Negapatam and Trincomalee con-
quered from the Dutch . . 198
1782 Arrival of a French armament . 199
1782 Four naval actions . . .199
1782 Great famine at Madras . . 200
1782 Death of Hyder Ali 7th December 201
1782 Succeeded by Tippoo . . .201
1783 Supineness of General Stuart . 201
1783 He besieges Bussy at Cuddalore 202
1783 Peace between France and Eng-
land 202
1783 Tippoo invests Mangalore . . 203
1783 Colonel Fullerton's successful ex-
pedition towards Serin gapatam 203
1 784 Treaty of peace at Mangalore with
Tippoo by the Madras Council
th
204
SECTION V.
Proceedings in Bengal . . .205
1774 Encroachments of the Supreme
Court 205
1779 The Cossijurah case . . .206
1779 Hasting stops their proceedings 206
1780 Sir Elijah Impey, chief judge of
the Sudder 206
1780 Hastings's proceedings regarding
Cheyt Sing . . . .207
1781 His extreme danger at Benares 208
1781 Cheyt Sing raises an army and
is defeated 208
1782 Plunder of the Begums of Oude . 209
1783 Hastings, worried by the Direc-
tors, resigns . . . ,209
1785 Embarks for England . . .210
1786 Impeached of high crimes and
misdemeanours by the House
of Commons . . . .210
1795 His acquittal 211
His character 211
1782 Reports of two Committees of the
House of Commons . . . 212
1783 Mr. Fox's India Bill . . .212
1784 Mr. Pitt's India Bill . . .213
1784 Nabob of Arcot's debts . . 214
1784 Mr. Dundas's extraordinary pro-
ceedings regarding them . . 214
1805 Fabrication of fresh loans for 32
crores of rupees . . . .214
CHAPTEB VII.
SECTION I.
A.D. PAGE
1785 Mr. Macpherson, officiating Go-
vern or-General; his economical
reforms 215
1786 Lord Cornwallis Governor-Gene-
ral 216
1786 Advantages of his position . .216
1786 He stems the current of jobbing,
peculation, and fraud . . 217
1786 His proceedings regarding Oude 217
1788 Demands the surrender of the
Guntoor Sircar . . . .218
1789 His imprudent letter to the
Nizam 218
1789 Tippoo attacks the raja of Travan-
core, the ally of the Company . 219
1790 Lord Cornwall's alliances with
the Nizam and the Peshwa
against Tippoo . . . .220
1790 Genera] Medows' first campaign ;
abortive 220
1791 Second campaign ; Lord Corn-
wallis beats Tippoo ; obliged to
return for want of provisions . 221
1791 Dilatory proceedings of the allies 222
1792 Third campaign ; peace dictated
under the walls of the capital . 223
1792 Tippoo surrenders half his do-
minions 223
1792 Remarks on the campaign . . 224
SECTION II.
Lord Cornwallis's revenue re-
forms 226
1793 History and nature of the Perma-
nent Settlement . . . .226
1793 Reconstruction of the judicial
establishments . . . .228
1793 The Cornwallis Code . . .228
1793 Exclusion of natives from the
public service .... 228
1793 War between France and Eng-
land ; capture of Pondicherry 229
1793 Lord Cornwallis returns to Eng-
land 229
1784 Progress of Sindia's power . . 229
17^5 He demands the ctouttor Bengal,
and fleeces the Rajpoots . . 280
1788 Delhi plundered and the emperor
deprived of sight by Gholam
Khadir 230
1791 General de Boigne raises a Sepoy
army for Sindia ; he defeats the
Rajpoots 231
1792 Sindia proceeds to Poona where
he becomes paramount . . 232
1794 His death 232
1793 The Company's charter renewed
for twenty years . • . . 283
SECTION III.
1793 Sir John Shore Governor-General 233
1794 Mahratta designs on the Nizam 234
1794 Sir John Shore's feeble policy . 234
1795 All the Mahratta princes march
against tho Nizam . , .286
XV111
CONTENTS
A.D. PAGE !
1795 He is routed at Kurdla and
obliged to pay three crores . 235
1795 The Peshwa dest i oys himself . 236
1797 Three years of anarchy at Poona ;
Bajee Rao the last of the
Peshwas 2'56
1796 Second mutiny of the European
officers 236
1796 Sir John Shore quails before it,
and is superseded . . . 237
1797 Lord Cornwallis sworn in as Go-
vernor-General . . . . 2V7
1797 The ministry concede the de-
mands of the officers and he
throws up the appointment . 237
1797 Sir John Shore's proceedings at
Lucknow 2.J8
1798 He embarks for England . . 239
210
CHAPTER VIII.
SECTION I.
1798 Lord Wellesley Governor-General
State of India on his arrival
1 70S IT ••;.,• il- .- - • * i • )o; the
1798 Embarrassments of Lord Wel-
lesley ; he breaks up the system
of isolation : his negotiations
with tho native princes . .-'42
1798 New treaty with the Nizam . . 2 12
1798 Proposed treaty with the Peshw.t
rejected by him .... 243
1798 Extinction of the French force
at Hyderabad . . . .245
1798 Bonaparte lands in Egypt . 2 1 1
*::•••" ' n - -vith Tippoo .214
!"..•.• M • ' ' . • • / from .Madras ^45
1799 Tippoo attacks the Bombay army
and is defeated . . . . 2 15
17'99 Defeat of Tippoo at M ilavelly . 2r,
1799 Senngapatam captured ; extinc-
tion of Hyder's dynasty . . 216
1799 Remarks on the campaign . . '2 17
1799 Consequent security of the
Deccan 2 17
1799 Restoration of the old family of
Mysore .... 2 18
SECTION II.
1800 The Nizara cedes territory and
forms a subsidiary alliance . 2 itt
1800 State of the Carnatic . . . 250
Clandestine and hostile corn s-
pondence of the Nabobs with
Tippoo 2:,1
1801 The Nabob mediatized and the
Carnatio becomes a British
province . . . . .251
1800 Captain Malcolm's embassy to
Persia 202
1800 Expedition to the Red Sea . . 252
1802 Peace of Amiens ; Bonaparte
sends a grand armament to
Pondicherry .... 253
1800 Demand on the Nabob of 0 ide . 264
1801 He makes a new treaty and cedes
half his territories . . 255
A.B. PAG!
1800 J'-'.-il * -.M :.• •:! of the College of
1 • U . run .... 25*
1798 Encouragement ifivon by Lord
Wellesley to Free Trade . . 257
1801 Disputes between him and the
Court ...... 257
1802 He tenders his resignation . . 268
1802 Is requested to remain another
year ; its consequences . . 250
SUCTION III.
1800 Death of Nana Kurnaveso at
Poona ami its effect . . .
Histoiy of thi- Holkar family .
1795 Death of Avlah b>«; her exem-
plary and vigorous administra-
tion ......
1795 Early iareer of Joswunt Rao
Holkar .....
1800 Rise and progress of Amcor Khan
1801 .Joins Holkar; their depredations
1801 H-tlkar ravages Smdia's terri-
tories ......
1801 Simlia defeats Holkar, and de-
spoils Imlorc ....
1802 Holkar marches on Poona and
defeats the Peshwa and Sintlia
1802 The Peshwa takes refuse at Has-
sein ......
18«2 He signs tho treaty of Bassein .
18o,> Siudia and tho raja of Nairpons
take umbrage and resolve on
war ......
1803 General We!l« sley invest e<l uith
full powers in the Deccan .
SECTION IV.
1803 Lord Wellesley's vigorous propa-
25<J
259
260
260
261
261
261
262
26.'i
26,'
1803 Grind military organization of
Lord Wellesley .... 2i>«'
1803 General \Vellesley captures Ah-
ISO.HJecisive h.iltlf of Ass>e . .
18U.J Siii<ha lostN all hin posbessions in
tho Deccan .....
His strong position in ihmlostnn
1803 Geru ral Lake captures All)gurh
1803 His victory before- Delhi . .
1803 Outers Delhi and resfoies the
rojal I an nly . . .
1803 Gains the battle of Lasuairo .
180.J General Wellesley defeats the raja
of Nagpoie at Argauni . .
1HO.J Treaty of Dcogaum with him .
1M03 Humiliation of Sindia , si^nsthe
treaty of Sujce Anj^ngaum .
1803 The war which produced th' so
brilliant results lasts only flvo
months . . . . .
1803 Treaties, Of alliance \vith tho
princes of Hindostan . . .
SECTION V.
180iHolkar's wildriess and his en-
croachments ....
180 i Lord Wellesley declares \\ ar .
267
2H7
267
26s
26s.
2H'.i
26JJ
26 >
270
271
CONTENTS
XIX
A.D. 1'AGL
1804 Colonel Monson imprudently
inarches into his territories . 272
1804 HJH ignominious retreat to Agra . 272
18(H Holkar advances to Muttra . . 27-'t
180* He besieges Delhi, but is repulsed
by Colonel Ochterlony . . 273
1804 Lays wat»te the Company's terri-
tories and is pursued by Gtone-
ral Lake 274
18(H His armv defeated at Peog . 274
Ib05 .Sieire of Bhurtpore; its disastrous
failure* 274
1805 Hostile attitude of Sindia and his
conlcdi rates . . . 275
Ih05 Their movements .... 270
1805 Lord \VeIlenley superseded by
I ord Corn wall is .... 276
1806 Character ol his administration . 277
180S Attempt to impeach him . .278
Thnty years alter the Director
pass the hiuhest eulogiuni on
him 27H
CHAPTER IX
i$K-IION I.
I SOS Lord Coniwalhs a second tune
IHOr. Kc\erses I/ord A\ elle,iley's policy .
1S05 Expires at (.hazecpore
1805 Sir (ieorgc Barlow succeeds him,
and n(ioptM Ins line o! policy
1805 Lord Lak»- chases Holkar into the
Punjab .
1805 Sir f.eorne Barlow mak<s great
eoneeAbions to Smdm and Hol-
kar ....
1H<»5 Je\ pore and Boon d»vc abandoned
to tin1 nnages of Holkar .
180ri Anarchy often years through the
reversal of Lord \Vclle»le>"s
poltcv . ....
1H07 Desolation of Ra)pootana
ISM Sir (forge's- vigorous policy at
Hyderabad and Pooim
IHOtt Rrstmation of tin- finances
ISOflTho Vellore Mutiny
isort Cause of the mutiny
ISOG Recall of Lord William lieu-
tmck from Madras
IHOO Mutiny visited on the millen-
aries ......
1807 Sir George Barlow's appointment
a.s Governor-General cancelled
by the Ministry . . . .
SFCTION II.
1807 Lord Minto Governor-General . 288
1807 Anarchy in Bundlocund , viKor-
ous policy of Lord Mm to . . 200
Karly curetir of ttunjci't Sing in
the Punjab ..... 2tM)
1800 His encroachments across the
Sutlej ...... 290
1808 Appeal of the chiefa to Govern-
ment against him . . . °'.U
I 1808 Mr. Metcalfe sent on a mission to
Lahore 291
1808 Runjeet Smjc ordered to retire . 292
i 1808 His reluctant submission . . 29:j
1SO.J Mr. Klphinstone'sembaAsv to Ca-
i bul 29M
I 1809 T I ].r vesni,«,n vo . . . .294
! 1808 Li. i" .- -M-M of French influ-
j ence. in Persia . . . .294
1808 Sir Marford Jones sent as envoy
from the Crown to Teheran';
he concludes a treaty . .291
1809 Lord Minto bonds Colonel Mal-
colm envoy on the part of the
Company 295
SECTION III
1809 Ameer Khan invades Naitpore
and Lord Minto M-nds aid to
the ra?a 296
1807 Sir (i Barlow Governor of Ma-
dras 297
1809 Third mutiny of the European
officers 297
18U9 It is inflamed by his intemp r-
Jtnee and quelled by his firm-
ness 299
1810 ReeaJl of Sir George Bnrlow . 299
180l» Suppn x».um of piracy amon^ the
Arabs .... . 300
Depredations of French pnva-
t«i'i> (or llfteen je.irs in the
east* r»i seas . ... 301
1810 Capture of the Mauritius and
Bourbon . . 301
SECTION IV
1811 Expedition to Java . . .802
1811 Capture of Fort Cornells and con-
quest of the island . . . 803
1812 Lord Minto superseded on the
pressure of the Pi •'.< •• R-s.—i ' 304
Connection of the I1 • lisnvii *,;•.
the, Mahratta princes . . . ,'W4
Their leaders 3«*5
Thnr system of plunder . . J>03
1811 They plunder to the pate* of Nag-
pore . . H06
1812 Their first inroad into the Com-
pany's territories . . . 806
1818 Lord Mm to's vigorous represen-
tations to the Court of Direc-
tors 3<X
Character of his administration . 307
1*12 Negotiations for the new Charter 307
1813 Demand of free trade by the ma-
nufacturers and merchants of
England 301
1813 Opposed by the Court of Direc-
tors 308
1813 They bring forward witnesses to
support their monopoly . . $09
1M \ The question of Indian missions . 809
IMS India thrown open to the enter-
prise of the nation, and to the
labours of missionaries . Sift
CONTENTS
CHAPTER X.
SECTION I.
A.J>. PAGE
1813 Marquis of Hastings Governor-
General 810
1813 Stale of India <m liis arrival . . 311
1813 Do-cnpli- in ofNopiml . . .311
Rise and progress of the Goork-
has 311
Their encroachments . . . 312
1818 Lord Minto proposes a confer-
ence 812
1814 L • ". If1,- i'»- demands the
• •• . . . the usurped dis-
tricts 312
1814 The Goorkhas determine on war
—the extent of their forces . 313
1814 Lord Hastings obtains a loan from
the Nabob of Oude . . . 313
1814 Plan of the campaign . . . 314
1814 Total failure of three divisions . 314
1814 Disastrous effect of these re-
verses on the native mind . . 315
1815 Successful operations of General
Ochterlony 316
1815 The Nepaul cabinet sues for
peace, but refuses to ratify the
treaty 317
1816 Second campaign of General
Ochterlony, and conclusion of
peace 317
SECTION II.
The Psitanb mid Piiiilarws ratiw
Central India . . . . 318 i
1814 Lord Hastings's earnest represen-
tations to the court . . .318
1814 Pr- p M C\ -A", ai tv A .\\\ Bhopal . 319
1815 Mfiii- a: I'Ofiia •• Irimbukjee
Danglia 320
1S15 Guiiirorihiir ShaM r<v iii«» minister
of the Ga.kuar ir.ii'dered by
him— and he is placed in con-
finement 321
1815 Lord Hastings's renewed repre-
sentations regarding the Pin
darees 321
1816 They plunder the British district
of Guntoor 322
l*:rt S.,. - . •;.•""«.• ,•• w Lt-iN.'iKp »!•<• 322
I?-!'1 I'1 :, »i-i ii V • wuh Jeypore,
rejected by the raja . . . 323
1816 The Court of Directors forbid
any operations against the Pin-
darees, and afterwards sanction
them 323
1816 Greatest expedition of the Pin-
darees 324
1817 Resolution to exterminate them 324
1817 Sindia promises to co-operate in
this work 325
1817 Hostility of Bajee Rao . . . 325
1817 Heavy penalty inflicted on him . 325
Anarchy in Holkar's court, from
his death in 1811 to 1817 ; domi-
nation of the soldiery . . 320
SECTION III.
A.U. PAOH
1817 Lord Hastings revives the policy
• T. -nl \v, IW.o.v, and fori.H
H...I.I <*i suit lit IK I'jimo prn.rs JJ27
1817 Peshwa forms a confederacy
against the Company . . 328
1817 Great extent of Lord Hastings's
military preparations . . 328
1817 Sindia signs a new treaty . . 329
1817 Ameer Khan's power dissolved . 329
1817 Peshwa breaks out ; attacks Mr.
Elphmstone, is totally defeated;
his power extinguished . . 380
1817 Raja of \aiEpon> bnink.s out ; at-
tacks tin- Iti-o'.'icr.ri , totally
defeated at Seetabuldeo . . 331
1818 He is deposed and escapes . . 33'J
1817 Holkar's army defeated at Mehid-
pore 383
1818 Pursuit and eitinction of the Pin-
darees 384
1818 Magnitude and results of the
campaign 335
1818 Victory of Korygaum . . . 885
1818 The Peshwa surrenders ; sent to
Bithoor 336
1819 Capture of remaining forts . . 886
SECTION IV.
1819 Mr. Canning's ungracious speech
in the Commons .... 337
Unworthy treatment of Lord
Hastings by the Directors . 337
1818 IT- « <•• .mrf.-i :•„.«.!... . . 338
1818 I: •- ,:• .". ;i I • ".- |M».s . . 389
1816 Disturbances in Cuttaok . . 339
Financial prosperity and territo-
rial increase .... 340
Affairs at Hyderabad; the con-
tingent 841
Administration of Chundoo lall . 342
1818 Loans mado by Palmer & Co. . 842
1820 Sir VV. Rurabold joins the firm . 343
1821 Sir C. Metcalfe's remonstrance
about**1 1 i i»''V«"'i !ik-x . . 34ft
1822 The loans paid ulf . . . .844
1823 Lord Hastings returns to Eng-
land 344
1823 Chaiv i. • • • : 'i a-li:. !-iM rut M 344
1824 His ::• : ..••• : M l:ir h ,:ia Il-'MM- 345
CHAPTER XI.
SECTION I.
1823 Lord AmherstGovernor-General 346
1823 Mr. Adam, while officiating, per-
secutes the press . . . 846
182* Ruin of Mr. Burkmtth.im . . 347
1822 Progress of the Burmese from 1811
to 1822 847
1822 The king demands the cession
of eastern Bengal . . .347
1828 Origin of the Hurrneso war . . 848
•ijfc \ini- if « :.< «iii (if I'M1 »'n:i.| aiiin .849
!>• l.SiUM.fch. <-!':ii.>iinr.ii!:.<"ii . .840
1824 The army paralysed At Rangoon
by disease JJ5C
CONTENTS
XXI
AJ>. PAGE
1825 Conquest of Assam and Aracan . 360
1825 Second campaign and negotia-
tions for peace .... 351
*826 Treaty of Yandaboo ; territorial
cessions 352
1824 Sepoy mutiny at Barrackpore . 353
1825 Bhurtpore; usurpation of Door-
jun Sal 354
IR.Vi ^n K<- ai*d capture of Bhurtpore 356
Ih28 FH.H.HCIHI results of Lord Am-
herst'b administration . . 356
SECTION II.
1828 Lord William Bentinck Gover-
nor-General . . . .357
1828 Reduction of allowances . . 8f»7
1S28 The half batta order . . .358
18.28 Examination of rent-free tenure* 36'.)
1831 Insurrection of Teetoo Meer . 360
1832 The Cole Insurrection . . .360
1H.J2 Annexation of Caolmr . . . Ml
1834 Conquest and annexation of Coorg o62
Lord W. Bentmck's non-inter-
vention policy .... 362
18.JO Mi-conduct of the Mysore raja . 303
1832 The management of the country
assumed by Lord W. Bcntinck '*63
1834 Misgovern men t of Joudpore . 36i
1 8.J5 Complications at Jey pore . .365
M -rf. i. r. :.e- l in Oude . . 365
llnk!:i. M-u: 11 . . . .366
1833 The Directors authorize Lord
William to assume the govern-
ment of Oude . . . .366
Conquests of Runjeet Sing . . 367
His French officers . . . 367
1823 His confliets with the Afghans . 368
1827 His intercourse with Loid Am-
hcrst 368
1830 The present of the dray-horses . 369
1ft. 1 Resources of Bunjoet Sing . .369
1831 Meeting with Lord W. Bentinck
at Rooptir 370
1832 Lord W. Bentmck's treaty with
Sinde . .... 371
SECTION III.
1831 Lord W. Bentinck's administra-
tive reforms . . 371
1831 The judicial courts . 372
1831 Revenue settlement . 373
1831 Employment of natives . 373
1829 Abolition of suttee . 37*
1830 Suppression of thuggee . 37 rt
1830 Steam communication . 377
1833 Education ; triumph of English 379
1835 The Medical College . . 379
1835 Financial results of his adminis-
tration '80
1835 Character of his administration . 380
1833 The Charter and its arrangements 381
1835 The govern or- generalship in dis-
pute 382
18S5 The new tr- ve: ••:•:: f Agra . 383
1835 Sir 0. Meteaifo governor-general
ad tntcritn 383
A.D. PAOB
1835 He establishes the liberty of the
press 883
1836 Displeasure of the Court of Direc-
tors; he retires from the ser-
vice 384
CHAPTER XII.
SECTION I.
1836 Lord Auckland, Governor-Gene-
ral 386
1&34 Shah Soojah invades Afghanistan 385
1835 Runjeet Sing's desigi s on Si.nie 385
18'i5 He seizes on Peshawur . . . 385
18.16 Dost Mahomed appeals to Lord
Auckland 386
1837 Russian influence in Persia . 387
18.17 Persian expedition to Herat . 388
1837 Lord Auckland proceeds to Simla,
his cabinet of secretaries . .389
1837 Captain Burnes's mission to Cabul 389
1837 Russian envoy arrives at Cabul . 390
1838 Captain Burnes obliged to retire 391
1838 Expedition to depose Dost Ma-
homed and place Shah Soojah
on the throne .... 891
18>8 Expedition universally con-
demned 892
1&H8 Exertions of Lieut. Pottinger at
Herat .... .898
1838 Siege of Herat raised and the
Persians retire .... 394
SECTION II.
1 888 Meeting of Runjeet Sing and Lord
A mherst 395
1&J8 The army of the Indus . . 395
1K.19 Coercion of the Ameers of Sindo . 396
1889 Advance of thoarrny to Candahar 397
18.S9 Capture of Ghuzni . . .397
1M<9 Dost Mahomed flies ; Shah Soojah
enters Cabul . . . .898
1839 Determination to occupy Afgha-
nistan 399
1M-0 Honours bestowed . . .899
1839 Death and character of Runjeet
Sing 400
1H40R..1- »•:.,• •: , '.'»':. !s . •!.- s K.1 \n 400
1H40 li .— a:: -. i; •, •,).; ,/i: i i h1 .»», .(»
failure 401
1839 The Bala Hissar given up to the
Shah's zenana . . . .402
1840 Unpopularity of the English . 402
1840 Movements of Dost Mahomed;
he surrenders to the envoy . 403
SECTION III.
1840 Major Todd envoy at Herat ; ob-
liged to retire . . 404
1840 General Nott and Major Rawlin-
son at Candahar . . . 40 f
1841 Universal spirit of discontent in
Afghanistan ... .401
1841 Court of Directors advise retire-
XX11
CONTENTS
A.I>. PAGE
ment ; Loitl Auckland resists
it, and orders retrenchment 406
1841 Outbreak of the revolt , the
passes closed . . . .407
1841 Insurrection in Cabul ; Sir. A.
Burnes murdered . . . 4<>8
1841 Utter incapacity of General El-
phinstone 409
1841 Progress of tho revolt ; daily dis-
asters 410
1841 Brigadier Shelton's perverse ob-
stinacy 411
1841 Last engagement; the army
cooped up in the cantonments 411
SECTION IV.
184lAkbar Khan assumes the com-
mand 412
1841 Negotiations with the enemy ;
starvation in the encampment
1841 Disgraceful treaty of the llth De-
cember; arrogance of the Af-
ghans
1841 Treaty violated
1841 The envoy envciglod and mur-
dered
1841 Major Pottmger assumes the com-
mand; makes a new treaty,
which is violated
1842 The army 4,500 btrongwith 11.000
camp followers begin its 1. 1 1 e at
1842 It is entirely annihilated, with
the exception of one officer and
120 hostages and prisoners
1842 Depression of Lord Auckland
1842 Want of energy in the Com-
mander-in-chief ....
1842 Close of Lord Auckland's melan-
choly reign
412 I
410
418
CHAPTER XIII.
SECTION I.
1842 Lord Ellenborough Governor-
General
1842 General Pollock arrives at the
Khyber with reinforcements .
1812 He reaches Jellalabad .
1841 General Sale with his column
reaches Jellalabad from Cabul
and fortifies it
1842 Akbar Khan blockades it .
1843 He is totally defeated .
1842 '.--..: ' T ,.• ••• ••",' V ,
». . V .j : i.1 * .
har
1842 Lord JY i-b»- ir-
1842 Shah boojan muruereu ai i^aoui .
1842 Condition of the hostages and tho
prisoners
1842 They are sent to the Hindoo
Coosh
1842 Akbar Khan defeated at Tezoen .
1842 General Pollock enters Cabul .
1842 General Nott on his march to
Cabul blows up the fortifica-
tions of Ghuzni ....
419
427
.
1842 Energv of Major Pottinger, arid
rescue of the prisoners . . 42&
1842 Destruction of Istahff, and of the
Cabul bazaar . . . .429
1842 The armies return to India . . 42U
1842 Lord Ellenborough's extn ordi-
nary proclamations . . . 430
1842 The grand meeting at Feroze-
pore ...... 430
1842 Conduct of the Ameers of Sinde,
18iiM2 ...... 431
1842 New tic.ity proposed by Colonel
Outnm ..... 432
1842 Sir Chailes Napier arrives with
full military and diplomatic
powers ...... 432
184! His violent ami unjust condiK t
towards the Araeet s . . .433
1842 He, compels them to assemble at
a conference at Hyderabad . 4:*4
1812 Exaspeiation of the chiefs, the
people, and the soldiery. . 431
1S43 Battle of Meeanee; total defeat
of the Beloches . , . .485
IRft B.ittlenf Duppa .... W5
lSJ3Lord Ellenborough annexes
Sindtj ...... 43,')
SECTION III.
1814 Mutiny of the native regiments .
1N4.J State of affairs at Gwahor .
1843 Insubordination of the armv .
1813 ConfuMim in the Administration .
18 U Lord Ellenbon ugh's umstorly
minute on tho subject . .
1843 He demands security for the
safety of tho frontier . , .
1843 He proceeds in person to the
capital with th< army . .
1843 Battles of Maharajpore and Pun-
mar ......
1844 New arrangements for tho king-
dom ......
1844 Lord Ellenborough recalled by
tho Court of Directors . .
1844 His improvements . . .
437
437
439
489
440
441
441
442
SECTION IV.
1844fLord Hanlinge Governor-Gene-
ral, his antecedents . . 412
Series of revolutions in tho Pun
jab after the death of Runjeet 441
18-13 Insubordination of the army 444
1814 The army overawes tho Govern
ment and plunders Golab Sing
and Moolraj ..... 445
1845 Ranee Jhindun regent; LallSing
minister; Tcj Sing general . 445
18-15 English troop* massed on the
frontier ..... 440
ISto Raneo and the ministers launch
the Khalsa army on the British
territories ..... 44*1
184560,000 Sikh soldiers and 40,000
well-armed followers cross the
Sutlej ...... 416
1845 Sir John Lit tier's critical position
at Feroeepore . . 447
CONTENTS
XX111
L.D. PAOK
1845 Battle of Moodkee , . . .4-17
1845 Battlo of Forozcbhuhur . . .449,
1845 The whole Sikli force recrosses
tho Sutlej 1";0 j
1 846 Battle cTAlhwal . . . .450,
184*3 Decisive battle of Sobraon . .461
18W Tho Punjab prostrated ; Lahore
occupied by tho British army . 152
l-fc-1 T • • • - - incuts of Sir
il • ,-. .... 153
1840 His settlement of the Punjab . 45 5
181(5 A second settlement in Decem-
ber r.t
18tii Reduction of tho Company's
army 455
Me.isiiros of improvement 1814
to 18-17 4$r>
1848 Lord Hatdinge retires fr m the
Government . . . 457
PAGE
country dKarmod , slavery, da-
coity, and thuggee put down . 471
Roads, canals, and other improve-
ments, and their result
1852 Oppiet«hi\e conduct ot the Bur-
CHAPTKR XIV.
Sun ION I.
1848 Loid Dnlhousie <;ovcinor-<i««ne-
ral .......
18V* Moolraj revolts at Mooltan and
murders two olfled-M .
1818 Inactivity of the Conimaiid< i -in-
Chief ' .....
1848 Lieutenant Edwardt x defeat M
Moolraj t\Mce, and shuts him
up in Mooltin ....
1818 A column dtspitclu d to lux sup-
port under (i.-neral Whish
18t8 The General invests Mooltaii
ISlSShcre SIIIK revolts and joins
Moolraj . . . . .
18W The General waits three months
for reinforcements
184* Spread of tho r« volt
1H4S Shore Sing joins his father Chut -
ter Sniir and collects a lartre
nrmv ... . .
1848 Lord OoiiKh takes the field,
strength of his armv, engage-
ment at llaiiuui^is'iir
ISVS KiiK!»Kement of Sadoolaporo
ISkH Hnt ish ai my inactive for MX
Werks ......
1810 Calamitous battle at CluUian-
wallsv .....
1840 It entaila the recall of Lord
1840 Appointment of Sir Charles Na-
pier . .....
SK<TION II.
1848 SieKo of Aha. Il an renewed . . 4ff>
184'.) Captured after a fearful resist-
ance, 4M
1849 Victory of (iiwrat . . .40,8
1849 Sikh army diNHi-lved . . . 4^8
184U The Punjab annexed . . .469
Lord D:vlhouMe'> arrangements
for its Government . . .470
The, bonier tribes curbed; tho
. 472
. 472
1852 Sixty pun frigate sent to demand
icdres**, which is refused . .473
1853 Loid Dalhousic organises tho
Burmese expedition ill person. 474
18511 Pffru confiscated .... 475
SEC i ION III.
\nnexatioii jiolicy attributed to
Lord JDalhousie, its origin 111
1841 476
1848 Case of Satara. referred to the
Court of Directors . . .477
184i» The> refuse the r sanction to
the n^'ht of adoption; they lay
down the lau on the subject . 477
is"* \ CaM> of the raja of Na^pore . . 478
is.'V Principality <>1 Jhansi annexed . 478
1S5; Title and di^intK s of the Nabob
of the Cainatic extuifruish<d . 479
is:..; Settlement of the Nizam's debts
ami of the im of the Contin-
gent 480
SECTION IV.
Chrome misrule m Oudo . . 480
1^51 (Colonel Meeman's report on (hide 481
lH5"i (Jei,«>r;il <>utr4im's repot t . . 482
Lord Dalhousic's minute . . 482
iSftfl Annexation of Oude . . . 48-i
ls5<» Loid Duliiousie'Nnnlitarv reforms 4W
185.'l He < xtahlithcs a low and uniform
p<»stairo i84
1S51 The (iaiws Canal . . . 48i
1V>3 His minute on railroads . . 485
^51J He establishes the electric tele-
graph 4^6
KM Character of his administration . 4*>7
S^The new charttr . . . .489
cnArn:u xv.
SECTION I.
lvS5»'» I^ord Canning *i'n< rnor-Gk'neral 489
1«50> Disaffection in Oudo . . . 4W
lST,(v Discontent at Delhi . . .491
185i5 State of the native army . .491
1857 The greased cartridges *. . .492
„ Terror and indignation of the
sepoys 403
,, 1'aucitv of European troops . 4M
,, Conspiracy for a general revolt . 44>4
„ Outbnist at Mecrut, May 10 . 4!>5
,. Ma,sH.u-re of the Europeans . . 1U5
„ llebelhon at Delhi ; proclamation
of the emperor .... 4^6
„ Pioceediiigs at Lahore; the
Sepovs tlisarmcd . . . 497
,. Active measures at other stations
in the Punjab . . . .499
,1 Proposal to abandon reatu^ur .4??
XXIV
CONTENTS
SECTION II.
A.D. PAGE
1857 Sir Henry Lawrence at Lucknow 600
„ General revolt of Sepoys in Oude 500
„ Death of Sir Henry Lawrence . 501
,, State of the Cawnpore garrison .601
„ Massacre of Europeans at the
Ghaut . . 502
,, Colonel Neill at Benares . 503
„ Massacre of officers at Allahabad,
and plunder of the town . . 504
,. General Havelock arrives at Alla-
habad 505
„ He repeatedly defeats the Sepoys 505
„ JJana Sahib murders 200 Euro-
pean women and children . 505
„ Havelock advances twice to the
relief of Lucknow, and retires 507
„ Lucknow relieved by Outram and
Havelock .... 508
SECTION III.
1857 Death of Generals Anson and
Bernard .... 508
„ ? , T " " ' • 500
rence to send reinforcements
from the Punjab . . 510
,, Assault and capture of Delhi . 510
„ The king banished to Bunnah . 511
„ Result of the capture of Delhi .511
„ Relief of Agra . . .511
„ Sir Colin Campbell relieves Luck-
now 612
„ Death of General Havelock .512
„ Disaster of General Wmdham 512
1858 Campaign against the mutineers
m Central India . . .514
„ Capture of Gwalior by the rebels,
and its recovery . . . 615
SECTION IV.
1868 The Dooab cleared of rebels . 616
„ Sir C Campbell captui es Lucknow 517
„ Lord Canning confiscates the land
in Oude . . 517
„ Extinction of the mutiny . .518
„ Causes of the mutiny . . .520
„ Extinction of the East India
Company . . 521
f| The Crown assumes the Govern-
ment of India . . . .521
„ The Queen's proclamation . . 622
SECTION V.
18 9 Remodelling of the Supreme
Council, and appointment of
Legislative councils at the three
presidencies . . . .623
„ The Punjab regiments embark for
China 623
„ Extinction of the Company's
European army and navy . 523
., Indigo riots in Bengal . . .524
1860 Finances of India, Mr. Wilson
financial member of Council . 525
A.D PAOF
1800 The penal code passed ; and the
code of civil and criminal pro-
cedure 625
,, Now airangement with the Nizam 625
1861 Supreme and Sudder courta
united .... 625
1862 Death of Lord Canning . .626
,, Lord El^m Governor-General . 626
1863 His death . . 626
„ Distu) bances on Afghan frontiei . 626
1864 Sir John Lawrence Governor-
General . . . 527
,, Wealth poured into India by the
export of cotton . . . 627
1865 Failiue of the Bank of Bombay 527
„ The Bootaa Wai .... 5'27
,, The tenancy question . . 5'28
1866 The famine m Orissa . . .528
1867 Mysore lestored to the native
family . ... 529
1868 Sir J. Lawrence's Afghan policy . 52l>
,, His minute on canals . . . 52(J
,, Lord Mayo Governor - General ,
his Afghan policy; his state
railways . . . 5MO
1872 His death . . 530
,, Lord Northbrook Governor-Gen-
eral . . . 530
„ Russian progress in Central Asia 63 o
1873 Their occupation of Khiva . . 6IJO
,, Agreement between English and
Russian Governments . 631
,, Precautions against threatened
famine 631
1874 Failure of two crops , and public
works begun to employ sufferers 531
„ Unsettled state of Afghanistan . 532
,, Corrupt government of Gaikwar
of Bdioda, attempt to poison
the Resident ... 532
1875 Hts trial and deposition . 532
,, Lord Hobart Goveinor of Mad
ras; Inn death . 532
„ Lord Lytton Governor-General 533
,, Prim e of Wales viMt* lu<i id, 63.;
1876 Invests native princes with Star
of India f>3:',
1877 The Queen assumes the title ot
Empress of India 5'i l
,, Another famine , great loss of
hie 584
,, Death of Jung BahaJoor ot Ne-
paul . .... 536
,, Expedition against the Jowakis . 535
1878 Native soldiers sent to Malta . 535
,, Russian Embassy at Cabul . . 535
,, English Embassy turned back at
Ali Musjid ; and war declared
against the Ameer . . . 535
,, Captui e of Ah Musjid and Can-
dahar . . . . 63«
1879 Death of Shore Ali ; succession of
hm son Yakoob Khun . . 53<5
,, Treaty concluded at Gandamuk . 636
„ Major Cavagnan unpointed Envoy f>36
,, Hia murder 537
M Occupation of Cabul, and leposi-
tion of Yakoob Khan . . 537
CONTENTS
xx\
A.D. PAGE
1880 Wall Mohammed appointed mili-
tary governor of Cabul . . 537
„ Two candidates for the throne of
Afghanistan . . . .537
„ Shore Ali declared ruler of Can-
duhar . . 538
,, Disaffection shown by Bengal
soldiers in Candahar at their
long absence fiom India;
marched back to India; at
Ahmed Khel opposed by 10,000
insurgents, whom they finally
repulsed . . . 538
„ Change of Ministry in England;
intention to evacuate Afghan-
istan 538
„ Abdul Rahman pi oelaimed Ameer
of Northern Afghanistan . . 539
,, Ajoob Khan advances towaidj
Candahar with a large body of
troops .... 530
„ Battle of Maiwand, and defeat ol
the Butish . . . .539
,, Genera) Roberts starts to raise
the sie^o of Candahar . .539
„ His celebrated niaich on Canda-
liar , the abandonment of the
biege ; attack on A\oobs po-
sition ; hin whole loice com-
pletely routed .... 640
1881 British troops withdrawn from
the Khurrani Valley aii'l Khyber
Pass; Candahar and the sur-
rounding country e\aeuated;
and the fortified post-, made
over to Abdul Rahman . . 540
,, Financial blundering , discontent
felt in India at Wing saddled
with the hea\\ cost ot the \\ar 641
1879 Government puichase the Last
Indian Hallway . 541
,, Enactment that a reitam propor-
tion of natms might be ap-
pointed to tho covenanted ('ml
Service by the Indian Govern-
ment ... . Ml
,, Depredations of the Nagas ; their
tinal subjugation . . .541
,, Chastisement of the Wa/ins .542
1881 First, imperial census taken . 542
,, Anarch v in Upper Burmah . 542
,, Ayoob Khan a^am occupies Can-
dahar ; totally o\ci thrown by
Abdul Rahman . . . 512
,, Natuie of Lord Ripon's adminis-
tration 54:1
1882 Despatch of an Indian contingent
to take pait in Lord Wolseley's
expedition to Egypt . . .543
1883 Death of ^ir Salar Jung . . 543
„ Arrival of H II. H the Duke of
Connnught in India . 643
,, Introduction of tlie Ilbcrt Bill ,
its nature , causes an outbieak
of race feeling and animosity ;
finally withdrawn . . 544
,, Border laids on the North-West
Frontier; completion of the
bridge over tho Indus at Attock 644
18bi Merv occupied by the Russians;
their encroachments on Persia
and Afghanistan ; appointment
of a Commission to mark the
Afghan boundary . . . 545
„ The Russians push forward the
Jollifications of Merv and
.Saiakhs, continue to mass
1 1 oops at Askabad and Sarakhs ;
and finally advance into Afghan •
u intory ..... 545
18S,rj A< tion fought between the Rus-
sians and Afghans ; the hitter
totally defeated; Penjdeh an-
i exed by Russia . . . 640
,, Ex< itement cieat.< d in India and
England by the Penjdeh in-
cident , preparations for war
made , England's warlike atti-
tude and the Ameer's firmness
cause the Russians to assume a
more pacific tone . . .546
,, Renew al of negotiations for the
delimitation of the Afghan
frontier ; its final adjustment 546
,, Meeting between Abdul Rahman
and Lord DuflTerm, and its re-
Milts .... -547
,, Misgovernment of King Theebaw
in Uppei Burmah ; a British
foi ce sent against him 547
,, He surrenders ; he and his family
sent to Rangoon, and Upper
Bu rni ah annexed to the British
Empire . . 547
18S6 Distnibed state of Upper Burmah 548
,, Fortress of Gwahor restored to
Smdia . ... 548
,, Fall in the value of the rupee, and
its consequences . . 548
1S87 Celebration of the Queen's Jubi-
lee . . 649
,, First meeting of the "National
Congress" . . 549
1888 Abdul Kahman's strong rule in
Afghanistan , . 549
M Disputes between tho Imperial
Government and Tibet respect-
ing Sikkun ; an Imperial force
sent to compel the cession of
Lintftu . .549
,, Negotiations entered into with
China, the suzerain of the
llamas ; a treaty finally con-
cluded . .550
,, National Congiess held at Alla-
habad , . 550
„ Resignation of Lord Dufferm .550
,, Created Marquis of Dufferm and
AN a in recognition of his dis-
tinguished serxice* . , . 650
1889 Two expeditions to the Chin-
Lushai countiy . . 660
„ Abdication of the Maharajah of
Cashmere .... 660
,, The i ail way on the North- West
Frontier completed . . 651
1S90 Tho Khojak Tunnel, 12,600 feet
long, finished . . . .661
XXVI,
CONTENTS
A.D. PAGE
-1890 Frontier defences pushed on ; and
the harbours of Bombay, Cal-
cutta, Karachi, and Rangoon
fortified .... 551
„ The Indian ~ • , •• •< u1 Bombay
visited bv M 1$ >• >l 551
„ Visit of H.R.H tne late Duke of
Clarence to India ; and resigna-
tion of the Duke of Connaught
as Commander-in-Chief of the
Bombay army . . . .551
1891 The tribes of the Black Mountains
subdued , aggressiveness of the
Russians 551
,, Disturbance in Mampur ; the
ruler, or "Jubraj," to be de-
posed 552
AJ>. PAOH
1891 Force sent to arrest him, but he
escapes 662
„ Under pretence of a parley, Mr
Qumton, Mr Grimwood, and
four Bi itish officers barbarously
murdeied 552
,, The Residency attacked by the
Jubraj's troops, and the British
compelled to retreat . . 552
,, The leadeis of the levolt aft 01-
wards taken prisoners ; the
Jubraj and a general executed ;
others transported for life . 152
,, Lieutenant Grant receives the
Victoria Cross and his inajonty 558
,, Imperial census ; increase of pop-
ulation 553
ABRIDGMENT
HISTOBY OF INDIA
CHAPTER I.
SECTION I.
EARLY HISTORICAL NOTICES.
INDIA is bounded on the north and the east by the Himalaya
mountains, on the west by the Indus, and on the south by
the sea. Its length from Cashmere- to Cane ,. , .
*-+ ' t.if* % -1 i i i /» -rr Boundaries
Comonn is 1900 miles ; its breadth irom Kurra- amidivudons
oheein Sinde to Sudha in Assam, 1500 miles. oflndm-
The superficial area is 1,287,000 miles, and the popula-
tion under British and native rule is now estimated at
240,000,000. It is crossed from east to west by the Vindhya
chain of mountains, at the base of which flows the Nerbudda.
The country to the north of this river is generally desig-
nated Hindostan, and that to the south the Deccan.
Hindustan is composed of the basin of the Indus on one
side, and of the Ganges on the other, with the great sandy
desert on the west, and an elevated tract now called
Central India. The Decean has on its northern boundary
a chain of mountains running parallel with the Vindhya,
to the south of which stretches a table-land of triangular
form, terminating at Cape Cornorin, with the western
ghauts on the western coast, and the eastern ghauts, of
minor altitude, on the opposite coast. Between, the ghauts
and the sea lies a narrow belt of land which runs round
the whole peninsula.
India has no authentic historical records before the era of
B
2 ABKEDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA ["CHAP. I.
the Mahomedans. The notices of the earliest period can
Earl histo on^ ^ g^eane^ from the two great epics, which
and chrono- were composed ten or twelve centuries after the
logy. events which they celebrate, and are so overlaid
with the vagaries of an oriental imagination that it is diffi-
cult to extract a few grains of truth from a vast mass of
fable. Between the era of the Muhabharut and the
Ramayun and the arrival of the Musulmans, the rise and
fall of dynasties is to be traced exclusively from coins and
inscriptions, through the researches of antiquarians, whose
conjectures differ so widely from each other that their
theories cannot as yet be accepted with implicit confidence.
The chronology of the Hindoos consists of astronomical
periods, and the successive ages of the world are made to
correspond with the conjunctions of the heavenly bodies,
and are divided into four periods. The first, or sutyu joog,
is therefore, said to have extended to 1,728,000 years ; the
second, or treta joog, to 1,296,000 ; the third, or divapw
joog, to 864,000 ; and the fourth, or Jculee joog, is predicted
to last 432,000 years ; of which 4500 have already expired.
The periods of the first three joogs may therefore be dis-
niissed as altogether imaginary, while the commencement
of the fourth, or present age, corresponding, as it does to a
certain extent, with the authenticated eras of other nations,
is entitled to greater consideration.
Of the original inhabitants of India there is not the
faintest record. To distinguish them from their Aryan
Theabori- conquerors it is usual to designate them Tura-
ttJe^Aryan nians> wno came from across the Indus. By
invasion. Hindoo writers they are described as rakshusus,
usoors, pisaches, hobgoblins and monsters, and it is there-
fore natural to suppose that they must have offered a stern
resistance to the invaders. Some of them doubtless made
their submission, and it is conjectured that they may have
formed the basis of the soodra, or servile caste, which was
probably recruited also from the issue of intercourse with
the victors. But the great body of them retreated to the
forests of the Sone, the Nerbudda, and the Muhanudee,
and to the hills of Sirgooja and Chota Nagpore, and they
are identified with the Bheels, the Meenas, the Coles, the
Santals, the Gonds, and other tribes. In those inacces-
sible fastnesses they have continued to maintain their
primitive barbarism of habits, their language, and their
crude religious observances, with little change amidst the
revolutions which have convulsed India for thirty centuries.
SECT. 1.1 EARLY HISTOBICAL NOTICES 8
At the present time they are supposed to number 12,000,000.
The * fair complexioned Aryans,' the ancestors of the present
Hindoo communities, are believed to have emigrated in a
remote age from some undefined region in Central Asia,
from which other tribes swarmed westward, and spreading
over Europe, laid the foundation of its present nationalities.
The only notices we obtain of them are derived from the
Vedus, the most ancient and sacred of the Hindoo writings,
and more especially from the Rig Vedu, which, however,
consists chiefly of the hymns and invocations which were
traditionally handed down. From them we gather that
the original Aryans crossed the Hindoo Coosh and the
Indus in search of a settlement, bringing with them their
own language, the Sanscrit, and settled in the Punjab, the
cradle of Hindooism. They were devoted to pastoral and
^'jtml\ ."• >"'^ pursuits, worshipped Indra, the god of the
firmament, as the sovereign of the gods, and inferior deities
as the personification of the powers of nature. They do
not appear to have had either idols or temples, and there
was no distinction of castes.
The age of the Vedus was succeeded by what has been
termed the heroic age, when the Aryans extended their
conquests beyond the narrow limits of the Punjab, Rfeeof Brah-
and, expanding to the south and the east, estab- minism.
lished kingdoms at Hustinapore, at Oude, and at Mithila,
under two dynasties, which are distinguished as the solar
and lunar races. It is to this period that the memorable
events celebrated in the Muhabharut and the Ramayun
belong. The Aryan conquerors were of the military caste
of kshetriyus, and the brahmins served them as sacrificial
priests. It has been conjectured that this age of conquest
and progression was favourable to the growth of brahmin-
ism, and that to it belongs the large pantheon of gods
which came into vogue, the institution of caste, and the
introduction of animal sacrifices. The brahmins gradually
advanced their pretensions to a divine origin, and to divine
authority, and at length brought the kshetriyus under
their yoke, and assumed not only supremacy over rajas and
princes, like Pope Hildebrand, but represented even the
deities of the Vedic Aryans as subordinate to them.
Of the events of the heroic age, only two have been res-
cued from oblivion, in the immortal epics of the Muha-
bharut and the Ramayun. These are, the great The Huh*.
war of the two branches of the lunar race, and wuurut.
the expedition of Ramu, a sovereign of the solar race to
B 2
4 AJ8BIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. 1.
the Deccan and Ceylon. The scene of warfare in the
Muhabharut lies in the neighbourhood of -Delhi, while the
kingdom of Ramu lay farther south, and it ' is natural to
conclude that the one preceded the other in point of time.
B.C. The story of the Muhabharut runs thus: The city of
1400 Hustinapore, about sixty miles distant from Delhi, was
governed by the king Pandoo, who in a hunting excursion
woundeol two deer with his arrows, on which they as-
sumed their natural shape, and sprang up as a brahmin
and his wife. The brahmin inflicted a curse on him, of
which he died soon after, leaving five sons, who were
designated the Pandoos. The blind brother of Pandoo,
Dhriturastu, was then placed on the throne, and his wife
gave birth to a progeny of sons, who are called the
Kooroos. The cousins were educated together in the
royal palace, but a feeling of jealousy arose between Yoo-
disteer, the eldest of the Pandoos, and Dooryudhun, the
eldest of the Kooroos, which resulted in the banish-
ment of the former to a city, usually identified with Alla-
habad. There the Kooroos still plotted the destruction of
their relatives, and they were fain to escape to the jungle.
At this period the raja of Punchalu, which cannot, however,
be identified, allowed his daughter Drupudee to perform
the swuywriburu, that is, to make choice of a husband for
herself; and he proclaimed a great tournament, not differ-
ing greatly from the tournaments of the middle ages in
Europe. A pole was fixed in the ground, on the top of
which was placed a goldeu fish, and beneath it a revolving
wheel, and it was proclaimed that whoever succeeded in
directing the arrow through the wheel and piercing the
eye of the fish, should win the queen of beauty. The plain
was covered with the pavilions of noble and princely suitors
and their splendid equipages and retinue ; and, among
them appeared the five Pandoos, in the hutnble guise of
brahmins. One of them, Urjoon, with his bow of * celestial
virtue/ pierced the eye of the fish, and Drupudee threw the
garland round his neck and led him away. Her father,
however, considered himself disgraced by an ignoble
alliance with a brahmin, but was overjoyed when he dis-
covered that the victor was of the noble race of the kshe-
triyus. In accordance with the practice of polyandry
which appears to have been prevalent at the time, she be-
came the wife at once of the five brothers.
The Pandoos returned to Hustinapore in triumph,
and the blind old king offered to divide his kingdom
SECT. L] EARLY HISTORICAL NOTICES 5
between them and his own family, and they proceeded to
the site of the present Delhi, and having over- The battle o!
come the aboriginal inhabitants erected the Kooroo
city of Indruprustha. They were successful in
extending their territory and popular in governing it, and
Yoodistheer, in the pride of his heart, determined to offer a
royal sacrifice, as an assertion of his supremacy. Dooryu-
dhun, the eldest son of the king, envious of the glory ac-
quired by his cousin, invited him to a gambling match,
the ruling passion and the vice of the kshetriyus. In an
evil hour Yoodistheer accepted tho challenge, and staked in
succession, his kingdom, his brothers, himself, and his wife,
and lost them all. The condition of the game was that the
losing party should go into exile in the country for twelve
years and for one year in the city. The Pandoos submitted
to this injunction, and having wandered the prescribed
period in the forest, visiting the hermitages of the holy
sages, determined to demand the restoration of their share
of the kingdom. Dooryudhun haughtily refused their
request^ and they resolved to assert their right by arms.
The contest was one between cousins for the possession of a
quantity of land, which, since their capitals lay within sixty
miles of each, must have been of very limited extent, but
the poet has given loose to his imagination, and princes from
the remotest parts of India, from regions then unknown to
the Aryans, are brought upon the field, and the number
said to have been engaged exceeds in number all the
present inhabitants of the globe ; the chariots and ele-
phants are reckoned by millions ; the plain overflows with
rivers of blood, and whole armies are destroyed by a single
talismanic weapon. The battle doubtless formed one of
the most memorable events of that early period of society,
and it was preserved in tradition and commemorated in
ballads, and, a thousand years after, elaborated into an
epic poem of a hundred thousand couplets, by the illustrious
Vyasu. The conflict, which is said to have raged for eigh-
teen days, ended in the triumph of the Pandoos. Yoodis-
theer was installed raja at Hustinapore, and celebrated his
victory by the proud sacrifice of the horse, the emblem of
universal sovereignty. He and his brothers and their
common wife eventually assumed the character of devotees,
and disappeared in the Himalaya. The real hero of the
Mnhabharut was Krishnu, the son of a cowherd, who
established his kingdom at Dwarka, on the western coast,
married 16,000 wives, and was slain at the fountain of the
6 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA ("CHAP. I.
lotas by the irrepressible Bheels. He was deified after
his death, and placed second, in the Hindoo triad of the
brahminical theogony, which was not completely organised
till centuries after the events of the Muhabharut. The
object of the epic was to identify him, when his worship
was introduced, with those transactions which were among
the most r cherished recollections of the Aryan race, as an
incarnation of the deity.
Between the events commemorated in the Muhabharut
and the Ramayun the Aryans would appear to have burst
The the boundary of their original settlement and ex-
Ramayun. tended their conquests to the south and the east,
B.O. and to have established two kingdoms, the one at Uyodhyu,
i20( or Oude, and the other at Mithila, both designated by way
of distinction the solar race. The order of events in the
Ramayun may be thus epitomized : — Ramu, the hero of the
poem and an incarnation of the deity, was the eldest of
the four sons of Dushuruthu, the king of Oude. Junuka,
the sovereign of the neighbouring kingdom of Mithila, had
a beautiful daughter, Seeta, whom he promised to bestow
on the prince who could bend the bow with which the god
Seeva had destroyed the other gods, and which was pre-
served as an heirloom in the royal armoury. Ramu broke
the bow in the midst and won the princess. The marriage
ceremony was performed by the raja himself, and not by
the priests. E»amu returned to Oude, and was ap-
„ pointed heir apparent ; but the raja's second wife, who had
gained his affection by her beauty, was anxious to obtain
the throne for her own son, Bharutu, and persuaded her
uxorious husband to consent to the banishment of E/amu.
On the morning fixed for his installation he was con-
strained to quit the royal palace with his wife and his
brother Lukshmunu, and he proceeded into the forest, from
hermitage to hermitage, and terminated his wanderings at
Nassik on the Godavery, where he erected a hut. The
sister of Ravunu, the king of Lunka, or Ceylon, called also
Taprobane, or the island of Ravunu, passing by the bower,
was struck with the beauty of Ramu, and endeavoured to
prevail on him to desert Seeta, and marry her. Her offers
were rejected with scorn, when she rushed upon Seeta and
threatened to devour her, on which Lukshmunu, at the
request of Ramu, cut off her ears and nose. She returned
to Ceylon, and in revenge for the injury she had sustained,
persuaded her brother to carry off the lovely Seeta. Ra-
vunu, described as a monster with ten heads and twenty^
SECT. I.] EARLY HISTORICAL 'NOTICES 7
arms, assumed the form of a mendicant and appeared before
the hermitage, and having caused his brother to take the
form of a deer, and decoy the two brothers after him, seized
upon Seeta and carried her off through the air in his
chariot to Ceylon. Ramn having discovered the place of
her concealment, assembled an army of the wild inhabitants
of the south, probably the aborigines, poetically described as
bears and monkeys, under their sovereign Soogreevu, and
his general Hunooman, subsequently deified as the great
baboon, and proceeded to the island. He spanned the
straits between it and the continent with a bridge, and
after many severe conflicts recovered Seeta and slew
Eavunu. But as she had resided in the palace of
Bavunu she was required to submit to the ordeal of fire to
testify her purity, and the poet affirms that after she had
ascended the pile, the three hundred and thirty millions of
gods assembled in the heavens to behold the scene, and the
god of fire arose from the flames, and bearing Seeta on his
knees presented her to her husband. They returned in
triumph to Oude, and Bamu was installed raja. The epic
is so intermingled at every turn with the grotesque fancies
of mythology, and the agency is so constantly described as
supernatural, that it is difficult to extract from it the
germs of historical truth on which it was based. But it
appears clear that it indicates the first expedition of the
Aryans to the Deccan, that the southern division of it was
still peopled with the aboripiin x and that the island of
Ceylon was the seat of a higher civilisation, probably
wafted from Egypt. It led to no permanent conquest, as
the army of monkeys and bears which aided Ramu, after
accompanying him in triumph to his capital, returned to
their forests, and we hear no more of them on the page
of history till they had been transformed into orthodox
Hindoos. It must not be forgotten that the poem was
composed ten centuries after the events it celebrates, when
brahminism was consolidated into a dominant system,
which it was intended to support*
Next to the Vedus, the Code of Munoo is the most im- B.C.
portant of the Hindoo shasters. It embodies the ancient 900
religious traditions, to which additions were made Muno(K
from century to century, and which were col-
leoted, as it is said, by Vyasu. It gives us the constitution
of a Hindoo commonwealth when the brahmins had com-
pletely superseded the ancient authority of the ksbetriyus
8 ABKIBaMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. L
and established religious depotism in the state such as no
priesthood has ever enjoyed. The ancient and simple worship
of the Vedus was supplanted by an elaborate system of
ceremonies and by animal sacrifices. Ramu, Krishnn,
and other gods, who subsequently became popular, are not
mentioned with reverence or with disapprobation. There
is no intimation of regular orders, or of the immolation
of widows. Brahmins eat beef and flesh of all kinds,
and intermarry with women of inferior castes, and various
other practices are permitted which would at the present
day entail excommunication. The style is less rugged
than that of the Vedus, but not so polished as that of the
epics ; and the date of its compilation is generally fixed at
900 B.C.
SECTION II.
FROM THE AGE OF BOODDHU TO THE MAHOMEDAN INVASION.
THE next event of importance in the ancient history of
India is the appearance of Booddhu, or Sakhya Moonee, as
Booddhu ^e £rea* reformer of religion and morals. He
was born of a princely Aryan family of kshetriyu
parents in the year 598 B.C. Ho resided with his own
family till his twenty-eighth year, when, disgusted with
the decay of religion and the spread of superstition, he
retired from society and passed many years in constructing
his system of religion and philosophy. He repudiated the
entire system of caste, and thus rendered his doctrines
acceptable to those who had suffered from it, while it made
the brahmins his irreconcilable enemies. He rejected the
whole pantheon of the Hindoos, and endeavoured to bring
back his countrymen to the simplicity of the Vedus. The
priesthood, instead of being an hereditary caste, was re-
cruited from the various ranks of society, and bonnd by a
vow of celibacy, and required to relinquish the pleasures of
sense. He obtained many disciples before his death, which
is fixed at 543 B.C., but it was not till two centuries later
that booddhism became the religion of the state. The
preservation and worship of relics was one of the distin-
guishing features of his creed. Eight cities are said to
have contended for his remains, and the dispute was at
length settled by distributing them in various provinces
SBCT. II.] AGE OF BOODDHU TO MAHOMEDAN INVASION 9
The most sacred of these relics was the tooth, which was
at length assigned to Orissa, and magnificently enshrined
on the spot where subsequently arose the Hindoo temple
of Jugernath, and it remained there, with some interrup-
tions, for nearly a thousand years.
The first authentic record we possess of any invasion of ^
India is that of Darius, king of Persia, who was seated on 521
the throne 521 B.C., and extended his conquests invasion ol
from the Grecian Sea to the Indus. Upon a re- Dariu*
port of the wealth of the country from his admiral, Scylax,
who constructed a fleet on the higher portion of that river
and sailed down to the sea, he despatched an expedition to
India and annexed several of its provinces to his great
empire. The extent of his conquests it is impossible to
trace, but his Indian possessions must have been of no
small magnitude since they were considered more valuable
than any other satrapy, and are said to have furnished one-
third of the revenues of the empire, and were paid in gold.
Two centuries after, Alexander the Great, the greatest
military and political genius of antiquity, if not of any age,
subverted the Persian empire, and sweeping Invftglonof
through its provinces in Central Asia, took pos- Alexander
session of Afghanistan. He advanced through theQreat'
its terrific defiles, and encountered the same stern resist-
ance from its wild highlanders which, for more than
twenty centuries they have opposed to every intruder. 327
He crossed the Indus, as generally supposed, at Attock,
and entered the Punjab, where he received the submission
of one of its princes, and was hospitably entertained by
another. But Porus, whose dominions stretched east*
ward to the Jhelum, offered a more determined resistance
to his arms than he had experienced since he lefb Macedonia ;
and, by a singular coincidence, it was in the same region
that the English, twenty-two centuries later, met with a
more formidable opposition than they had encountered
throughout the conquest of India for a century. The
chivalry of Porus fought with the same gallantry as the
troops of the Khalsa, but they could not withstand the
veterans of Alexander, and, after an engagement as obsti-
nate as Ferozeshuhur or Sobraon, that high-minded prince
gracefully submitted to the superiority of his conqueror,
and was treated by him with his habitual generosity.
Alexander now heard of the great Gangetic kingdom of
Mugudu, the king of which, it was reported, could bring
80,000 cavalry, and 600,000 infantry, and 9,000 elephants
10 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA ("CHAP. I.
into the field, and he became impatient to plant his ensigns
on the battlements of its splendid capital, Palibothra. But
on reaching the banks of the Beyas, his troops, worn out
with the fatigues and wounds of eight campaigns, refused
to advance any farther. He employed menace and flattery
by turns, but nothing could shake their resolution, and he
was obliged to make that river the term of his conquests.
He caused a flotilla to be constructed on the Indus, and
transported his army down to the sea-coast, not, however,
without serious opposition from the Malli, the inhabitants
of Mooltan. He had fully resolved to return to India with
a body of fresh troops, but he died of fever caught in the
B.C. marshes of Babylon at the early age of thirty-two. His
324 name does not appear in any Hindoo record, which only
shows their imperfect character, but it is a household word
in Central Asia, and his fame was widely diffused through
India by the Mahomedans, among whom ho is esteemed one
of the first of heroes, and it was carried far and wide with
the stream of their conquests, and the distant islander of
Sumatra and Java may be found extolling the exploits of
the mighty Secunder.
The most important kingdom at this period in Hindostan
was that of Mugudu, designated by the Greek historians
The Mug- ^at °^ tne i>ras"> ^ne capital of which was Pali-
domof bothra, supposed to be the modern Patna. It
Mugudu. was prokably founded about the sixth century
before our era, by a colony of Tartars, or Scythians, de-
1 nominated the Takshuk or Nagas, the serpent dynasty, so
called from the worship of snakes which they introduced,
and which has never been eradicated. About the time of
the Macedonian invasion, the throne was occupied by
Nundu. He was assassinated by his minister, Ghundra-
gooptu — called by the Greek historians, Sandracottus — a
man of ignoble birth but of extraordinary genius, Who had
measured swords with Alexander the Great under Porus,
and who now seized the throne and established the
Mauryan dynasty. The empire of Alexander after his
death was partitioned among his marshals, and the pro-
vince of Babylon, in which was included his eastern pos-
sessions, fell to the lot of Seleucus, one of the ablest and
most enterprising of them. He determined to carry out
the ambitious projects of his master, and advanced with a
large army into the Gangetic provinces, where he was
opposed by Chundra-gooptu with the whole strength of
Mugudu. According to the Greek historians he was vie*
.II.] AGE OF BOODDHU TO MAHOMEDAN INVASION 11
torio'is, but it is difficult to reconcile this assertion with
the fact recorded by themselves, that Seleucus concluded a
treaty with him and ceded all his conquests east of the
Indus for an annual tribute of fifty elephants. Mega-
sthenes, an eminent philosopher, was appointed his repre-
sentative at the court of Palibothra, and it is from the
fragments of his writings which have come down to us
that we gather any knowledge of the state of northern
India at that period. It is said to have been divided into
a hundred and twenty principalities. Chundra-gooptu was
succeeded by his son Mitra-gooptu, a man of the same large
and liberal views as his father, and it was under their
enlightened administration that the country attained its B.C.
highest prosperity. Highways were constructed from the 300
capital to the Indus, in one direction, and in the other to
Broach, then the great emporium on the western coast,
with caravanseras at convenient intervals. Their dominion
extended to the sea-coast at Ganjarn on the west, around
the bay to Aracan on the east. They gave especial en-
couragement to commerce, and their subjects embarked in
maritime enterprises, crossed the bay of Bengal, and
founded colonies in Java and the other islands of the
Archipelago, into which they introduced the Hindoo religion
and the Pali language, the classical variety of the Sanscrit.
Asoka, the grandson of Chundra-gooptu, who ascended
the throne 260 B.C., stands forth as the most distinguished
prince of this period, the glory of the Mauryan Aaoka
dynasty. His dominions extended from Orissa
to the Indus, and included provinces both in the Deccan 26*
and in Afghanistan. The boundaries of this great kingdom
were marked by stone columns, many of which are still
extant. His edicts were engraved on the face of rocks,
and on Zate, or pillars, in various localities from the bay of
Bengal to the Himalaya and Peshawur ; and a permanent
record has thus been preserved of the great events of his
reign. He established courts of justice, and abolished the
punishment of death. He promoted the progress of civili-
sation, and gave a new impulse to commerce. Breaking
through the isolation of the brahminical system — which
still continues after the lapse of more than twenty cen-
turies to fetter the native mind — he established a friendly
intercourse with Greece and Egypt, and it is to this
connection that we trace the introduction of stone
architecture and of sculpture into India, which was totally
unknown before his time. Some of the temples were
12 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. I
excavated in the rock, and others erected on the plain,
Of these, the most magnificent is the shrine at Sanchi,
commenced in 225 B.C. Asoka embraced the booddhist
creed, and made it the religion of the state. A great
booddhist synod was held soon after, and religious mis-
sions were despatched to Tibet, China, Cambodia, Siam
and Ceylon, and the creed was extensively diffused beyond
the limits of India. He died in 226 B.C., after a reign of
thirty-seven years, and with him sank the grandeur of the
dynasty, which has the peculiar merit of having produced
three illustrious princes in succession. It was succeeded
in 188 B.C. by the dynasty of the Sungas, which, though of
limited duration, was distinguished by the erection of
another series of booddhist temples and monasteries.
The establishment of booddhism as the religion of the
state, deprived the brahminical hierarchy of their ascend-
The trgni ancy. The Hindoo annalists assert that ignorance
Kooia. an(j infidelity had overspread the land ; the
sacred books were trampled under foot, and mankind had
no refuge from the monstrous brood — of booddhists. The
holy sages, dwelling on Mount Aboo, carried their com-
plaints to 'the father of creation, who was floating on a
hydra in the sea of curds. He commanded them to return
to the sacred mount and recreate the race of the kshetri-
yus, whom their own champion Pooroosram had formerly
annihilated. The fountain of fire was purified by water
fpm the Ganges, and each of the four gods who accom-
panied them formed an image, and cast it into the fire,
upon which there sprang up the four men who afterwards
became the founders of Rajpoot greatness. They were
sent forth to combat the monsters, who were slain in great
numbers ; but as they fell on the ground, fresh demons
arose, when the gods stopped the1 renewal of the race by
drinking up the blood. This allegory, independent of the
flattery it is intended to convey to the royal houses of
Bajpootana, evidently points to some political revolution,
which checked the progress of booddhism and restored
to a certain degree the power of the brahmins. But booddh-
ism continued for more than ten centuries to divide the
allegiance of princes and people at different eras and in
different provinces, with the creed of Munoo, and from time
to time we have notices of booddhist sovereigns who
brought all the resources of the state to the support of their
creed.
About the year 629 A.D.,Huen-tsang, a Chinese booddhist
BBCTJL] AGE OF BOODDHU TO MAHOMEDAN INVASION 18
travelled through the continent of India, in order to
visit its various shrines. In his travels, which have been
preserved in the Chinese language, he states that while he
found the creed in a state of decay in some provinces, he
found it flourishing and dominant in Cunoucre, in ~
•\* i TVT i ^ • o j. A i_ I J.T Prevalence
Muguclu, in Malwa and in burat. About the ofBooddh-
eighth century of our era, the booddhists appear ism>
to have been subjected to a more implacable proscription
than they had experienced for many centuries by Shunkur
Acharjya, a brahmin reformer ; and from that time they
decayed rapidly, and they entirely disappear from India
soon after the invasion of the Mahomedans, while they
increased and multiplied in the Indo-Chinese nations and
in China, and the creed is at the present time professed by
a larger number than the votaries of Hindooism.
About the year 56 B.C. the Andhra dynasty obtained
possession of the throne of Mugudu, and nourished till 436
A.D. Their dominion extended into the Deccan, TheAndra
with Warn n trul for their capital, and Oojeih as dynasty,
the great metropolis of their power in the north. The
founder of the dynasty, Vikrum-aditya, was the most illus-
trious and powerful monarch of the age; his memory BtC,
continues to be cherished with profound veneration, and 67
the era he established is still current. He was a muni-
ficent patron of literature, and encouraged the resort of
the learned to his court from all parts of India by princely
donations. The classic writers of that Augustan age have
exhausted the resources of flattery in his praise ; indeed,
the extravagance of their panegyrics has induced some
Indian antiquarians to regard him as a myth. Some of
the most exquisite productions in the Sanscrit language
were compiled under his auspices. It was about this
period, a century or so before the Christian era,
that India appears to have attained its greatest ^^Jf^^a,
literary eminence, and the highest stage of civili- crit litera-
sation it has ever reached. At a time when the ture*
western colony from the cradle of tho Aryan race, which
is supposed to have migrated to Europe and formed the
aborigines of Great Britain and Gaul, of Germany and
Scandinavia, was sunk in barbarism, the eastern stream of
colonists, in India, had cultivated the science of law, of
grammar, of astronomy, and of algebra, and had dived into
the subtleties of philosophy and metaphysics. They had
made their classic language, the Sanscrit, the most perfect
and refined medium for the communication of thought, and
14 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. L
enriched it with poetry, wliicli has enchanted every succeed-
ing generation. But with all this high cultivation, they
neglected one of the most important branches of human
Neglect of knowledge, that of history. The Pooranus, of
fcistory. which the earliest is placed in 800 A.D,, are the
only treatises which pretend to anything like an historical
character ; but they furnish us with little beyond a barren
record of royal races and rulers, none of which, however,
can be implicitly depended upon. The most laborious
researches of antiquarians have only resulted in deducing
from half-defaced coins and servile inscriptions a chrono-
logical series of dynasties and princes, with here and there
a fact, of little interest, and of no practical utility to the
student of history. It is idle for him to fancy that he has
gained much, if any, valuable knowledge when he has
simply loaded his memory with an empty catalogue of
genealogies. Yet the ten centuries preceding the arrival
of the Mahomedans present little else, and a cursory
glance at the date and locality of successive dynasties is
all that the student can desire.
Eastward of the Andhra dominions lay the great kingdom
of Bengal, containing the estuary of the Gangetic valley,
Ten oen- with the ancient and magnificent city of Gour,
annals— or Lncknoutee for its capital. It was governed,
Bengal. first by the booddhist dynasty of Pal, and then
by the Hindoo dynasty of Sen. While booddhism was the
j&eligion of the state, Hindooism fell into decay, and
Adisoor, the founder of the Sen family, sent to Cunouge, the
sanctuary of the Hindoo creed, for five sound and pure
brahmins, who became the ancestors of the present brah-
minical communities of Bengal. They were accompanied
by five attendants, from whom the kayusts, or writer
caste, the second in dignity, are descended. The Sen
dynasty was on the throne when the Mahomedans in 1192
A.D. conquered the country. Shortly before the Christian
Cashmere: era ^^shmere was invaded by a tribe of Tartars,
the Gun- which was displaced by a dynasty of Gundurvus.
dumi*. They were booddhists, and under a long suc-
cession of kings, contributed the most celebrated structures
to the architecture of India. They appear to have en-
joyed extensive dominion, as some of their grandest edi-
fices were erected on the Kistna in the Deccan. They are
said to have invaded Ceylou, but their succession cannot
be traced beyond 622 A.D.
In the first century before the Christian era, Nahapan
8HCT.II.J AGE OF BOODDHUTOMAHOMEDAN INVASION 15
established the dynasty of the Shahs in Surat, on the
western coast. They are supposed either to have The shaha
been a Parthian tribe, who invaded India through of Snrafc-
Sinde, or Persians of the Sassanian race. They adopted
the creed of Booddhu, and to the founder is attributed
the excavation and the construction of the wonderful cave
temple of Karlee between Bombay and Poona. They
were conquered about 318 by the Bullabhis, who are like-
wise designated the Gooptus, and who would appear to
have extended their power over a large portion of northern
India. The second monarch of the line is said to have
overrun Ceylon, but no traces of them are to be found
after 525.
During this period of ten centuries, northern India was
parcelled out among various dynasties, of whom Mr.
Elphinstone, in his valuable history, enumerates Vano
no fewer than eleven : Mugudu, Cunouge, Mithila, kingdoms of
Benares, Delhi, Ajmere, Mewar, Jeypore, J£jJ£ern
fossulmere, Sinde and Cashmere. Of the
princes of these kingdoms some claimed the dignity of
Muhwaj-adheeraj, or emperor of India; but however ex-
tensive may have been their conquests, it is much to be
doubted whether any of them ever succeeded in * bringing
all India under one umbrella,' as the Moguls and the Eng-
lish have since done. Regal vanity doubtless induced some
of them to assume the appellation of ' Lords Paramount*
on their coins and inscriptions, but on examining the most
accurate list of the claimants to that lofty title, that of Mr.
FtTtT'ifMii . we find that in the brief space of two hundred
and forty-three years no fewer than ten monarchs arro-
gated it to themselves in Malwa,, in Cunouge, in Surat, and
even in the obscure state of Kulyan in the Deccan ; and in
some cases there is only a period of twenty years given for
the acquisition of this universal sovereignty.
The early history of the Deccan is involved in even
greater obscurity than that of Hindostan. At the period
of the expedition of Ramu the inhabitants in the The
lower Deccan are described as bears and *><»c»n.
monkeys ; but at the extreme south of the peninsula, as he
approached Ceylon, he entered the continental possessions
of its king, Ravunu, and came in contact with a higher
civilisation than that of the Aryans. At a subsequent
period — some suppose nine or ten centuries before the
Christian era — we find even the land of the bears and the
monkey s peopled with a civilised race, which is commonly
16 ABKID&MENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. I.
supposed to have entered India through Sinde and spread
over the Deccan, To distin^niish them from the Aryan colo-
nists of Hindostan they are generally designated Dravidian,
and their language, the Tamul, attained a high state of cul-
its superior ^ure) and was enriched with a noble litera ture — and
literature, that by some of the servile class — long before the
Sanscrit, with which it has no affinity, had attained perfec-
tion. Surrounded on all sides, except the north, by the
sea, a constant intercourse was maintained with Greece
and Egypt, and this may have contributed to the early
civilisation of the peninsula. The most ancient and au-
thentic history of the Deccan records the existence of two
dynasties, that of the Pandyas, which was first in point of
time, and that of the Cholas, which was the most power-
Pandyaaand fill. The capital of the Pandyas, after two re-
Choias. movals, was fixed at Madura, and its. dominion
lay along the Malabar coast. The kingdom of the Cholas,
which some identify with Corornandel, was founded by an
emigrant from Hindostan who i^tott^ud. litii^WfMi^pMl
Canchi, or Conjeveram, and eventually removed it to
Teiingana Tanjore. Of the history of Telingana, no reliable
and records are extant, but about the eleventh
ukya8' century the Belial dynasty obtained paramount
power in this division of the country. Another dynasty
also rose to distinction in the north of the Deccan, deno-
minated the Chalukyas, and their capital was eventually
established at Kulyan, in the territory now "•.<",>:•.•'• UT to
the Nizam. In their inscriptions they claim to have
brought under subjection the Cholas and Pandyas in the
south, and the Andliras of Warungul in the north, and
there is reason to believe that for some time they may have
been without a rival in the Deccan. The dynasty sub-
sisted till 1182 A.D., when it was subverted by the Jadows
of Deoghur, the modern Dowlutabad. Of the Mahrattas
_ M . m on the western coast only two facts can be
rattasaad traced, the existence of Tagara, a great empo-
the Oorfyas. rjum jn ^he time of the Romans, and of Salivahun,
the king of some unknown province, who was a bitter
persecutor of the booddhists, and who is remembered only
by his era, which prevails throughout the Deccan. Of
Orissa nothing is known before the introduction ofbooddh-
ism, except 1;hat the country was a marsh, and the people
* barbarous and as black as crows/ The tooth of Booddnu,
the most sacred of his relics, was, in the distribution of his
remains, allotted to this kingdom, and his creed appears
SHOT. II.] A0E OF BOODHU TO MAHOMED AN INVASION 17
to have predominated in it for ten centuries, during which
the rocks were studded with shrines and monasteries. It
was subjected to various invasions by sea and land, and on
one occasion the precious tooth was conveyed for safety to
Ceylon, of which it has ever since been, in one sense, the
palladium. The Kesari dynasty superseded the booddhist
monarchs in 473, and established the supremacy of Hin- A.n
dooism, of which they were the ardent devotees. They en- 478
joyed power for more than six centuries, which seem to
have been passed in little else but in building temples and
founding religious communities. The country was covered
with settlements of brahmins, of whom ten thousand were
introduced from Cunouge. Bhoobaneshur became the
ecclesiastical metropolis of Orissa, and was crowded with
seven thousand temples, in honour of Seeva, less than a
tenth of which remain, but they are sufficient to attest
the zeal and the taste of that religious dynasty.
18 ABRIDGMENT OP THE HISTORY OP INDIA [CHAP. II.
CHAPTEE II.
SECTION I.
INTRODUCTION OP MAHOMBDANISM — THE GHUZNI DYNASTY.
A.D. MAHOMED was born at Mecca, in Arabia, A.D. 569, and at
5<*9 the age of forty announced himself as a prophet commis-
. __ sioned by the Almighty to convert the human race
Iu86 Ot uLBr .- . " r> • it t •» - - * •* A . < . . ..
homedan to the true faith ^••••^pgH|MMHttBMB*
power. jje obtained many proselytes in his native land
by his genius and eloquence, and, having raised an army of
Arabs to subjugate the surrounding nations to hia creed
and his power, commenced that career of conquest which
was pursued by his successors with unexampled vigour and
rapidity. Province after province and kingdom after king-
dom succumbed to them, and before the close of a century
they had conquered Egypt, Syria, Northern Africa, and a
part of Spain. Persia was prostrate before them, and they
were advancing towards Cabul. A few years after the
death of Mahomed, the Caliph Omar founded Bussora, at
705 the estuary of the Tigris, and his generals were enabled
to to make descents upon Sinde and Belooohistan by sea,
715 Under the Caliph Walid, between 705 and 715 A.D., that
province was entirely subjugated, and the banner of the
orescent was planted on the turrets of Mooltan. About
the same period the Mahomedans advanced into Central
Asia, and overran the country north of the Oxus. The
general of the Caliph, Mahomed ben Cossim, likewise con-
711 quered the kingdom of Guzerat, and eventually advanced
to Chittore, the capital of Rajpootana, when the gallant
young Bappa placed himself at the head of the Rajpoot
forces, and expelled the invader. On his return from the
field he was raised to the throne, and founded the present
royal family of Oodypore. The Rajpoot annals record
"in the days of Khoraan, the grandson of Bappa,
SBCT. LJ MAHOMEBANISM— THE GHUZNI DYNASTY 19
Chittore was again invaded by Mahomed, the governor of
Khorasan, when the other princes in the north hastened
to his assistance; and a very patriotic description is
given of the different tribes which composed the northern
chivalry on this occasion. With their aid Khoman was
enabled to defeat the invader, with whom he is said to
have fonght twenty-four battles. The Mahomedans were
thus expelled from all the territory they had been en-
deavouring to acquire for a century and a half, and it was ^
not till three centuries after their first invasion that they 75$
succeeded in making a permanent lodgment in India.
The opulent regions of Khorasan and Transoxania, which
had been conquered by the Caliphs in the first century of
theHejira — the Mahomedan era, which dates from The dynaaty
the flight of Mahomed from Mecca to Medina — °* &fcu*ni.
continued under their government for about a hundred and
eighty years ; but after the death of the renowned Haroun-
al-rashid, the contemporary and friend of Charlemagne,
"the central authority began to decay, and the governors of
provinces to assume independence. Ismael Samani, a
Tartar, seized upon Khorasan, Transoxania, and Afghan-
istan, in 872, and fixed his capital at Bokhara, where his
dynasty — usually designated that of the Samanides —
continued to reign for about a hundred and twenty years.
The fifth prince in descent had a Turkish slave, Aluptugeen,
a man of courage and good sense, who rose to be governor
of Khorasan. On the death of his patron he was consulted
about the choice of a successor, and having voted against
the son of the deceased king — who was, however, raised to
the throne by the other chiefs — he was deprived of his post
and retreated with a band of trusty followers to Ghuzni, in
the heart of the Soliman mountains, where he succeeded in
establishing his independence. He had purchased a slave
of the name of Subuktugeen in Tartary, in whom he dis-
covered great powers of mind, and whom he raised to the
highest offices. He stepped into the throne on the death
of his sovereign, A.D. 976. '
The establishment of a powerful kingdom under a vigor-
ous monarch in the vicinity of the Indus created no little
alarm in the mind of Jeypal, the Hindoo sovereign Hindoog at.
of the Punjab, and he led a large army across the tacksubuk-
river, and attacked Subuktugeen at Lughman in tugeen*
the Cabul passes. On the eve of the engagement a violent
storm of wind, rain, and thunder swept down the valley,
alarmed the superstitious soldiers of Jeypal to such
c 2
20 ABBIDGMENT OF THfc HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAP. IL
a degree that he was constrained to sue for an accommoda-
tion, which was not granted without the promise of a heavy
payment ; but on hearing that his opponent had been obliged
to march to the westward to repel an invasion, he refused to
fulfil his engagement, and imprisoned the king's messengers.
Subuktugeen, having disposed of his enemies, marched
down to the Indus to avenge this perfidy. Jeypal succeeded
in enlisting the aid of the rajas of Delhi, Ajmere, Callinger,
and Cunouge, and advanced across the Indus with an im-
mense force, but was again defeated, and the authority of
Ghuzni was established up to the banks of the Indus.
A.D. Subuktugeen died in 997, and was succeeded at first by
097 his son Ismael, and a few months after by his second son,
the renowned Mahmood of Ghuzni. From his
GhSSi?1 o£ early youth he had accompanied his father on his
Htoexjidi- various expeditions, and acquired a passion for
ans* war and great military experience. He ascended
the throne at the age of thirty, and became impatient to
% enlarge his dominions, and contemplated with delight the
glory of extending the triumphs of his creed in the un-
trodden plains of India. He began his crusade against
1001 the Hindoos in 1001, and conducted no fewer than twelve
expeditions, of more or less importance, against them. He
left Ghuzni in August. Jeypal crossed the Indus a third
time, and in the neighbourhood of Peshawur was again
defeated and captured. He was generously released, but
Designed the throne to his son Anungpal, and sought death
on a funeral pyre to which he had himself set fire. Pass-
ing over several minor expeditions, we come to the fourth,
which was directed against Anungpal, who had instigated
a revolt against Mahmood in Mooltan, in conjunction with
six of the most powerful rajas of the north. The Hindoos
again took the fatal resolution of crossing the Indus, and
were a fourth time defeated with the loss of 20,000 men.
The next expedition was a mere plundering excursion to
Nagarcote, a place of peculiar sanctity, and so strongly forti-
fied as to have been made the depository of the wealth of
the neighbouring princes. The stronghold was easily cap-
tared, and despoiled — according to the Mahomedan histo-
rians— of 700 maunds of gold and silver plate, 200 maunds
of pure gold ingots, 2,000 maunds of unwrought silver,
and twenty maunds of jewels. The sixth expedition was
directed against Thanesur, one of the most ancient and
wealthy shrines in India, Anungpal implored Mahmood
to spare it, but he made the characteristic reply that the
Swr. L] MAHOMEDANISM— THE GHUZNI DYNAST? 21
extermination of idolatry was his mission, and that his re-
ward in paradise would be measured by his success in
accomplishing it. All the costly images and shrines, the
accumulation of centuries, together with 200,000 captives,
were transported to Ghuzni, which began to wear the ap-
pearance of a Hindoo colony.
After several minor expeditions Mahmood determined to AJ>.
penetrate to the heart of Hindostan, and to plant his 1017
standard on the banks of the Ganges. With an B3n)edlfclon
army, it is said, of 20,000 foot and 100,000 horse, to Ctmoug*
attracted chiefly from Central Asia by the love and Multrft'
of adventure and the lure of plunder, he burst suddenly
on the city of Cunouge, which had been for centuries the
citadel of Hindooism. The descriptions given of the mag-
nificence of the city and the splendour of the court, both by
Hindoo and Mahomedau writers, stagger our belief, more
especially when we consider the limited extent of the king-
dom. The array of the state is said to have consisted of
80,000 men in" armour, 30,000 horsemen, and 500,000
infantry ; yet the raja made his submission after a short
and feeble resistance. Mahmood left it uninjured, and
turned his footsteps to the great ecclesiastical city of Muttra,
the birthplace and sanctuary of the deified hero Krishnu,
filled with shrines, blazing with jewelry. For twenty days
the city and the temples were given up to plunder, and
the idols were melted down or demolished. Some of the
temples were spared for their great solidity or their surpass-
ing beauty. " Here are a thousand edifices," wrote the con-
queror, " as firm as the creed of the faithful, most of them
" of marble, besides innumerable temples. Such another
u city could not be constructed under two centuries.*'
Passing over two expeditious of lesser moment, we come 1024
to the last and most celebrated, the capture of the shrine
of Somnath, the most wealthy and the most re- E™dition
nowned on the continent of India. At the period to Somnath.
of an eclipse, it is said to have been resorted to by 200,000
pilgrims. The image was daily bathed with water brought
from the Ganges, 1,000 miles distant. The establishment
consisted of 2,000 brahmins, 300 barbers to shave the
devotees, 200 musicians, and 300 courtezans. To reach
the temple Mahmood had a painful march of 350 miles
across the desert. The raja retreated to the fortified
temple, and the defenders on the first attack withdrew to
the inner sanctuary, and prostrated themselves before the
idol to implore its help. The neighbouring chiefs hastened
22 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. II
with large forces to the defence of the shrine, and Mahmood
was so severely pressed by them that he, in his turn, pros-
trated himself on the ground to invoke divine assistance ;
and then, springing into the saddle, cheered on his troops
to victory. After 5,000 Hindoos had fallen under their
sahres, Mahmood entered the temple and was struck with
astonishment at its grandeur. The lofty roof was supported
by fifty-six columns, elaborately carved, and studded with
jewels. The shrine was illuminated by a single lamp, sus-
pended by a golden chain, the lustre of which was reflected
from the numerous precious stones embossed in the walls.
The image, five yards in height, one half of which was
buried in the earth, faced the entrance, and Mahmood
ordered it to be demolished, when the priests threw them-
selves at his feet and offered an immense ransom for it,
but he replied that he had rather be known as the de-
stroyer than the seller of idols. Then, lifting up his mace,
he aimed a blow at it, and the figure, which was hollow,
burst asunder, and poured a larger treasure at his feet
than the brahmins had offered for its ransom. The wealth
obtained on this occasion exceeded any he had acquired in
his previous expeditions, and the mind is bewildered with
the enumeration of the treasures and jewels which he
carried back. The sandal-wood gates were sent as a trophy
to his capital where they remained for eight centuries,
till they were brought back in a triumphal procession to
' india by a Christian ruler.
He retired to Ghuzni after a toilsome and perilous march
through the desert, and died in the sixtieth year of his age.
aJ>. Death and ^ wo ^avs Before kis death ^e caused the most
1030 character of costly of his treasures to be displayed before his
Mahmood. eyes, and is said to have shed tears at the
thought of leaving them. Mahmood 'was not only the
greatest conqueror, but the grandest sovereign of the age.
He extended his dominions from the sea of Aral to the
Persian Gulf, and from the mountains of Kurdestan to the
banks of the Sutlege, and the order which reigned through
these vast territories gave abundant proof of his genius
for civil administration. His court was the most mag.
nifioent in Asia, and few princes have ever surpassed him
in the munificent encouragement of letters. He founded
and richly endowed a university at his capital, which
was adorned with a greater assemblage of literary genius
than any other monarch in Asia has ever been able to collect.
His taste for architecture was developed after he had seen
SECTION II.
FROM THE EXTINCTION OP THE HOUSE OF GHUZNI TO THE
ACCESSION OF THE HOUSE OF TOGHLUK.
THE dynasty of Ghore, which succeeded that of Ghuzni,
was founded by Eis-ood-doen, a native of Afghanistan,
who entered the service of Musaood, the king . ta {tb
of Ghuzni, and obtained the hand of his daughter House It *
together with the principality of Ghore. His Ghore-
son was married to Byram, the last sultan of Ghuzni, who
put him to death on the occasion of some family quarrel.
The brother of the deceased prince, Seif-ood-deen, took up
arms to revenge his death, and Byram was obliged to
fly, but he returned soon after with a larger force, and
conquered his opponent, whom he butchered with studied
ignominy. Alla-ood-deen, his brother, vowed a bitter
revenge, and a battle was fought under the walls of
Ghuzni, when Byram was defeated and fled to Lahore, but
perished on the route. AJla-ood-deen then proceeded to
wreak his vengeance on the city of Ghuzni, which had
become the grandest in Asm, and gave it up for three,
SHOT. IL] MAHOMEDANISM— THE (JHUZKI DYNASTY 23
the grand edifices of Cunouge and of Muttra, of Thanesur
and Somnath, and his capital, which at the beginning of
his reign was a collection of hovels, was ornamented with
mosqnes, porches, fountains, aqueducts, and palaces.
The dynasty of Ghuzni may be said to have reigned, though
it did not flourish, for a hundred and fifty- six years after the
death of Mahmood, inasmuch as it was notdispos- p-^..-^
sessed of its last territories before 11 86. During close of the ng(j
this period, the attention of its princes was so in- fyn^
cessantly distracted by the political and mili-
tary movements of Central Asia, and more especially by
the aggressions of the Seljuks, as to leave them little
leisure for the affairs of India. It would be idle to en-
cumber the attention of the reader with the revolutions
beyond the Indus, which have no bearing upon the
interests of India, or with the catalogue of the sovereigns
engaged in them. The provinces of Lahore and Mooltan
were permanently annexed to the throne of Ghuzni, though
more than one effort was made by the Hindoo princes to
drive the Mahomedans across the Indus.
24 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA ["CHAP. II
and, according to some authors, for seven days, to indis-
criminate slauirlner, flame, and devastation. The superb
monuments of the kings of Ghnzni were levelled with the
ground, and the palaces of the nobles sacked and demo-
lished. This savage vengeance has fixed an indelible
stigma on his memory, and he h branded by Mahomedan
" historians as ' the incendiary of the world/ He was suc-
Gheias-ood. ceeded in 1156 by an amiable and imbecile
A.D. deen* youth, who was murdered within a twelve-
1168 month, when Gheias-ood-deen was raised to the throne,
and associated his brother Shahab-ood-deen, the renowned
Mahomed Ghory, with him in the government, the most
important functions of which were left in his hands. The
harmony which subsisted between the two brothers for
forty-five years, and the exemplary loyalty which Maho-
med, though in possession of the real power of the state,
continued to manifest towards his brother in an age of
universal violence, deserve especial commemoration.
Mahomed Ghory was the real founder of Mahomedan
power in India, and it may be serviceable to glance at the
State of the C(m(lition of the Hindoo thrones north of the Ner-
Hindoo budda on the eve of their extinction. The king-
kingdoms. ^om Q£ cunoilge had passed under the authority
of the Rathore tribe of E/ajpoots. The kings of Benares
who professed the booddhist creed had become extinct,
fj.nd the principality had been divided between the rulers
*df Cunouge and Bengal. Bengal was independent under the
dynasty of the Sens. Guzerat was governed by the
Bhagilas, and the powerful kingdom of Ajmere by the
Chohans. The last King of Delhi, Prithee raj, was of the
Tomara tribe, and he had adopted his grandson, the raja
of Ajmere, and bestowed his daughter on him. With
the chief of Guzerat for his ally, the king of Cunouge was
engaged in mortal conflict with the king of Delhi, with
whom were associated the rajas of Chittore and Ajmere.
The arrogant raja of Cunouge had, moreover, determined to
celebrate the sacrifice of the horse, the emblem of universal
sovereignty, and this vainglorious assumption was re-
sented by half the powers of Hindostan, which was thus
divided into two hostile camps, with its rulers engaged in
deadly hostilities, when the Mahomedan invader was thun-
dering at its gates. On the threshold of this great
revolution we pause for a moment to notice the virtues of
Bhoie*»' Bhojfe-raj, the last of the great Hindoo sove-
' reigns of India. He was of the ancient and
SHOT. II.] EXTINCTION OF HOUSE OF aHUZNI, ETC. 25
time-honoured tribe of the Pruinuras, who still continued
to rule, but with diminished splendour, the kingdom of
Oojein. Seated on the throne of Vikrum-aditya, he resolved
to emulate him in the encouragement of literature. His
memory is consecrated by the gratitude of posterity, and
his reign has been immortalised by the genius of poetry.
Mahomed Ghory turned his attention to India with all A.D.
the vigour of a young dynasty. In 1176 he took the 1176
province of Ooch, at the junction of the rivers of Mahomed
the Punjab and the Indus. Two years later he Ghory.
was defeated in his attempt on Guzerat. He subsequently
overran Sinde, and took possession of the two pro-
vinces of Mooltan and the Punjab, which alone had
remained to the house of Ghuzni, which thus became
extinct. Having no longer any Mahomedan rival within
the Indus, his entire force was brought to bear on the
great Hindoo monarchies. At this period there was little
trace of the invasion of Mali mood ; the prosperity of the
country was renewed, and it teemed with wealth and
abounded in temples; but the year li 93 brought a tern-
pest of desolation which completely overwhelmed the
Hindoo power in the north. Prithee raj, the gallant but
ilinuirlirlc.-i king of Delhi, though he had wasted his
strength in his struggle with the raja of Cunouge and his
associates, was still able to bring a force of 200,000 horse
into the field with a proportionate number of foot. The two
armies joined battle at Tirauri, not far from Thanesur,
the battle-field of Hindostan, when the king of Ghore was
completely defeated, and was happy to escape with the
wreck of his army across the Indus.
Having recruited his army with Turks, Tartars, and
Afghans, he recrossed the Indus to wipe out his disgrace.
The Hindoos met him on their old and, as they Defeatof the
considered it, fortunate ground, with an aug- Hindoos,
men ted force of infantry and cavalry ; 150 chiefs rallied
round the standard of Delhi, and the king sent an
arrogant message to Mahomed, granting him permission to
retire without molestation. He replied, with apparent
humility, that he was merely his brother's lieutenant, to
whom he would refer their message, and the moderation of
this reply was interpreted as a symptom of weakness.
The Caggar flowed between the two armies, and Mahomed,
after having in vain endeavoured to surprise the Hindoos
by crossing it during itie night, feigned a retreat, which
drew the enemy in confusion after him, when he charged
26 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA fCHAP. IL
them with 12,000 chosen horse, and, as the historian re*
lates, " this prodigious army, once shaken, like a great
" building, tottered to its fall, and was lost in its own rains."
The raja of Chittore fell, gallantly fighting at the head of
his Rajpoot cavalry. The king of Delhi was taken
prisoner, and butchered in cold blood. Mahomed then
proceeded to Ajmere, where he stained his reputation by
the massacre of several thousands of his captives. Ma-
homed returned to Ghuzni laden with plunder, leaving one
of his slaves, Kootub-ood-deen, who had risen to eminence
4.D. by his talent, to continue his conquests. He captured
1193 Meerut and Coel, and eventually Delhi, which now became
the seat of Mahomedan power in India. The kings of
Cunouge and Guzerat, who had looked on with malicious
delight while the Mahomedans smote down their Hindoo
opponents, had no long respite themselves. Mahomed
J 194 returned to India the next year with a powerful force, and
defeated Jey-chunder, the Rathore raja of Cunouge, on the
banks of the Jumna, and captured Benares, where he
demolished a thousand temples. Upon this reverse, the
whole tribe of Rathores emigrated in a body to Rajpoo-
tana, and established the kingdom of Marwar, and the
ancient city of Cunouge, which had seen the days of
Ramu sank to insignificance. Kootub-ood-deen lost no
Bengal and time in despatching one of his slaves, Bukhtyar
^Behar. Q-hiljie, to conquer Behar, which offered no re-
sistance. That officer then advanced to Bengal, which was
under the rule of Lukshmunu Sen, eighty years of age, who
usually held his court at Nuddea. He appears to have
made no preparations for the defence of the country, and
was surprised at a meal, and fled for refuge to Jugernath.
It is particularly worthy of note, that while the heroic
Rajpoots, the kings of Delhi and Cunouge, and other princes
in the north-west, offered a noble resistance to the Ma-
homedans, Bengal fell, without the slightest effort for its
independence. It remained under Mahomedan rule for
five centuries and a half, till it was transferred to a
European government by the issue of a single battle, which
cost the conquerors only seventy men. Bukhtyar deli-
vered up Nuddea to plunder, and then seized on uour, the
ancient capital. He subsequently invaded Bootan and
Assam, but was gallantly repulsed by the highlanders, and
died of chagrin on his return to Bengal. *r
During these transactions Mahomed marched against
the king of Kharizm, the modern Khiva, and, though at
8jk?r. II.] EXTINCTION OF HOUSE OF GHTJZNI, ETC. 27
first victorious, experienced so crushing a defeat that it was x.».
with difficulty he made his way back toGhuzni, Death of 120*
the gates of which were shut against him by the Mahomed-
governor. Eevolts at the same time broke out in India on
the news of his reverses. He succeeded eventually in
restoring his authority, and was returning to his capital,
when he was murdered on the banks of the Indus by &
band of Gukkers, who stole unperceived into his tent and 120$
revenged the loss of a relative in the late war. He
governed the kingdom forty-nine years, forty-five in con-
junction with his brother, and four after his death. His
military operations in India were on a larger scale, and
their result was more permanent than those of Mahmood
of Ghuzni. Mahmood attacked the most opulent towns
and temples and carried their wealth to Ghuzni. It was a
sudden tornado of spoliation, and when it had passed over,
the sovereigns recovered their power, and the country re-
sumed its prosperity. But Mahomed of Ghore in the
course of ten years completely demolished the Hindoo
power, and at the period of his death northern India, from
the Himalaya to the Nerbudda, with the exception of Mai wa,
had come under a permanent Mahomedan government. The
treasure left by Mahomed is stated at e. sum which exceeds
belief, more particularly the five mannds of jewels. He had
no children, and his nephew was proclaimed throughout
his dominions, and ruled them for six years. On his death
there was a general scramble for power between the
governors of the different provinces, and in 1215 Ghuzni 121$
was taken by the king of Kharizm, and the dynasty of
Ghore disappears from the page of history.
Kootub-ood-deen, to whose management Mahomed had
confided his Indian conquests, was invested with the fall
sovereignty of them by his successor, and as- »rheslav6
sumed the insignia of royalty at Lahore in dynasty.
1206, from which year the real foundation of f^1*"00^
Mahomedan power in India is usually dated.
The dynasty which he founded is known in history as that
of the slave kings, He made one expedition across the
Indus and overcame Eldoze, another of the slaves of
Mahomed, who had caused himself to be crowned at
Ghuzni, and claimed the submission of Kootub. Kootub
himself was soon after defeated and returned to India, and
from that time forward contented himself with the do-
minions he possessed there. To commemorate the cap-
ture of Delhi, he commenced the magnificent Kootub-
28 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. II,
Minar in that city, which was completed by his successor.
A.D. He died in 1210, after an independent reign of five years.
1210 While Central Asia was the scene of convulsion created
by the ambition of its different rulers, and more especially
Jenghte by the violence of Mahomed the turbulent king
1219 Khan. of Kharizm, its polity was entirely subverted by
the memorable irruption of Jenghiz Khan. He was the
petty chief of fche Moguls, a tribe of nomadic Tartars,
roaming with their flocks and herds on the north of the
great wall of China. By the age of forty he had es-
tablished his authority over all the tribes, and burst with
resistless force on China, and, after sacking ninety
cities, obliged the emperor to cede the provinces north of
the Yellow River. With an army of 700,000 men he then
poured down on the Mahomedan principalities of Central
Asia, and defeated Mahomed of Kharizm, who is said to
have left 160,000 dead on the field. From the Caspian
sea to the banks of the Indus, the whole region for more
than a thousand miles was laid waste with fire and
sword. This tide of desolation which swept over the
country was the greatest calamity which has ever be-
fallen the family of man. Although Jenghiz Khan did not
invade India, he gave a predominant influence to the
Moguls, who, after the lapse of three centuries, were led
across the Indus by Baber, and placed on the throne of
India.
Kootub was succeeded by his son Aram, who was de-
throned within a year, and Altumsh, his slave and son-in-
law, was raised to supreme authority, which he
during the118 enjoyed for twenty-five years. He was occupied
siaye in reducing to subjection the few districts which
1226 dynasty. gtm rerflailie(i jn fae ^ands of the Hindoos, in
1236 curbing his subordinate governors, and consolidating the
new empire. He reduced the strong fortresses of Bin-
thimbore in Rajpootana, of Gwalior, and of Mandoo. He
captured Oojein, the venerable capital of Vikrum-adityu,
and destroyed his magnificent temple of Muhakal, and
sent the images to Delhi to be mutilated and placed as
steps of his great mosque. He was succeeded by his son,
who was deposed within six months for his vices, and his
sister Rezia was raised to the throne. " She was," says the
historian, " endowed with every princely virtue, and those
1280 "who scrutinised her actions most severely could find in her
"nofaultbutthat she was a woman." She managed theaffaira
of the empire frith singular talent, revised the laws, appeared
SECT. II.] EXTINCTION OF HOUSE OF GBUZNI, ETC. 29
daily on the throne in the habit of a Sultan, and gave
audience to all comers. But an Abyssinian slave had
gained her favour and was appointed to the command of
the army ; the nobility were aggrieved, insurrections
broke out, and she took the field against the rebels, but
was taken prisoner and put to death after a reign of three
years and a half. The two succeeding reigns were without
events, and occupied only six years, when Nazir-ood-deen,
a grandson of Altumsh, mounted the throne. The reign of
this quiet and studious monarch extended to twenty years.
He was remarkable for the simplicity of his habits, his
frugality, and continence, and for the royal Mahomedan
virtue of transcribing the Koran. The merit of all the im-
portant events of his reign belongs to his great minister,
Bulbun, the Turkish slave and son-in-law of Altnmsh.
Throughout this reign the provinces contiguous to the
Indus were constantly subjected to the ravages of the
Moguls whom Jenghiz Khan had established in Central
Asia, and twenty-five of the princes whom they had ex-
pelled were hospitably entertained at the court of Delhi.
He died without issue, and was succeeded by his minister,
Balbun, the greatest statesman in the annals of the slave
dynasty. He was a prince of great energy and ability, but 1266
is represented by some historians as a monster of cruelty,
by others as a model of perfection. During an insurrection
in Merut he is said to have put 100,000 to death,
and the rebellion in Bengal was punished with such
extreme severity as to constrain the ministers of religion
to interpose their influence to stay the savage execution of
women and children. On the other hand, he set an
example of the most rigid abstemiousness, and punished
immorality with great rigour. His court was maintained
on a scale of great magnificence, and adorned with the
presence of men of literary genius, whom he attracted by
his munificence ; but he made it a rule to employ no
Hindoos in the public service. His accomplished son,
Prince Mahomed, the idol of the age, was sent to repel a
renewed invasion of the Moguls. They were defeated, 1279
but the illustrious youth fell in the field, and with him
perished the hopes of the dynasty. Bulbun was succeeded
by one of his grandsons, Who was speedily superseded by
another, and on his falling a victim to his debaucheries, a
struggle for power arose between the Tartar mercenaries
and the Afghan Ghiljies. The Tartars were cut to pieces,
and the dynasty, which began in 1205 with the slav*
80 ABBIDaMENT OP THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP II.
Kutab, terminated in 1288, within three years of the death
of the slave Bulbun.
The victorious Ghiljie, Feroze, then in his seventieth
year, mounted the throne, and assumed the title of Jellal-
A.D. Dynasty of ood-deen. The dynasty, which lasted only thirty
1288 ftto Ghiijies. years, was rendered memorable by the extension
of Mahomedan power over the Deccan. The reign of
Jellal-ood-deen was marked, except in one instance, by an
injudicious lenity, which relaxed the whole frame of go-
vernment ; the governors withheld their tribute, and the
roads were infested with banditti. In the fifth year of his
reign, his nephew, Alla-ood-deeu, a man of great energy,
violent ambition, and no scruples of conscience, projected
a marauding expedition to the south. Avoiding all com-
munication with his uncle, he swept down across the
Nerbudda with a body of 8,000 chosen horse, and suddenly
presented himself before the fortress of Dowlutabad.
Neither the king nor any of the neighbouring Hindoo
princes were prepared for resistance, and the town with all
1294 its treasures fell a prey to the invader. The audacity of
this adventure struck terror into the chiefs on the line,
and before they were prepared to encounter him he was
enabled to return, on the twenty-fifth day, without any
interruption. This expedition revealed the wealth and
the weakness of the Deccan to the Mahomed an s, and
,* paved the way for its subjugation. The aged emperor,
then in his seventy-seventh year, was delighted to find his
nephew return in safety, laden with plunder and covered
with glory. His ministers endeavoured to put him on his
1295 guard against the ambitious designs of his nephew, but
the over-confident monarch was induced to cross the
Ganges to welcome him, and at the first interview was
treacherously assassinated by men placed in ambush in the
tent.
Alla-ood-deen hastened to Delhi, and put the two sons
of his uncle to death and imprisoned their mother ; but he
Aiia-ood- endeavoured to efface the memory of these atro-
dw1' cities by the just exercise of the power he had
so nefariously acquired, and by the exhibition of games and
festivities ; he was never able, however, to suppress his ar-
bitrary temper, and his reign, though long and glorious, was
always disturbed by conspiracies. He was ignorant of letters
when he ascended the throne, but he applied successfully
to study, and surrounded himself with learned men, in
wh6se society he took great pleasure. His government
SBCT. II.] EXTINCTION OF HOUSE OF GHUZNI, ETC. 31
was stern and inflexible, but not unsnitod to the exigencies
of the time. The military operations of his reign, which
extended to twenty- seven years, were divided between the
north and south of India. Early in his reign he finally A.D.
conquered Ghizerat, which had assumed independence, and 1297
two years after obtained possession of the fortress of
Rinthimbore and then of Chittore, which brought the
Rajpoots " under the yoke of obedience." His territories
to the north-west of Delhi were constantly disturbed by
the inroads of the Moguls from Central Asia, and in 1298
Kutlugh Khan marched down from the Indus with an
army of 200,000 men upon Delhi, which was crowded with
fugitives till famine began to stare them in the face, when 1298
Alla-ood-deen marched out and dispersed this vast host.
The invasion was twice repeated, and as often repelled,
and the emperor, to deter these inveterate enemies by a
severe example, caused the heads of all his male prisoners
to be struck off and erected into a pillar at Delhi.
His first expedition to the Deccan, when seated on the
throne, was directed against Warungul, the ancient
capital of Telmgana, but it was not successful. EnrtMtoiu
Three years later, a larger army was sent under to the
the command of Malik Kafoor, a eunuch, once Deccan-
the slave, but now the favourite general of the emperor,
and the object of envy to the nobles of the court. He
overran the Mahratta country and recovered Dowlutabad,
which had revolted. In the previous expedition against 130$
Guzerat, the wife of the raja had fallen into the hands of
the victors and was placed in the imperial harem, where her
singular beauty and her talents excited the admiration of
the emperor. She had borne a daughter to her former
husband, whose attractions were said to be equal to her own,
and the generals were ordered diligently to seek her out.
She was unexpectedly discovered and conveyed to Delhi,
where she made such an impression on the king's son that
he married her; — at so early a period do we find inter-
marriages between the Mahomedans and the Hindoos in 1309
vogue. In 1309, Kafoor ravaged the north of Telingana,
and conquered Warungul. The next year he was sent
with a large army down to the Carnatic, and reached the
capital after a march of three months. The raja was
defeated and made prisoner, and with him ended the
Belial dynasty of the Deccan. Kafoor then ravaged the
eastern provinces along the Coromandel coast down to the
extreme limit of the peninsula, and, as a memorial of his
32 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [Ciu*. H.
victories erected a mosque on the island of Ramisseram,
between the continent and the island of Ceylon, contiguous
to the magnificent temple erected ages before in honour of
Seeta, the wife of the hero of the Ramayun. The value of
the plunder he acquired in these expeditions was calculated
by historians deemed sober, at a hundred crores of rupees.
In the decline of life Alla-ood-deen exhibited an in-
J312 fatuated attachment to Kafoor, whose depravity equalled
Extinction ^s talents, and a spirit of discontent spread
of the throughout the provinces. His strength, both
fy£rtyt of body and mind, was impaired by constant in-
dulgence, and the empire, which had been sus-
tained by his energy, fell into a state of anarchy. Guzerat,
Chittore, and Deoghur deserted their allegiance, and he sank
1316 into the grave under a cloud of misfortunes. His con-
quests were greater than had ever been achieved before in
India ; his internal administration was eminently successful,
and the wealth and prosperity of the country were in-
creased. His death became the signal for revolutions.
The infamous Kafoor seized upon the regency and put out
the eyes of the two sons of his benefactor. Tho nobles of
the court, however, caused him to be put to death, and
placed the deceased emperor's third son upon the throne,
who lost no time in putting the instruments of his eleva-
tion to death, and extinguishing the sight of his youngest
brother. He reconquered some of the provinces which
haa revolted, but on his return to the capital gave him-
self up to the most degrading vices, while his favourite,
Khosroo, a converted Hindoo, undertook an expedition to
the Deccan and ravaged the maritime province of Malabar,
which Kafoor had spared. Khosroo returned to Delhi
laden with booty, assassinated his master, and usurped the
throne, and then proceeded to massacre the royal family ;
but Ghazee Toghluk, the governor of the Punjab, marched
on Delhi with the veteran troops of the marches, disciplined
1321 by constant conflicts with the Moguls, and put an end to
the reign and life of the monster.
Sacr. III.] DYNASTY OF TOGHLUK 88
SECTION III.
THE DYNASTY OF TOGHLUK TO THE MOGUL DYNASTY.
GUAZEE TOGHLUK was desirous of placing some scion of the
royal house upon the throne, but the family had been ex-
terminated during the recent convulsions, and Ghazee
he yielded to the wishes of the nobles and Togbiuk.
people to accept it himself. His father was originally a
slave of the emperor Bulburi, but raised himself to high
honour by his abilities. Has reign, which lasted only four
years, was as commendable as his accession had been
blameless. Bengal had prospered for forty years under
the viceroyalty of Kurrah, the bun of the omperor Bulbun,
and as charges had been brought against him, Ghazee
Toghluk investigated them in person, and, finding them
groundless, confirmed him in the government ; and the
native historian illustrates the mutations of fortune at this
period by the remark that it was the son of the father's
slave who granted the royal umbrella to his son. An ex-
pedition was sent into Telingana ; the capital, Warungul,
was captured, and the Hindoo dynasty which had flourished
there for two centuries and a half became extinct. Jona
Khan, the son of the emperor, on his return from this
campaign, gave an entertainment to his father in a magnifi-
cent pavilion which fell unexpectedly, but not accidentally,
and crushed him to death.
Jona Khan, who ascended the throne and assumed the
title of Mahomed Toghluk, is one of the most extraordinary
characters in the Mahomedan history of India M .
— a singular compound of opposite qualities.
He was the most accomplished sovereign of
the age, skilled in every science, and versed even in Greek
philosophy; the liberal patron of learning, temperate to the
verge of asceticism, and distinguished in the field by his
gallantry and military skill. But all these virtues were
neutralised by such perversity of disposition and such
paroxysms of tyranny as to render him the object of general
execration. It was the intoxication of absolute power which
led him to acts bordering on insanity. He began his reign
by completing the reduction of the Deccan ; he extended
the limits of the empire beyond any of his predecessors, and
brought the remotest districts into as good order as those
84 ABRIDGMENT OF THE H1STOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. IL
around Delhi; yet, before his death the whole of the
Expedition Deccan was lost to the crown by his follies. He
to Persia. assembled a large army for the conquest of
JL.D. Persia, but, after exhausting his resources, the troops de-
1325 sorted for want of pay, and became the terror of his own
subjects. To replenish his treasury he resolved to march
into China, and levy contributions in that remote region,
but the army of 100,000 men which he sent across the
snowy range, after encountering incredible hardships, was
all but exterminated by the Chinese and the exasperated
highlanders, and the few who escaped to tell the tale were
butchered by his own orders. Hearing that the Chinese
had a paper currency in use, he determined to introduce it
into his dominions, to the ruin of thousands and the
general derangement of commerce. His exactions drove
the husbandmen into the woods, and filled the country with
banditti. By way of revenge he surrounded a large tract
of territory with his troops, and driving the wretched in-
habitants into the centre, slaughtered tliem with all the
1838 change of brutality of a battue. In 1338 he took the field
capital. against his nephew, who had been driven into
revolt, and the young prince was captured and flayed alive.
On reaching Deoghur, he was so enchanted with the beauty
of the situation and the mildness of the climate, that he
resolved to make it the capital of the empire, and changed
its name to Dowlutabad. He then ordered the inhabitants
of Delhi to migrate to it, and thousands of men, women,
and children were constrained to travel a distance of eight
hundred miles ; but he planted the road with full-grown
trees. The project of transplanting the metropolis failed,
but not till it had inflicted incalculable misery on the
people. At the same time, as if to mock the calamities of
his subjects, he erected a splendid mausoleum over the
grave of a decayed tooth.
These caprices and oppressions produced the usual har-
vest of insurrections. The Afghans crossed the Indus and
Dismember- ravage^ ^ne Punjab, and when they retired the
mentoftne" Gukkers completed the desolation of the pro-
1840 oap*1*' vince. Bengal revolted, and remained independent
for two centuries. Two fugitives from Telingana esta-
blished a Hindoo kingdom near the Toombudra, with
Beejanuger for its capital. About the same time a de-
scendant of the royal house of Telingana founded an in-
dependent principality at Golconda ; and these two Hindoo
1344 powers maintained a vigorous struggle for many years
with the Mahomedan kingdoms which arose in the Deccan.
SECT. III.] DYNASTY OF TOOHLUK 35
A still more important revolution wrested the n-uinini!iir
provinces south of the ISTerbudda from the sceptre of
Delhi. A large body of Moguls who had settled in Guzerat
raised the standard of revolt. The emperor proceeded
against them with his usual vigour, gave up the cities of
Surat and Cambay to plunder, and desolated the province
as if it had been the possession of an enemy. The Moguls
fled to the Deccan, and being joined by those whom the
emperor's oppressions had exasperated, took possession of
Dowlutabad, where they proclaimed Ishmael Khan, an
Afghan, king, and, after one reverse, established a new
monarchy, known in history as the Bahminee kingdom.
Mahomed Toghluk died in Sinde after a reign of twenty-one ^^
years, leaving the throne of Delhi dispossessed of the whole 1351
of the Deccan and of the province of Bengal.
Mahomed Toghluk was succeeded by his son Feroze,
whose reign extended to thirty- seven years, and though
mild and beneficent, was by no means brilliant. F z T
He discouraged luxury by his own example, re- ghiukandhis
pealed vexatious taxes, and abolished torture and successor8'
mutilation. His ruling passion was architecture ; and the
Mahomedan historian records with pride the erection of
forty ^mosques, thirty colleges, twenty palaces, a hundred
hospitals, a hundred public baths, a hundred and fifty
bridges, and two hundred towns. But the noblest memorial
of his reign was the canal he constructed between the
source of the Ganges and the Sutlege, which bears his
name, and keeps it fragrant in the recollection of posterity.
After a reign of thirty- four years he abdicated the throne
in favour of his son Mahomed Toghluk the second ; who
gave himself up to indulgence, and constrained his father 1388
to resume his power, but at the age of ninety, he resigned
the sceptre to his grandson. During the next ten years
the throne was occupied by four princes, two of whom held
authority in the capital at the same time and for three
years waged incessant war with each other. Hindostan
fell a prey to anarchy ; four independent kingdoms were 1394
carved out of the imperial dominions, and nothing remained
to the crown of Delhi but the districts immediately around
the capital.
These kingdoms were all founded by the Mahomedan
viceroys ; no effort was made by the Hindoos to take ad-
vantage of the confusion of the times, and re- _, . ,
P, . , ,, / , . „ f. Fonrinde-
gam their supremacy, and the ancient chiefs of pendent
Kajpootana were the only depository of Hindoo
, 86 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. II.
power in Hmdostan. Of these kingdoms two, Malwa and
Guzerat, rose to great power and eminence ; while the two
others, Candesh and Jounpore, were of minor weight and
more limited duration. Dilawur Khan of Ghore, the
^D. viceroy of Malwa, who assumed independence, established
1401 his capital at Mandoo, fifteen miles north of the Nerbudda.
Mozuffer Khan, a Rajpoot converted to Mahomedanism,
and like all converts, more especially in India, a virulent
persecutor of his former creed, was sent by one of the
feeble successors of Eeroze Toghluk to supersede the sus-
pected governor of Guzerat, and, seeing no power at Delhi
1396 to enforce obedience, threw off the yoke of allegiance. The
viceroy of Candesh, which consists of the lower valley of
the Taptee, followed his example, and formed a matri-
monial alliance with the new king of Guzerat. Still nearer
the capital, Khoja Jehan the vizier of Mahomed Toghluk the
third, availed himself of the weakness of the throne, and
" assumed the royal umbrella," in Jounpore. The empire
1894 of Delhi, distracted by these revolts, aud shorn of its fairest
provinces, fell an easy prey to the ruthless invader who
was now advancing to despoil it of its wealth.
The Ameer Timur, or Tamerlane, was born in the
neighbourhood of Samarcand, of a Turki family which had
1398 been in the service of Jenghiz Khan. His lot was
ur* cast at a period when the decay of vigour in the
governments in the east offered the fairest opportunity of
» conquest to any daring adventurer. He was raised to the
throne of Samarcand at the age of thirty-four, and in a few
years prostrated every throne which stood in the way of
his ambition, and became at once the scourge of Asia and
the terror of Europe. He led the hordes of Tartary to the
conquest of Persia, Khorasan and Transoxiana, of Mesopo-
tamia and Georgia, and brought a portion of Russia and
Siberia under subjection. Having mastered the whole of
Central Asia, he sent his grandson to invade India, but as he
met with more opposition than was expected, Timur him-
self crossed the Indus at Attock, September 12, 1398, with
ninety-two squadrons of horse, and advanced to Bhutnere,
which was surrendered by the inhabitants on terms ; but,
by one of those mistakes which seemed always to occur in
his capitulations, they were put to the sword and the town
burnt to the ground. Villages and towns were abandoned
as he advanced, but on his arrival at Delhi, he found
himself encumbered with prisoners, and, according to the
statement of the historians, which were doubtless ex*
SECT, in.] TIMUR— THE SYUD DYNASTY 87
aggerated, he caused 100,000 men to be massacred in cold
blood. A. battle was fought under the walls of the capital,
between the veterans of Timur and the effeminate soldiers
of the empire. The emperor Mahomed Toghluk the third
was defeated and fled to Guzerat, and Timur entered the
city and caused himself to be proclaimed emperor. Dis-
putes, as might have been expected, arose between the
citizens and his ferocious soldiers, and the whole of the
Mogul army was let loose on the devoted city. The inhabit-
ants sold their lives dearly, but their valour was quenched
in their blood. The scenes of horror defy all description ;
entire streets were choked up with the dying and the
dead. For five days Timur remained a tranquil spectator
of the plunder and conflagration of the city, while he cele-
brated his victory by a magnificent feast. Having glutted
his revenge and satiated his cupidity he proceeded " to offer
" up to the divine Majesty his humble tribute of grateful
" praise for his success, in the noble mosque of polished
" marble, erected by Feroze on the banks of the Jumna."
This whirlwind of desolation lasted six months, and Timur A.D.
recrossed the Indus in March 1399. Mahomed Toghluk re- 1399
turned to Delhi after the departure of Timur, and continued
to exercise a precarious authority for twelve years, when
Khizir Khan, the governor of the Punjab, marched to
Delhi, and extinguished the dynasty of the Toghluks, after
it had subsisted ninety-one years.
The dynasty established by Khizir Khan which lasted 1414
only thirty-six years, is designated in Indian history the
dynasty of the Syuds, as they claimed descent Dynasty of
from the Prophet. The founder professed to be **»Sy«*.
only the lieutenant of Timur, who had bestowed the
government of the Punjab on him, and caused money to be
coined and prayers to be read in his name. His adminis-
tration, which was extended to nine years, was beneficial
to the distracted provinces, but, with the exception of his
own province, he recovered none of the revolted districts. 1421
His son, Mobarik, was assassinated after a reign of
thirteen years, in which no event of importance requires
to be noted. Syud Mahomed who succeeded him left the
throne to his son Alla-ood-deen, during whose feeble reign
the territory annexed to the crown was still farther re-
duced till at length it extended twelve miles from Delhi on
one side and only one in another. In 1450 Beloli Lodi 1450
marched down to Delhi, and the emperor resigned the
empty honours of royalty to him without a sigh, and re-
88 ABKIDttMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. II.
tired on a pension to Budaon where he passed the re-
maining twenty-eight years of his life in cultivating his
garden.
The grandfather of Beloli Lodi, the founder of this
dynasty, was an Afghan, of the tribe of Lodi, or Lohance,
The dynasty engaged in the transport of merchandize, in
of Lodi. which he had amassed a fortune. He repaired to
the court of Feroze Toghluk, and gradually rose to the
government of Mooltan. He was not content with the
4.D. narrow limits to which the imperial domains had been
1391 reduced, but his chief object was the conquest of Jounpore,
The king- which had become independent in 1394 by the
domof revolt of Khoja Jehan. The Jounpore dynasty
re* nourished for eighty-two years, under six sove-
reigns, the most illustrious of whom, Ibrahim, occupied the
throne for one half that period. Under his beneficent rule
the country reached the summit of prosperity. Learned men
from all parts of Asia were invited to his court, which
was esteemed the most polished and illustrious in India.
His capital was adorned with superb and massive edifices,
the remains of which still excite our admiration. Not
merely was it the rival of Delhi in magnificence, but the
strength of the kingdom was so pre-eminent that the
struggle between the emperor and the king was prolonged
with varied success for twenty-eight years, during which
Delhi was twice besieged by the arms of Jounpore.
4MI<Miliiic-» were occasionally suspended by a hollow truce,
H78 but they came to a final issue in 1478, when the last of the
4 'kings of the east," as the dynasty was termed, fled to
Bengal, and the kingdom was reannexed to the dominions
of Delhi. Beloli Lodi succeeded in extending the terri-
tories of the crown from the Jumna to the Himalaya, and
from the Indus to Benares ; and after a reign of thirty-
eight years bequeathed the throne to his son Secunder,
who added Baber to his conquests. But his administra-
tion, though otherwise just and equitable, was marked by
the oppression of the Hindoos, whose pilgrimages he pro-
hibited, and whose temples he demolished in every direc-
517 tion, erecting mosques with the materials. In 1517,
Ibrahim, the third and the last of the line, succeeded to the
crown, and alienated his nobles by his arrogance and
hauteur to such a degree that his reign of nine years was a
constant succession of revolts, which broke out in Behar,
in Jounpore and in the Punjab, where the governor opened
negotiations with Behar for the invasion of India. The
SBOT. m.] KINGDOM OF OANDESH— OF GUZERAT 89
emperor's own brother joined him at CabuL The success
which attended the expedition of the Mogul will be nar-
rated in a subsequent chapter. Having thus reached the
threshold of the period when the imperial throne was
transferred to the last Mahomedan dynasty, under which
it was gradually restored to its integrity, we turn back to
the progress of events in Hindostan and in the Deccan
when it was first dismembered.
Candesh became independent about the year 1399, and A.D,
was not reannexed to the empire till the reign of Akbar, 1399
two centuries after. It was a small principality, Candegh
of no note in history, remarkable only for the
fertility of its soil, and the prosperity of its people ; it was,
moreover, always considered subordinate to its more
powerful neighbour Guzerat. The independence Guzerat
of Guzerat was established in 1396 by Mozufler * 1396
Shah, and a succession of thirteen princes governed it for
165 years, till it expired in 1561. At the period of the
revolt the province was of limited extent, consisting of the
land lying between the mountains and the sea, but it was
enlarged by successive acquisitions. The great figure it
makes in history is owing to the energy and ability of its
princes, the first of whom Mozufler, the sou of a Rajpoot
convert, was constantly at war with the king of Malwa, or
with the raja of Edur, the most powerful Hindoo princi-
pality in the north. His son Ahmed Shah reigned thirty- Hll
eight years, and was likewise incessantly engaged in hosti-
lities with his neighbours, but he brought the country into
good order, and built the town of Ahmedabad, which he
made his capital, and adorned with such a profusion of
magnificent mosques, caravanseras, and palaces, as to lead
the Mahomedan historians to pronounce it the handsomest
city in the world. The next two reigns, which extended to
sixteen years, were occupied chiefly with struggles with
Koombho, who was then building up a great Hindoo
power in Rajpootana. Mahomed Shah, who ascended the
throne at the age of fourteen, shed a lustre on it for a 1459
period of more than half a century. The European
travellers who visited his court formed the most extrava-
gant conceptions of his power, and asserted that a portion
of his daily food consisted of mortal poisons with which
his system became so impregnated that if a fly sat on him
it fell down dead. He was the original of the picture
drawn by the British poet of the prince of Cambay, * whose
food was asp, and basilisk, and toad.' But even without
40 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA pCiup. II.
the power of digesting poisons he was a most puissant
prince. He captured Gernar, a Hindoo fortress renowned
for its antiquity and its strength. He overran Cutch, de-
feated an army of Belooches, and annexed Sinde to his
dominions. But the distinguishing feature of his reign
was the navy he constructed, and the numerous naval
expeditions which he undertook. He cleared the coast of
pirates, who are said to have fought twenty battles before
they were subdued. His memorable conflict with the
A.D. Portuguese will be narrated in a future chapter. He was
l^H succeeded by his son, Mozuffer the second, whose reign of
fourteen years consisted of constant (wr^nicr,* against
Malwa, and the renowned E/ana Sanga of Rajpootana.
The rapid disappearance of two of his sons, in a single
1526 year, opened the throne to his third son, Bahadoor Shah,
Bahadoor wno subdued the hereditary foe of his dynasty,
shah. the Hindoo prince of Edur, and compelled the
kings of Berar, Ahmednugur and Candesh to do him homage.
His next exploit led to a more splendid result. The king
of Malwa having provoked his hostility, he marched
against him in conjunction with his ally, Hana Sanga, cap-
tured both his capital and his person, and annexed the
1534 kingdom to his own territories. Soon after, the brother
of the last emperor of Delhi of the Lodi family, which had
been dispossessed by the Mogul Baber, sought an asylum
at the court of Guzerat, and Bahadoor Shah supplied him
with the means of raising an army, which was however
defeated. Humayoon, then emperor of Delhi, incensed at
this proceeding, marched down to Guzerat, expelled Baha-
door, and took possession of the kingdom. But he was
soon after recalled to defend his own throne against Shere
Khan; dissensions broke out among his generals, and
Bahadoor was enabled to recover his throne. After a
reign of ten years he was drowned in the harbour of Diu,
1535 as he left the vessel of the Portuguese admiral. The next
sovereign was distracted for sixteen years by the factions
of his chiefs. Two pageants were set up in succession by the
courtiers, but they eventually partitioned the kingdom
among themselves. At length, after nearly twenty years
of convulsions, Akbar put an end to this state of anarchy
by annexing the kingdom to the throne of Delhi, after it
1572 had been alienated a hundred and seventy-six years
Malwa became independent in 1401, under Dilawur
Ghore, who bequeathed the throne four years
1401 Malwa' after to his son Hoosein Ghore. His reign of
SHOT. HI.] KINGDOM OF MALWA— BAJPOOTANA 41
twenty-five years was passed in incessant wars with his
neighbours. His son was. assassinated by his minister, A.D.
Mahomed Khan Ghiljie, who mounted the throne, and 1435
during a period of forty-seven years proved himself the
ablest of the kings of Malwa. He appears to have had
the unobstructed range of northern India, as we find him
besieging Delhi, and establishing his son as governor of
Ajrnere. It was recorded of him that 'the tent was his
house, and the battle-field his resting place.' His son,
Gheias-ood-deen, mounted the throne in 1482, and, having H82
invited his courtiers to a splendid entertainment, informed
them that he had passed thirty-four years of his life in the
field, fighting by the side of his gallant father, and that he
was resolved to spend the remainder of his days in peace
and enjoyment ; while therefore he retained the royal
dignity, he should leave the management of public affairs to
his son. The youth was proclaimed vizier, and the king
retired to his seraglio, which he had stocked with 15,000
of the most beautiful women he could procure. In this
female court the pomp and parade of royalty was strictly
maintained. The royal body-guard consisted of 500 Turki
maidens, arrayed in male attire, and of 500 Abyssinian
maidens. Strange to say, he was allowed to retain this
pageantry for eighteen years, without any attempt at
rebellion. His son succeeded him in 1500 and his reign
of twelve years was marked only by cruelty and sensuality.
Mahmood, the last king, was assailed by the Rajpoots,
and rescued by Bahadoor Shah, king of Guzerat ; but he
was incapable of gratitude, and attacked his benefactor,
who marched down to his capital in conjunction with the 1£3J
Rajpoots, and extinguished the kingdom after a hundred
and thirty years of independence.
At the period of the first invasion of the Mahomedans in
1001 , the Rajpoots appear to have been in possession of all
the governments in northern India ; but, although R . tan<u
they succumbed to the conquerors, they continued a P°°
to maintain a spirit of independence under their respective
chieftains in the table-land of Rajpootana, in the centre of
Hindostan. The most important of these chiefs was the
rana of Oodypore, in his capital of Chittore. At the
beginning of the sixteenth century the throne was filled
by Rana Sanga, whose genius and valour raised it to the
height of power. His army consisted of 80,000 horse and
500 war elephants ; and seven rajas of superior rank and
more than a hundred of inferior note attended his stirrup into
42 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. II,
the field. The chiefs next in importance, the rajas of Jey-
pore and Joudpore, or Marwar, served under his banner,
and he was the acknowledged head of the Rajpoot tribes.
The national historian dwells with pride on the eighteen
battles he fought with Ghizerat and Malwa. His genius
consolidated the power of that gallant and chivalrous race,
and prepared it for the resistance which it was soon to offer
to the Moguls, which, if it had been successful, would
doubtless have restored the sovereignty of Hindostan to the
Hindoos.
It has been stated that the oppressions of Mahomed
Toghluk led to the establishment of an independent Ma-
Aj). The Bah- homedan government in the Deccan, by Hussun
1347 minee " Gunga, an Afghan, in 1347. Out of gratitude
dynasty. ^ ]^g ]=£indoo patron, he took the additional
title of Bahminee, by which the dynasty is known in
history, and extended his authority over all the territories
belonging to the crown of Delhi south of the Nerbudda,
with the exception of those included in the two Hindoo
kingdoms of Beejanuger and Telingana. His son, who
1358 succeeded him in 1358, commenced hia reign by attacking
the king of Telingana, from whom he obtained the sur-
render of a throne, which, with the jewels he added to it,
was valued at four crores. In a drunken revel he offered
an insult to the king of Beejanuger, who attacked the
town of Moodgul, and put the inhabitants to the sword.
Mahomed, the king, swore that food and sleep should be
unlawful to him till he had propitiated the martyrs of
Moodgul by the slaughter of 100,000 infidels. He entered
the raja's territories, and ravaged them without mercy ;
and having, as he supposed, completed his vow, granted
him honourable terms, and on his return devoted his
attention to the improvement of his country. After a
reign of seventeen years he left the crown to his son, but
he was murdered by his uncle. Eeroze, the son of the
1397 assassin, mounted the throne in 1397, and his reign,
together with that of his brother, which extended over
thirty-seven years, are considered the palmy days of the
dynasty. He made twenty-four campaigns, and carried
fire and sword through the length and breadth of the
Carnatic. At the same time, he was an eminent patron of
literature. He likewise established a mercantile marine,
and instructed his commanders to bring the most learned
men and the handsomest women from every port they
visited. His seraglio is said to have contained beauties
SECT. III.] FIVE KINGDOMS IN THE DECCAN 48
from thirteen different countries, and the historians affirm
that he was able to converse with each one in her own
tongue. He likewise made a point of copying sixteen
pages of the Koran daily. Towards the close of his reign
he attacked the raja of Beejanuger, and was totally de-
feated, when the triumphant Hindoos retaliated on him
for the destruction of their temples, by the demolition of
his mosques. His brother, Ahmed Shah, in his turn
defeated the Hindoos, and pursued them with unrelenting
severity from day to day, not pausing till the number of
the slain was reported to have reached 20,000. We pass
on to the last monarch of the dynasty. Mahomed Shah,
who was placed on the throne at the age of nine, was
affectionately nurtured by his minister Mahomed Gawan, A.D
the most eminent general and statesman of the age, through 1463
whose energetic efforts the kingdom reached its greatest
limits, and was extended from the Malabar to the Coromandel
coast, and from the Nerbudda to the Kistna. His in-
ternal administration was equally successful, and the
prosperity of the country rose to its highest measure.
The envious courtiers succeeded, however, in alienating
the king from the man to whom he was under these obli-
gations, and in a fit of drunken revelry, he ordered him to
be put to death. Gawan was then in his seventy-eighth
year, and he knelt down with his face towards Mecca, and
received the fatal blow. Though he had held high office
under five kings, he died in graceful poverty. The king
himself became a prey to remorse, and died within a
twelve month. It is unnecessary to pursue the history of
this dynasty ; Mahomed Shah, his son, ascended the throne
in 1482, and lived on, though he cannot be said to have H82
reigned, for thirty-seven years. The kingdom crumbled
away as governor after governor revolted, and was at
length resolved into five independent sovereignties.
1. Adil Shah, the adopted son of Mahomed Gawan, H89
founded the kingdom of Beejapore and the Adil Shahee
dynasty in 1489, which retained its independence mve lnde>
for one hundred and ninety-seven years, until it pendent
was absorbed by Aurungzebe in 1686. kingdoms.
2. Hussun Bheiry, who instigated the murder of Ma- 1490
homed Gawan, was executed by order of his master, and
his son Ahmed Nizam raised the standard of revolt in
1487, at Ahmednugur, where he established the Nizam
Shahee dynasty, which continued for one hundred and fifty
years, till it was subverted by Shah Jehan in 1637.
44 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. II.
A.D. 3. Imad-ool-moolk made himself independent at Berar
U84 in 1484, and commenced the Imad Shahee dynasty, which
was extinguished at the end of ninety years by the king of
Ahmednugur in 1574.
4. Koolee Kootub, a Turkoman, who rose to be governor
1512 of Golconda, established his independence there in 1512,
under the name of the Kootub Shahee dynasty, which sub-
sisted for a hundred and seventy five years, and was ex-
tinguished by Aurungzebe in 1687.
5. Ahmed Bereed, who was appointed minister on tho
1498 murder of Mahomed Gawan, gradually absorbed all the
power of the state, and erected what remained of its do-
mains into an independent state at Beder. It was of
limited extent, and the period of its extinction is uncertain.
This partition of the Deccan among five independent
sovereigns who were constantly at war with each other, or
with the Hindoo monarch s, subjected the wretched country
to perpetual desolation ; but there can be little advantage
to the reader in wading through a long succession of sieges
and battles, and encumbering the memory with a string of
names and dates of no interest. The salient events of this
long period of anarchy will come up in the history of the
Mogul empire, in which they were eventually absorbed
after more than a century and a half of conflict.
SECTION IV.
THE MOGUL DYNASTY — BABER — HUMAYOON — AKBAR.
1526 IN the month of April 1526 Sultan Baber captured Delhi,
and established the Mogul dynasty, which continued to
The Mogul flourish with only one interruption, and with
dynasty. increasing lustre, for a hundred and eighty years,
under a succession, unprecedented in Indian history, of six
sovereigns, distinguished by their gallantry in the field,
and, with one exception, by their ability in the cabinet.
Baber, the sixth in descent from Tiraur, was the son
of Sheikh Mirza, the ruler of Ferghana on the upper
saber's early Jaxartes. His mother was a descendant of Jen-
career. ghiz Khan, and he inherited the spirit of enter-
prize which distinguished both his renowned ancestors,
and at the early age of fifteen commenced that adventurous
career which he pursued without intermission for thirty-
SHOT. IV.] THE MOGUL DYNASTY— BASER 45
five years. His first campaign was directed against the
city of Samarcand, the capital of Tinmr and the metropolis
of Transoxiana, but though he captured it three times, he
was as often expelled from it. For eight years he was
engaged in a series of perilous and romantic enterprizes,
and experienced vicissitudes of fortune which would have
crushed an ordinary mortal, but which only seemed to give
fresh vigour to his buoyant spirit. In the year 1504, see-
ing little prospect of success in his native province, he
seized the city of Cabul, of which he retained posses-
sion for twenty-two years, incessantly employed in defend-
ing or cnl.n-Lrinur his dominions. His greatest peril arose
from the progress of the Uzbeks, a tribe of ferocious Turks
and Tartars, then swarming from their native hive, whose
leader, Sharbek, had swept the posterity of Timur from
Khorasan and Transoxiana. In his march towards the
Indus the Uzbek captured Candahar, and threatened
Cabul, and would probably have extinguished the hopes
and the ambition of Baber had he not been recalled to
resist the hostility of Ishmael Shah, who had recently
founded the dynasty of the Sophis in Persia. The Uzbek
chief was routed and slain, but the footing which his tribe
obtained in Transoxiana they retain with vigour to this
day. Baber, who had again occupied Samarcand, and had
been again expelled from it, now turned his attention to
India, where the imbecility and the unpopularity of the
emperor, Ibrahim Lodi, offered an allurement too Baber in
strong for a descendant of Timur to resist. He ^^
was invited to invade it by men of influence who had been
alienated from the emperor by his oppressions, and more
particularly by his own brother, who sought refuge at
Cabul. In the course of five years, commencing with 1519
he made five irruptions across the Indus, with alternate
success and disappointment. In 1526 ho undertook his last
and crowning expedition, withii' a.-:- ;. i. -I • \«v < il'i :: 12,000
men, but, though a heterogeneous mixture of mercenaries,
they were all veterans, disciplined in many fields. The des-
tiny of India was decided on the field of Panipnt, where the
emperor Ibrahim encountered him with, it is said, 100,000 ]^-
troops arid 1000 elephants, and was totally discomfited and 1526
fell. Delhi opened her gates to the conqueror, and in May
1526 he vaulted into the vacant throne. But Delhi had
long ceased to be the capital and the mistress of state of
India. The great Mahomedan empire which, in lndt*»
fcho early days of Mahomed Toghluk, embraced the whole
continent, had been broken up a century and a half before
46 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IL
by his extravagances, and the victory of Baber only gave
mm possession of the districts to the north-west of the
capital, and a strip of territory extending along the banks
of the Jumna down to Agra. The various provinces were
in the hands of independent rulers. In the southern
extremity of 'India the great Hindoo monarchy of Beeja-
nuger was lord of the ascendant. Farther north lay
another Hindoo principality, and the territories of the
five kingdoms recently formed on the dissolution of the
Bahrain ee monarchy. Guzerat was governed by a wild
youth who had recently absorbed Malwa. Bengal, in-
cluding Behar, was ruled by an Afghan king. Orissa was
still in possession of its ancient Hindoo dynasty, and in
northern India Bana Sanga had consolidated Hindoo
sovereignty in Raj poo tan a, and was at this time the most
powerful ruler north of the Nerbudda.
Bana Sanga, elated by the success he had recently ob-
tained over the king of Malwa in conjunction with the
Baber'svic king of Guzerat, espoused the cause of the
tory over the dethroned family of Lodi. All the Bajpoot
Rajpoots. princes ranged themselves under his banner,
and he advanced with 100,000 men, the flower of the
A.D. Bajpoot chivalry, to drive Baber back across the Indus. In
1527 the first engagement at Biana, Baber experienced a very
disastrous defeat : some of his officers and men deserted
their colours, others went over to the enemy, and all
were disheartened, but he did not allow himself to despair.
He states, in his interesting memoirs, that he repented of
his sins, and determined to reform his life, that he for-
swore the use of wine, melted down his silver and gold
goblets, and determined to live like a true Moosu Iman and
cultivate his beard. His enthusiasm reanimated his troops,
and in the engagement to which he led them, he obtained
a splendid victory which completely crippled and humbled
1528 the Bajpoot power. The next year he attacked and
mastered Chanderee, a Bajpoot fortress hitherto deemed
impregnable ; and in the succeeding year recovered Oude
and northern Behar, and chastised the king of Bengal.
But his constitution, which had been impaired by early
indulgences, was worn out by these exertions in an uncon-
1530 genial climate, and he died at Agra in 1530, at the age of
was ^terred at Cabul, in a beautiful
His death
andcharac- spot he had selected for his grave, the simple and
***• chaste monument erected over which has con-
tinued, to attract the admiration of three centuries. No
SHOT. IV.] HUMAYOON 4?
Mahomedan prince in India is held in higher estimation
than Baber. His career exhibited all that romantic spirit
of adventure of which nations are always proud. His
personal courage bordered on rashness ; his activity appears
fabulous ; for thirty-eight years, as he records, he had never
kept the feast of Ramzan twice in the same place. But he
was rather a valorous soldier than a great general, and
lost almost as many battles as he won, but he never lost
heart, and was as buoyant after a defeat as after a victory.
Amidst all the bustle of war he found leisure for the culti-
vation of literature, and his poetry has been not a little
admired. There is no Indian prince with whose individual
character and tastes and feelings we are so familiar ; and
this is owing to his interesting autobiography, in which
he records his transgressions with so much candour, and
his repentance with so much sincerity, and his friendships
with such warmth, that the reader is led involuntarily to
regard him as a personal friend. A.D.
Humayoon succeeded his father in 1530, at the age of 1630
twenty-six, and the first act of his reign displayed the
weakness of his character. His brother Camran,
the governor of Cabul and Candahar, refused to umayo011-
acknowledge his authority, but he resigned those provinces
to him — adding thereto the Punjab — and thus deprived
himself of the means of recruiting his army with the hardy
mountaineers of Afghanistan, and, as Saber's veterans
died out, was obliged to depend on those whom he could
enlist from his half-subdued subjects in India. In the
third year of his reign he was involved in hostilities with
Bahadoor Shah, the wild king of Ghizerat, who had fur-
nished the dethroned family of Lodi with the means of 1684
assailing him. Bahadoor was defeated, and obliged to take
refuge at the land's-cnd of Diu, and the whole province
was occupied by the Mogul troops. Humayoon then pro-
ceeded against Chumpanere, a fortress likewise considered
impregnable, but with 300 troops he climbed a perpen-
dicular rock by means of spikes driven into it, and cap-
tured it at once. He was immediately after recalled to
Agra to arrest the progress of Shere Khan, but was defeated
and expelled from India after a reign of ten years, and a
new dynasty mounted the throne.
Shere Khan was an Afghan of noble parentage, born
at Sasseram, in Behar, where his father held a
jageer under the governor. He enlisted as a Dynasty of
private soldier under the revolted viceroy of sfc^shah.
48 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. II.
Jounpore, but cultivated his mind with great assiduity
and educated himself for a future career of ambition. A
long series of adventures, ended in his obtaining posses-
A.D. sion of Behar, and invading Bengal, and it was to oppose
1535 his alarming progress that Humayoon was recalled from
Guzerat. He marched down upon him, but wasted six
months in fhe siege of Chunar, which was at length cap-
tured by the powerful artillery of Humayoon manned by
Portuguese gunners and directed by Roomy Khan, a Turk
of Constantinople, whom he had brought with him from
Guzerat. Meanwhile Shere Khan had defeated the king
of Bengal and captured Gour, but not deeming himself
sufficiently strong to resist the imperial troops he retired
to the mountain region of Behar and deposited his family
and his treasures in the stronger fortress of Bhotas.
1538 The emperor took possession of Gour, but when the rains
set in, the delta of the Ganges became a sheet of water,
and his army was isolated aud decimated by sickness and
desertion. Shere Khan then issued from his fastnesses,
took possession of Behar and Benares, recovered Chunar,
and pushed his detachments up to Cunouge. Humayoon
was obliged to retreat towards his capital, but was inter-
cepted and defeated, and Shere Khan assumed the im-
Defeatof perial title. Humayoon at length reached Agra
Humayoon. after his defeat, and employed eight months in
n-cniitinir his force, while his rival was employed in
organising the provinces he had conquered. The two
armies met at Cunouge, where the emperor experienced a
second and more fatal defeat, and fled first to Delhi, and
7540 then to Lahore ; thus at the end of fourteen years, the
power which the energy and perseverance of Baber had
established was subverted, and scarcely a vestige of Mogul
sovereignty remained in India, while the throne of Delhi
reverted to the Afghans. Humayoon fled to Sinde and
was engaged for eighteen months in fruitless negotiations
with its chiefs. He then threw himself on the kindness of
the Rajpoot prince of Marwar, but was rudely repulsed
from his court and pursued with an armed force by his son.
The wretched emperor, after suffering incredible hardships
in crossing the desert, at length succeeded in reaching
Amercote with only seven mounted attendants ; and there
his queen, who had nobly shared with him the torments of
the journey, gave birth to a son, afterwards the illustrious
1542 Akbar. After another series of reverses, he quitted India
and repaired to Candahar.
Sacr. IV.] DYNASTY OP 8HEBE SHAH 49
Leaving Humayoon across the Indus, we turn to the A.D.
career of Shore Shah, who mounted the throne and esta- 1540
blished a new dynasty, which however did not ghew gj^
last more than sixteen years. In 1542 he con-
quered the province of Malwa, and reduced the great
fortress of Raiseen, of boundless antiquity. Here his repu-
tation was tarnished by the only stain ever attached to it.
The garrison capitulated on terms, but the Mahomedan
doctors assured him that, according to the doctrines of the
Koran, no faith was to be kept with unbelievers, aud they
were slain to a man. In 1544 he invaded Marwar, which was 1544
defended by 50,000 Rajpoots, and he was exposed to such
peril, that, in allusion to the barrenness of the country, he
exclaimed that "he had nearly lost the empire for a
"handful of millet/' Soon after, the capture of Chittore
placed Raj poo tana at his feet, and he then proceeded to
attack Call i nirer, an ancient and strong fort in Bundlecund,
but was killed by the explosion of a magazine. The five
years of his reign form the most brilliant period in native 1545
history. He was equally qualified for the duties of war
and of peace — a consummate general, and a liberal and
enlightened statesman. Though incessantly engaged in the
field, he reformed every branch of the civil administration ;
and of his institutions it is sufficient to say that they
became the model of those of Akbar. He constructed a
grand trunk road, lined with trees, from Bengal to the
banks of the Indus, erected caravanseries, and excavated
wells for the convenience of travellers ; he was, moreover,
the first prince to establish a mounted post. His second
son Selim, after quelling a dangerous rebellion, was enabled
to enjoy the throne in peace for nine years, indulging his
hereditary taste for architecture. It was the profligacy of
his brother and successor, known in history as Adili, which
at length extinguished this short-lived dynasty. Having
exhausted the treasury, he began to resume the estates of
his Patan nobles, who went one by one into rebellion, and
established five independent authorities, and nothing was 1544
at length left to the crown but the districts immediately
around Delhi.
To turn to the career of Humayoon. He proceeded from
India to Candahar, but was driven from it by the hostility of
his brother, and constrained to seek refuge at the Restoration
court of Persia, where he was subject to all the mor- °f Hum*,
tifications a capricious despot could inflict. He was yoon*
even constrained to undergo the indignity of putting on the
50 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA (Ciup. II.
*•&• Kuzzilbash, or red cap of the Persians, andit was " proclaimed
1544 « bva triumphal flourish from the king's band." After re-
peated importunity, he was furnished with 14,000 horse for
the conquest of Afghanistan, but only on condition of
ceding the frontier provinces to the king. Candahar was cap-
tured after a siege of five months, and made over to the
Persian prince who had accompanied him to receive posses-
sion of it. On his death Humayoon put a large portion
of the Persian garrison to the sword — an act of perfidy which
has left an indelible blot on his memory. He then marched
to Cabul, and after various severe struggles succeeded in
1553 wresting it from his brothers, one of whom he deprived of
sight, with excruciating torture. The increasing confusion
in India led him to make a bold stroke to recover his
throne. He crossed the Indus and encountered the for-
midable army of Secunder Soor, who had seized the
Punjab on the dissolution of the imperial authority, and
gained a complete victory. It was in this battle that the
young Akbar earned his spurs. Humayoon hastened to
Delhi, and remounted the throne which he had lost fifteen
1555 ye&rs before, but was not destined to enjoy it long. Six
months afterwards, while descending the steps of his
library, he heard the muezzin's call to prayer, and, as
usual, stopped to repeat the creed, and then sat down ; but
on endeavouring to rise, the staff on which he leaned
slipped over the polished steps, and he fell headlong over
1150 the parapet, and expired within four days, in the forty-
ninth year of his age, and, including the period of his
exile, the twenty- sixth year of his reign.
Akbar, the piide and ornament of the Mogul dynasty,
was only thirteen years and three months of age when he
Akbar's was called to the throne, which he adorned by his
early years, genius for fifty years. He was contemporary with
Queen Elizabeth, his reign having begun two years before,
and ended two years after hers. The administration was
managed during his minority by Byram Khan, a Turko-
man, the companion of Humayoon in all the vicissitudes of
his career, and an eminent statesman and general, but
austere, arrogant, and exceptionally bigoted. Hemu, one of
the greatest commanders of the age, and, though a Hindoo,
most loyal to the deposed emperor Adili, on hearing
of the death of Humayoon, deposited his master at Chunar,
and moved up to the capital with 100,000 men. Agra and
Delhi opened their gates to him, and the ministers of
entreated him to abandon India, and retire to
BBCT. IVJ BYRAJKTB AKROOANCE AKD DEATH 51
Afghanistan ; but 6 jram advised an immediate and vigo-
rous attack, and Akbar supported his opinion. The two
armies met at Paniput, and the destiny of India was again ^^
decided on that memorable field. Hemu was completely 1556
defeated, and conducted bleeding into the presence of the
young monarch. Byram urged him to secure the religious
merit of slaying an infidel, but he refused to imbrue his
hands in the blood of a gallant and now helpless foe,
and Byram struck off the head of the captive with one stroke
of his scimitar. It was the military talent and the energy
of Byram which had seated the Moguls again on the
throne, and maintained Akbar 's power ; but the minister
had grown too big for a subject, and for four years after
his accession Akbar felt himself to be a cipher in his own
court. Such bondage was intolerable to a high-spirited
prince, and, at the age of eighteen, he resolved to emanci-
pate himself from it. While out, therefore, on a hunting
party, he suddenly returned to Delhi without his minister,
and issued a proclamation, announcing that he had taken
the government into his own hands, and that no orders
were to be obeyed which did not issue from himself.
Byram felt that his power was waning, and retired to
Nagore, giving out that he was going on pilgrimage to
Mecca, not without the hope of being reinstated, but
Akbar sent him a message dismissing him from all his
offices. He immediately went into revolt, and having raised
an army, attempted an invasion of the Punjab, but was
defeated and captured. As he entered the royal pre-
sence with his turban humbly cast around his neck, and
threw himself at the feet of the prince he had cherished
from the cradle, Akbar hastened to raise him, seated hi™
on his right hand, and, after investing him with a robe of
honour, offered him his choice of any post in the empire.
He preferred a retreat to Mecca, but was assassinated on
the route by an Afghan, whose father he had put to
death.
Akbar was now his own master at the age of eighteen.
Born amidst hardships, and trained up in adversity, he was
beset with difficulties which would have broken a Akbart
spirit of less energy. Of all the Mahomedan difficult!*,
dynasties which had ruled India, that of the Moguls was
the weakest. It was not connected with any large and
powerful tribe beyond the Indus, ready to advance and
support the ascendency of its fellow-countrymen in India.
His army was a collection of mercenaries drawr to his
• 2
52 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAP. H.
standard from the various countries of Central Asia by the
1660 hope of plunder. His officers were a band of adventurers
1567 k?1111^ *° k"21 by n° to08 °f hereditary loyalty, and more
1567
disposed to carve ont principalities for themselves than to
build up a Mogul empire. Before he could attempt to
recover the dominions of the crown, it was necessary for
him to establish his authority over his own chiefs, and for
seven years he was engaged in crushing their revolts. In
the first year of his reign, his territories were confined to
the Punjab and the districts around Agra and Delhi, but he
gradually recovered Ajmere, Gwalior and Oude. The son of
the late emperor Adili made an attempt to recover his throne;
he was defeated by Zeman Shah, but the general, despising
the youth of his sovereign, withheld the royal share of
the booty, and Akbar was obliged to take the field against
him. Adam Khan, another general, was sent to expel the
Afghans from Malwa ; but, after defeating them, kept the
fruits of the victory to himself. Akbar marched against
him, but consented to accept his submission, and he re-
quited this lenity by stabbing the vizier while at prayer
in a chamber adjoining that occupied by the emperor, who
thereupon ordered him to be thrown headlong into the
Jumna. Soon after, Abdoolla Khan, a haughty Uzbek,
who had been received with a host of his countrymen into
the Mogul service, "withdrew his neck from the yoke of
" obedience," but Akbar came down upon him with prompti-
*tude, and constrained him to fly to Guzerat. Great dis-
satisfaction was thereby created among the Uzbek officers,
and a treasonable confederacy was organised in the
army. One of their number, Asof Jah, was sent to sub-
jugate the little Hindoo principality of Gurra, on the
Nerbudda, near Jubbulpore, then governed by the Princess
Doorgawutee, who was no less renowned for her valour
than for her beauty. She commanded her army in person,
and maintained the conflict with a noble heroism, till she
1504 received a wound in her eye. The troops, missing her
presence, began to give way, when, to avoid falling into
the hands of the enemy, she seized the stiletto of the
elephant driver, and plunged it into her bosom. Her
martial exploits are still a favourite theme with the bards
of the Deccan. The principality was conquered by Asof
Jah, but he appropriated the largest share of the rich
booty to his own use, and then joined the confederacy,
which now embraced the most considerable of Akbar'g
generals. His danger was extreme ; it was no less than a
SHOT. IV.] ALLIANCE WITH BAJPOOT FAMILIES 03
struggle for the throne, and the question at issue was,
whether the empire should be Uzbek or Mogul. Qeneral
His detachments were repeatedly defeated, but Uzbek oon-
he maintained the conflict with .• "' : ' reso- §PfrwV'
lution for two years. At this critical juncture he was
obliged to quit the pursuit of the Uzbeks, in consequence of
the revolt of his brother, to whom he had entrusted the
government of the Punjab. It was at once crushed, but
on his return to the south he found that the revolted
generals had taken possession of Allahabad and Oude, and
were preparing to march on the capital. Though the
rains had set in, when military operations are usually
suspended in India, he did not hesitate to take the field
against them, and, by his promptitude and vigour, suc-
ceeded at length in breaking up the confederacy. He had
now subdued all his adversaries by his valour, or his
clemency, and, at the age of twenty- five, he had the happi-
ness of seeing his authority completely established over all
the revolted provinces.
With a spirit of liberality foreign to preceding conquerors,
Baber determined to strengthen his throne by matrimonial
alliances with the Hindoos, Humayoon had Matrimonial
espoused the .daughter of the raja of Jeypore. J^htS
Akbar had likewise married two Rajpoot prin- Rajpoots,
cesses, and his son had followed his example. Offices of
great dignity and responsibility were conferred on these
Hindoo princes, and they took a pride in these imperial
alliances. But the orthodox house of Chittore, wrapped up
in its religious exclusiveness and hauteur, disdained every
such connection, and excommunicated those who had
adopted them. The raja had given encouragement to the
king of Malwa, and Akbar was determined to Attack of
chastise him. The throne was at the time Cbittore.
occupied by Oody Sing, the degenerate son of the illus-
trious Bana Sunga. He took refuge in the hills on the
approach of the Mogul troops, and left the defence of his
capital to Jeymul, the Rajpoot chief of Bednore, esteemed A.D.
by his countrymen the bravest of the brave. The siege 1561
was protracted by his skill and valour, but he was killed
by a bolt from the bow of Akbar. His death deprived the
garrison of all confidence, and they devoted themselves to
death with the accustomed solemnities. The women threw
themselves on the funeral pyre of the chief, and the men
rushed recklessly on the weapons of the Moguls, and
perished to the number of 8,000.
54 ABRIDGMENT OF THE EISTOBY OP INDIA [CHAP. IL
Akbar's next enterprise was of greater magnitude.
The kingdom of Guzerat, enlarged by the conquests of
Conquest of Bahadoor Shah, had been a prey to faction
Guaerat. Q^QQ hjs death in 1537, and four weak and
profligate princes had occupied the throne in thirty-five
years. Etimad Khan, once a Hindoo slave, who managed
the government for Mozuffer the third, seeing no other
mode of terminating the distractions of the country, in-
vited Akbar to take possession of it, and he proceeded to
A.D. Patun, where that feeble monarch resigned the sceptre to
1572 him, and Guzerat was again annexed to the crown of Delhi,
after two centuries and a half of independence. But no
sooner had he returned to his capital with the bulk of his
army, than a turbulent chief of the name of Mirza raised a
new revolt, and the imperial general was reduced to
extremities. The rains had set in, but Akbar was ready
for action at all seasons. He immediately despatched 2,000
cavalry, and followed them with 300 of his own guards,
marching 450 miles in nine days. The promptitude of his
1573 movements confounded the rebels, and the subjugation of
the province was rendered complete.
The attention of Akbar had been directed to Bengal
while he was engaged in Guzerat. Under the successor
tayades °^ ^here Shah, the Afghan governor of the pro-
Bengal, vince assumed independence, and four kings of
his line reigned in Bengal during a period of thirty years,
The last was assassinated soon after he ascended the throne,
which was then seized by Soliman, an illustrious Afghan,
who determined on the conquest of Orissa, which was
effected by his general, Kala-pahar. Soliman died in 1573,
and was succeeded by Daood Khan, a debaucbee and a
coward, who, considering himself a match for Akbar, ven-
tured to attack a fort above Ghazeepore. Akbar ordered
an army down for the conquest of the kingdom, and the
king retired to Orissa, where he encountered the Mogul
army, and was defeated, but was allowed to retain the
kingdom as a feudatory. The next year, on the withdrawal
of the imperial troops, he revolted, and was defeated. He
fell in the action, and with him terminated the last line *of
1576 the Afghan kings of Bengal, which they had held for a
period of two hundred and thirty-six years. The Mogul
officers seized the jageers of the discomfited Afghans, but
on being summoned to account for the revenues, and to pro-
duce the roll of the troops they were bound to maintain,
they rose in a body, and 30,000 of Akbar's finest cavalry
CONQUEST OF BENGAL AND OKISSA 55
appeared in arms against him. The new conquest was lost
for a time, and the spirit of disaffection was spreading
through Oude. In this emergency the emperor, finding
it impossible to trust the fidelity of his Mogul officers, sent
an army of Rajpoots under the celebrated raja, Toder Mull,
to reduce the province. He succeeded in giving a severe
blow to the insurgents, but the war was protracted and the
Afghans of Orissa took advantage of the confusion, and
recovered their footing in the southern districts of Bengal.
The great Rajpoot, raja Man Sing, was then despatched to
quell this formidable insurrection, but it was not before
the year 1592, after a dozen engagements and sixteen years 1592
of conflict, that the authority of the emperor was fully
established in this province.
Two years after the conquest of Bengal, the kingdom of
Orissa was added to the Mogul empire. Orissa had for 1578
twenty centuries been considered the Holy Land conquest of
of India, and the region of pilgrimage under Orissa'
three successive creeds. For more than seven centuries it
was the depository of the sacred tooth of Booddha, until
that relic was removed to Ceylon. Then came the
Hindoo dynasty of the Kesaris, who covered it with
thousands of temples in honour of Seeva. This was
succeeded by the dynasty of the Gunga-bungsas, who are
believed to have come from the Gangetic province, and who
assumed the title of Lords of the Elephant. Their do-
minions covered 40,000 square miles, and extended from
the banks of the Hooghly to the banks of the Godavery.
They gave the ascendency to the worship of Vishnoo, and
although Jugernath, a form of that god, makes his first
appearance in that land of religious merit early in the
fourth century, it was under the auspices of this dynasty
that the ' Lord of the World ' attained that supreme homage
throughout the continent which he still maintains. The
first sovereign of the Hue was fourteen years in erecting
the magnificent temple at Pooree, and the resources of the
state were exhausted by a succession of princes, in ecclesi-
astical endowments and the support of brahmins. Inroads
were occasionally made by the Mahomedan rulers of Bengal,
but the Hindoo princes of Orissa continued to maintain
their independence with great vigour till the death, in
1532, of the last able monarch of the Gangetic dynasty,
which was followed by a period of anarchy for twenty-four
years, when Soliman, the king of Bengal, sent his general,
Kala-pahar, to invade it. He was a brahmin by birth, but
flfl ABRIDGMENT OF THE HJSTOBY OF INDIA [Cm*. II.
had embraced the religion of the Prophet to obtain the
hand of a princess of Gour, and became the unrelenting
oppressor of his former creed. He defeated the raja, and
with him ended the independence of this ancient and re-
nowned kingdom. Kala-pahar persecuted the brahmins
and confiscated the religious endowments which had accu-
mulated during twenty generations of devout monarchs.
He destroyed the idols and pulled down the temples to
erect mosques with the materials, and he dug up the image
of Jngernath from the Chilka lake, into which it had been
thrown for safety, and conveying it to the banks of the
Hooghly, committed it to the flames. According to popular
rumour, the arms and legs of the idols dropped off at the
sound of his kettledrums. Upon the conquest of Bengal,
the king Daood took refuge in Orissa, and was pursued by
the generals of Akbar, and after more than one revolt, was
slain, and Orissa became a province of the Mogul empire,
A.D. A short time previous to this invasion of Bengal by
I860 Akbar, the ancient city of Gour, the metropolis of Bengal,
The city was depopulated and abandoned. It was admir-
of Gour. ably situated on the confines of Bengal and Behar
for the government of both provinces. It had been the
capital of a hundred kings, who adorned it, more especially
those of the Mahomedan creed, with massive and superb
edifices. It extended along the banks of the river, and
t was defended from its encroachments by a stone embank-
ment, said to have been fifteen miles in length. This
magnificent city, the abode of wealth and luxury, was
suddenly prostrated by some pestilence which has never
been explained, and has since been the abode of wild hogs
and tigers.
The next event of importance in the reign of Akbar was
1586 the conquest of Cashmere, by his brother-in-law, the raja
Conquest of of Jeypore. The king, on his submission, was
Oft-hmepe* enrolled among the nobles of the court, and this
noble valley, considered the paradise of Asia, which enjoys
" a delicious climate, and exhibits in the midst of snowy
"summits a scene of continual verdure," became the summer
residence of Akbar and his successors. The effort to curb the
Highlanders between the Indus and the passes into Afghan-
istan, which was next undertaken, proved a more arduous
task. These wild mountaineers had been for ages the
plague of every ruler of the province. They regarded it
as their hereditary vocation to plunder travellers passing
through the defiles, and to levy black mail on the industry of
SHOT. IV.] INVASION OF THE DECCAN 57
the valleys. Akbar sent a strong army under the raja of Jey-
pore to subjugate them, but it was assailed in the passes and
annihilated; and the Mahoraedan historian records The
that of 40,000 horse and foot, scarcely a man re- Khybewe8'
turned. Such wholesale destruction would appear incredible,
if we had not witnessed a repetition of it, in the same scenes,
Tinder the British Government in 1841. The rajas Toder
Mull and "Miii:- -jiiir imposed some restraint on their vio-
lence by the establishment of military posts which cut off
their supplies from the plains ; but they were as trouble-
some as ever a century after in the reign of Aurungzebe.
Soon after, Akbar proceeded to the conquest of Sinde, and
reannexed Candahar to the crown; and thus, sindeand
after a series of conflicts which extended over Cand*har.
twenty-five years, he found himself at length undisputed
master of his hereditary dominions across the Indus, and
of all the territories north of the Nerbudda which had
ever belonged to the imperial throne, and it only remained
for him to extend his authority over the Deccan. A
brief notice of the progress of events in that division of
India during the sixteenth century will be a suitable
introduction to the expedition which the emperor now
undertook.
SECTION V.
AKBAR. INVASION OF THE PECCAN. 1TI8 DEATH,
IT has boen stated in a previous chapter that five inde-
pendent kingdoms — Beejapore, Ahmednugur, Golconda,
feeder, and Berar — arose on the ruins of the Bah-
minee kingdom. Beder rarely appears on the
page of history, and Berar which was never of
much weight in the politics of the Deccan, was ccntnry'
absorbed by Ahmednugur in 1572. The attention of the
kings of Golconda was chiefly directed to the subjugation
of the various Hindoo principalities which lay on its
eastern frontier, and stretched along the Coromandel coast
from Oriasa southward. It appears also to have gradually
absorbed the Hindoo state of Telingana, with its capital
at Warunfful, which had assumed independence on the fall
of the Bahminee kingdom. Beejapore and Ahme-inugur,
58 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IL
which bordered cm each other, were engaged in constant
hostility. Within the circle of their territories was in-
cluded the region inhabited by the Mahrattas, which had
formerly belonged to the Hindoo kingdom of Deoghur,
conquered by Alla-ood-deen in 1295 ; and the origin and
growth of their importance is to be attributed primarily to
the training they received in the constant warfare of these
princes. During the sixteenth century the armies of these
two Mahomedan states were constantly recruited by
Mahratta soldiers, sometimes to the extent of 20,000.
There was not as yet any bond of national unity among
them, and they sold their mercenary swords to the highest
bidder, without caring whether their own countrymen
might not be fighting in the opposite ranks.
But the great event of that century was the extinction of
Hindoo power in the Deccan. To the south of the Kistna
Beqja- lay the great Hindoo monarchy of Beejanuger,
nnger. established in 1336, which had maintained a per-
petual conflict with the Bahminee dynasty, and subsequent-
ly with the kingdoms which arose on its decay. In the
early period of the sixteenth century Beejanuger had
attained its greatest extent and power. It was enriched by
maritime commerce ; and all the Hindoo chiefs south of the
Kistna — below which the Mahomedans had no footing —
were completely under its control, even where they were
not under its government. No single state was able to
cope with it. The reigning raja, Ram-raj, had recently
wrested several districts from Beejapore ; he had overrun
Golconda, laid siege to the capital, and exacted large
concessions from the king. The four Mahomedan kings —
Beder still existed — felt the necessity of restraining the
growth of his power, and, suspending their mutual jealous-
ies, formed a quadruple alliance against him. It was
nothing less than a conflict between the Hindoos and the
Mahomedans for the supremacy of the Deccan. Although
Ram-raja called up all the strength of his Hindoo feuda-
tories from the south down to its extreme limits, the
enumeration of his host by Perishta appears fabulous.
His younger brother is said to have commanded a wing of
the army consisting of 20,000 cavalry, 100,000 foot, and 500
elephants. His second brother had another wing of equal
strength, while the raja himself led the flower of the army.
The confederate force was likewise prodigious, and included
20,000 elephants and 600 pieces of artillery of all calibre.
Thjj' important battle, known in history as that of Talli-
SHCT.V.] CHAND SULTANA 59
kotta, which lies at a short distance from the Kistna, was A.D.
fought on the 25th January, 1565, and it resulted in the 1564
total defeat of the raja, and the slaughter, as the Mahom-
edan historians boast, of 100,000 infidels. The raja,
seventy years of age, was beheaded in cold blood, and his
head was preserved as a trophy at Beejapore, and annually
exhibited on the anniversary of his death. The Hindoo
power in the south was irretrievably broken, but dissensions
among the victors enabled the brother of the raja to retain
a fraction of his territory, and to establish his court event-
ually at Chundergiree, which has been rendered memorable
in the history of British India as the town, where, seventy
years after the battle of Tallikotta, the descendant of the
raja granted the East India Company the first foot of land
they ever possessed in India, and on which they erected
the factory of Madras.
At the period of Akbar's invasion of the Deccan, the
three Mahomedan princes were those of Beejapore, Gol-
conda, and Ahmednugur. This expedition was, Akb^
doubtless, dictated by the " lust of territorial views on
" aggrandisement ;' ' but, if it had been completely tbe Deccan-
successful, it would have been an unquestionable blessing
to the country. Nothing could be more deplorable than
the condition of the Deccan at this period. Its various
kings had no occupation but war, aggressive war without
even the excuse of provocation. Scarcely a year passed in
which villages were not desolated, and the fair fruits of
industry blasted by their mutual hostilities ; and the sub-
stitution of a single authority, even though despotic, was
a real godsend. On the death of Boorhan Nizam Shah,
the king of Ahmednugur, four factions arose in the state,
the most powerful of which sent an invitation to Akbar,
which he accepted at once ; but, before the force which he
despatched could reach the capital, another revolution
placed the government in the hands of Chand Chand
Sultana, the aunt of the minor raja. This cele- smtana of
brated woman, the favourite heroine of the ^JJ?"
Deccan, and the subject of a hundred ballads,
determined to defend the city to the last extremity. The
Moguls had constructed three mines, two of which she
countermined ; the third blew up, leaving a large opening
in the wall, and her officers prepared to desert the defence.
The sultana flew to the spot fully armed, with a drawn
sword in her hand, and a veil over her face. Combustibles
of every description were thrown into the breach, and so
60 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. H,
heavy a fire was directed upon it, that the assailants were
constrained to retire. It is a popular and cherished tra-
dition that, when the shot was exhausted, she charged the
guns with copper, then with silver, and lastly with gold.
Her allies were now approaching, and the Mogul camp was
The sultana straitened for provisions. Morad, the son of
AJ>. oedes 33erar* Akbar, offered to retire upon the cession of Berar,
1596 and the sultana, who placed little confidence in her own
troops, reluctantly accepted these terms. Within a year the
kings of Ahmednugur, Golconda, and Beejapore formed a
league to drive the Moguls out of the Deccan, and brought
60,000 troops into the field. An action was fought at
Soniput, which lasted two days without any decisive result.
Discord broke out among the Mogul officers, and Akbar,
1599 who had resided for fourteen years near the Indus, felt the
necessity of proceeding to the Deccan in person. He
advanced to the Nerbudda, and sent his son Morad to lay
siege to Ahmednugur. The government of Chand Sultana
was in a more disturbed state than ever, and, seeing defence
hopeless, she felt the necessity of negotiating a peace with
the Moguls, when the soldiery, instigated by her enemies,
Her tragic burst into her chamber, and put her to death,
deatk. The city was stormed and plundered, and the
1600 young king and the royal family were sent prisoners to
Gwalior ; but the kingdom was not incorporated with the
Mfcgul territories till thirty-seven years later.
This was the last political event of any importance in the
1601 reign of Akbar, who returned to the capital in 1601. The
Last four last four years of his life were embittered by the
SrtJIrt misconduct of his eldest son Selim, a violent and
itfe. vindictive prince, and the slave of wine. He took
up arms against his father, but was conciliated by a grant of
the provinces of Bengal and Orissa. He had contracted an
inveterate dislike of Abul Fazil, one of the most illustrious
and esteemed of the emperor's officers, equally eminent as
a general, a statesman, and a historian, to whose classic pen
his reign is indebted, in no small degree, for its lasting
renown. Selim caused him to be assassinated by a zemin-
dar of Bundlecund. In September 1605, Akbar began to
feel the approach of death. The profligacy of Selim had
induced a» influential body of courtiers to contemplate the
elevation of a younger son to the throne, but Akbar
assembled them around his dying couch, and in their pre-
sence ordered Selim to gird his own scimitar to his side,
a* a token of the bequest of the empire. Then, addressing
Sacr.V.] CHARACTER OF AKBAB 61
the assembled oznrahs, he asked forgiveness for whatever
offence he might have given them, and, after repeating toe
Moslem confession of faith, expired in the odonr Death of
of sanctity, though he had lived the life of a &****• ^^
heretic. He died at the age of sixty-three, after a reign of 1605
forty-nine years.
Akbar is described as " a strongly built and handsome
"man, with an agreeable expression of countenance, and
" very captivating manners." He was not only the character
pride of the Mogul dynasty, but incomparably the of Akbar'
greatest of all the Mahometan rulers of India. Few of these
princes have ever exhibited greater military talent or per-
sonal courage. He never fought a battle which he did not
win, or besiege a town which he did not take. Yet he had
no passion for war ; and he had no sooner turned the tide
of victory by his skill and energy, than he left his com-
manders to complete the work, and hastened back to the
more i-oniri iiinl labours of the cabinet. The glory of his
reign rests not so much on the extent of his conquests, as
on the admirable institutions by which they were consoli-
dated and improved. In the early part of his career he
was a devout follower of the Prophet, and, at one time,
contemplated a pilgrimage to his tomb, the earnest longing
of every Mahomedan. But, about the twenty-fifth year of
his reign, he began to entertain latitudinarian views. Re-
jecting all prophets, priests, and ceremonies, he professed
to take simple reason as his guide. The formula of his
creed seems to have been : u There is no god but God, and
" Akbar is his Caliph.'* Yet with all his scepticism, he was
not without a touch of superstition, of which he afforded
an instance by the awe and veneration with which he adored
the image of Jesus Christ and the Virgin, when shown to
him by the Roman Catholic missionaries. The tendency of
his measures was to discourage Mahornedanism. He changed
the era of the Hegira ; he restrained the study of Arabic,
and of Mahomedan theology, and wounded the dearest pre-
judices of the faithful by prohibiting the beard, though it
was enjoined by the Koran. Nothing but the ascendency
of his character, and his brilliant success in war and in
peace, could have preserved his throne amidst the discon-
tents occasioned by these heterodox proceedings. Amidst
a people with whom the persecution of infidels was regarded
as a sacred duty, he adopted the principle, not only of
religious toleration, but of religious equality, and deter-
mined to rest the strength of his throne upon the attach-
62 ABRIDGMENT OF THE H1STOKY OF INDIA [CHAF. II.
ment of all his subjects. He secured the loyalty of I/he
Hindoos by inviting them to share the highest civil offices
and military commands with those of his own creed. He
abolished the jezzia, the odious capitation tax inflicted on
unbelievers, rescinded the pilgrim tax, sanctioned the
marriage of Hindoo widows, and positively prohibited
suttees.
Under the supervision of the Hindoo raja, Toder Mull,
the great financier of the age, he remodelled the whole
His revenue revenue system of The empire, and thus brought
settlement. fa maturity the great plans which Shere Shah
in his brief reign of five years had inaugurated. The
lands were measured according to a uniform standard, and
divided into three classes according to their character and
fertility. The demand of the state was fixed, generally, at
one-third the produce, and then commuted into money.
The settlement was made with the ryots, to the exclusion
of all middle-men, and all arbitrary cesses were abolished.
The whole empire was divided into fifteen provinces or
soobahs, each of which was placed under the authority of a
soobadar. Ho was entrusted with full powers, civil, military
and financial, and assisted by a military commander and
finance minister, who were accountable to him, though nomi-
nated by the crown. Akbar's military system was the least
perfect of the departments of the state, and was enfeebled by
paying the commanders for their men by the head, which
created an irresistible temptation to present false musters,
and to fill the ranks with vagabonds. The same organisa-
tion which pervaded the state establishments was intro-
duced into every division of the court, and the whole was
regulated, to the minutest detail, by the emperor himself.
Every department was maintained upon a scale of imperial
Splendour of magnificence, of which there had been no exam-
his court. pie gince the establishment of the Mahomedan
power in India. During his progress through the country
his camp was a moving city, and the eye was dazzled by
the splendid tents of his ministers and officers, and more
especially by the royal tents, blazing with ornaments and
surmounted with gilt cupolas. A taste for literature was
diffused through his court. Translations were made under
his directions from the Hindoo classics, and his accom-
plished courtier, Fiezi. was directed to make a correct
version of the Evangelists.
JEHANQKKH 63
CHAPTER III.
SECTION L
REIGN OF JEHANGE1R.
ON the death of Akbar, Selim stepped into the throne and
assumed the title of Jehangeer, the Conqueror of the World.
The great empire to which he succeeded was in a Accession of
state of profound tranquillity, not disturbed by Jehaneecr-
any insubordination among the public officers nor by foreign
aggression . His first measures were judicious and ben e volent.
He confirmed most of his father's ministers in their posts,
remitted some vexatious taxes which had survived his
father's reforms, and made arrangements for giving easy
access to the complaints of his subjects. He likewise re-
placed the Mahomedan creed on the coin, and manifested
a superstitious obedience to the precepts of the Koran.
But the quiet of the realm was speedily interrupted by the
rebellion of his son, Khosroo, to whom he had always ex- 1606
hibited a feeling of strong antipathy. The unhappy youth
fled to the Punjab, and collected a force of 10,000 men,
but was pursued and captured, when the emperor exhibited
the brutality of his disposition by causing 700 of his
adherents to be impaled alive, while Khosroo was de-
liberately carried along the line to witness their agonies.
The event which exercised the greatest influence on the
reign of Jehangeer was his marriage with Noor Jehan,
contracted in the sixth year of his reign. This Noor Jchan
celebrated princess was the daughter of a Persian
noble, who had been reduced to poverty, and, following the
current stream of emigration, proceeded to India to repair
his fortunes. During the journey his wife gave birth to a
daughter, under very distressing circumstances. A mer-
chant, who happened to be travelling on the same route,
offered them timely assistance, and conveyed them in his
own train to the capital. He took the father into his
service, and eventually introduced him to the Court of
64 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. HI.
Akbar, where he rose to considerable eminence. As the
daughter grew up, she received all the accomplishments
which the metropolis of the empire could provide, and
attracted admiration by her exquisite beauty and elegance.
In the harem of Akbar, which she visited with her mother,
she excited the passion of prince Selim ; but as she had
been already betrothed to a young and gallant Persian
noble, who had acquired the title of Shore Afghan, from
having killed a tiger in single combat, the marriage was
completed by the orders of the emperor, and a jageer in
the distant province of Burdwan was bestowed on him, to
withdraw his wife from the capital. But Jehangeer had no
sooner mounted the throne than he determined to remove
every obstacle to the gratification of his wishes, and the
noble Persian perished in an affray which was not believed
to be accidental. His lovely widow was conveyed to the
capital, and the emperor offered to share his throne with
her ; but she rejected his advances witli such disdain as to
disgust Jehangeer, and she was consigned to neglect in
the harem. Reflection served to convince her of her folly,
j^ and she contrived to throw herself in his way and to re-
1611 kindle his passion. The nuptials were celebrated with ex-
Her mar- traordinary pomp, and she was clothed with
riagewith honours such as no princess had ever enjoyed
before in India. Her name was associated with
tlje emperor's on the coin, and announced in these graceful
terms : " By order of Jehangeer, gold acquired a hundred-
" fold value by the name of Noor Jehan." Her talents for
business were not inferior to her personal charms, and her
influence was beneficial in softening the emperor's dispo-
sition, and producing that reformation in his habits which
marked the early years of his reign. Her taste imparted
grace to the splendour of the court, while, at the same
time, she curtailed its extravagance. Her brother was
raised to high office, and her father placed at the head of
the administration, which he managed with great ability.
The capture of Ahmednugur and the murder of Chand
Sultana did not ensure the conquest of the kingdom. A
kinsman of the late king was placed on the throne by
Malik Amber, the chief of the Abyssinian nobles of the
court* He holds the foremost rank in the history of the
1610 Deccan monarchies as a statesman and general of surpass-
ing ability. He took entire charge of the administration,
and maintained the sinking fortunes of the state for many
years with singular energy. Planting himself on the
SECT. I.] EMBASSY OF SIB T. ROE. 6/5
borders of the Deccan, he repeatedly drove the Moguls
across the Nerbudda. Two powerful armies were sent by
Jehangeer into the Deccan ; one was completely baffled by
Malik's peculiar mode of warfare, and obliged to retreat,
and the other was too disheartened by this event to advance A>D.
far. His artillery, which was obtained from the Portuguese 1612
in his ports, was greatly superior to that of the imperial
army. He availed himself, moreover, of the contingents of
the Mahratta chieftains, which served to foster and to ma-
ture their military power, and it was under his banner that
Shahjee, the father of Sevajee, laid the foundation of the
greatness of his family. Malik Amber had no natural
passion for military enterprises, though his success in the
field has seldom been surpassed. It was his attention to
the duties of peace on which his renown rests, and his
revenue settlements rival those of the raja Toder Mull.
Jehangeer's failure in the Deccan was counter- subjugation
balanced by his success in Rajpootana. Pertab of o^yP0^-
Sing, the rana of Oodypore, who is still idolized by his
countrymen for the heroism with which he repelled the
Moguls and eventually regained the provinces they had
conquered, was succeeded by his son Ornrah, who, though
equally valliant, was not equally fortunate. He was attack-
ed by Shah Jehan, the favourite and the gallant son of
Jehangeer, and obliged to acknowledge his fealty to the
empire. The independence of Oodypore, which had been
maintained for eight centuries, was virtually extinguished, 1614
for although Shah Jehan, himself of Rajpoot blood on the
mother's side, generously restored the territories he had
conquered to the fallen rana, it was only as the vassal of
the emperor of Delhi.
The tenth year of the reign of Jehangeer was rendered
memorable by the arrival of Sir Thomas Roe, as the
ambassador of James I., to solicit privileges sir Thomas 1616
for the East India Company. The result of his Roe-
embassy will be stated in its place hereafter. Here it may
be sufficient to remark that he was fascinated with the
oriental magnificence of the court, which completely eclipsed
the tinsel pomp of his own master ; but he saw little
comfort among the people, who were ground down by
extortion. The emperor dispensed justice daily in person,
but retired in the evening to his cups, which he seldom
quitted before his reason was obscured. The different
governments were farmed out; the courtiers were uni-
versally corrupt, and military discipline was relaxed. There
66 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. III.
was a large influx of Europeans at the court ; one of the
emperor's nephews had embraced Christianity, and the
emperor himself had an image of Christ in his rosary.
A<1)> Shah Jehan, the emperor's gallant son, who was married
1615 to the niece of Noor Jehan was now declared heir apparent,
shah Jehan, an^ sen^ ^n ^ne following year to invade the
heir Deccan. The prosperity of Malik Amber had
apparen created a feeling of envy at the court, and he
was still farther weakened by the desertion of the king
of Beejapore. He was constrained, therefore, to cede to
Shah Jehan the fortress of Ahmednngur, as well as all
the conquests he had made from the Moguls. Within four
years he renewed the war, and drove the imperial troops
across the Taptee. Shah Jehan was again selected to
1620 command the army, and the usual success attended his
arms. Malik Amber was deserted by his own officers,
and obliged to purchase peace by a large sacrifice of territory
and treasure.
Just at this juncture Khosroo, the brother of Shah Jehan,
1621 died, and his own misfortunes began. Noor Jehan had be-
intrigues of stowed her daughter by Shere Afghan on Shahriar,
Noor Jehan. ^e youngest son of the emperor, and, in the
hope of retaining her power under his weak administration,
determined to secure the reversion of the throne for him
To remove Shah Jehan out of the way, she persuaded
"vjehangeer to employ his great military talents in recovering
Candahar from the Persians, who had recently conquered
it. Shah Jehan was fully aware of the danger of quitting
India, and began to stipulate for securities. His request
was pronounced treasonable; all his jageers were confiscated,
1622 and he was driven into revolt, and Mohabet, the inosb
eminent of the imperial commanders, was directed to pro-
ceed against him. After a partial and indecisive action
in Rajpootana, Shah Jehan injudiciously retreated to the
Deccan, where he arrived with the loss of his prestige.
Malik Amber and the kings of Beejapore and Golconda
refused him any assistance ; his own troops began to desert
his standard, and he retired to Telingana. On reaching
1624 Masulipatam, he marched along the coast up to Bengal,
and, having taken possession of that province as well as of
Behar, advanced towards Allahabad. Mohabet, who had
lost sight of him, on hearing of his progress, hastened from
the south to the banks of the Ganges, and Shah Jehan was
obliged a second time to fly to the Deccan, but was pursued
with such vigour that, seeing his fortunes desperate, he
SECT. I.] A0E OF BOODDHU TO MAHOMEDAN INVASION 67
sought reconciliation with his father, for which he was
obliged to give his two sons as hostages.
A new scene now opens in this drama. Mohahet, the j^
greatest subject in the empire, and the prime favourite 1624
of the emperor, manifested no disposition to NoorJehan.g
second the wishes of Noor Jehan, and raise her persecution
son-in-law, a prince devoid of energy or ability, of Mohabet»
to the throne, and she resolved on his destruction. A charge
of embezzlement during his last expedition was trumped
up against him, and he was summoned to the court to
answer it. He came, but with a body of 5,000 Rajpoots.
He had recently betrothed his daughter to a young noble-
man, without having first obtained the usual consent of the
emperor. Jehangeer summoned the youth into his pre-
sence, and, in a fit of brutal rage, ordered him to be stripped
naked and scourged with thorns before the courtiers. Moha-
bet perceived that his ruin was determined on, and resolved
to strike the first blow. The emperor was then on his way
to Cabul, and was encamped on the Hydaspes, which the
army crossed in the morning on a bridge. The emperor
had not recovered from the debauch of the previous night,
and remained behind with a slender guard, when Moliabet
proceeded to his tent, and seized his person.
Seeing himself helpless, he submitted to mount seizes the
an elephant, together with his cupbearer and his emPeror-
goblet, and to proceed to Mohabet's tent.
Noor Jehan crossed the river in disguise the next morn-
ing, and joined the army which she led to the rescue of the
emperor; but the Rajpoots had broken down the Noor Jehan
bridge, and she advanced at the head of her troops rescues him.
to a ford which had been discovered, mounted on a large
elephant, and fully armed. The struggle was long and
deadly. In spite of all her efforts, her troops were precipi-
tated into the stream by the shower of balls, rockets, and
arrows which Mohabet's Rajpoots <l:-,vh,rivr'H from their
vantage ground. Her elephant was assailed with particular
violence, and of the numerous missiles aimed at her, one at
length struck the infant son of her daughter, whom she
carried in her lap. The ford became a scene of universal
confusion. The elephant driver was killed, and the elephant
was wounded and borne down the stream back to the
opposite bank. Her female attendants hastened to the spot,
and found the howda, or seat, covered with blood, and the
empress employed in binding up the wound of the infant.
Noor Jehan yielded to necessity, and joined the emperor
F 2
68 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. III.
in his captivity, and affected to be reconciled to Mohabet,
who had assumed the command of the army, and marched
on to Cabul. There the fertile genius of the empress was
employed in cajoling Mohabet and throwing him off his
A.D. guard, while, by a series of skilful manoeuvres, she gradually,
1626 and without observation, assembled a body of troops. See-
ing his position becoming daily less secure, Mohabet was
led to make her offers of submission. She agreed to con-
done his revolt on condition that he should proceed in
pursuit of Shah Jelian, who had fled to Sinde. Mohabet
dreaded a reign of weakness under Shahriar, and resolved
to join Shah Jehan ; and Noor Jehan, on hearing of this
defection, ordered him to be hunted through the empire,
and set a price on his head. But all her plans of ambition
were at once extinguished by the death of the emperor.
After his liberation, he proceeded from Cabul to Cashmere,
but his constitution was exhausted by a life of indulgence ;
Death of he was seized with a violent fit of asthma, and died
Jehangeer. on ^g wav to Lahore, on the 28th October, 1627,
1627 in the sixtieth year of his age, and the twenty-second
of his reign. He was contemporary with James the First of
England. Not only were their reigns of the same duration,
but there was a remarkable similarity in their characters.
They were both equally weak and contemptible, both the
slaves of favourites and drink ; and by a singular coinci-
dence, they both launched a royal decree against the use of
tobacco, then recently introduced into England and India,
and in both cases with equal success.
SECTION II.
SHAH JEHAN AND AURUNQZEBE.
1627 ON the death of Jehangeer, Asof Khan, one of the chief
ministers of the cabinet, the brother of Noor Jehan, though
Accession of ne owed his position to her influence, determined,
Shah Jehan. from a patriotic motive, to support Shah Jehan,
and invited him to the capital, while at the same time he
placed the empress under restraint. Her power expired
with the death of her husband, and she retired from the
world upon an annuity of twenty lacs a year, and passed
tte remaining twenty years of her life in cherishing his
SHOT. II.] SHAH JEHAN AND AURUNGZEBE 69
memory. Shah Jehan was proclaimed emperor at Agra,
and rewarded the instruments of his elevation — Asof Khan
and Mohabet — with offices of the highest dignity. His
reign was distinguished by a passion for magnificence, A>1>
which was developed on the very first anniversary of his 1627
accession, when he was weighed against silver and gold
and precious substances ; vessels filled with jewels were
waved over his head — from the superstitious notion of
averting misfortune — and then scattered on the floor for a
general scramble. The expense of this festival was com-
puted at a crore and a half of rupees.
The first ten years of his reign were occupied with
military operations in the Deccan. The genius of Malik
Amber had restored much of its former splendour Warg in the
to the kingdom of Ahraednugur, but he had Deccan.
recently died at the age of eighty, and the country was
distracted by factions. The king of Beejapore, Ibrahim
Adil Shah, renowned for the grandeur of his buildings,
had died about the same time, bequeathing to his successor
a flourishing country and an army, reported, not without
exaggeration, at 80,000 horse and upwards of 200,000
infantry, sufficiently powerful to cope for years with the
whole strength of the Mogul empire. The king of Gol-
conda was employed in extending his authority over his
Hindoo neighbours to the east and the south. These three
Deccan monarchies had recovered their former limits, and
of all the conquests made by Akbar nothing remained
to the crown of Delhi but the eastern portion of Candesh
and Berar. The war in the Deccan on which Shah Jehan
entered in the second year of his reign, was occasioned by
the revolt of Jehan Lodi, an Afghan adventurer of low birth, 1628
but great courage ami enterprise, who had commanded the
imperial troops in the Deccan, out was disliked and mis-
trusted by the emperor. Suspecting some sinister designs
on his part, he marched out of his palace at Agra at the
head of 2,000 of his veteran Afghans, with his kettledrums
beating a note of defiance, and fought his way to the
Deccan, where he was joined by many adherents, and
supported by the king of Ahmednugur. The revolt
became so serious that Shah Jehan ordered three armies
into the field and proceeded in person to the Deccan. The
king of Ahmednugur was defeated. Jehan Lodi sought
aid of the king of Beejapore and was refused, and he then
endeavoured to make his way to Afghanistan, but was
brought to bay in Bundleeand, where he fell pierced with
70 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA ("CHAP. III.
wounds, after having performed prodigies of valour at
the head, of 400 men who adhered to his fortunes to the
last.
Moorteza Nizam, of Ahmednugur, after his defeat, had
fallen out with his minister Futteh Khan, the son and
Extinction r 8tlccessor °f Malik Amher, and imprisoned him,
of Anmed- but, when threatened with disorder and ruin on
nugur. a-Q gi^e^ restored him to power. The ungrateful
A.D. Abyssinian rewarded his kindness by putting him and his
1630 chief adherents to death, and then, after placing an infant
on the throne, offered his submission to the emperor. But
Shahjee, the Mahratta chief, who had risen to great import-
ance under Malik Amber, found himself strong enough to
set up a new pretender to the throne, and obtained posses-
sion of the greater portion of the country. The Deccan
was thus as far from being subjugated as ever, and Shah
Jehan deemed it necessary to undertake another expedition
1637 in person. Shahjee was driven from Ahmednugur, and
the whole force of the empire was brought to bear on
Beejapore, the king of which had made common cause
with Ahmednugur, and now maintained a struggle of five
years with the imperial gsnerals. To baffle their efforts, he
created a desert for more than twenty miles round his capi-
tal, destroying every particle of food and every vestige of
forage. Both parties became at length weary of this war,
, and listened to terms of accommodation. The result of
this conflict of eight years may be thus briefly summed up :
the kingdom of Ahmednugur was extinguished, after a
century and a half of independence ; a portion of it was
ceded to Beejapore for a tribute of twenty lacs a year,
and the remainder absorbed in the Mogul dominions,
while the king of Golconda consented to pay an annual
subsidy.
1637 Shah Jehan was soon after gladdened by the recovery
of Candahar. Ali Merdan, the governor under the Persians,
Candahar was (^ven ^n^° revolt by the tyranny of his
and Ail sovereign, and made over the town and terri-
Merdan. ^orv ^o fae jyfoguig. He was taken into the ser-
vice of Shah Jehan, and employed in many military
expeditions beyond the Indus, but his fame rests on the
public works he constructed in India, and more especially,
on the noble canal near Delhi, which still preserves the
grateful remembrance of his name. After several years of
repose, the emperor determined to prosecute the dormant
claims of his family on the distant regions of Balkh and
SECT. II.] SHAH JEHAN AND AUEUNGZEBB 71
Budukshan, and he proceeded to Cabul. AH Merdan and
Morad, the emperor's son, reduced Balkh, but it was im-
mediately after overrun by the Uzbeks. Raja Juggut Sing
was then sent with 14,000 Rajpoots, and they manifested their
loyalty to a just and tolerant government by crossing the
Indus, in spite of their Hindoo prejudices, traversing the
lofty passes of the Hindoo Coosh, constructing redoubts by
their own labour — the raja himself taking an axe like the
rest — and encountering the fiery valour of the Uzbeks in
that snowy region. Aurungzebe, the emperor's third son,
was subsequently sent there, but, after gaining a great victory
was obliged to retreat in the depth of winter, and with the
loss of the greater part of his army ; after which the em-
peror had the moral courage to relinquish this ill-advised
enterprise.
Two years after, the king of Persia, marched down on A.D.
Candahar, and recaptured it, and Aurungzebe was directed 1647
to recover it, but was obliged to retire after having in vain
besieged it four months ; a second expedition led by him,
and a third by his brother Dara, were equally unsuccessful.
These failures were followed by two years of tranquillity, 1653
during which Shah Jehan completed the revenue settle- to
ment of the possessions he had acquired in the Deccan.
The year 1655 marks an important era in the history of
Mahomedan India ; — the renewal of the war in the Deccan,
which continued for fifty years to exhaust the Renewalof
resources of the Mogul empire, and hastened its the war in
downfall. During the eighteen years of peace theDeccan-
which followed the treaty made with Ibrahim Adil Shah,
the king of Beejapore, he had devoted his attention to the
construction of those splendid palaces, mausoleums, and
mosques by which his reign was distinguished, and to the
conquest of the petty Hindoo chiefs in the south. The
king of Golconda had punctually paid his subsidy, and
manifested every disposition to cultivate the favour of the
emperor. The Deccan was tranquil, but in an evil hour
Aurungzebe was appointed viceroy, and resolved to efface
the disgrace of his repulse from Candahar by the subjuga-
tion of its two remaining kingdoms. An unexpected event
gave him the desired pretext. Meer Joomla, born of indi-
gent parents at Ispahan, had repaired to Golconda, and
amassed prodigious wealth in commerce and maritime
Bnterprises. He was taken into the service of the king,
and, having risen to the office of vizier by his extraordinary
talents, led the armies to the southern provinces of the
72 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [OHAP.II1.
Beccan, and established the royal authority over many of
the Hindoo chieftains. While absent on one of these ex-
peditions his son incurred the displeasure of the king, and
Meer Joomla, unable to obtain any consideration from him,
determined to throw himself on th'e protection of the
Moguls.
Aurungzebe was but too happy to take up the quarrel ;
and, with the permission of his father, sent a haughty
Aurung- mandate to the king to grant redress to the
zebe's pro- youth, to which the king replied by placing him
^Deccan. m confinement and confiscating all the estates
of the family. Shah Jehan ordered his son to
enforce compliance with his command by the sword,
and he advanced to Hyderabad, now become the capital of
the kingdom, with the most friendly assurances. The king
was preparing a magnificent entertainment for his recep-
tion, when he was treacherously attacked and obliged to
seek refuge in the hill fort of Golconda. Hyderabad was
plundered and half burnt, and the king was constrained to
submit to the humiliating terms imposed on him of bestow-
ing his daughter on one of Aurungzebe's sons with a rich
A.D. dowry, and paying a crore of rupees as the first instalment
1656 of an annual tribute; but the emperor, who had a con-
science, remitted a considerable portion of it. Aurungzebe
now prepared for a wanton attack on Beejapore. A pretext
was found in the assertion that the youth who had recently
Succeeded to the throne was not the real issue of the late king,
and that to the emperor belonged the right of deciding the
succession. Aurungzebe suddenly burst upon the territory
His attack while the bulk of the army was absent in the
on Beeja- Carnatic ; two important forts were captured,
pore* and the capital was invested. The king was
obliged to sue for peace on reasonable terms, which were
peremptorily refused, and the extinction of the dynasty
appeared inevitable, when an event occurred in the north
which gave it a respite of thirty years. News came posting
down to the Deccan that Shah Jehan was at the point of
death, and that the contest for the empire had begun ; and
1657 Aurungzebe was obliged to hasten to the capital to look
after his own interests.
Shah Jehan had four sons. Dara, the eldest, had been
declared his heir and entrusted with a share of the
BhahJehan'8 government. He possessed great talents for
sons. government, and an air of regal dignity ; he was
brave and frank, but haughty and rash. Soojah, the second,
SECT. II.] SHAH JEHAN AND AURUNGZEBE 73
though addicted to pleasure, had been accustomed to civil
and military command from his youth, and was at this
time viceroy of Bengal, which he had governed with no little
ability and success for twenty years. Aurungzebe, the third,
was the ablest and most ambitious, as well as the most
subtle of the family. Morad, the youngest, though bold
and generous, was little better than a sot. Dara was a
freethinker of Akbar's school. Aurungzebe was a fierce
bigot, and courted the suffrage of the orthodox by repro-
bating the infidelity of Dara. The claims of primogeniture
had always been vague and feeble in the Mogul dynasty,
and were, moreover, always subordinate to the power of
the sword. When therefore four brothers, each with an
army at his command, aspired to the throne, a conflict was
inevitable.
Soojah was the first in the field, and advanced from A.D.
Bengal towards Delhi. Morad, the viceroy of Guzerat, seized 1657
the public treasury and assumed the title of Soojah takea
emperor. Aurung/plx4 extorted a large sum thefiel<i'
from the king of Beejapore, and moved northward to unite
his fortunes with Morad, whom, with his usual craft, he
succeeded in cozening. He saluted him as emperor, and
congratulated him on his new dynasty, declaring that, as
for himself, he was anxious to renounce the vanities of the
world, and proceed on j '•/•• '\.\ \.: • to Mecca, as soon as he
had succeeded in releasing his father from the thraldom of
the godless Dara. Morad was so simple as to give credit
to these professions, and their united armies advanced to
the capital. Dara prepared to meet both attacks, and sent
raja Jey Sing, of Jeypore, and his own son, to Dara de-
oppose Soojah, and raja Jeswunt Sing to encoun- feats Soo^h-
ter Aurungzebe. The selection of two Hindoo generals to
command the armies which were to decide the fortunes of
the Mogul throne affords the strongest evidence of the
principle of fidelity which the generous policy of Akbar
and his two successors had inspired in the Hindoo mindj
At this juncture, Shah Jehan recovered his health, and
endeavoured to resume his authority ; but it was too late.
Soojah was defeated and obliged to fly to Bengal, shah Jehan's
and, the year after, was pursued by Meer Joomla, recovery'
and obliged to seek refuge in Aracan, where he was basely
murdered, together with the whole of his family. Aurung-
zebe defeated the Rajpoot raja at Oojein, and then advanced
to Agra, where Dara met him with a superior army, but,
contrary to the wise advice of his father, hazaraed an
74 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. III.
A.D. engagement in which he was completely overpowered, and
1658 fle3. Three days after, Aurungzebe entered the capital in
Shah Jehan triumph, deposed his father, and mounted the
deposed, throne.
The character of Shah Jehan is thus described by his
native biographer : — " Akbar was pre-eminent as a warrior
Character of " an(l a lawgiver ; Sh ah Jehan for the incomparable
Shah Jehan. "order and arrangement of his finances, and the
" internal administration of the empire. But although the
" pomp of his court and his state establishments were such
" as had never been seen before in India, there was no in-
" crease of taxation, and no embarrassment to the treasury."
By the general consent of historians, the country enjoyed
greater prosperity during his reign than under any pre-
vious reign, and it has therefore been characterised
as the golden era of the Mogul dynasty. This is to be
attributed to that respite from the ravages of war which
afforded scope for the pursuits of industry ; for though en-
gaged in foreign wars, his own dominions enjoyed unin-
terrupted repose. He was the most magnificent prince of
the house of Baber ; but in nothing was the splendour of
his tastes more visible than in the buildings he erected.
He contributed to the grandeur of many of the cities of
India by the construction of noble palaces. It was he who
founded the new city of Delhi, in which his castellated
palace, with its spacious courts, and marble halls, and
gilded domes, was the object of universal eulogy. Of
that palace, the noblest ornament was the far-famed pea-
cock throne, blazing with emeralds, rubies, and diamonds,
the value of which was estimated by one of the European
jewellers of his court at six crores of rupees. To him also
the country was indebted for the immaculate Taj Mehal, the
mausoleum of his queen, the gem of India, and the admira-
tion of the world. But all his establishments were
managed with such vigilance and care, that after defraying
the cost of his numerous expeditions, he left in his treasury,
according to his native biographer, a sum not short of
twenty-four crores of rupees, though the annual income
of the empire did not exceed thirty.
Aurungzebe having thus obtained possession of the
capital and the treasury, threw off the mask. He no
Aurungzebe longer talked of renouncing the world and
gjpgjesp* becoming a pilgrim, but assumed all the powers
***' of government, and took the title of Alumgeer,
the Lord of the World. His father was placed in
SRCT. II.] SHAH JEHAN AND AUKUNGZEBE 75
honourable captivity in his own palace, where he was
treated with the greatest respect, and survived his depo-
sition seven years ; but Aurungzebe did not consider his
throne secure while there remained any member of his A.D.
family to disturb it. Morad was invited to an entertain. 1658
ment, and allowed to drink himself into a state of helpless-
ness, when he was taken up and conveyed to the fort of
Agra. Soojah was chased by Meer Joomla out of India.
Dara fled to Lahore, but was driven from thence to
Guzerat, where he obtained aid from the governor, and was 1660
enabled to advance against the emperor, but was defeated,
and sought refuge with the raja of Jun, whom he had
formerly laid under great obligations. That ungrateful
chief, however, betrayed him to his vindictive brother, who
paraded him on a sorry elephant through the streets of
Delhi, where he had recently been beloved as a master.
A conclave of Mahomedan doctors was convened, who
gratified the emperor's wishes by • "!• " : *• .-him to death
as an apostate from the creed of the Prophet. His body
was exhibited to the populace on an elephant, and his head
was cut oflf and carried to Aurungzebe. His son, Soliman,
was betrayed by the raja of Cashmere, and, like his
father, was paraded through the streets of the capital, but
with his hands bound in gilded fetters; and his noble bearing
and his deep calamity are said to have moved the spectators
to tears. He and his youDger brother, together with a son
of Morad, were consigned to death in the dungeons of
Gwalior. Morad himself, after a mock trial for some exe-
cution he was said to have ordered when viceroy of
Guzerat, was likewise put to death.
Aurungzebe had thus in the space of three years secured,
to all appearance, the stability of his power by the con-
finement of his father, and the destruction of his brothers
and their families, when his own life was threatened by a
dangerous attack of illness, and his court was filled with
intrigues while he lay helpless on his couch. One
party espoused the cause of his eldest son, Muazzim,
and another that of Akbar, his brother, while the rajah
Jeswunt Rao advanced from Rajpootana and Mohabet
from Cabul, to liberate and reinstate Shah Jehau. But
Aurungzebe, having passed the crisis of the disease,
summoned the officers of his court to renew their alle-
giance to him, and his recovery dissolved all these disloyal 1662
projects.
A short time previous to the illness of the emperor,
76 ABRIDGEMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. III.
Meer Joomla, who had been appointed governor of Bengal,
Meer Joomla assembled a large army and proceeded up the
in Assam. Brumhapooter, for the conquest of Assam, and
eventually of China. The capital was reduced without diffi-
culty, but the rains set in with extraordinary violence ; the
river rose beyond its usual limits, and the whole country
A.D. was flooded. The supplies of the army were cut off, and a
1663 pestilence completed its disasters, while Meer Joomla waa
obliged to retreat, and was pursued by the exasperated
Assamese. He returned to Dacca in disgrace, and died there
at a very advanced age, leaving behind him the reputation
of the ablest statesman and general of that age of action.
In the letter of condolence which the emperor sent to his
son, on whom he conferred all his father's honours, he said,
" You have lost a father, and T, the greatest and most dan-
" gerous of my friends." After the recovery of Aurungzebe,
it became necessary for him to send an army to check the
devastations of the Mahrattas ; and the reader's attention
must now be called to the origin and progress of this
nation, which rose to dominion on the ruins of the Mogul
empire, and for more than a century swayed the destinies
of India.
SECTION III.
RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE MAHRATTAS.
THE country inhabited by the Mahrattas, designated in
the Hindoo shasters, Muharastra, is generally considered to
Else of tbe extend from the Wurda on the east to the sea
Mahrattas. coast On the west, and from the Satppora range
on the north down to a line drawn due east from Goa. The
salient feature of the country is the Syhadree mountains,
called the gliauts, which traverse it from north to south at
a distance of from thirty to fifty miles from the sea-, and
which rise to the height of 4,000 or 5,000 feet above its level.
The strip of land along the sea coast is called the Concan.
The inhabitants are of diminutive stature, and present a
strong contrast to the noble figure of the Rajpoot, but they
are sturdy, laborious, and persevering, and distinguished
for cunning. " The Rajpoot is the most worthy antagonist,
" the Mahratta the most formidable enemy, ' ' This mountain
region was difficult of access, and its salient points were
SBCT. III.J RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE MAHRATTAS 77
strengthened by fortifications. For centuries the Mahrattas
had been known as plodding accountants and managers of
villages and districts, and it was not till the sixteenth cen-
tury that they came to be noticed as soldiers. Their country
was comprised within the territories of Beejapore and
Ahmednugur, and the two kings, who were incessantly
at war with each other, or with their neighbours, were
happy to employ the Mahratta chiefs in raising levies of
their hardy countrymen, each one commanding his own
body of free lances. It was the wars which raged for a
century in the Deccan which cradled their military prowess,
and no small portion of the national aristocracy trace their
origin to the distinction gained in these conflicts and the
lands they acquired ; but it was chiefly under Malik Am-
ber that they made the most rapid strides to military
and political importance. A community of village clerks
and husbandmen was transformed into a nation of warriors,
and it only required a master spirit to raise them to
empire. Such a spirit appeared in Sevajee.
Mallojee Bhonslay was a man of ignoble rank, but a
valiant captain of horse in the service of the king of
Ahmednugur at tho beginning of the seventeenth origin of
century, and obtained from the venal court the shahjee.
jageers of Poona, Sopa and some other districts. His son
Shahjee inherited the jageers on his death in 1C20, and A<D.
augmented his military force and his importance by a close 162C
alliance with Malik Amber. Nine years after he joined
the revolt of Jehan Lodi, already mentioned, but deserted
his cause when it began to wane, and went over to tho
Moguls, by whom he was rewarded with the title of a com-
mander of 5,000, and the confirmation of his jageer. Soon
after he again changed sides, and on the capture of the
young king was sufficiently strong to set up a pretender and
obtain possession of all the districts of the kingdom, from
the sea to the capital. After a warfare of three years with
the imperial troops, he was driven out of the country, and
having obtained an asylum at the court of Beejapore, was
entrusted with an expedition to the Carnatic. His success
"was rewarded with the extensive jageers in the vicinity of
Bangalore, which he had conquered, and he formed the
design of establishing an independent Hindoo kingdom in
the extreme south of the peninsula, resigning his Poona
jageer to his son Sevajee.
Sevajee, the founder of the Mahratta empire, was born 1627
in 1627, and — his father having taken a second wife — was
78 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA ("CHAP. Ill
placed under the tutelage of Dadajee Punt, a Brahmin,
who, in conformity with the national usage in a corn-
Birth and munity in which all the chiefs were illiterate,
early life of managed the affairs of the estate. Sevajee, who
Seyajee. wag never ah\Q to read or write, became expert in
the use of the weapons required in the hills, and in all manly
exercises, and an accomplished horseman. He likewise
grew up a devout and rigid Hindoo, with a profound venera-
tion for brahmins and a cordial hatred of mahomedans.
His young imagination was kindled by the recital of the
AJ>t national epics, and he longed to emulate the exploits cele-
1643 brated in them. At the age of sixteen, he formed an asso-
ciation of youths of wild and lawless habits, with whom he
engaged in hunting or marauding expeditions, and thus
became familiar with every path and defile in the hills.
Having trained the inhabitants of his native glens, the
Mawulees, to arms and discipline, he commenced his career
1646 of ambition at the age of nineteen by capturing the hill
Captures the fortress of Torna, and the next year erected the
fortofToma fort of Raj gurh, which became his headquarters.
These proceedings roused the attention of the king of
Beejapore, and Shahjee, to whom the jageer belonged, was
called to account for them. He remonstrated with Dadajee
Punt, the guardian of his son, who entreated Sevajee to
desist from a course which must inevitably bring destruc-
tion on the family ; but the old man perceived that the pur-
pose of his pupil was not to be shaken, and, worn out with
age, disease, and anxiety, sunk into the grave ; but just
before his death is said to have sent to Sevajee, and advised
him to prosecute his schemes of independence, to protect
brahmins, kine, and husbandmen, and to preserve the
Hindoo temples from violation.
Sevajee immediately took possession of the jageer, and
1648 with the treasure which had been accumulated by his guar-
Scvajee's ac- dian, augmented his force, and within two years
qniflitions, extended his authority over thirty miles of terri-
tory, attacked a convoy of royal treasure and carried off
three lacs of pagodas to his eyrie in the mountains. The
audacity of these and similar proceedings roused the indig-
nation of the Beejapore monarch, who seized the father
Shahjee, and threatened him with death. Sevajee, then
twenty- two, entered into a negotiation with the emperor Shah
1649 Jehan on his father 's behalf, which is believed to have saved
him from a cruel death, though he was detained for four years
at Beejapore, till the increasing disorders in the Camatio
SHOT, III.] RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE MAHRATTAS 79
induced the king to release him and send him back to his
government. During the period of his father's detention,
Sevajee discreetly abstained from farther encroachments,
but renewed them on his release, and by an act of base
treachery, which has inflicted a deep stain on his memory,
caused two chieftains of Jowlee to be assassinated.
While Aurungzebe was engaged in hostilities with
Beejapore, Sevajee professed himself a devoted servant of
the throne of Delhi, and obtained a confirmation Hisinter-
of his title to the lands he had wrested from the course with
empire. But no sooner had the prince set his face urungze
towards Delhi to secure the crown, than the Mahratta chief
began to ravage the Mogul territories. To extend his A.D.
operations to a more distant sphere, he likewise organised 1657
that corps of light horse which afterwards became the
scourge of India. At the same time, he took a body of
mahomedans into his service, but placed them under
Mahratta officers. The success of Aurungzebe' s efforts to
obtain the throne gave just alarm to Sevajee, and he sent
an envoy to Delhi to excuse his incursions and to conciliate
the emperor, and offered to protect the Mogul interests in
the Concan if they were intrusted to his charge. Aurung-
zebe considered that the security of these possessions in
the Deccan was likely to be promoted by encouraging tfie
Mahratta adventurer, and consented to his occupation of that
maritime province ; but in his attempt to take possession
of it, Sevajee experienced the first reverse he had ever
•u stained.
The court of Beejapore was at length roused to the
danger of these incessant encroachments, which had been 1669
inori n.-.inir in audacity for fourteen years, and sent Ai«ooizban
Afzool Khan with a body of 12,000 horse and «««"sinated.
foot and a powerful artillery to suppress them. He was a
vain and conceited nobleman, and Sevajee determined to
destroy him by treachery. He professed a humble sub-
mission to the king, and offered to surrender all the ter-
ritories he had usurped if he were allowed to hope for
forgiveness. Afzool Khan was thrown off his guard by
this flattery, and agreed to give a meeting to Sevajee with
only a single attendant. Sevajee performed his religious
devotions with great fervour, and advanced with all
humility to the interview, and while in the act of em-
bracing Afzool, plunged a concealed weapon into his bowels,
and despatched him with his dagger. The troops of the
murdered general were suddenly surrounded by a body of
80 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDL^ [CHAP. IH,
Mahrattas placed in ambush, and routed with che loss of
all their equipments. The success of this stratagem, not-
withstanding the atrocity of the deed, obtained /the admira-
tion of his countrymen beyond many of his otter exploits,
and the weapon was carefully preserved as an heirloom in
the family/ Sevajee followed up his victory by plundering
the country to the very gates of the capital. The king then
took the field in person, and recovered many of the forts
and much of the territory be had lost. The war was pro-
tracted for two years with varied success, but generally in
favour of the Mahrattas. A reconciliation was at length
effected, and a treaty concluded through the mediation of
Shahjee, who paid a visit to his son after an absence of
twenty years. He congratulated him on the progress he
had made towards the establishment of a Hindoo power,
A>D. and encouraged him to persevere in the course he had
1662 begun. At this period, Sevajee, then in his thirty-fifth
year, was in possession of the whole coast of the Concan,
extending four degrees of latitude, and of the ghauts from
the Beema to the Wurda. His army, consisting of 50,000
foot and 7,000 horse, was' out of all proportion to his
territories and his resources, but he was incessantly en-
gaged in war, and made war support itself by his exactions.
Sevajee being now at peace with Beejapore, let loose his
1663 predatory bands on the Mogul possessions, and swept the
shaistaKhan country to the suburbs of Aurungabad. The
attacks Se- emperor appointed his own maternal uncle,
vajee. Shaista Khan, to the viceroyalty of the Deccan,
with orders to reduce Sevajee to submission. He captured
Poona, and took up his residence in the house in which
Sevajee had passed his childhood, and the Mahratta chief
conceived the design of assassinating the Mogul general in
his bed. He got up a marriage procession, and entered the
town in disguise with thirty followers, and proceeding un-
perceived to the palace, suddenly attacked its inmates.
The viceroy escaped the assault with the loss of two
fingers, but his guards were cut down. Sevajee, baffied in
his project, returned to his encampment amidst a blaze of
torches. This daring exploit was so completely in har-
mony with the national character as to be viewed with
greater exultation than some of his most famous victories.
1664 The operations of Sevajee were now extended to a bolder
enterprise. A hundred and fifty miles from Poona lay the
Attack of c^y °^ Surat, the greatest emporium of commerce
on the western coast, and two of the firms in the
SECT, III.] SEVAJEE'S FIRST DEMAND OF CHOUT 81
town were considered the most wealthy merchants in the
world at the time. It was, moreover, the chief port to
which devout Mahomedans resorted from all parts of India
to embark on .-^.jr:1'::: u«- to Mecca. Sevajee suddenly
appeared before it with 4,000 of his newly raised cavalry,
and after plundering it leisurely for six days, returned to A>Dt
his capital. He met with no resistance except from the 1664
European factories. Sir George Oxenden, the English
chief, defended the property of the East India Company,
and likewise of the natives under his protection, with such
valour and success as to extort the applause of Aurungzebe.
It is worthy of note that this was the first occasion on
which European soldiers caine into collision with native
troops, and that the result filled both Hindoos and
Mahomedans with astonishment.
On his return from this expedition, Sevajee heard of the
death of his father at the age of seventy, and immediately
assumed the title of rajn, and struck the coin in his own
name. Finding that his power would not be Sevajee
complete unless he could obtain the command of {j^*** a
the sea, he had been employed for some time in
constructing a navy, and while his troops were employed
in ravaging the Mogul territories on land, his fleet was
engaged in capturing the Mogul vessels bound to the Red
Sea arid exacting heavy ransom from the opulent pilgrims.
In February, 16G5, he secretly drew together a fleet con-
sisting of cighty-oight vessels and embarked with 4,000
troops to Barcelore, then a great trade mart on the Malabar
coast, where he ol>f uincd large booty, and returned to his capi-
tal before it was known that he had left it. On his return, he
found that a large Mogul army commanded by
the renowned Rajpoot raja Jeysing, and the ^tackedby
general Dilere Khan, had entered his territories. JeysinK and
Aurungzebe, an intense bigot, had felt greater DllereKhan'
indignation against Sevajee for obstructing the progress of
the devout pilgrims than for any of his audacious assump-
tions of power, and the largest force yet sent against him
now entered his territories, and reduced him to such straits
that he was constrained to have recourse to negotiations.
They resulted in the memorable "Convention of Poorundur," 166ft
in which it was stipulated that he should restore all the
forts and districts he had taken from the Moguls with the
exception of twelve, which he was to retain as a jageer, and
that his son Sambajee should hold rank as a noble in the
command of 5,000 men. But he dexterously inserted a
0
82 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. 111.
clause in the treaty granting him, in lieu of certain
pretended claims on the old Nizam Shahee state, assign-
ments of a fourth and a tenth of the revenue, — termed by
origin of the him the Ghout and SurdeslwnooJcee, — of certain
chout. districts above the ghauts, the charge of collecting
which Ire took on himself. So eager was he to obtain the
imperial authority for this grant, that he offered a sum of
forty lacs of pagodas for it, and intimated his intention of
visiting the emperor at Delhi, and " his desire to kiss the
" royal threshold. ' ' This is the first mention of the celebrated
claim of chout, which the Mahrattas marched throughout
India to enforce. In the communication which Aurungzebe
addressed him on this occasion, no allusion was made to
this claim, the insidious tendency, or even the import, of
which the imperial cabinet could not comprehend, and
bevajee assumed that the principle was tacitly conceded.
Sevajee had now entered the service of the Moguls and
lost no time in marching with 10,000 horse and foot against
A<1X Sevajee at Beejapore, though his half-brother commanded
1 665 Delhi ^e Mahratta contingent in its services. Aurung-
zebe was gratified with his success and invited him to
court, to which he repaired with an escort of 1,500 troops.
But he found himself regarded by the emperor in the light
of a troublesome captain of banditti, whom it was politic to
humour, and he was presented at the durbar with nobles of
the third rank. He left the " presence " with ill-concealed
indignation, and is said to have wept and fainted away.
It became the object of the emperor to prevent his leaving
Delhi, and his residence was beleagured, but he contrived
to elude the vigilance of his guards and made his escape
in a hamper, and reached Rajgurh in the disguise of a
1666 pilgrim, with his face smeared with ashes. The Rajpoot
commander in the Deccan was not insensible to the influ-
ence of money, and Sevajee was thus enabled through him
to make his peace with Aurungzebe, who acknowledged
his title of raja and even made some addition to his jageer.
Having now a season of greater leisure than he had yet
enjoyed, he spent the years 1668 and 1669 in revising and
Revision of completing the internal arrangements of his
his inatdtu- government, and nothing gives us a higher idea
°n8' °^ k*8 genius than to find a rough soldier, who
1669 was tinaWe *° rea<i or write, and who had for twenty
years been employed in predatory warfare, establishing a
form of government and a system of civil polity so well
suited to the consolidation of a great kingdom. His military
8Kcr.ni.] AURtTNGZEBE IN THE KHYBER 83
prpnTii«atior. which was equally distinguished for its rigid
discipline and its strict economy, was admirably adapted to
the creation of a new and predominant power in India.
This was also the most prosperous period of Aurungzebe's ^
long reign. The empire was at peace ; the emperor was 1666
held in the highest esteem throughout the Tranquillity to
Mahomedan world, and received complimentary of Hmdoa- 1670
missions from the Scheriff of Mecca, the Khan tan*
of the Uzbeks, the king of Abyssinia, and the Shah of
Persia. But his restless ambition again kindled the flames
of war, which continued to rage, without the intermission
of a single year, during the remaining thirty- seven years of
his reign, and consumed the vitals of the empire. Finding
it impossible to inveigle Sevajee into his power, war with
he issued the most peremptory orders to pursue Sevajee.
him to the death. Sevajee prepared for the conflict with
unflinching resolution. He opened the campaign by the
capture of two important fortresses, and, with an army of
14,000 men, again plundered Surat, where the Company's
factors once more covered themselves with renown by their
military energy. Ho overran the province of Candesh, and
for the first time levied the chout on a Mogul province : in
this instance it was simply black mail. Aurungzebe was
dissatisfied with the inactivity of his general, and sent
Mohabet with an army of 40,000 against Sevajee, who met
his opponents for the first time in the open field and gained
a complete victory, which elevated the crest of the Mahrat-
tas, and not a little disheartened the Mogul generals.
The turbulent Khyberees and Eusufzies in Afghanistan,
the hereditary enemies of order and peace, had again broken
out and defeated the Mogul general in the passes
subsequently rendered memorable by the annihi-
lation of a British army. The emperor deter-
mined to undertake the subjugation of these bereeiand
incorrigible highlanders in person, and led his utnaramoe8
army as far as Hussun Abdal, where he left the expedition 1573
to his son, who was obliged to content himself with the
nominal submission of the tribes, after a bootless warfare
of two years. On his return to Delhi Aurungzebe found
himself involved in an unexpected and formidable difficulty.
Such is the nature of the natives of India, that the peace
of the country is liable to be broken any day by the most
insignificant cause : the shape of a turban, or the make of
a cartridge. On this occasion it was the violence of a single
police officer, who insulted a sect of Hindoo fanatics called
o2
84 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. HI.
A.D. Sutnaramees. Their excitement created an e'nieute, and the
1676 6meute grew into a revolt. The devotees assembled in
thousands, and being joined by some disaffected zemindars,
defeated the troops sent against them, and obtained posses-
sion of the two provinces of Agra and Ajmere ; a general
revolt, therefore, appeared imminent. They gave out that
they possessed the magic power of resisting bullets, and
the imperial troops naturally shrank from an encounter
with them, till Aurungzebe wrote out texts of the Koran
with his own hand, and attached them to his standards,
when the confidence of his troops was revived and the
rebellion quelled.
Akbar and his two successors had adopted the wise and
generous policy of granting the Hindoos religious liberty
Reyiyai of and equality, and they served the state as zeal-
persecution, ously and faithfully as the Mahomedans, even
when employed against their own countrymen. The same
principle appears to have prevailed in some degree during
the early period of Aurungzebe's reign, and he had formed
two family alliances with Rajpoot princes ; but his defeat
in the Khyber, and the revolt of the fanatics, appear to
have embittered his temper, and roused a feeling of bigoted
animosity. No pains or penalties were inflicted on the
Hindoos for the profession of their creed, but they were
made to feel that they lay under the ban of the ruling
„ power of the empire. Aurungzebe ordered that no Hindoos
should in future be employed in the public service, and
1677 he reimposed the odious poll-tax, thejezzia, on infidels.
His measures, however disguised, breathed the spirit of
intolerance. The Hindoo temples in Bengal, and even in
the holy city of Benares, were demolished, and mosques
erected on the sites, and the images used as steps. These
bigoted proceedings produced a feeling of disaffection in
Bevoit of the every province, but it was only in Bajpootana
Bajpoots. that they created political disturbance. Jeswunt
Sing, the faithful Bajpoot general of the emperor, had died
in Oabul, and as his widow and family passed through
1677 Delhi, Aurungzebe surrounded their encampment with
troops, intending to detain them as hostages. They were
rescued by the contrivance of Jeswunt Sing's minister,
and conveyed to Joudpore ; but this ungenerous treatment
of the family of a devoted servant roused the indignation
of the high-spirited Bajpoots, and the country was speedily
in a blaze. Aurungzebe lost no time in marching into it,
1679 and obliged the rana of Oodypore to make his submission ;
SECT. III.] SEVAJEE'S EXPEDITION TO TANJORE 85
but on a second revolt, he summoned troops from every
direction, and let them loose on the unhappy country.
The Joudpore territory was laid waste, villages were de- A.D.
stroyed, families carried into slavery, and the inhabitants
made to feel the extremities of war. The Rajpoots retaliated
by plundering the mosques and burning the Koran in Malwa.
The alienation of the various tribes was complete. Afber
this period they were often at peace with the empire, and
furnished their contingents of troops, whom Aurungzebe
was happy to employ as a counterpoise to his Mahomedan
soldiers; but that cordial loyalty to the Mogul throne
which had for a century made them its most reliable
champions, was extinct. It was during these disturbances
that the emperor's son Akbar went over to the Rajpoots,
and was encouraged by them to assume the title and func-
tions of royalty, and to march with an army of 70,000 men
against his father ; but he was defeated, and fled to the
Mahrattas.
To return to Sevajee. He took advantage of the absence
of Aurungzebe in the Khyber, and the death of the king
of Beejapore, to annex the whole of the Concan,
and likewise of a considerable tract above the
ghauts. He had long struck the coin in his own
name, and he now determined to proclaim his independence,
and to assume all the ensigns of royalty and the pomp of a
Mahomedan potentate. After many religious solemnities, 1674
on the 6th June, 1674, he was enthroned at his capital,
Rajgurh, and announced himself as the " ornament of the
'* Kshetriyu race, and lord of the royal umbrella." He was
weighed against gold, which was distributed amongst the
brahmins, who found to their chagrin that he only weighed
ten stone. Two years after he undertook one of Hiaexpedi.
the most extraordinary expeditions on Mahratta tion to the
record, with the object of recovering his father's Deccan*
jageer in the distant south from his brother. Having
concluded an armistice with the Mogul general who had
charge of the operations against him, by a large douceur,
he marched to Golconda with an army of 30,000 foot and
40,000 horse, and extorted a large supply of money and
artillery from the king, together with an engagement to
cover his territories during his absence, on condition of
receiving half his acquisitions in land and money. He
then proceeded to pay his devotions at the shrine HI*
of Purwuttum. Naked, and covered with ashes, *w»tw«n.
he assumed the character of a devotee, and after having,
86 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. III.
for nine days, committed various acts of superstitious folly,
which at one time led his officers to doubt his sanity, he
resumed the command of his army, which he had sent for-
ward in advance. He swept past Madras, then an unnoticed
factory, and captured fort after fort, not excepting even the
redoubted fortress of Gingee (pronounced Jinjee) " tenable
"by ten men against an army," and at Trivadey, 600 miles
from his own territory, met his brother Vencajee. He held
possession of Tanjore, and the other jageers bequeathed to
him by his father, and refused to share them with his
brother, who thereupon occupied them by force, and sent
A.D. his horse to ravage the Camatic. The dispute between the
1678 brothers terminated in a compromise, by which Vencajee
was to retain the jageer, paying half the revenues to Sevajee,
while he was to keep possession of all the conquests he had
made from Beejapore. He reached Rajgurh after an absence
of eighteen months, but no portion of his conquests or of
his plunder did he think of surrendering to the king of
Golconda.
The next year Aurungzebo sent a formidable army to
1679 besiege Beejapore, and the regent, during the minority
Anrun ebe ^Q king, invoked the aid of Sevajee, who laid
attacks waste the Mogul territories between the Beema
Beejapore. an(j ^9 QofaveTy^ an(j subjected the town of
Aurungabad to plunder for three days. Meanwhile, his son
*» Sambajee, who had been placed in durance by his father
for an attempt to violate the wife of a brahmin, made his
escape, and went over to the Mogul general, and was re-
ceived with open arms ; but Aurungzebe ordered him to be
sent as a prisoner to his father's camp. Sevajee renewed his
exertions for the relief of Beejapore upon a fresh concession
of territory ; but in the midst of these events, all his plans
of ambition were demolished by his death, which happened
Deathami atRajgurh,on the 5th April, 1680, in the fifty-third
character of year of his age. Aurungzebe did not conceal his
1680 s®™*66- satisfaction at the death of his formidable oppo-
nent, but he did full justice to his genius. " He was,'1
he said, " a great captain, and the only one who has had
" the magnanimity to raise a new kingdom, while I have
" been endeavouring to destroy the ancient sovereignties of
" India ; my armies have been employed against him for
" nineteen years, and, nevertheless, his state has been always
" increasing." That state, at his death, comprised a terri-
tory 400 miles in length and 120 in breadth. It was
created by his own genius, and consolidated by a com-
SBCT. IV.l AURUNGZEBE IN THE DECCAN 87
nmnion of habits, language, and religion among his country-
men. He is one of the greatest characters in the native
history of India, greater even than Hyder Ali and Rtinjeet
Sing, who subsequently trod the same path of ambition
and conquest. He did more than simply found a kingdom;
he laid the foundation of a power which survived the decay
of his own family, and he kindled a national spirit of
enthusiasm which in a few years made the Mahrattas the
arbiters of the destiny of India.
SECTION IV.
AURUNGZEBE TO MAHOMED SHAH.
AURUNOZEBE having now in a great measure subdued the
opposition of the llajpoot tribes, determined to bring the
whole strength of the empire to bear on the sub- Anrungzebe
jugation of the Deccan. It was a wanton and proceeds to
iniquitous aggression, and, by a righteous retribu- the Deccan*
tion, recoiled on himself, and led to the downfall of his
dynasty. In the year 1683 he quitted Delhi, which he was A.D.
destined never to see again, with an army of unexampled 1683
magnitude. The finest cavalry was assembled from the
countries beyond and within the Indus, supported by a
large and well-equipped body of infantry, and several
hundred pieces of artillery, under European officers. A
long train of elephants, intended both for war and equipage,
and a superb stud of horses accompanied the camp. There
was, moreover, a largo menagerie of tigers and leopards,
of hawks and hounds without number. The camp, which
resembled a large moving city, was supplied with every
luxury the ago and country could provide. The canvas
walls which surrounded the emperor's personal tents were
twelve hundred yards in circumference, and they contained
halls of audience, courts, cabinets, mosques, oratories, and
baths, all adorned with the richest silks and velvet and
cloth of gold. There is no record of such extravagant
luxuriousness in any modern encampment. Yet, amidst all
this grandeur, the personal habits and expenditure of the
emperor exhibited the frugality of a hermit. With this
unwieldy army Aurungzebe advanced to Aurung- invasion of
abad, and, by a strange infatuation, signalised
88 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. Ill,
his arrival in the Deccan by ordering the hateful Jezzia to
A.D. be imposed on the whole Hindoo population. His first
1684 expedition was disastrous. His son Muazzim was sent to
lay waste the Concan with 40,000 cavalry ; the little
forage that was to be found in the rocks and thickets of
that wild' region was speedily destroyed; the Mahratta
cruisers intercepted the supplies sent from the Mogul ports ;
the Mahratta light horse blocked up the passes, and pre-
vented the approach of provisions ; and the wreck of this
noble army, exhausted by hunger and pestilence, was
happy to find shelter under the walls of Ahmednugur.
Aurungzebe then sent his son to attack Beejapore, and in
this the last year of its national existence, the king and
his troops defended their independence with
B^£?e0f exemplary courage. They cut off the supplies
1685 and Goi- of the Mogul army, intercepted its communi-
conda* cations, and obliged it to retire. On the failure
of this expedition the emperor turned his force against
Golconda, the king of which had formed an alliance with
the Mahratfcas. His chief minister was a Hindoo of singular
ability, and had equipped an army of 70,000 men for the
defence of the country ; but the employment of an infidel
gave offence to the bigoted Mahomedan courtiers. The
minister was murdered, and Ibrahim Khan, the general,
treacherously went over to the enemy with a large portion
•of the army. The helpless king sought refuge in the fort
of Golconda-, the capital, Hyderabad, was plundered for
three days by the Mogul soldiers, whom their commander
was unable to restrain, and the treasure which Aurungzebe
had destined for his own coffers was, to his great chagrin,
partitioned among them. The king was obliged to sue for
1686 peace, which was not granted him without the promise of
two crores of rupees.
Aurungzebe now brought his whole strength to bear upon
Beejapore. The lofty walls of the city were of hewn stone
six miles in circumference, with a deep moat and
™8re°f a double rampart. The artillery was, as it had
and Goi- always been, superior to that of the Moguls, and
conda. ^e emperor was constrained to turn the siege into
a blockade. The garrison was reduced to a state of starva-
tion and obliged to capitulate ; and on the 15th October
Beejapore was blotted out of the roll of Indian kingdoms,
after an independent career of a hundred and fifty years.
This Adil Shahee dynasty employed its resources in^ works
of utility or magnificence which were without a rival in
FALL OF BEEJAPOEE AND GOLCONDA 89
India. The majestic ruins of the palaces in the citadel, and
of the mosques and tombs in the city, after two centuries of
decay in an Indian climate, still attract the admiration of
the traveller. " The chief feature in the scene is the
4 mausoleum of Mahomed Adil Shah, the dome of which,
1 like the dome of St. Peter's, fills the eye from every point
'of view, and though entirely devoid of ornament, it«
* enormous dimensions and austere simplicity invest it with
* an air of melancholy grandeur, which harmonises with the
* wreck and desolation around it. One is at a loss in seeing
' these ruins, to conjecture how so small a state could have
4 maintained such a capital." The fate of Golconda was not
long delayed. Aurungzebe, with his usual craft, advanced
into the country on pretence of a piljrini'iur to the tomb of
a saint, and extracted from the fears of the monarch all his
treasure, even to the jewels of the seraglio, and then
charged him with the crime of having employed a
brahmin for his minister and formed an alliance with the
infidel Mahrattas. The prince, though addicted to pleasure,
defended his capital with a heroism worthy his ancestors,
but it was at length taken, though only by an act of trea-
chery, and the royal house of Kootub Shah became extinct, LJ)t
after a brilliant career of a hundred and seventy years. 1087
The ambition of Aurungzebe was now consummated.
His power was extended over regions which had never
submitted to the sovereignty of the Mahomedans, confusion in
and after seven centuries, the whole of India did the Deccan.
unequivocally acknowledge the supremacy of a Lord Para-
mount. The year 1688 was the culiiiir.niiiiLr point of Moslem
grandeur, and likewise of its decay. The misfortunes of
Aurungzebe commenced with the fall of Golconda. The 1688
governments which had maintained public order in the
Deccan had disappeared, and no system of equal vigour was
established in their stead. The public authority had been
maintained in the extinct states by a force of 200,000 men;
the Mogul force on their subjugation did not exceed 34,000.
The disbanded soldiery either joined the predatory bands
of the Mahrattas, or enlisted under disaffected chiefs.
There was no vital energy at the head-quarters of the
emperor. Oppressions were multiplied, and no redress
could be obtained. The Deccan became a scene of general
confusion, and presented a constant succession of con-
spiracies and revolts which consumed the spirit of the
Mogul army, and the strength of the empire.
Sevajeo's son Sambajec, succeeded to the throne after much 1681
90 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. III.
intrigue and opposition, and at first exhibited considerable
Sambajee's vigour and method, but it was not long before he
criSS SSath £ave wav to *k° feroc% °f h*8 natural disposition.
He had none of his father's qualifications except
his ardent bravery. He put his widow to death, and im-
prisoned his brother Raja Earn ; he threw the ministers into
irons, and beheaded those who opposed his wishes, and
proceeded so far as to execute a brahmin. These atrocities
alienated the great men who had contributed to build up
A..D. the Mahratta power. Sambajee rendered himself still
1681 farther an object of general contempt by his infatuated
attachment to a favourite, Kuloosha, a Cunouge brahmin, a
man totally unfitted for the conduct of public affairs, which
was entrusted to him. In the early period of his reign he
1684 took an active share in driving Prince Muazzim out of the
Concan. He was engaged for several years in endeavouring
to reduce the power of the P •• . • . — . but without success,
and was incessantly in conflict with the forces of Aurungzebe.
He formed an alliance with the king of Golconda, and, to
create a diversion in his favour, plundered the cities of
Boorhanpore and Broach, and likewise despatched bodies of
Mahratta horse to the relief of the capital, but they acted
without vigour. In fact, under his inefficient rule, the
discipline introduced by Sevajee had been relaxed and the
morale of the army deteriorated. On the extinction of tho
*two Mahomedan powers of Beejapore and Golconda,
Aurungzebe directed his whole attention to the reduction of
his remaining opponent, and fort after fort was captured,
while Sambajee abandoned public business, and resigned
1688 himself to sloth and pleasure. One of the emperor's
generals, at length, succeeded in surprising him after a
night's revel, and he was conveyed on a camel to the
imperial presence. The emperor at first deemed it politic
to spare his life to secure the surrender of the Mahratta
1688 fortresses, and asked him to turn Mahomedan. " Not if
"you would give me your daughter in marriage," was his
reply, pouring at the same time a torrent of abuse on the
Prophet. Aurungzebe ordered his tongue to be cut out,
deprived him of his sight, and consigned him to death
with excruciating torture. He had occupied the throne
for nine years, amidst the contempt of his subjects, but
1689 his tragic death excited emotions of pity amongst them,
and gave a keener edge to their detestation of the Maho-
medans.
The Mahrattas were now exposed to the whole power of
SBCT. IV.] MAHRATTA COURT RETIRES SOUTH 91
the Mogul empire under the immediate eye of the emperor,
whose personal reputation, together with the
grandeur of his establishments, and the prestige ^^Court
of the imperial throne, filled them with a feeling retires to
of awe, and they bent to the storm. The cabinet Gmgoe*
elected Shao, the infant son of Sambajee, to succeed him,
and appointed his uncle, Raja Ram, regent. Of the great
kingdom founded by Sevajee, there was only a mere
vestige left in the north, and it was resolved to preserve
the embers of Mahratta power by emi^nitiujr to the south.
Raja Ram and twenty-five chiefs made their way in dis-
guise to the Mahratta jageers in Tanjoro with many ro-
mantic adventures carefully preserved in the ballads of the
nation, and established the Mahratta court at Gingee.
The regent soon after despatched two of his ablest generals
with a largo force, which was increased in its progress, to
desolate the Mogul territories in the north, and they ex-
tended their ravages up to Satara, where Ram-chundur was
left in charge of the Mahratta interests. He devised a new
plan for molesting the Moguls. Among the Mali- Ne\v exac-
rattaa the thirst for plunder was always the j^JJj^JJijJ0
strongest national passion ; indeed, the only word
for " victory " was " the plunder of the enemy." To this
predatory spirit he gave an extraordinary impulse, as well
as a systematic direction, by conferring the right to levy
the " cliout " and the " tenth " for the state treasury on any
Mahratta chieftain who could bring his followers into tho
field, and allowing them to appropriate the new exaction he
invented of gJiaus dana, or food and forage money, to their
own use, Under this new impetus, every mountain glen 1692
and valley poured forth its tenants, and Aurungzebe,
instead of having the army of a single responsible chief to
deal with, had a hundred-headed hydra on his hands.
Tho imperial army was ill-fitted to contend with this
new swarm of assailants. Its silken commanders were
not the iron generals of Akhar, and they vied with o^^gon
each other only in the display of extravagance, of the Mogul
The spread of effeminate luxury had eaten up tho JJttaarmiw.
spirit of enterprise, and there was nothing they
desired so little as the sight of an enemy. There was a
total relaxation of discipline. The stipend of the com-
manders was regulated by the number of their men, and
not only was it never honestly maintained, but the ranks
were filled up with miserable recruits, totally unable to
oope with the Mahratta Boldiers, accustomed to hard fare
92 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. III.
A.D. and harder work. " The horse without a saddle," astheariny
1692 was aptly described, " was rode by a man without clothes ;
" footmen inured to the same travail, and bearing all kinds
" of arms, trooped with the horse ; spare horses accompanied
" them to bring off the booty and relieve the wounded or
" weary. All gathered their daily provision as they passed.
" No pursuit could reach their march. In conflict their
" onset fell wherever they chose, and was relinquished even
" in the instant of charge. Whole districts were in flames
" before their approach was known, as a terror to others to
" redeem the ravage."
The rallying point of the Mahrattas at this time was
the fort of Gingee, the siege of which lasted as long as the
Siege of siege of Troy. Zoolfikar Khan, the ablest of the
Gingee, Mogul generals, was sent against it, but he was
too often in collusion with the Mahratta chiefs. It was
during the languor of the siege that Suntajee, the Mah-
ratta general, having defeated the imperial forces in the
1697 north, and augmented his army, appeared before it with
20,000 horse. The besieging army was besieged in its turn,
and Cam-buksh, the son of the emperor, the Rominal
commander-iii-chief at the time, was driven to conclude a
humiliating convention. It was disallowed by Aurungzebe,
who recalled his son and sent Zoolfikar Khan, a third time
to command the army, but as he was again in communica-
tion with the garrison, the siege was protracted till the
emperor threatened him with degradation if it was not
successful. The fort was then assailed in earnest, and fell,
but Zoolfikar connived at the escape of Raja Ram, who
1898 made his way to his native mountains, and selected Satara
as the capital of the Mahratta power. He was able in time
to collect a larger army than Sevajee had commanded, and
he proceeded to collect what he termed the " Mahratta
dues " with vigour, and the settlement of the Deccan was
as distant as ever.
To meet the increasing boldness of the Mahrattas,
1699 Aurungzebe separated his army into two divisions, one to
Plans of be employed in protecting the open country,
Aurungzebe. the other in capturing forts. The first he en-
trusted to Zoolfikar, who repeatedly defeated the Mahrat-
tas, but was unable to reduce their strength, and they
always appeared more buoyant afler a defeat than his own
troops after a victory. Aurungzebe reserved to himself the
siege of the forts, in which he \vas incessantly employed
1701 for fiye years. It is impossible to withhold our admira-
SECT, IV.] DEATH OF AURUNGZEBE 93
tion of the spirit of perseverance exhibited by this octo-
genarian prince during these campaigns in which he was
subjected to every variety of privations. Amidst all these
harassing operations his vigour was never impaired. All
the military movements in every part of the Deccan, in
Afghanistan, in Mooltan, and at Agra were directed by
the instructions ho issued while in the field. With indefa-
tigable industry he superintended all the details of adminis-
tration throughout the empire, and not even a petty officer
was appointed at Cabul without his sanction. But all his
energy was unable to cope with the difficulties which were
accumulating around him. The Rajpoots were again in
open hostility, and other tribes, emboldened by his continued
absence, began to manifest a spirit of insubordination. The
treasury was exhausted by a war of twenty-five years* A.D.
duration, and the emperor was tormented with incessant W*
demands for money, which he was unable to meet. The
Mahrattas became more aggressive than ever, and in every
direction around his camp, north and south, east and west,
nothing was seen but the devastation of the country and
the sack of villages. In these deplorable circumstances he
made overtures to the Mahrattas, and offered them He treats
a legal title to the chout and the tenth of the re- with the
venues of the Deccan, but they rose in their de- Mahrattaa-
mands, as might have been expected, and the negotiations
weifo thus broken off. The imperial camp began to retire
to Ahmednugur closely followed by the Mahrattas, who 1706
plundered up to its very precincts, and converted the re-
treat into an ignominious flight. Twenty years before
Aurungzobe had marched from his capital in all the pride
and pomp of war ; he was now returning to it in a state of
humiliation, with the wreck of a broken army, pursued by
a victorious foe, and he expired at Ahmed mi- ^ deatjl 1707
gur on the 27th February, 1707. **
Of ail the princes of the house of Baber, Aurungzebe
is the greatest object of admiration to the native historians,
and his name is invested even among Europeans Remarks on
with an indefinite idea of grandeur, but the illusion ^ rcign*
vanishes on a close inspection of his biography. Few cha-
racters in Indian history, whether amongst its Mahomedan
or English rulers, have been more overrated. The merit of
his personal bravery, his civil administration, and of his
attention to business will bo fully admitted, but for twenty-
five years he persisted in a war of intolerance and aggres-
sion, though he must have been aware that it was sapping
94 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. 1IL
the foundations of the empire. He had no heart and no
friend ; he was crafty and suspicious, and often cruel ; he
mistrusted all his officers, and they repaid him by pre-
carious loyalty. Notwithstanding his manifest abilities,
the rapid decay of the empire dates from his reign,
and may; in some measure be traced to his personal
character.
On the death of Aurungzebe, his son, prince Azim, came in
to the encampment, caused himself to be proclaimed emperor,
Bahadoor and marched towards the capital. At the same
A.T>. Shah time, the eldest son, Prince Muazzim, who had
1707 been nominated heir to the empire, was hastening to Delhi.
The armies met in the neighbourhood of Agra, and Prince
Azim was defeated and fell in action. Prince Akbar was
a fugitive in Persia, and the remaining son of Aurungzebe,
Cam-buksh, who was assembling troops in the Deccan, was
defeated by Zoolfikar Khan, with the aid of a Mahratta
contingent, and there ceased to be any rival to the throne
which Prince Muazzim ascended at the age of sixty. seven,
with the title of Bahadoor Shah.
The Mahrattas were unable to take advantage of these
distractions by their internal dissensions. Raja Ram, the
1700 pjg^pj regent, died soon after his return to Satara, and
among the the government was administered for seven years
Mahrattas. by fois w{^ow Tara Bye, in the name of her own
"*son. The lineal heir, Shao, the son of Sambajee, was a
captive in the Mogul encampment, but treated with great
kindness. Prince Azim, when starting for the capital, had
released him, and afforded him the means of asserting
his rights, on condition of his doing homage to the Mogul
throne. Tara Bye proclaimed him an impostor, and
collected an army to resist his claims, but he obtained pos-
session of Satara and in 1708 assumed the functions of
royalty. In this family contest, the Mahratta sirdars
espoused opposite sides, and drew their swords on each
other. In the course of five years the son of Tara Bye
died ; her minister superseded her authority and placed
another son of Raja Ram on the throne of Kolapore, which
became the capital of the junior branch of Sevajee's family,
and the rival of Satara. Bahadoor conferred the viceroyalty
1708 Biyai house of the Deccan on Zoolfikar, the chief instrument
of Kolapore. of ^{s elevation, and as his presence was required
at court, the administration was left in the hands of Daood
Khan, a noble Patan, famous throughout the Deccan for hui
matchless daring and his love of strong drink, of whom
SECT. IV.] RISE OF THE SIKHS 95
it is recorded that when he visited Madras, Mr. Pitt, the
father of the first Lord Chatham, the governor, gave him a
grand entertainment in the council chamber, and that the A.I>.
Patan. " pledged the chief largely in cordial waters and
"French brandy, amidst a discharge of cannon." By
the desire of his master, he granted to the Mahratta the
concession of the cJwut on the six soobahs of the Deccan,
which Aurungzebe in his extremity had offered them, and
this arrangement, though made by a subordinate authority,
kept them quiet to the end of the reign. The tranquillity
of Rajpootana was secured by the same spirit of conciliation
and concession to its three principal chiefs of Oodypore,
Jeypore, and Joudpore.
The emperor was now called to encounter a new
enemy in the north — the Sikhs. About the end of the
fifteenth century, Nanuk, the founder of their m
v • -x A \ L i\ j. i x- j The Sikhs.
religious community, taught that devotion was due
to God alone, that all forms were immaterial, and that
the worship of the Hindoo and the Moslem was equally
acceptable to the Deity. The sect increased in numbers,
but was fiercely persecuted by the bigoted Mahomedan
rulers, who massacred their pontiff the year after the death
of Akbar. In 1675, Gooroo Govind, the tenth spiritual
successor of Nanuk, conceived the idea of forming the Sikhs
into a military as well as a religious commonwealth. He
abolished all distinction of caste, but required every member
of the society to be pledged as a soldier from his birth or
his initiation, and to wear a peculiar dress and to cultivate
his beard. He inculcated reverence for brahmins and
prohibited the slaughter of cows. This union of martial
and religious enthusiasm rendered the Sikhs a formidable
body, and they had to maintain an arduous struggle with
the Hohomedaus, who captured the strongholds of the
Gooroo, murdered his mother and sisters, and mutilated,
** •, ..:' ;- • \ or dispersed his followers. Still the sect grew
and multiplied, and towards the close of Aurungzebe's
reign, under a formidable chief of the name of Bandoo,
extended its depredations to the vicinity of Delhi. 1710
Bahadoor Shah took the field against them and drove them
back to the hills.
On his return from this expedition he died at Lahore,
after a brief reign of five years, at the age of DeRthof
seventy-two. His death was followed by the usual hadoor shah
scramble for power among his four sons, three of
whom were defeated and killed. The survivor
96 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. Ill,
mounted the throne with the title of Jehander Shah, and
put all the members of the royal family within his reach to
death ; he resigned himself to the influence of a dancing
girl, and indulged in the most degrading vices. His career
A.D. was cut short by his nephew, Ferokshere, the viceroy of
*713 Bengal, who inarched up to Delhi, and deposed and mur-
dered the wretched emperor, as well as the noble but crafty
Zoolfikar.
Ferokshere, the most contemptible, as yet, of the princes
ot his line, mounted the throne, and for six years disgraced
it by his vices, his weakness, and his cowardice.
610 ere* He owed his elevation to two brothers descended
from the Prophet, and thence denominated the Syuds.
Abdoolla, the eldest, was appointed vizier, and his brother,
Hoosen Ali, commander-in-chief, but the emperor held
them in detestation, and his reign was little else than a
series of machinations to destroy them. Hoosen Ali was
sent against the Rajpoot raja of Joudpore in the hope
that the expedition would prove fatal to him ; but he
concluded an honourable peace with the prince and induced
him to give the hand of one of his daughters to the emperor.
The nuptials, which were celebrated with great splendour,
were rendered memorable by an incident which will be
noticed in a subsequent chapter.
, The office of viceroy of the Deccan had been bestowed
6n Ghazee-ood-deen. The family haxl emigrated from Tar-
Nizam-ooi- tary to seek its fortunes in India, and he had risen
mooik. to distinction in the service of Aurungzebe, who
granted him the title of Cheen Killich Khan, to which was
now added that of Nizam- ool-moolk. He was a statesman
of great ability and experience, but of still greater subtilty.
During the seventeen months in which he held the office of
viceroy he fomented the dissensions between the houses of
Kolapore and Satara. Shao had been brought up in all
the luxury of a Mahomedan seraglio, and was fonder
of hunting, hawking, and fishing than of the business of the
state. The Mahratta commonwealth was falling into a
Baiiajee state of anarchy, when the genius of Ballajee Wish-
wishwanath. wanath placed the party of Shao in the as-
cendant, and rekindled the smouldering energies of the
nation. Ballajee, a brahmin, was originally a simple vil-
lage accountant, but rose through various gradations of
office till he became a power in the state, and was ap-
pointed Peshwa, or primo minister. It was to his energy
that the rapid expansion of the Mahratta power is to be
SBCT.IV.J GKEAT CONCESSIONS TO THE MAHEATTAS 97
attributed, and be may justly be regarded as the second
founder of its greatness.
With the view of separating the two brothers, the Syuds,
from each other, Ferokshere displaced Nizam- ool-moolk, and
appointed Hoosen Ali viceroy of the Deccan. At H . „
the same time he sent secret instructions to the re-
nowned Daood Khan to oiler him the most strenuous oppo-
sition, and he rushed at once into the field, and attacked
him with such impetuosity as to disperse his army like a
flock of sheep ; but in the moment of victory he was killed A>D*
by a cannon ball, and the fortune of the day was changed.
His devoted wife, a Hindoo princess, stabbed herself on
hearing of his death. Hoosen Ali, flushed with his suc-
cess, took the field against the Mahrattas, whose depreda-
tions had never ceased, but was completely defeated. In
these circumstances, distracted by Mahratta encroachments
on the one hand, and on the other by the hostility and in-
trigues of the emperor, he entered into negotiations with
Ballajee Wisbwanath which resulted in a conven- His c^c^.
tion as disgraceful to the Mogul throne, as it was sionstotht
fortunate for the Mahratta state. Shao was Mfthrattas-
acknowledged as an independent M>\< n '/• over all the
dominions which had belonged to Sevajee. The chout and *^
the tenth of the revenues of the six soobahs in the Deccan,
which were valued at eighteen crores — their assumed pro-
duct in their most palmy state — were conferred on him,
together with the tributary provinces of Tanjore, Mysore,
and Trichinopoly, on condition that he should furnish a con-
tingent of 15,000 troops, and be responsible for the peace of the
Deccan. This was the largest stride to power the Mahrattas
had yet achieved. They were furnished with a large and per-
manent income by these RnHigimicnts on districts •• :• • •"• *• .•
from the Nerbudda to Cape Comorin, and from the Malabar
to the Coromandol coast, the collection of which gave them
a right of constant and vexatious interference with the inter-
nal adininstration of every province. An army of Mahratta
officers, chiefly brahmins, was planted throughout the
country with indefinite powers of exaction for the state,
which they did not fail to turn also to their own profit.
Perokshore was advised to disallow the convention, and
the breach between him and the Syuds became wider.
Abdoolla called up his brother, who hastened to &<&& <>f
the capital, accompanied by 10,000 Mahrattas fferoksho*.
under Ballajee, and entered it without opposition. Tho
emperor made the most abject submission, but was dragged
H
98 ABEIBaMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. Ill,
from the interior of the zenana, where he had taken refuge,
and assassinated. Two puppets were then placed on the
throne, but they disappeared in a few months by disease or
poison, and a grandson of Bahadoor Shah was raised to
m9 Accession of *^e imperial dignity, and assumed the title of
17 Mahomed 'Mahomed Shah, the last who deserved the name
of emperor of India. Weak and despicable as
Ferokshere had been, his tragic death created a feeling ot
compassion throughout the country. The popular indigna-
tion against the Syuds was increased, and they found them-
selves the mark of universal execration ; but the great
object of their alarm was Nizam- ool-moolk, who, though ho
had been united with them in opposition to Ferokshere, was
now alienated from their cause. He marched across the
Nerbudda with a large force into the Deccan, where he had
many adherents both among the Mahrattas and the
Mahomedaiis, defeated two armies sent against him, and re-
mained master of his position. Meanwhile, Mahomed Shah
was fretting under the yoke of the Syuds, and, under the dis-
creet guidance of his mother, formed a confederacy among
his nobles to relieve himself from it. Distracted by the
difficulties which accumulated around them, they resolved
that Hoosen Ali should march against Nizam-ool-moolk,
taking the emperor with him, while Abdoolla remained at
1720 Delhi to look after their common interests. Five days after
* the march commenced, a savage Calmuk, instigated by the
Htissun Ali confederacy, approached the palankeen of Hussun
assassinated. J±\i^ under the pretence of presenting a petition,
and stabbed him to the heart. In the conflict which en-
sued the partizans of the emperor were victorious, and he
returned to Delhi. Abdoolla, whose energy rose with his
danger, set up a new emperor and marched against Baha-
door Shah, but was defeated and captured, though his life
was spared in consideration of his sacred lineage.
SECTION V.
MAHOMED SHAH TO NADIR SHAH'S INVASION.
MAHOMED SHAH entered Delhi with great pomp, a free
1720 monarch a twelvemonth after he had ascended the
pwjeedin a throne ; but his reign, though long, was marked
<rf Mahomed by the tokens of rapid decay. The canker worm
Sh-llm was at the root of the august Mogul throne, and
SHOT. V.] MAHOMED SHAH — CABINET OF POONA 99
every year disclosed its ravages. He abolished the odious
jezzia, and bestowed high appointments on the rajas
of Jeypore and Joudpore ; but the rana of Oodypore,
wrapped up in his orthodox dignity, refused all intercourse
with the court and sank into obscurity. Saadut Ali, a
Khorasan merchant, who had taken an active QJ^^
share in the recent proceedings, was appointed Saadut AM,
soobadar of Oude, and laid the foundation of the ^{j£darof
royal dignity, which was extinguished in 1856.
The office of vizier was reserved for Nizam-ool-moolk, who
repaired to the capital, but found the emperor immersed
in pleasure, and so indifferent to the interests of the state
as to have given the custody of the imperial signet to a
favourite mistress. He endeavoured to rouse him Ntzam-ooi.
to a sense of his responsibilities at a time when moolk-
the empire was crumbling around him, but the emperor
rejected all advice, and joined his dissolute companions in
turning to ridicule the antiquated habits and solemn de-
meanour of the venerable statesman, then in his seventy- 1723
fifth year. Disgusted with the profligacy of the court, and
despairing of any reform, he threw up his office and re-
turned to his government in the Deccan. The emperor
loaded him with honours on his departure, but instigated the
local governor at Hyderabad to resist his authority ; but he
was defeated and slain, and the Nizam fixed on that city,
the capital of the Kootub Sahee dynasty, as the seat of his 1724
government, and from this period may be dated the origin
of the kingdom of the Nizam.
Ballajee had accompanied Hoosen Ali with his troops
to Delhi, but made his submission to Mahomed Shah, and
obtained from him a confirmation of the grants
which had been made by the Syud Hoosen, and wtewlSath'a
returned to Satara with these precious muniments, acquisitions
fourteen in number, and died soon after. The anddeftth-
political arrangements he made before his death established 1721
the predominant authority of the eight brahmins who
formed the cabinet, and it was likewise extended throughout
the interior, by means of the brahmin agents employed to
collect "Mahratta dues.'* He was succeeded by Ids son Bajee
Rao, who had been bred a soldier and a states- Bajee Rao
man, and "united the enterprise, vigour, and w^his
" hardihood of a Mahratta chief with the polished m<mjmen*-
"manners and address of a Concan brahmin." The interest
of the succeeding twenty years in the history of India
centres in the intrigues, the alliances, and the conflicts of
H2
100 ABRIDGEMENT OF THE HISTORY OP INDIA [CHAP. III.
the Mahratta statesman at Satara, and the crafty old Tartar,
Nizam-ool-moolk, at Hyderabad, who made peace and war
without any reference to the authority of the emperor at
Delhi. Bajee Rao felt that unless employment could be
found abroad for the large body of predatory horse who
formed the sinews of the Mahratta power, they would be
employed in hatching mischief at home. Fully aware of
the weakness of the empire, he urged on his master, Shao,
** to strike the trunk of the withering tree ; the branches
A.D. " must fall off of themselves. Now is our time to drive
1724 n strangers from the land of the Hindoos. By directing our
"efforts to Hindostan the Mahratta flag shall float, in
" your reign, from the Kistna to the Attock." But Shao
had been bred in the luxuriance of a Mogul seraglio, and
Bajee Rao, finding his ardour ill-seconded by his effeminate
sovereign, was constrained to act for himself; and thus the
house of the Peshwa waxed stronger, and the house of
Sevajee weaker.
Nizam-ool moolk, while vizier, had appointed his uncle,
Hamed Khan, governor of Guzerat, in opposition to the
Affairs of court, and Sur-booland Khan was sent to expel
Guzerat. him. Hamed defeated him with the aid of two
Mahratta commanders, whom he had rewarded with a
grant of the chout and the tenth of the revenues of the
province. Bajee Rao took advantage of this discord to
* send Sindia, Holkar, and Puar, of Dhar, to levy contribu-
tions in Malwa, while he himself proceeded on the same
errand to Seringapatam in the south. Alarmed
Stw£n°n8 by the increasing audacity of the Mahrattas,
Koiaporeand Nizam-ool-moolk endeavoured to renew the dis-
sensions of the rival houses of Kolapore and
Satara. They were at issue for their respective shares of
the assignments granted to the Peshwa on the revenues of
the six soobahs of the Deccan ; and the Nizam, as the repre-
sentative of the emperor, called on them to substantiate
their claims before him. Bajee Rao, indignant at this
attempt to interfere in the domestic affairs of the Mahratta
commonwealth, assembled an army and marched against
him, and though the Nizam was supported by a large body of
727 Mahrattas, he was driven into a position which constrained
him to enter upon negotiations. The Peshwa, having his
eye upon the course of proceedings in Guzerat, granted him
favourable terms. Sur-booland had succeeded in establish-
ing his authority in that province, and the Peshwa was
negotiating with him to obtain for himself the grant of the
SBCT.V.] KISB OF SINDIA AND HOLKAB 101
clwut and the lentil which Hamed Khan had granted to
the two Mahratta generals. To expedite the bargain he
sent his brother to ravage the country, and the Mogul
governor was obliged to purchase peace by conceding his
demands. While Bajee Rao was thus engaged, Sambajee,
the ruler of Kolapore, crossed the Wurda and laid waste
the territories of Shao. He was defeated, and obliged to
sign an acknowledgment of his cousin's right to the whole
of the Mahratta dominions, with the exception of a small A.D.
tract of country around Kolapore, to which this branch of * 730
Sevajee's family was to be confined. The principality still
exists, while the kingdom of the elder branch has been
absorbed in the British Empire. The Nizam now found a
new instrument of mischief in Dhabaray, the Mahratta
commander-in-chief, who was mortified to find that the
prize of the chout and other dues he had obtained from
Hamed in Guzerat, had been carried off by the Peshwa.
Under the instigation of the Nizam, he proceeded with an
army of 33,000 men towards Satara, on the pretence of re-
leasing his master, Shao, from the tyranny of Bajee Rao, but 1731
he was defeated, and fell in action. The Mahratta interests
in Guzerat were then entrusted to Peelajee Gaikwar,
whose immediate ancestor was a cowherd, and whose
descendants still occupy the throne of Baroda.
To this period also belongs the rise of the families of
Holkar and Sindia, destined to play an important part in
the subsequent politics of India, and whose Rise of
descendants continue to wear the crowns they ^{JcM-*1"*
acquired. Mulhar Rao Holkar was the son of a
herdsman who exchanged the crook for the sword, and by
his daring courage recommended himself to Bajee Rao, by
whom he was entrusted with the very agreeable charge of
levying contributions in eighty-four villages in Malwa.
Ranojee Sindia was of the caste of husbandmen, and
entered the service of Ballajee as a menial, but was intro-
duced into his body-guard, and became one of the foremost
of the Mahratta chieftains in that age of enterprise. Like
Holkar, ho was sent to establish the Mahratta authority in
Malwa, and these u^i^mmMii- became the nucleus of their
future dominions
After the defeat of Dhabaray, the Nizam was, to a certain
extent, at the mercy of Bajee Rao, but they both perceived
that it would be for their common interest to
come to an understanding, and they entered into
a secret compact, which stipulated that the
102 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. Ill,
^^ Nizam's territories should not be molested, while Bajee Rao
1731 should be at liberty to plunder the Mogul territories in the
north. He accordingly crossed the Nerbudda, and laid
waste the province of Malwa. The imperial governor was at
the time employed in coercing a refractory chief in Bundle-
cnnd, who called in the aid of Bajee Rao, and rewarded
his services by the cession of a third of the province of
1732 Jhansi, and thus the Mahratta standard was for the first
time planted on the banks of the Jumna. The government
of Malwa was then bestowed on the Rajpoot raja Jeysing,
whose reign was rendered illustrious by the patronage of
science, the erection of the beautiful city of Jeypore, with
its palaces, halls, and temples, and its noble observatory.
The profession of a common faith promoted a friendly
1734 intercourse between him and Bajee Rao, the result of which
was the surrender of the province to the Mahratta, with
the tacit concurrence of the helpless emperor.
These multiplied concessions only served, as might have
been expected, to inflame the ambition and to increase the
Hia increased demands of the Peshwa. Great as were the
demands. resources of the Mahratta commonwealth, the
larger portion of the revenues was absorbed by the differ-
ent feudatories, and only a fraction reached the treasury at
Satara. The magnitude of Bajee Rao's operations had in-
volved him in debt ; his troops were clamorous for pay,
" and the discipline of the army necessarily suffered by these
arrears. He demanded of the imperial court a confirma-
tion of the assignments granted by Sur-booland Khan on
the revenues of Guzerat, of the rights he had acquired
1736 in Bundlecund, and the absolute cession of the rich pro-
vince of Malwa. The feeble cabinet at Delhi endeavoured
to pacify him by minor grants, which only led him to in-
crease his claims, and he proceeded to demand the cession
of all the country south of the Chumbul, together with the
holy cities of Muttra, Benares, and Allahabad. To quicken
the apprehensions of the emperor, he sent Holkar to
plunder the Dooab, the province lying between the Jumna
and the Ganges, but he was driven back by Saadut AH, the
soobadar of Oude. This was magnified into a great vic-
tory, and it was reported that the Mahrattas had been
obliged to retire. " I was compelled," said Bajee Rao, " to
1737 " tell the emperor the truth, and to prove to him that I was
" still in Hindostan, and to show him flames and the Mah-
" rattas at the gates of his capital." He therefore took the
~ " "L in person, and marching at the rate of forty miles a
SBCT. V.] INVASION OF NADIR SHAH 103
day, suddenly presented himself before the gates of Delhi
The consternation in the capital may be readily conceived ; A.D.
but the object of Bajee Rao was not to sack the city, but 1737
to intimidate the emperor into concessions, and circum-
stances rendered it advisable for him to retreat to Satara.
The Mahrattas now appeared to be paramount in India,
and the Nizam was considered the only man who could
save the empire from extinction. He listened Defeatofthe
to the overtures of the emperor and proceeded to Nizam by
Delhi, where he was invested with full powers B^681^
to call out all the resources of the state ; but they were re-
duced to so low a point that the army under his personal
command could only be completed to 30,000 men, with
which he returned to the south. Bajee Rao crossed the
Nerbudda with 80,000 men. Owing, perhaps to his great
age — ninety-three — perhaps to over confidence in the great
superiority of his artillery, the Nizam entrenched himself
near Bhopal. Bajeo Rao adopted the national system of
warfare, laid waste the country, intercepted all supplies,
attacked every detachment which ventured beyond the
lines, and on the twenty-fifth day of the siege obliged the
Nizam to sign a lr:i:,r.i,uii ;.: treaty, granting him the sove-
reignty of Malwa and the territories up to the Cbumbul,
and engaging to use his influence to obtain from the im-
perial treasury the sum of half a crore of rupees, which he
had not ceased to demand ; but that treasure was to find a
very different destination.
It was in the midst of these distractions that Nadir Shah
appeared on the banks of the Indus, and India was visited
with another of those tempests of desolation to Nadirghah
which it had been repeatedly subject for some
centuries. The Persian dynasty of the Sofis, which had
occupied the throne for nearly two centuries, was sub-
verted in 1720 by the Ghiljies, the most powerful
tribe in Afghanistan. Shah Hossen, the last of that
royal line, was besieged by them in his capital, Ispahan,
then in the height of its prosperity, and after enduring
for six months the extremities of misery and starva-
tion, went out with his court in deep mourning to the
Afghan camp, and surrendered his crown to Mahmood,
the Afghan chief. He died at the end of two years, and
was succeeded by his son Asruf. Nadir Shah, the greatest
general Persia has produced, was the son of a shopherd of
Khorasan, and commenced his career by collecting a band
of freebooters. Finding himself, at length, at the head of a
104 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. HI.
powerful army, lie freed his native province from the
Afghans, and then constrained the Ghiljie monarch to
A.D. resign all his father's conquests in Persia. He raised
1729 Thamasp, the son of the dethroned Sofi king, to the throne ;
but after expelling the Turks and the Russians from the
provinces they had conquered, deposed Thamasp and be-
!731 stowed the nominal sovereignty on his infant son, while he
himself assumed the title of king, upon the importunity, as
it was affirmed, of 100,000 nobles, soldiers, and peasants
1736 whom he had assembled on a vast plain To find employ-
ment for his troops and to gratify his own ambition and
avarice, he carried his arms into Afghanistan, and resolved
to re-annex Candahar to the Persian throne. While engaged
in the siege of that town he sent a messenger to Delhi to
demand the surrender of some of his fugitive subjects,
but, owing to the distraction of the times, the claim was
1738 r.c::1(vt- ••"I. A second messenger was murdered at Jellala-
bad. The Government of India had from time immemorial
paid an annual subsidy to the wild highlanders who oc-
cupied the passes between Cabul and Peshawur, and the
imperial cabinet doubtless trusted to their power to arrest
the progress of Nadir. The payment of this black mail
had, however, been for some time withheld, and they
opened the gates of India to the Persian monarch, who
crossed the Indus with 65,000 of his veteran troops and
dVerran the Punjab before the court of Delhi was aware
of his approach.
The emperor Mahomed Shah marched to Kurnal to
meet this invasion, but experienced a fatal defeat, and pro-
Ca f ceeding to the Persian camp, threw himself on
Delhi, and the compassion of the conqueror. The object of
massacre. Nadir Shah was treasure and not conquest, and it is
affirmed that he was prepared to retire on the payment of
two crores of rupees ; but Saadut AH, the soobadar of Oude,
having some cause of offence with the emperor, represented
to the Persian that this was a very inadequate ransom for
so rich an empire, and that his own province alone could
afford this sum. Nadir resolved, therefore, to levy exactions
tinder his own eye. He entered Delhi in March, and on the
1739 succeeding day a thousand of his soldiers were massacred
upon a report of his death. He went out to restore order,
but was assailed with missiles, and ono of his chiefs was
killed by his side, upon which he issued orders for a general
massacre. For many hours the metropolis presented a
scon* of rapine, lust, and carnage, and 8,000 are said to
SECT. V.] STATE OF INDIA IN 1739 105
have fallen victims to his infuriated soldiery. Yet so com-
plete was the discipline he had established that every
sword was sheathed as soon as he issued the order. He
took possession of all the imperial treasures, including the
peacock throne ; plundered the nobles, and caused every
house to bo sacked, sparing no cruelty to extort confessions
of wealth. From the disloyal Saadut AH he exacted the
full tale of two crores, and the traitor terminated his exist-
ence by poison. The governors of other provinces were not
spared ; and Nadir Shah, after having thus subjected the
capital and the country for fifty- eight days to spoliation,
and feeling satisfied that he had exhausted the wealth of
the empire, prepared to retire with an accumulation of
thirty-two crores of rupees. He restored Mahomed Shah
to the throne, but annexed all the provinces west of the
Indus to the crown of Persia. On his departure he issued
a proclamation to the princes of India, stating that he was
now proceeding to the conquest of other regions, but that
if any report of their having revolted from " his dear
"brother, Mahomed Shah," reached his ears, lie would return
and blot their names out of the book of creation.
The Mogul power, which had been in a slate of rapid
decay since the death of Aurungzebe, received its death
blow from the invasion of Nadir Shah, and the state of
sack of the capital. The empire was breaking up India,
into fragments, and the authority and the prestige of the
throne was irrecoverably gone. The various provinces
yielded only a nominal homage to the crown. All its
possessions beyond the Indus were permanently alienated.
In the extreme south of the peninsula the Mogul
sovereignty was a matter of history. The Nabob of the
Carnatic acknowledged no superior. The rest of the
Deccan was shared between the Nizam and the Malirattas.
In the provinces of Guzerat and Malwa, the power of the
Poshwa was already predominant. The allegiance of the
princes of Rajpootana was very vacillating. The viceroys
of Oude and Bengal, the richest provinces of India,
Acknowledged tho emperor as their suzerain, but yielded
him no obedience. Even in tho vicinity of the capital, new
chiefs were, as tho native historian remarks, " beating the
" drum of independence." The house of Baber had accom-
plished the usual cycle of Indian dynasties, which seldom
exceeded two centuries, and its sceptre was now to pass
into the hands of a company of European merchants, with
the sea, and not Central Asin, for the base of its enterprise.
106 ABKIDGMENT OP THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
Having thus readied the period when the Mogul throne
ceased to exercise any influence on the politics of India,
we turn to the progress of the European settlements on
the continent, and to the history of the East India
Company, which began its career with a factory, and
closed it by transferring the Empire of India to the Crown
of England.
CHAPTER IV.
SECTION I.
RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE PORTUGUESE.
FOR five centuries the tide of Mahomedan invasion had
rolled across the Indus from Central Asia, and spread from
north to south. A new era now dawns upon us, ushered
in by the appearance of a European fleet, and the progress
is, henceforth, from south to north. The Mahomedan s
entered India in the spirit of conquest ; the Europeans
*came in search of trade. The productions of the East
had, from time immemorial, been a great object of desire
to the inhabitants of the West, who had been accus-
tomed to obtain them through many circuitous channels.
In the middle ages the trade had enriched the republics
of Venice and Genoa, and a general anxiety was created to
obtain direct access to India. During the fifteenth century
the spirit of maritime adventure was strongly developed in
Europe, and more especially in the small but spirited king-
dom of Portugal, in which great progress had been made
in the science of naval architecture. This spirit was warmly
encouraged by its sovereigns, who fitted out a succession of
expeditions, and gradually advanced along the coast of
Africa, making fresh discoveries in each voyage. At length,
John II. sent three vessels, under the command of Bartho-
lomew Dias, to discover the southern limit of the African
continent. He was the first navigator to double the Cape,
A D where the tempestuous weather he encountered led him to
i486 Dtacovery designate it " The Cape of Storms " ; but his
of uwCape. delighted sovereign, hoping to reach India by
SBCT. I.] RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE PORTUGUESE 107
this route, more appropriately called it the Cape of Good
Hope. Soon after, Christopher Columbus, the enterprising
Genoese sailor, convinced that India was to be discovered
by sailing west, offered his services to king John, but they
were not accepted, and he proceeded on his adventurous
expedition under the auspices of the king of Spain, and
the continent of America was discovered in 1492.
Eleven years elapsed after Dias had rounded the Cape
before any attempt was made to improve the discovery.
King John was succeeded by Emanuel, who entered on the
field of enterprise with great ardour, and in 1497 fitted
out three vessels in the hope of finding a way to India
from the Cape. The little fleet, consisting of vessels of
small tonnage, was entrusted to Vasco de Gama, who A.D,
quitted Lisbon, after the performance of religious solem- 1497
nities, on the 8th July, 1497, amidst the acclamations of
the king, the court, and the people. Having reached the
Cape in safety, he launched out boldly into the unexplored
Indian Ocean, where, while traversing three thousand miles,
nothing but the sea and the sky was visible for twenty -three
days. He sighted the Malabar coast in May, Discovery
1498, and brought his enterprise to a glorious <* India-
issue as he cast anchor off the town of Calicut. It lay 1498
in that portion of the Deccan which the Mahomedan arms
had not reached, and belonged to a Hindoo prince styled
the Zamorin, who gave the Portuguese commander an
honourable reception, and at once granted him the privi-
lege of trade in his dominions. But the commerce of the
Malabar coast, with its fifty harbours, had hitherto been
monopolised by the traders from Egypt and Arabia, who
felt no little jealousy at the arrival of these interlopers,
and having gained over his minister, persuaded the
Zamorin that the Portuguese were not the merchants they
represented themselves to* be, but pirates who had escaped
from their own country, and had now come to infest the
eastern seas. The feelings of the prince were at once
changed to hostility, and Vasco, after a residence of several
months on the coast, seeing little hope of an amicable
intercourse, set sail on his return. He entered the Tagus,
after an absence of twenty-six months, on the 29th of 1499
August, 1499, in regal pomp, and received the homage of the
court and the people, who crowded to the beach to admire
the vessels which had performed this wonderful voyage.
It was six years and a half after Columbus had astounded
the nations of Enrone bv the rHsnovarv of tho New World-
108 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV,
that Vasco increased their amazement by announcing the
discovery by sea of the way to India, the region of fabu-
lous wealth.
The king of Portugal lost no time in following up the
enterprise, and immediately fitted out an expedition, which
Second ex- consisted of thirteen ships and 1,200 men, the
Cab^11"" command of which was given, not to Vasco, but
to Cabral, who was, however, well qualified for
the undertaking. He was accompanied by eight friars,
and directed to carry fire and sword into every province
A.D. which would not receive their teaching. After launching
1500 into the Atlantic, his fleet was driven, in 1500, by the
violence of the wind, to the coast of South America, where
he discovered, and took possession of, Brazil, which has
ever since remained an appanage of Portugal. On the 13th
of September he anchored off Calicut, and having restored
the hostages who had been taken away by Vasco, was
graciously received by the Zamorin, and obtained per-
mission to erect a factory. But the Mahomedan traders
effectually prevented his obtaining any cargoes, and he
seized one of their richest vessels, and having transferred
its contents to his own ships, set it on fire. A n attack was
immediately made on his factory, and fifty men were
killed. Cabral resented it by capturing and burning ten
other vessels, after he had taken possession of their cargoes.
He then cannonaded the town from his fleet, and sailed to
the neighbouring port of Cochin, where he formed an
alliance with the chief, a dependent of the Zamorin, and
returned to Lisbon.
The disasters which Cabral had encountered induced the
officers of state to advise the abandonment of these enter-
Second prises, but the king was ambitious of founding an
voyage of oriental empire, and having obtained a bull
from the Pope conferring on him the sovereignty
of all the countries visited by his fleets in the East, heassumed
the title of *' Lord of the navigation, conquest, and commerce
" of Ethiopia, Persia, Arabia, and India." A third expedi-
tion, consisting of fifteen vessels, was fitted out and entrusted
to Vasco de Gama, who, on his arrival at Calicut, de-
1502 manded reparation for the insult offered to Cabral, which
was peremptorily refused, and he set the town on fire. lie
then proceeded to the friendly port of Cochin,, where he
left Pacheco with a handful of men to protect the Portu-
guese factory, and unaccountably set sail for Europe. The
Zamorin of Calicut marched to the attack of Cochin foi
SBCT.I.] EXPEDITION OF CABRAL 109
having harboured the Portuguese, and invested the fac-
tory, but though his troops exceeded those of Pacheco
by fifty to one, they were ignominiously defeated, and the
superiority of European to Asiatic soldiers, which has ever
since been maintained, was now for the first time ex-
hibited, and the foundation was laid for European as-
cendancy in India. A.D.
In 1505, the king of Portugal sent out Almeyda with 1505
the grand title of viceroy of India, though he did not
possess a foot of land in it. Almeyda had to en-
counter a new and more formidable opponent. mey a*
The Venetians, who had hitherto monopolised the lucrative
trade of India, regarded with a jealous eye the attempts of the
Portuguese to divert it into a new channel round the Cape.
The bulk of the commerce which had made their island the
queen of the Adriatic and the envy of Europe, was con-
veyed through Egypt, where they enjoyed a paramount
influence, and they prevailed on the Sultan to send a fleet
down the Red Sea to sweep the interlopers from the coast
of India, and assisted him with naval materials from their
forests in Dalmatin. The king of the maritime province
of Guzerat was equally alarmed at the growing power of
the Portuguese on the sea, aud sent his ships to co-operate
with the Egyptian fleet. They came up with a portion of
the Portuguese fleet in the harbour of Choul, and defeated
it. Young Almeyda was killed in the action ; his father
determined to avenge his death, and, finding that Dabul,
one of the greatest commercial marts on the coast, had
taken part \\ith the Egyptian fleet, reduced it to ashes,
with great slaughter. Ho then proceeded in Naval
search of the combined fleets, and found them actions»
anchored in the harbour of Diu, and obtained a splendid 160g
victory over them; but he stained his reputation by the
massacre of his prisoners to avenge the death of his son.
He had been previously superseded by Albuquerque, sent
out by the court of Lisbon to take charge of the Portu-
guese interests in India. He was a man of great Aibu-
enterprise and boundless ambition. He attacked querqne.
the town of Calicut, but lost a fourth of his force in the
assault. He came to the conclusion that, instead of these
desultory attacks in which the Portuguese had hitherto
been engaged, it would be more advisable to make a per-
manent establishment on that coast, in some port and town
which would afford a safe harbour for their ships, and
oecomo the citadel of their power. He fixed on Goa, on
110 ABRIDGMENT OP THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHA?.;V.
the coast of Canara, situated on an island twenty-three
miles in circumference, and one of the most valuable ports
on that coast. It thus became the metropolis of the Por-
tuguese dominions in India, and every effort made from time
to time to capture it by the native princes proved unavailing.
He now assumed the position of an eastern prince, and
received embassies with oriental pomp. He proceeded to
the remote provinces in the Malay archipelago, where he
established his authority, and carried his commercial enter-
prises to Siam, Java, and Sumatra. His efforts were next
directed to the west, and he obtained possession of Ormuz,
the great emporium of the Persian Gulf. The genius of Albu-
querque had thus in the course of nine years built up a great
European power in the East. He appeared rather to eschew
than to court territorial possessions, but his power throughout
the eastern seas was irresistible, and his authority was su-
preme along 12,000 miles of coast, on which he had planted
thirty factories, many of which were fortified. But his last
days were clouded by the ingratitude of his country. In the
midst of his triumphs he was superseded by the intrigues
A.D. of the court ; the reverse broke his heart, and he died
1516 as he entered the harbour of Goa. He was interred in the
great settlement which he had established, amidst the re-
grets of Europeans and natives, by whom he was equally
beloved.
' • During the whole of the sixteenth century the maritime
power of the Portuguese continued to be the most formid-
able in the eastern hemisphere, and the terror of
guese Sx. " every state on the sea-board. They took possession
1517 teenth cen- of the Island of Ceylon, and in 1517 proceeded to
China, and established the first European factory,
1531 at Macao, in the Celestial Empire. In 1531 they equipped
an armament of 400 vessels, with an army of 22,000 men, of
whom 3,600 were Europeans, and captured Diu, which,
1537 though lost for a time, was regained. In 1537 the king
of Guzerat implored the Grand Seigneur to assist him in
freeing India from the presence of the infidels, and a large
fleet, with 7,000 Turkish soldiers on board, was fitted out at
Suez, and being joined by the Guzerat army, 20,000 strong,
laid close siege to Diu. Sylviera, the commander, had only
600 men for its defence, but he sustained the siege, amidst
the deepest privations, with European gallantry, for eight
months. The assailants, driven to despair, were obliged
to withdraw, and the fame of the foreigners who had baffled
the united forces of the Sultan of Turkey and the king of
SECT. I.] PORTUGUESE IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY 1 i 1
Guzerat was diffused through India, The most memorable
event in the annals of Portuguese India was the combina-
tion formed for their expulsion by the kings of Ahmed- ADt
nugur and Beejapore and the Zamorin of Calicut. The 1570
siege of Goa, which they undertook, lasted ten months, but
was at length abandoned after the confederates had lost
12,000 men. The king of Bengal, pressed by Shere Sing,
in 1538 sent an embassy to Goa to implore the aid of the 1538
Portuguese Governor- General, who despatched nine armed
vessels with troops to his assistance. This was the first
introduction of Europeans into the valley of the Ganges.
The Portuguese established a factory at a place called the
Gola, or granary, — subsequently designated Hooghly, — and
completely drew off the trade of the province from the
neighbouring town of Satgang, which had been the great
mercantile emporium of Bengal for fifteen centuries. The
factory grew to be a flourishing town, adorned with nu-
merous churches, and so strongly fortified, that when the
Moguls subsequently attacked it with three armies, they
were unable to carry it by storm, but were constrained to
have recourse to mines.
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, when the
greatness of the Portuguese had reached its zenith, they
were encountered, and eventually supplanted by a
European rival. The Dutch, having thrown off DuSsh and*
the yoke of Spain, entered upon a career of mari- decay of the
time enterprise with extraordinary ardour. In 1596 ° nguese*
they sent an expedition round the Cape to the eastern islands, 1596
which returned laden with spices and other valuable com-
modities, and gave so great a stimulus to the spirit of com-
merce that, within five years, forty vessels, of from four to
six hundred tons burden, were embarked in the trade.
They gradually wrested the spice islands and Malacca and
the island of Ceylon from the Portuguese, but not without
many a -:i: j1:'1 •:•} conflict. An expedition, undertaken
jointly by the king of Persia and the East India Company,
deprived the Portuguese of Ormuz, and within a century
and a half of the arrival of Vasco de Gama there remained
nothing to the crown of Portugal of its eastern possessions
but Goa, Mozambique, and Macao in China. The com-
merce of the Dutch lay chiefly with the eastern archipelago;
on the continent of India they never possessed more than
a few factories.
112 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
SECTION II.
PEOOEESS OF THE FKENOH TO THE PBACE OF AIX-LA-CHAPELLE.
THE great advantages which the trade of India had con-
ferred on the Portuguese and Dutch inspired the French
The French with a desire to participate in it, and several
East India attempts were made to acquire a commercial
Company. footing in the East Curing the first half of the
seventeenth century, but without success. At length, the
great minister, Colbert, who had created the French navy
and harbours, took up the matter, and established the
French East India Company. Its first enterprise was
directed to the island of Madagascar, but it was abandoned,
owing to the unhealthiness of the climate and the hostility
of the natives, and the Company took possession of the
AJ). uninhabited island of Bourbon and of the larger island of
167* the Mauritius in its vicinity. In April, 1674, Martin, the
earliest of the French colonists, and a man of remarkable
energy, having obtained a grant of land on the Coromandel
coast from the native prince, laid the foundation of the
Erection of town of Pondicherry, which he was permitted to
Pondicherry. fortify. Three years later it was threatened by
1676»Sevajee in his southern expedition, which has been noticed
in a previous chapter, but was saved by the tact of Martin.
War broke out at length between Holland and France, and
the Dutch, envious of the prosperity of Pondicherry, sent
a fleet of nineteen vessels against it. Martin was obliged
to capitulate, and all hope of establishing French power on
that coast appeared to wither away. The Dutch improved
the fortifications and rendered it one of the strongest
fortresses in India, but four years after were obliged to
restore it by the treaty of Ryswick. Martin, with his
usual energy, strengthened the works, and attracted native
settlers by his honest dealings and his conciliatory man-
ners ; and on the spot which he had occupied thirty-two
years before with six European settlers, there had grown
up at the period of his death a noble town with 40,000
inhabitants. The charter of the Company was cancelled
1719 in 1719, and it was absorbed in the schemes of Law, of
Mississippi notoriety. On the collapse of his project, the
Company was re- organised as a commercial association ;
the town gradually recovered its prosperity, which had
beep affected by the extinction of the Company, and was
SECT. II.] PBOGKESS OF THE FRENCH 113
embellished by the taste of its governors, who also rivalled
the native princes in the state they now assumed. A.D.
M. Dumas was appointed governor of Pondi cherry in 1735
1735. He nnited great energy of character with, what is
so rarely found among Europeans in India, a Dumas, go-
genial disposition, which in an eminent degree vcmorof
conciliated both the native princes and the people. on c erry*
Rughoojee Bhonslay, the raja of Berar, poured down with
50,000 Mahratta troops, and Dost Ali, who had become
nabob of the Carnatic amidst the confusion of the times, en-
deavoured to arrest his progress, but was signally defeated
and fell in battle. His son, Sufder Jung, and his son-in-
law, Chunda Sahib, prevailed on M. Dumas to grant them
and their families and property an asylum at Pondicherry,
the strongest fortress on the coast. He received them in
princely state, surrounded by his horse and foot guards, and
they and their cortege entered the gates of the town
under a royal salute. Soon after Sufder Ali made his
peace with the Mahrattas, upon an engagement to pay a
crore of rupees, and was installed nabob of the Carnatio
without any reference to the emperor, or even to his repre-
sentative in the Deccan, Nizam-ool-moolk. His family was
withdrawn from Pondicherry, but the family and the
wealth of Chunda Sahib remained under the protection of
the French ramparts. Rughoojee Bhonslay, disappointed of
this treasure, sent a force of 16,000 men to demand the
payment of sixty lacs of rupees and the surrender of
Chunda Sahib's family. Dumas had organised a body of
1,200 Europeans and 4,000 or 5,000 native troops — the
germ of a sepoy army — and he received the envoy with
courtesy, and after showing him over his military stores
and equipments, and drawing up his force, desired him to
assure his master that so long as a single Frenchman was
left there would be no surrender. The resolute character
of Dumas, and the resources of the garrison, made a deep 1740
impression on the Mahratta prince, but it was French cor-
dials rather than French bayonets that carried the day. M.
Dumas sent by the envoy a present of French liqueurs to
Rughoojee, who gave them to his wife, and she was so
delighted with them as to insist on a further supply. The
desire to gratify her, combined, doubtless, with a Kughoojee
reluctance to risk an assault on a fortress of Bhonsiay.
European strength, led to a negotiation which ended in
the retreat of the Mahrattas. M. Dumas was congratulated
by the native princes of India on his successful resistance
114 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
of the redoubted Mahrattas, and the emperor conferred on
him and his successors the title of nabob, and the rank of
a commander of 4,500 horse.
Dumas was succeeded by Dapleix, a man of extraordinary
genius, and one of the most illustrious statesmen in the
Energy of annals of French India. He had acquired a
Dupleix. large fortune in trade before he was appointed
Intendant- of Chandernagore, on the banks of the Hooghly,
where a French factory had been established in 1676. It
had never flourished, while the English factory at Calcutta
had been rising in wealth and importance, but the creative
genius of Dupleix in the course of ten years made it ono of
the most opulent European factories in Bengal. At the
period of his assuming the charge of the town not more
than half-a-dozen small coasting craft were to be seen at the
landing-place; before his departure seventy vessels were
engaged in trade to Yeddo, to Mocha, to Bussorah, and
to China. He established agencies in the great marts in
the interior, and his transactions were extended to Thibet.
He surrounded the town with fortifications, and assisted
^.D. in the erection of two thousand houses. He was appointed
1741 to the government of Pondicherry in October, 1741, and
well knowing that in the East the pomp of state is always
an element of political strength, made such a display of
magnificence, and exacted such deference as an officer of
the Mogul Empire, as to dazzle the princes and people of
the Deccan, and to augment the reputation of French
* power. His first attention was given to the improvement
of the fortifications, but before they were completed he
was informed by the Directors of his company that
war between France and England was imminent; and,
moreover, that they would be unable to supply him with
1 746 money, ships, or soldiers. At the same time he learned
that a large naval squadron was ready to sail from Eng-
War between land, while he could only muster 436 European
France and troops, and had only a single vessel of war at his
** * disposal. In this emergency he determined to
invoke the aid of the native princes whose friendship his
predecessors had assiduously cultivated, and to solicit
Anwar- ood-deen, who had been appointed nabob of the
Carnatic by Nizam-ool-moolk, to lay an injunction on the
1745 governor of Madras to abstain from any aggression on the
French settlement. The governor considered it prudent
to obey the order. The anxieties of Dupleix were likewise
relieved by the arrival of Labourdonnais with a powerful
SBcr.IL] CAREER OF DUPLEIX 115
French fleet. This officer, a man of singular enterprise,
had been for several years governor of the Mauritius and-
Bourbon, and had raised the islands by his energy and
ability to a state of the greatest prosperity. He found the
greater part of the Mauritius on his arrival covered with
an almost impenetrable jungle, and inhabited by a sparse
and indolent population. He created magazines and
arsenals, barracks and fortifications ; he erected mills, quays,
and aqueducts, and gave the settlement that importance in
the operations of his nation, which it maintained for nearly
seventy years ; but the value of all his noble qualities was
impaired by his pride and arrogance. The two fleets were
not long before they came to an engagement.
The conflict between the French and the English in
India, which began with this naval battle in 1746, forms an
important era in its modern history. Hitherto, Result of
the European settlements dotted around the the conflict.
Malabar and Coromandel coasts, content with the peaceful
pursuits of commerce, had taken no share and little interest
in the revolutions of power in the interior, and in the rise
and fall of states. Down to the present time, moreover,
while the French and English nations were often at war in
Europe, during seventy years their Indian settlements lay
peaceably side by side. But the scene was now changed.
The governors of the two Companies embarked in a struggle
for supremacy, embodied native troops and imported
rogimontH from Europe, directing their attention more
to the operations of war than of commerce, and, in more
than one instance, fighting to the death in India after
peace had been restored in Europe. They formed alliances
and were drawn into conflicts with the native princes, which
served to demonstrate the vast superiority of European
soldiers over native troops, and this led to the rapid acqui-
sition of political influence in the country, and, by an
inevitable consequence, to the possession of territory.
Within the brief period of eleven years after the two
European powers had fired tho first shot at each other, the
French had acquired the undisputed authority of a territory
in the south, containing a population of thirty-five
millions, and in the north the English had the supreme
command of provinces exceeding in area and population
the whole of Great Britain.
The two fleets met in July, 1746. The action was inde- 1741
cisive, but the English admiral, on the plea that one of his
ships stood in need of repairs, sailed away to the south
i 2
116 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
• and left Madras, which lie had been sent out to protect,
Capture of at the mercy of the French. The little hamlet
Madras. on wnich the British ensign was planted in 1639,
had in the course of a century expanded into a town with a
native population of between one and two hundred thousand.
The fortifications of Madras, which had never been very
substantial, were now dilapidated, and of the small garrison
of two hundred Europeans few had ever seen a shot fired.
Against this defenceless town Labourdonnais advanced with
a large fleet, 1,100 European troops, and 800 native sepoys
SEPT an<i Africans. The President, after a decent resistance,
21 ST, surrendered it, and Labourdonnais held it at ransom for a
1746 sum of about sixty lacs of rupees; but Dupleix asserted that as
long as the English held possession of the settlement, Pondi-
cherry could not be expected to flourish, and he was deter-
mined to extinguish all English interests on the coast.
The violent altercations which arose between these two able
but inflexible men may be readily imagined. Meanwhile,
the monsoon set in with exceptional violence, and the French
fleet suffered to such an extent as to oblige Labourdonnais
to return to the islands to refit. Dupleix immediately an-
nulled the convention he had made with the president of
Madras, and conveyed all the European officers prisoners to
Pondicherry. Labourdonnais retired to France, where he
was followed by the accusations of Dupleix and of the
enemies he had made, and was thrown into the Bastile, where
he lingered for three years, and, though released when the
1753 charges against him were disproved, died of a broken heart.
On the approach of the French armament, the president of
Madras, in his turn, had appealed to the nabob of the Carna-
Battie of ^c> as Dupleix had done, and prevailed on him to
st Thoma. prohibit any attack on the town. Dupleix, how-
ever, found little difficulty in persuading him to withdraw
the injunction by promising to make over the settlement
to him when it was captured, but after he had obtained pos-
session of it it appeared too valuable a prize to be relin-
quished. The nabob was irritated beyond measure, and
asked who were these foreigners that they should thus set
him at defiance, with a handful of European and native
troops not equal to a twentieth of his own army ? His
son was sent with 10,000 men to drive the French from
Madras, but half a dozen rapid discharges of cannon
bewildered them, and they retired more quickly than they
had advanced. Dupleix, on hearing of the investment of the
town, despatched a reinforcement consisting of 230 Euro-
•JtecT.il.] DEFEAT OF THE CAENATIC NABOB 117
peans and 700 sepoys. The son of the nabob marched to # OT
meet the detachment, and came up with it at St. Thome*, 4m,
about four miles from Madras. The commander, Paradis, !746
though without guns, assaulted the enemy with such vigour
that the young nabob, who was mounted on a lofty elephant,
and carried the royal ensign, was the first to fly from the
field. He was followed precipitately by the whole body of
10,000 men, who never paused till they were almost in
sight of Arcot. This engagement, although small in com-
parison with others, may be considered one of the most
important and decisive battles in India. For the first time
it gave the European settlers confidence in their own
strength, and took all conceit of fighting out of the native
princes. It taught the Europeans to disregard the disparity
of numbers, however great, and dissolved the spell which
had hitherto held them in abject subjection to the
native powers.
The success of the French induced the nabob at once to
change sides. The only possession left to the English on
the coast was Fort St. David, and Dupleixsent an siegeofpon- 1746
expedition n:..i>. -' U ; but it was defended by the atehe"7^
earliest ofo1::- I: -iifui heroes, Major Stringer Lawrence, and
the French were obliged to retire, after four unsuccessful
assaults. Soon after, admiral Boscawen arrived off the
coast with a large fleet and a large reinforcement of troops,
and it was determined to retaliate on the French by the cap-
ture of Pond i cherry. The admiral unhappily determined to
take the conduct of the siege on himself, but being altogether
ignorant of military science and impatient of advice, he 1748
was subject to an ignominious failure. After having in-
vested it for fifty days with the largest European force, little
short of 4,000 men, which had ever yet been assembled in
India, he was obliged to raise the siege, but not before
he had lost one-fourth of his troops. Dupleix lost no time
in trumpeting his success throughout India, and he received 1748
congratulations from the nabob at Arcot, from the Nizam
at Hyderabad, and even from the emperor at Delhi. Imme-
diately after this event, the peace of Aix la Chapelle
restored Madras to the English, and Dupleix had the mor-
tification of seeing his hated rivals reinstated in all their 1749
posscflsions.
118 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
SECTION III.
FROM THE PEACE OF AIX LA CHAPELLE TO THE YEAR 1756.
IT might have heen expected that the English and the
French wonld now sheathe their swords and return to the
English in- pursuits of commerce ; but, as the great historian,
y^eTan- Orme, remarks, "The two nations having a
30re* " large body of troops at their disposal, and being
" no longer authorised to fight with each other, took the
" resolution of employing their armies in the contests of
u native princes, the English with great indiscretion, the
" French with the utmost ambition." The English were
the first to set the example ; they were anxious to obtain
an accession of territory on the coast, and they accepted
the offer of Sahoojee, who had been deposed from the
government of Tanjore, to cede the town and district of
A>D> Devicotta, at the mouth of the Coleroon, if they would
1749 restore him to the throne. A force of about 1,500 men was
accordingly sent under Major Lawrence, who obtained pos-
session of the town, after a long and clumsy siege — the
first the English were engaged in. But he found the cause
of Sahoojee hopelessly unpopular, and returned to Madras,
and persuaded the president to come to an accommodation
with Pertab Sing, the prince then on the throne.
„ Dupleix, however, aimed at a higher object than the ac-
quisition of an insignificant town and a few miles of terri-
Ambition of tory on the coast. He had seen a single battalion,
Dnpieix. consisting only in part of Europeans, disperse a
native army, of ten times its number, like a flock of sheep.
The rise of this new military power filled the minds of the
native princes with awe ; and Dupleix determined to avail
himself of their rivalries, and the fermentation of the times,
to erect a French empire in India. Chunda Sahib, the
most enterprising prince in the Deccan, had been deprived
of the important town of Trichinopoly by the Mahrattas,
and carried away prisoner to Satara, where he languished
for seven years. He was exceedingly popular throughout
the Oarnatic, and Dupleix conceived that his ambitious plans
would be promoted by making him the nabob, in the room
of Anwar-ood-deen, whose government was greatly dis-
liked. He therefore obtained his liberation by the payment
of a ransom of seven lacs of rupees ; and Chunda Sahib
speedily collected a body of 6,000 men, and advanced
SECT. III.] DTJPLEIX'S AMBITION 119
towards the borders of the Carnatic. Just at this period,
Nizam-ool-moolk, the soobadar of the Deccan, Deathof
and the founder of the kingdom of Hyderabad, Nizam-ooi-
died at a patriarchal age, and the affairs of the moolk'
Deccan were thrown into a state of confusion which greatly
facilitated the ambitious projects of the French governor.
Of the five sons of the Nizam, Nazir Jung, though often in
revolt against his father, happened to be with him at the
hour of death, and having obtained possession of the trea-
sury and bought over the chiefs in the army and the state,
proclaimed himself soobadar. But there was a grandson
of the Nizam, Mozuffer Jung, the son of his daughter,
whom he had destined for the succession, and in whose
favour he had obtained a firman from the emperor of Delhi.
He lost no time in collecting an army to assert his claim
to the throne, and was joined by Chunda Sahib, to whom he
promised the nabobship of the Carnatic. The French at
once embarked in the cause, and a force was despatched to
his aid under the command of Bussy, the ablest officer in
the French service. The confederates encountered the
army of Anwar-ood-deen at Amboor ; he was completely
defeated, and fell in action, and his son, Mahomed Deftth of
Ali, fled to Trichinopoly, where the treasures of Anwar-ood. '
the state were deposited. Mozuffer marched the een'
next day to Arcot, and assumed the state and title of soo-
badar of the Deccan, and conferred the government of the
Carnatic on Chunda Sahib. They then proceeded to Pon-
di cherry, where Dupleix received them with an ostentatious
display of oriental pomp, and was rewarded by the grant of
eighty-one villages.
Mahomed Ali, finding that he could not hold Trichinopoly
against the victors, sought the aid of the president of
Madras, who sent a small detachment of 120 men Kn ligh (md
to support him. It was a feeble movement, but it Mahomed
had the important effect of engaging the English Ali*
in the cause of Mahomed Ali, which from that time forward
they considered themselves bound in honour to support,
under every vicissitude, as a counterpoise to French in-
fluence. Meanwhile, Nazir Jung assembled an army of
300,000 men, of whom one-half were cavalry, with 800 1750
pieces of cannon, and marched in search of the confede-
rates. At Valdaur, about fifteen miles from Pon- Nftzir Jung
dicherry, he was joined by Major Lawrence with in the Car-
600 Europeans, while Dupleix augmented the
contingent with Mozuffer to 2,000 bayonets. But on the
120 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV
eve of the engagement, thirteen of the French officers re.
fused to fight ; the force became demoralised, and nothing
could stop its precipitate flight to Pondicherry. Chunda
Sahib joined in the retreat, but Mozuffer determined to
throw himself on the mercy of his uncle, who took an oath
to protect him, and then loaded him with irons. Nazir
Jung, now undisputed master of the Deccan, appointed
Mahomed Ali nabob of the Carnatic. All Dupleix s plans
were apparently demolished by this blow, but never did
the fertility of his genius appear more conspicuous than on
this occasion. He sent envoys to treat with Nazir Jung,
and they discovered that his three Patan feudatories of
Kurnool, Cuddapa, and Savanoor, wore displeased at his
proceeding, and prepared to revolt. Dupleix opened a cor-
respondence with them, and, at the same time, to intimidate
the soobadar into a compliance with his terms, sent an
expedition to Masulipatam, and occupied the town and
district. He attacked and defeated the force of Mahomed
AJi, the remnant of which sought refuge in the renowned
Capture of ^or^ °f Gingee. It was immediately besieged by
Gingeeby Bussy, and within twenty-four hours of his
nssy' appearance before it, the French colours were
flying on its ramparts, though the armies of Aurungzebe
had besieged it for nine years. It was the first instance in
which a European force had attacked a fortress considered
impregnable, and its success spread a feeling of dismay
through the Deccan, and created the conviction that
nothing could withstand European valour.
Nazir Jung, astounded by these proceedings, hastened to
concede all Dupleix' s demands — that the town and district
of Masulipatam should be made over to him, Mozuffer Jung
released, and Chunda Sahib installed nabob of the Car-
natic. The soobadar concluded a treaty on these terms
with Dupleix, but Dupleix had previously come to an under-
standing with the three mutinous Patan nabobs, and had
directed Bussy to attack the army of the soobadar as soon
as he received a requisition from them. Bussy was igno-
rant of the settlement which Dupleix had made with Nazir
Jung when he was called upon to assail him by the Patan
chiefs. He accordingly marched with 800 Europeans an<J
3,000 sepoys, and ten guns, against the soobadar's army,
which he found stretched over eighteen miles of ground,
Buwy de- an(l obtained a complete victory. " Never," re-
Nailr marks t^e historian of these events, " since the
" days of Cortes and Pizarro did RO small a force
SECT. III.] FRENCH MAKE A SOOBADAR 121
" decide the fate of so great a sovereignty." As the
nabobs were moving off to join the French, Nazir Jung
rode up to them with burning indignation, and engaged in-a
hand to hand struggle with the nabob of Cuddapa,
whom he upbraided with his treachery. The nabob lodged
two balls in the heart of his unfortunate master, and
having cut off his head, presented it to Mozuffer Jung.
Mozuffer Jung, then confined in the camp, whom Nazir
Jung had ordered to be decapitated if the day went against
him, was proclaimed soobadar of the Deccan, Moznffer
and proceeded in company with Chunda Sahib to Jung uoo-
Pondichorry to express his obligations to Dupleix, badar'
and to make a suitable return for his aid. Dupleix,
arrayed in the gorgeous robes of an imperial noble, received
him with oriental magnificence. A splendid tent was erected,
and in the presence of the native chivalry of the Deccan,
Dupleix invested him with the office of soobadar, and,
having paid homage to him, received the title of governor
of all the country lying between the Kistna and Cape
Comorin. Dupleix then presented Chunda Sahib to the
soobadar, and requested that the real sovereignty and
emoluments of the Carnatie might be granted to him. Mo-
zuffer Jung was extremely anxious to return to the capital,
and requested Dupleix to allow a French force to accompany
him, and Bussy was sent with 300 Europeans and 3,000
disciplined sepoys. The encampment broke up from Pon- _..
dicherry on the 7th of January, but within three weeks the
turbulent Patan nabobs who had conspired against Nazir
Jung, entered into a conspiracy against his successor. Their
troops were speedily dispersed by Bussy ; but Mozuffer Jung,
rejecting all advice, insisted on pursuing them aud was
struck dead by the javelin of the nabob of Kurnool. The
camp was thrown into wild con fusion, but Bussy 's g, .
presence of mind never forsook him. He imme- Jung eooba-
diately assembled the officers and ministers, and, dar*
with the ascendancy ho had gained, prevailed on them to
assent to his proposal of raising Salabut Jung, the brother of
Nazir Jung, to the vacant dignity, and he was drawn from
confinement to rule over thirty-five millions of subjects. The
camp then moved forward, and in due course reached Aurun-
gabad, then the capital of the Nizam. Dupleix had now
attained the summit of his ambition, and the power of the
French had reached its zenith. Tho soobadar reigned over
the northern division of the Deccan, but it was virtually
ruled by a French general, whose authority was supremo.
122 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
In the south, all the country south of the Eastna was under
the sway of Dupleix and all its resources were entirely sub-
servient to his interests.
We turn to the proceedings in the Carnatic, where the
French and English were employed for four years in
career of attempts to obtain possession of Trichinopoly,
ciive. which they both considered essential to the control
of the country. It was held by Mahomed AH, with the
aid of a small body of English troops, and Dupleix, in
conjunction with Chunda Sahib, sent a strong detachment
under Law, the nephew of the famous South Sea financier,
to expel them. It was on this occasion that the military
genius of Olive, the founder of the British empire in India,
was first developed. The son of a private country gentle-
man, he came out to India in 1744, in the civil service of the
East India Company. Two years after, he was in Madras
when it surrendered to Labourdonnais, and made his escape
to Fort St. David, where he exchanged the pen for the sword
and took part in the defence of the fort. He was present
at the abortive siege of Pondicherry by admiral Boscawen,
1748 and in the assault on Devicotta, where he attracted the
admiration of Major Lawrence. He was attached to the
force which the president of Madras, Mr. Saunders,
1749 despatched to the relief of the besieged garrison of
Trichinopoly, and he perceived, by the instinct of his military
genius, that it must fall unless some diversion could be
1751 cheated in its favour. He returned to Madras, and advised
Mr. Saunders to sanction an expedition against Arcot, the
capital of the Carnatic, which he was convinced would
have the effect of drawing off a considerable portion of
Chunda Sahib's army for its defence. The president,
who, happily, appreciated his merits, entrusted the enter-
prise to his direction, and he marched with 200 Europeans
and 300 sepoys, and eight officers, of whom one half were
in the mercantile service and six had never been in action.
They were allowed to enter the town, and, as Clive had
calculated, Chunda Sahib withdrew 10,000 men to recover
it. The fort was a mile in circumference, defended by a
low and lightly built parapet and by towers, of which
several were in a state of decay, and the ditch was dry
and choked up. From the day of its occupation, Clive had
been incessantly occupied in repairing the fortifications.
175) OUve,s During the siege, one of his officers had been
defence of killed and two wounded, and another had
Axcot* returned to Madras. The troops fit for duty were
8RCT.III.] OLIVE'S BRILLIANT CAREER 123
reduced to 120 Europeans and 200 sepoys, but with this
handful of men he sustained for seven weeks the incessant
assault of Chunda Sahib's force, aided by 150 French
soldiers. The last assault lasted eighteen hours, after
which Clive had the unspeakable gratification of seeing the
enemy strike their tents and retire in despair. " Thus,"
says Orme, " ended this memorable siege, maintained for
" fifty days under every disadvantage of situation and force
" by a handful of men in their first campaign, with a spirit
* worthy of the most veteran troops, and conducted by the
' young commander with indefatigable activity, unshaken
' confidence, and undaunted courage, and notwithstanding
* he had at this time neither read books nor conversed
* with men capable of giving him much instruction in the
4 military art, all the resources he employed in the defence
'of Arcot were such as were indicated by the greatest
masters of the art." Truly did the great statesman,
William Pitt, designate him the heaven-born general.
On his return from Arcot, Clive was employed in a
variety of enterprises, in which he distinguished himself by
the same energy and talent. After the French had op^^^^
besieged Trichinopoly in vain for a twelvemonth, Trichi-
theywere driven into a position which obliged the ^P01^ ±.D.
commander, Law, to surrender at discretion with all his 1762
troops, stores, and ammunition. In the early part of the
siego, Mahomed AH had called in the aid of the great
Mahratta general, Morari Rao, of the regent of Mysore,
and of the troops of the raja of Tanjore. Chunda Sahib,
reduced to extremity by the surrender of his French allies,
sought an asylum with the Tanjore general, who caused
him to be assassinated at the instigation of Mahomed Ali ;
and that prince, as barbarous as he was cowardly and
perfidious, after feasting his eyes with the sight of his
murdered rival, caused his head to be cut off and bound 1762
to the neck of a camel and paraded five times round the
walls of the city. Unknown to Major Lawrence, he had
promised to make over the fortress of Trichinopoly, which
it was important for the English to hold, to the Tanjore
general. Disgusted with this baseness, Major Lawrence
withdrew to Madras, leaving a body of European troops to
hold the citadel. Mahomed Ali refused to fulfil the bargain,
and the Tanjore troops joined the French in the siege,
which Dupleix lost no time in renewing. The operations
in and around it continued with little interruption for two
years ; but even the fascinating pages of Orme are no*
124 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [C5nAP.IV,
sufficient to induce the reader to wade through the
narrative of the marches and counter- marches, the suc-
cesses and the discomfiture, which marked these dreary
campaigns. Suffice it to state that the French were three
times worsted by the superior tactics of Major Lawrence,
and that on one occasion the English sustained a memor-
able defeat^ and that their native allies consequently
deserted them. Dupleix at length, proposed the appoint-
ment of commissioners to treat of an accommodation, but
the English agents, Mr. Vansittart and Mr. Palk — who
had divested himself of his holy orders to enter the Civil
Service — defeated the object by insisting, as an indispensable
preliminary, that Mahomed AH should be acknowledged
nabob of the Carnatic. To these terms, Dupleix, to whom
the soobadar had granted the control of the Carnatic
affairs, could not be expected to agree, and the operations
A.D. of war were resumed, and continued with varied success
1754 till the 1st of August, 1754, when Dupleix was suddenly
superseded by the arrival of Ms successor, and all his
schemes of ambition were at once subverted.
The French and English had been tearing each other to
pieces in India, while the mother countries were at peace
Fail of in Europe. The two Companies had been
Dupielx. straining their energies and wasting their re-
sources in the cause of native princes whose fidelity was
always doubtful. Their attention had been withdrawn from
the counting-house to the field. They were both anxious,
especially the English East India Company, to terminate
this anomalous state of things, which the president at
Madras attributed primarily, and not without justice, to the
ambition of Dupleix. There was an influential minority at
the French Board hostile to him, and they were strengthened
by the disasters of the campaign of 1753. The cabinet of
St. James, moreover, sent over a strong remonstrance to
the French ministry, and supported it by the despatch of
an entire regiment and four ships of war, under Admiral
Watson, and the Directory in Paris was thus induced to take
up the question in earnest, and they sent out Godeheu, a
member of their own body, with absolute authority over all
the French settlements in the East Indies. He had already
been in their service in India, and had always lived on the*
most friendly terms with Dupleix, but being a man of base
and treacherous disposition, solicited permission to send him
home in irons at the time when he was making fulsome pro-
testations of cordiality. Ou his arrival at Pondicherry he
SBCT.IH.] FALL AND PERSECUTION OF DUPLEIX 125
spared no pains 1x3 degrade and ruin him. The public accounts
showed that twenty-five lacs of rupees were due to him for
sums he had advanced to carry on the Government, from
the fortune he had acquired before he assumed office, but
Godeheu refused to allow these accounts to he audited.
Dupleix had been in the habit of assisting the native allies
with advances from his own purse on the security of cer-
tain districts, but Godeheu seized the districts, and farmed
them out for the benefit of the Company. Dupleix, dis-
honoured and beggared, quitted the ncene of his glory on
the 14th October, 1754. On his arrival in Paris he was 1754
at first received with some show of distinction, but as soon
as the Directors were assured that all differences had been
adjusted in India, they treated him with hostility, and for ten
years, to the day of his death, refused even to look into his
accounts. He was pursued by creditors who had advanced
money to Government on his security, and during the last
three months of his life his house was in the hands of bailiffs.
Three days before his death ho wrote in his diary, — " I
" have sacrificed my youth and my fortune to enrich my
" country. I am treated as the vilest of mankind." Thus
perished the second victim of the ingratitude of the French
East India Company. Of those illustrious men who have 1754
established European supremacy in India, Dupleix stands
among the foremost. He was the pioneer of European
conquest. It was he who taught the way to govern native
states by a handful of civil functionaries and a small body
of European troops, and it was he who created a sepoy army.
No Indian statesman has ever exhibited a more fertile
political genius, and it is not improbable that, if he had
remained in power in India for two or three years, with
the two thousand European troops brought out by Godeheu,
he would, in conjunction with Bussy, have made the French
as complete masters of the Deccan as the English became
of Bengal and Behar two years after,
Godehou and Mr. Saunders, tho commissioner on the
part of the East India Company, agreed upon an immediate
suspension of arms, and concluded a convention
which provided that the territories of the two between
Companies should eventually be of equal value 5^2^
when the convention was ratified in Europe. Ma-
homed AH was confirmed as nabob of the Carnatic. The
treaty was most disastrous to the French. It gave up all they
had been contending for ; — the nabobship of the Carnatic,
the Northern Sircars, their allies, their influence, and their
126 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV,
honour. Both parties bound themselves for ever uto
" renounce all Moorish government and dignity," and
never to interfere in the affairs of the native princes. The
ink, however, was scarcely dry before the treaty was
given to the winds. The English despatched a force to
subdue the districts of Madura and Tinnevelly for their
nabob, and the French sent a detachment to seize Terriore.
^D, But the prospects of peace were at once dissipated by the
1756 proclamation of war between France and England in 1756,
and hostilities were prosecuted with greater fury than ever
for five years.
SECTION IV.
CAREER OP BUSSY — WRECK OF THE FRENCH POWER — NATIVK
STATES, TO PANIPUT.
To turn to the brilliant career of Bussy in the north of the
Deccan : In military genius he stands on a level with Olive,
Busay at ^u^ was greatly his superior in the art of political
the capital, organisation. For several years he had been in
association with natives of distinction, and had obtained
a thorough knowledge of the native character. He also
acquired the tact of managing them by the exercise of that
wise accommodation to their feelings and habits, in which
tlie French have always been more successful than the
English. Having elevated Salabut Jung to the throne, lie
JUNJB conducted him in triumph to his capital ; but his elder
29TH, brother, Ghazee-ood-deen, who held a high position in the
1^51 court of Delhi, had obtained a patent of appointment to
the soobadaree of the Deccan, and, having gained over the
Mahrattas by the promise of a large section of territory,
commenced his march to the south. His ally, the Peshwa,
with 40,000 horse, advanced to encounter Salabut Jung,
laying the country waste on his march. Bussy, with his
handful of Europeans and 2,000 sepoys, and eight or ten
field pieces, received the shock of the Mahratta cavalry,
who came thundering down upon him in full speed with
shouts of triumph. He awaited their approach with per.
feet coolness, and then poured volleys of grape with great
1761 rapidity into their ranks, and in a few moments they
Be defeat* turned round and fled in disorder. This was the
the Peshwa. first time the Mahratta horse, the terror of th6
Deccan, had encountered a European force in the field, and
SBCT. IV.] BUSSY DEFEATS THE MAHRATTAS 127
the result of the conflict increased the power and influence
of Bussy in no ordinary degree. He followed up his suc-
cess with great spirit, and vigorously pursued the Peshwa
within twenty miles of Poona, and constrained him to
sue for an accommodation. Moan while, Ghazee-ood-
deen was advancing from the north with 150,000 men.
The army of Salabut Jung was mutinous for want of pay,
and Bussy wisely advised him to conciliate the Peshwa by
ceding the territory west of Berar from the Taptee to
Godavery, which had been promised by Ghazec-ood-deen,
and which, being iu a remote corner of his dominions, it
would not l)e easy to protect. There was living at the time
at Aurungabad, where Ghazee-ood-deen's army was en-
camped, one of the widows of Nizam-ool-moolk, to whom
she had borne one son, Nizam Ali, and it was her earnest
desire to seat him on the throne of the Deccan. To
remove Ghazee-ood-deen out of the way, she invited him
to a feast and urged him to partake of a par- MunJer of
ticular dish, which she had prepared, she said, Gimee-ood.
with her own bands. It was poisoned, and he
died the same night, and his troops immediately dispersed.
The ascendancy which Bussy had acquired at the court
of the soobadar had raised him many enemies, and the
minister, though under great obligations to him, The North-
began to plot his destruction. At the beginning ern 8ircaw'
of 17W he was obliged to resort to tlie sea- coast for the 175!
restoration of his health, and the treacherous minister,
having dispersed his European forces in small bodies over
tho country, and withheld their pay, entered into a hostile
correspondence with the president of Madras, One of his
letters fell into tho bauds of Bussy, who felt that his cause
was lost unless ho could regain his influence, and though still
labouring under disease, determined to make an imme-
diate effort to baffle his enemies. He directed the detach-
ments which had been scattered to assemble near Hydera-
bad, and, iiiiirvliir.ir 500 miles to Aurungabad, unexpectedly
presented himself at the court with 4,500 men, Europeans and
natives. Not only was his ascendancy restored, but he was
enabled to obtain from tho fears of the soobadar and his
ministers a grant of tho four Northern Sircars for the main-
tenance of his force. They lay on the Coromandel coast, pro-
tected by a chain of hills running parallel with the sea,
stretching about 450 miles along the coast, and from 80 to
100 miles inland. They contained many important towns,
admirably adapted by the bounty of Providence and the
1 28 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
industry of the inhabitants to sustain a lucrative com-
merce, and already yielded a revenue of half a crore of
rupees. " These territories," remarked the great historian,
" rendered the French master of the greatest dominion,
" both in extent and value, that had ever been possessed in
" Hindostan by Europeans, not excepting the Portuguese
" when at the height of their prosperity."
On his return from the coast, Bussy found the soobadar
resolved on an expedition to Mysore3 in conjunction with
AtDi Bussy'a the Mahrattas, to extort whatever sums, under
1754 trials. ^ne pretence of tribute, could be obtained, and
Bussy was informed that he " must attend the stirrup of
" his sovereign." But the regent of Mysore was in alliance
with the French authorities at Pondicherry, and had sent
the flower of his army to co-operate with them in the siege of
Trichinopoly. Bussy was placed in a serious dilemma, from
which he was relieved only by his extraordinary tact. He ac-
companied the soobadar' s army with 500 European troops,
and assumed the command of the expedition. He moved
forward with such rapidity as to astound the Mysore regent
and dispose him to agree to terms, and, assuming the cha-
racter of a mediator, prevailed on the soobadar to accept
of fifty-six lacs of rupees, to realise which he was obliged
to despoil the females of their jewels and the temples of
their wealth. Soon after, Bussy, joined by a Mahratta
1750 force and the army of the Nizam, was sent against the
rebellious nabob of Savanoor, and was enabled to bring him
to acknowledge the sovereignty of the Nizam ; but his
ever vigilant enemies misrepresented his proceedings to the
Nizam, and induced that silly prince to dismiss him
summarily, while he was yet in the south-west several hun-
dred miles distant from the capital, and from his own re-
sources. Bussy received the order of dismissal with his
Dismissal of usual imperturbability. After crossing the Kistna,
Bussy. finding his ammunition running short, he turned
out of his way to Hyderabad, and took up a position at
Charmal, which he fortified. His ungrateful master,
whom he had raised from a prison to a throne, summoned
every tributary and dependent to his standard, and for two
months assailed the encampment of his benefactor, who
defended himself with his usual skill— his sepoys had
deserted him — and was at length released from danger by
the fortunate arrival of reinforcements from the coast.
Salabut Jung was in a fever of alarm, and sued humbly for
a reconciliation, and within three months of his dismissal
.] BU8STS EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS 129
the authority of Bnssy was more firmly established than ever.
The zemindars in the Northern Sircars took Bossy's
advantage of this season of embarrassment to triamPh- A.D.
revolt, and Bussy was obliged to give five months of un- 1766
remitting attention to the settlement of the province. The
incidental effect of these events on the fortunes of the Eng-
glish in India deserves particular notice. It was during
this period that Olive re-captured Calcutta, as will be here-
after related, and defeated the nabob, who sent an
urgent request to Bussy to advance to his aid in Bengal.
But he was detained by the necessity of regaining his
power in his own province, and when the pacification of
the province was complete, and he was prepared to move
up through Orissa with a powerful body of troops, he heard
to his mortification that Chandernagore had already BUT-
rendered. His presence in Bengal before that event might
have given a different turn to the battle of Plassy.
Dining the absence of Bussy on the coast, the impotent 1756
Salabut Jung was threatened with ruin by his profligate min-
ister, who had seized the fortress of Dowlutabad, B
and placed the authority of the state in the hands iieveas»i»-
of one of the Nizam's brothers. The crown was but Jung>
falling from his head, and the country was threatened with
convulsions, when Bussy started from the coast with his
army, and, traversing a region never yet trodden by
Europeans, reached Auruiigabad, a distance of four hundred
miles, in twenty-one days. His presence extinguished these
conspiracies as if by the wand of a magician. The minister
was killed in a tumult created by his own devices ; Nizam
AH fled, and Dowlutabad was recovered by a coup de main,
and the French head- quarters were fixed in an impregnable
position. BuHsy had now been for seven years the arbiter
of the Dcccan. He had placed the interests of Prance on
a foundation not to be shaken by any ordinary contin-
gency, and they were as substantially established in the 1756
Houth of India as those of England were in the north
by the victory of Plassy ; and it seemed as if the empire of
India would bo divided between these two European
nations. But it was otherwise ordained ; the power of the
one was destined to become permanent and expansive, that
of the other was extinguished by the folly of one man.
Lally arrived in India in 1758 aa governor of the French 1768
possessions, and partly from caprice and partly Recall of
from envy, ordered Bussy to quit the scene of hia Bu*y«
triumphs and return to Pondicherry with all his force.
K
130 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHJJ>. IV,
Bussy considered obedience the first duty of a soldier, and,
to the inconceivable surprise of the native princes, both
Hindoo and Mahomedan, who trembled at the sound of his
name, at once retired from the Deccan at the period of his
greatest strength, and the sun of French prosperity in
India set not to rise again.
Lally, a-' member of an Irish Roman Catholic family,
which retired to France on the flight of James II.,
j^j _ had from his early youth, and for forty years,
siege of been trained in arms. His military reputation
Madras* stood so high that when war broke out between
France and England in 1756, he was considered the fittest
man to command the large armament the French ministry
was sending to India to establish French power. He was
A.D. accompanied by the scions of the most illustrious families
1 768 in France. He landed at Pondicherry in April, 1758, and
marched at once against the English factory at St. David's,
which was surrendered within a month. The time was pecu-
liarly favourable for the expulsion of the English from the
Deccan. Madras was unfortified, its European force and
its fleet were in Bengal, and the French commanded the
sea and were paramount on land. Lally was bent on
attacking Madras without delay, but he was basely thwarted
by the admiral, who refused the aid of his ships, and by the
council of Pondicherry, who would not afford him any
pecuniary assistance. Seven years before this time the rajah
of Tanjore, pressed by the demands of Mozuffer Jung and
Chunda Sahib, had given them a bond for fifty- six lacs of
rupees, which was considered valueless, and made over to
Dupleix. As a last resource, Lally resolved to supply his
military chest by demanding payment of this bond. With
the largest European and native force which had ever till
then taken the field, he hurried on to Tanjore ; on his route
he levied forced contributions, and blew six brahmins from
the guns. The town was besieged for a fortnight, and a
practical breach had been made when an English fleet
appeared on the coast, and threatened Carical, the French
depdt ; Lally, who had only twenty cartridges left for each
man and two days' provisions, raised the siege and retired.
On his return to Pondicherry, he prevailed on the council
to grant him some aid towards the siege of Madras, which
1768 Was the object nearest his heart, and in November advanced
to it with an army of 2,000 European foot and 300 Euro-
a of pean cavalry, the first ever seen in India, besides
a large force of sepoys. The garrison of the fort
SacT.IV.J BATTLE OF WANDEWASH 131
consisted of 1,758 Europeans and 2,200 natives, but they
were under the command of the veteran Lawrence, who
was supported by thirteen officers trained under his own
eye. The siege was prosecuted for two months with great
vigour, and a breach was at length effected, but, at the last
moment, the refusal of his officers to second him defeated
Lally's plans, and the appearance of an English fleet in the
roads obliged him to raise the siege and retire. niaed.
Misfortunes thickened upon him. The Northern
Sircars were occupied by a force despatched from Calcutta
by Clive, under the gallant Colonel Forde, and Salabut
Jung, having no longer anything to hope or fear from the
French, threw himself into the arms of the English, and
bound himself by treaty never to allow a French force to
enter his service.
Lally returned to Pondicherry, with his army, officers as
well as men, in a state of insubordination. But his
hopes were raised by the arrival of a powerful Nav»i
fleet consisting of eleven vessels, the smallest of enffa«ement.
which carried fifty guns ; the English squadron was scarcely
less powerful. In the engagement which ensued both 1759
parties were crippled, but neither of them beaten. The
French admiral, however, diMvtranliiig the entreaties and
even the menaces of the authorities at Pondicherry, sailed
away with his whole fleet to the Islo of France, leaving the
command of the sea with the English. The French troops
mutinied for their pay, which was ten months in arrear,
and marched out of Pondicherry towards Madras, but were
induced to return by the discharge of a portion of it.
Lally, determined to bring on an engagement, marched on
Wandewash, and captured the town and laid siege to the
fort. The English force under Colonel Coote, an officer
second in ability only to Clive, came up for its Fronch
relief. The result was a pitched battle, known defeated at
as the battle of Wandewash, one of the most Wandewash.
severely contested and most decisive which had as yet been
fought in India, in which the French, after prodigies of
valour, sustained a signal defeat. It was the last struggle
for empire between the French and English on the plains
of India, and it demolished the hopes of establishing a
French power. Lally fell back on Pondicherry, where he
encountered nothing but intrigue and sedition from those
who ought to have been unanimous in sustaining the
national honour at this crisis. " From this time," he said,
" without money, without ships, without even provisions,
*2
132 ABBIDaMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
"Pondicherry might be given up for lost." Coote, in the
IL.D. meantime, drove the French from all the towns and posi-
1760 tions they held in the Carnatic, and prepared for the siege
siege of of Pondicherry, when the folly of the Court of
Pondicherry. Directors had well-nigh marred it, by sending
out orders to supersede him by the Honourable Colonel
Monson, the second in command. In the first independent
enterprise of Colonel Monson, his success was so equivocal
as to present an ill-omen of his efforts, but he was disabled
by a severe wound, and Colonel Coote was prevailed on by
the council of Madras to resume the command. The town
was subject to a strict blockade during the rains, and vigor-
ously besieged as soon as they ceased. Lally was thwarted
at every turn by the civil functionaries who detested
him, and in whom every spark of honesty and loyalty was
extinct ; but he maintained a long and energetic defence
with a spirit and courage which elicited the applause of his
English opponents, and he did not surrender the town until
he was reduced to two days' provisions. As the victors
1761 marched into it, their feelings were deeply excited by the
skeleton figures to which the noble forms of the two gallant
Capture of regiments Lally had brought out with him were
Pondicherry. reduced by months of fatigue and famine. The
French Court of Directors had sent instructions to Lally
to erase the English settlements from the land. The
despatch had fallen into the hands of the English Directors,
iind, by their orders, Pondicherry was levelled with the
ground, and not a roof loft of that noble colony. The war
which, with a brief interval, the two nations had waged
for fifteen years, terminated in the extinction of the French
power. The ambitious hope of establishing a French
empire in India, which had equally animated Labourdonnais
and Dupleix, Bussy and Lally, was extinguished. Their
settlements were, indeed, restored at the peace of Paris in
1763, but they never recovered their political position in
India. Lally returned to Paris and was thrown into the
Bastile, where he lingered for three years. He was then
Fate of brought to trial, denied the assistance of counsel,
^^y* and condemned to death for having betrayed the
interests of the king and the company. He was drawn
on a dung cart to the scaffold and beheaded, the third
illustrions victim of the ingratitude of his country in
fifteen years.
SHOP. V.] INVASIONS OF AHMED SHAH ABDALEE 133
SECTION V.
NATIVE STATES, FROM THE SACK OP DELHI, 1739, TO THE
BATTLE OP PANIPUT, 1761.
To return to the events in the native states, from the
invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739, to the battle of Paniput
in 1761. The atrocities perpetrated by Nadir 4^^
Shah on his return to Persia, for eight years, shah
were at length terminated by his assassination. Abdalee-
But a new and more formidable foe to India arose on his
death in the person of Ahmed Shah, the chief of the
tribe of Abdalee Afghans, who was proclaimed king at
Candahar before the close of the year, and became supreme
in the regions beyond the Indus. Encouraged by the
success of Nadir Shah, whom he had accompanied in his
expedition, ho turned his attention to India and occupied
the province of Lahore, and advanced to Sirhind, where he
was defeated by prince Ahmed, the son of the emperor of
Delhi, who obliged him to recross the Indus. Hiafint
Mahomed Shah, the emperor, after a reign of toVMlon-
more than thirty years, during which the imperial throne
had been steadily becoming weaker, died in 1748, and was
succeeded by his son Ahmed, who appointed the nabob of
Oude his vizier. Alarmed by the growing power of the
Rohillas, who had taken advantage of the invasion and of the
confusion of the times to enlarge their power in B/ohil-
cund, the Vizier attacked them and was defeated, and his
province overrun, when he had recourse to the humiliating
and dangerous expedient of calling in the Mahratta chiefs
Holkar and Sindia, by whose aid he chased the Bohillas
back to their hills. To gratify their avarice, he authorised
them to plunder the conquered territory, which did not
recover from the effect of their ravages for many years.
Ahmed Shah, having recruited his force, again occupied
the Punjab and Mooltan, and sent an envoy to Delhi to 1761
demand the formal cession of them. The emperor, H(ft 8ftwmd
under the influence of a profligate eunuch, com- and turd
plied with the request. The Vizier, then absent toTMlon-
in the pursuit of the Rohillas, hastened to Delhi, but being
too late to prevent the surrender of the provinces, invited
the eunuch to a banquet and caused him to be assassinated.
The emperor was exasperated by this outrage, and enlisted
the services of Ghazee-ood-deen, the grandson of Nizam-
134 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV .
ool-moolk and the son of the prince who was poisoned by
his mother-in-law. This brought on a civil war between the
emperor and the Vizier, and for six months the capital
was deluged with blood. Ghazee-ood-deen then called to
his assistance Holkar's mercenaries, and the Vizier, unable
to cope with them, consented to an accommodation*, and
was allowed to retain possession of Oude and Allahabad,
which were now finally alienated from the empire. The
emperor, unable to bear the arrogance of Ghazee-ood-deen,
marched out of his capital to oppose him while he was
engaged in the siege of Bhurtpore, but was defeated and
made prisoner, when the monster deprived him and his
At0< mother of sight, and raised one of the princes of the blood
1754 to the throne, with the title of Alumgeer the second.
He then proceeded to the Punjab and expelled the
Alumgeer II. lieutenants of Ahmed Shah, who no sooner
Emperor. heard of the insult than he hastened to avenge
it, and having recovered the Punjab, advanced to Delhi.
Ghazee-ood-deen made the most abject submissions, and
was forgiven, but the Abdalee was determined to obtain a
pecuniary indemnity, and gave the city up to plunder. For
many days the atrocities of Nadir Shah's time were
repeated, and the wretched inhabitants were a second time
1756 subject to the insolence and rapacity of a brutal soldiery.
Soon after, several thousand unoffending devotees were
sacrificed in the holy city of Muttra at the time of a
religious festival. A pestilence which presently broke out
in his camp obliged him to recross the Indus. He left
his son Timur in charge of the Punjab, and at the par-
ticular request of the emperor, placed the Rohilla chief
1767 Nujeeb-ood-dowlah in command of the imperial army to
protect him from the designs of Ghazee-ood-deen.
That abandoned minister immediately called the Mah-
rattas to his aid, and Rughoonath Rao, more commonly
Mahratta known in history as Raghoba, advanced and cap-
grandeur, tared Delhi after a siege of a month, and then
proceeding to the Punjab, drove the force of Timur back
1768 into Afghanistan and planted the Mahratta standard for
the first time on the banks of the Indus. He returned to
Poona, after having conferred the government of the
province on a Mahratta officer. The Peshwa bad, mean-
while, been intriguing for the possession of Ahmednugur,
the most important city south of the Nerbudda, and at
length obtained it by treachery. This aggression brought
on hostilities with Salabut Jung and his brother "Nasdr
SBCT.V.] FOURTH INVASION OF AHMED SHAH 135
Jung, who had been reconciled. They had no longer the sup-
port of Bussy's genius or his troops, and even Ibrahim Khan,
the ablest of Bussy's native generals, had been dismissed,
and gone over with a powerful and well-served artillery to Aa>4
the Peshwa. The Nizam was reduced to such straits as to 1758
be obliged to agree to whatever terms the Peshwa might
dictate, and obliged to surrender four of the most important
fortresses in the Deccan, to confirm the possession of
Ahmednugur, and to make over districts yielding fifty-six
lacs of rupees, which reduced the Mogul possessions in the
Deccan to a very narrow circle. The power of the Mahrattas
was now at its zenith ; it was acknowledged equally on
the banks of the Indus and of the Coleroon, and it was pre-
dominant both in Hindostan and in the Deccan. The vast
resources of the commonwealth were wielded by one chief ^^
and directed to one object, and they began to talk proudly
of establishing Hindoo sovereignty throughout the con-
tinent of India.
Raghoba had left Holkar and Sindia to support the
Mahratta interests in the north, and to despoil Rohilcund,
of which Sindia had laid waste thirteen hundred ^e Abda-
villages in the course of a month, but he was lc* 8 fourth
soon after driven across the Jumna by the nabob
Vizier. Just at this juncture the north of India was 1769
astounded by the report that Ahmed Shah Abdalee had
crossed the Indus a fourth time in September, with a large
army, to recover and extend his possessions. During his
advance, Ghazeo-ood-cleen, dreading an interview between
the Abdaleo and the emperor Ahmed Shah, whom he had
blinded, put him to death, and placed an unknown youth
on the throne, who was, however, never acknowledged.
Holkar and Sindia were in command of 30,000 horse, bnt
they were widely separated from each other, and the
Abdalee determined to attack them before they could form
a junction. Sindia was overpowered, and lost Defeat of
two- thirds of his army. Holkar was routed with slnjl[* and
great carnage. The news of these reverses only
served to inflame the ardour of the Peshwa and his cabinet, 17#
and it was resolved at Poona to make one grand and decisive
effort to complete the conquest of India. The command of
the force destined to this object was entrusted to Sudaseo
Rao Bhow, commonly known as tho Bhow, the cousin of the
Peshwa, a general who had soon much service and was not
wanting in courage and energy, bnt rash and impetuous, and
filled with an overweening conceit of his own abilities.
136 ABBIDGKMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
A.D, The army which now moved up to encounter Ahmed
1760 Shah was the largest with which the Mahrattas had ever
The battle taken the field. Its gorgeous equipments
of Panipnt. formed a strong contrast with that of the humble
and hardy mountaineers of Sevajee. The Mahrattas had
already begun to assume the pomp of Mahomedan princes
The spacious and lofty tents of the chiefs were lined with
silks and brocades, and surmounted with glittering orna-
ments. The finest horses richly caparisoned, and a train of
elephants with gaudy housings, accompanied the army. The
wealth which had been accumulated during half a century
of plunder was ostentatiously displayed; and cloth of gold
was the dress of the officers. The military chest was furnished
with two crores of rupees. Every Mahratta commander
throughout the country was summoned to attend the
stirrup of the Bhow, and the whole of the Mahratta
cavalry marched under the national standard. It waa
considered the cause of the Hindoos as opposed to that of
the Mahomedans, and the army was therefore joined in its
progress by numerous auxiliaries, more especially from
Bajpootana. Sooruj Mull, the Jaut chieftain, brought np a
contingent of 30,000 men. The army was, however, encum-
bered with two hundred pieces of cannon, and Soornj Mull
wisely advised the Bhow to leave them at Gwalior or at
Jhansi, and resort to the national system of warfare,
cutting off the supplies, and harassing tho detachments of
the enemy ; but this sage counsel was hnnerhtily rejected,
and the Jaut withdrew from the camp in disgust, together
with some of the Rajpoot chieftains. The Bhow entered
Delhi and defaced the palaces, tombs, and shrines which
had been spared by the Persian and Afghan invader. The
1761 two armies met on the field of Paniput, where for the
third time the fate of India was to be decided. That of
the Mahrattas consisted of 55,000 cavalry in regular pay,
15,000 predatory horse, and 15,000 infantry, who had been
trained under Bussy, and were now commanded by his ablest
native general. The Mahomedan force numbered about
80,000 chosen troops, besides irregulars almost as numerous,
with seventy pieces of cannon. After a succession of desultory
engagements, some of them, however, of considerable
magnitude, the Mahrattas formed an entrenched camp, in
which, including camp followers, a body little short of
300,000 was collected. Within a short time this vast
multitude began to be straitened for provisions. Cooped up
in a blockaded encampment, amidst dead and dying
SMCT.V!.] FATAL BATTLE OF PANIPUT 137
animals, and surrounded by famishing soldiers, the officers
demanded to be led out against the enemy. The battle
began before daybreak on the 7th of January, and the
Mahratta chiefs nobly sustained their national reputation ;
but about two hours after noon Wiswas Rao, the son of
the Peshwa, was mortally wounded, and Sudaseo Rao
Bhow fled from the field, and the army became irretrievably
disorganised. No quarter was asked or given, and the
slaughter was prodigious. Not one-fourth of the troops
escaped with their lives, and it was calculated that from
the opening of the campaign to its close the number of
casualties, including cainp followers, fell little short of
200,000. Seldom has a defeat been more com- prodigious
pleto or disastrous. There were few families •fcnghter.
throughout the Mahratta empire which had not to mourn
the loss of some relative. The Peshwa died of a broken
heart, and his government never recovered its vigour and
integrity. All the Mahratta conquests north of the
Nerbudda were lost, and though they were subsequently
recovered, it was under separate chieftains, with individual
interests, which weakened their allegiance to the central
authority. The Abdalee having thus shivered the Hindoo
power, turned his back on India, and never interfered
again in its affairs. The Mogul throne may be i^ceton
said to have expired with the battle of Paniput. th(> Mogul
Its territory was broken up into separate and emp ' A.D.
independent principalities ; the claimant to the throne 1761
was wandering about Behar with a band of mercenaries ;
and the nation which was destined to establish a new
empire, and, in oriental phrase, to i€ bring the various
" tribes of India under one umbrella," had already laid
the foundation of its power in the valley of the Ganges.
To the rise and progress of the English Government we
now turn.
SECTION VI.
THE EAST INDIA COMPANY IN BENGAL.
THE wraith which Portugal had acquired in the sixteenth
century by the trade to the east raised an earnest desire
in England to obtain a share of it ; and Drake, The Bast
Cavendish, and other navigators were impelled ^n(1Ift
by the spirit of maritime enterprise, which Queen ompany'
Elizabeth fostered, to undertake voyages of discovery in
138 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
A.D. the eastern seas. In 1583 Fitch and three other adven-
1583 ttirers traversed the length and breadth of the unknown
continent of India, and the acconnts they brought home of
the opulence of its various kingdoms, and the grandeur of
the cities, opened up the vision of a lucrative commerce to
the English nation. The ardour of enterprise was, how-
ever, damped by the unsuccessful issue of a voyage of three
years undertaken by Captain Lancaster, but it was re-
vived by the report of the first mercantile expedition of
the Dutch, which had resulted in a rich return. An
association was accordingly formed in London, consisting
1600 of « merchants, ironmongers, clothiers, and other men of
" substance," who subscribed the sum of £30,133, for the
purpose of opening a trade to the Bast. The next year
Queen Elizabeth granted them a charter of incorporation,
under the title of the " East India Company,'* which for
a hundred and fifty years confined itself to commercial
pursuits, and then took up arms in defence of its factories,
and impelled by the normal law of progression, became
master of the continent of India.
The first attention of the Company was drawn to the
spice islands in the eastern archipelago, in which the
it§ first Dutch were endeavouring to supersede the Portu-
enterprises. guese. The chief object of the India trade at
that period was to obtain spices, pepper, cloves, and nut-
megs, in return for the exports from England of iron, tin,
le&d, cloth, cutlery, glass, quicksilver, and Muscovy hides.
HOI The first expedition sailed from Torbay in April, 1601.
Eight voyages were undertaken in the next ten years,
which yielded a profit of more than a hundred and fifty
per cent. A portion of this return was obtained by piracy
on their European rivals, which all the maritime nations at
that period considered a legitimate source of gain. In
1611 the Company despatched vessels to Surat, then the
great emporium of trade on the western coast of India ;
but the Portuguese were determined to repel the interlopers,
and planted a squadron of armed vessels at the mouth of
the Taptee. In the several encounters which ensued, the
Portuguese were invariably discomfited, and as they were
universally dreaded by the natives for their oppressions,
the reputation of the English rose high, and they obtained
U1S permission to establish factories at Surat, Ahmedabad, and
other towns. These privileges were confirmed by the
emperor Jehangeer.
Soon after, the Company prevailed on James I. to send
Sacr.VI.J SETTLEMENT OF MADBAS AND BOMBAY 139
Sir Thomas Roe as his ambassador to the court of Delhi, A.D.
where he met with a distinguished reception sir T. Roe's 161*
And obtained further privileges for the Company, embassy.
The Company also succeeded in wresting Ormus from the
Portuguese, and obtained a commercial footing in the
Persian Gulf, but it never proved to be of any value. In
1620 the Company's agents for the first time visited the 162°
valley of the Ganges, and set up a factory at Patna ; but
it was through the patriotism of Mr. Boughton, ^ Bough-
one of their surgeons, that they obtained per- *£******-
• i ill* -r> t mi tereeteaneBS.
mission to settle in Bengal. The emperor was
at the time in the Deccan, and his daughter being taken
seriously ill, he sent to the Company's factory at Surat to
request the services of an able physician. Mr. Boughton
was despatched to the camp, and effected a cure ; and being
requested to name his own reward, asked permission to
establish factories in Bengal, which was at once granted.
Two years after, the emperor's second son, who had been
appointed viceroy of Bengal, established his court at
Rajmahal. One of the ladies of the seraglio was attacked
with disease, and the services of Mr. Boughton were again
solicited, and ho again declined any personal remunera-
tion, but obtained permission for his masters to plant fac-
tories at Hooghly and Balasore.
The first factory of the Company on the Coromandel
coast was opened at Masuhpatam and then transferred to
Armegaum ; but as the trade did not flourish, the Madraa
superintendent accepted the invitation of the raja
of Chundergiree, the last representative of the Hindoo
kingdom of Bcejanuger, to settle in his territories, and a
plot of ground was accepted at Madraspatam, one of the
most inconvenient places for trade on the Coromandel
coast, on which the Company erected a fort, called, after the 1639
patron saint of England, Fort St. George, around which
arose the city of Madras. Surat continued to be the port of
the Company on the western coast till 1062, when, on the
marriage of Charles II. to the Infanta Catherine, Bambfty<
the daughter of the king of Portugal, he
bestowed the port of Bombay as her dowry, and the 1662
Crown, finding it more expensive than profitable, made
it over to the Company, who removed their chief establish-
ments to it. The annals of the Company for a period of
forty years in Bengal are barren of events. They enjoyed
great prosperity, and their trade flourished to such an
extent that it was erected into a separate Presidency, but
140 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
the simple men of the counter in Dowgate were at length
seized with a fit of political ambition, which brought
them to the verge of rain.
The Court of Directors had obtained admiralty jurisdic-
tion from the Crown, with liberty to seize all interlopers.
The Com- The profits of the Company had, as usual, led to
amSitioii ^e establishraent °f a new an^ rival Company
in London, which it was deemed advisable to root
out. The agent of the old Company, with the view of ex-
eluding them from Bengal, had sought permission of the
Mogul viceroy to erect a fortification at the mouth of the
river, but he resented their application by increasing the
duty on their exports, in violation of the firman granted by
the emperor. Such impositions which had frequently been
made before, had been eluded by a discreet distribution
of presents, but on the present occasion the Company
assumed a high tone, and determined to seek redress by
engaging in hostilities with the Mogul empire, then in the
1685 zen^ of its power. With the permission of the Crown,
they sent out admiral Nicholson with twelve ships of war,
carrying 200 guns and 1,000 soldiers, to seize and fortify
Chittagong, to demand the cession of the neighbouring
territory, and to establish a mint. But these ambitious
prospects were destined to a severe disappointment. The
fleet was dispersed in a storm, and a portion of it sailed to
Hooghly where the advanced-guard of 400 men had
already arrived from Madras. The appearance of this
formidable armament induced the nabob to seek an
accommodation, when three intoxicated sailors reeled into
the bazaar, and fell out with the police. Both parties were
Battle at reinforced, and a regular engagement ensued,
Hooghly. which resulted in the defeat of the Moguls.
The admiral set the town on fire, and burnt down five
hundred houses. Job Charnock, the chief of the Com-
pany's factory, dreading an attack from the nabob's troops,
moved down with all his establishment to the village of
Chuttanutty, and then to the island of Ingelee, a swamp
in the Soonderbun, where half his people perished of
jungle fever. He was relieved from this embarassing
position by the appearance of an envoy from the nabob
with proposals of peace. The Court of Directors, who
were determined to carry their views by force, had directed
their chief at Bombay to blockade Surat, which was the
pilgrim port on the western coast, and the departure of
SBCT. VI.] FOUNDATION OF CALCUTTA 141
devout Mahometans to the shrine of the Prophet was at
once stopped. Aurungzebe's fanaticism over- stoppage of
came his pride, and, in order to open the road to pUgninage.
Mecca, he condescended to seek accommodation with the
infidels who had blocked it up. A treaty was accordingly
concluded, and Charnock returned to Chuttanutty, but not
to remain there. The Court of Directors, hearing of the
proceedings at Hooghly, determined to prosecute the war A.D.
with increased vigour, and despatched Captain Heath with 1688
several vessels of war to Bengal. On his arrival, he dis-
allowed the treaty and commenced warlike operations,
and embarking the whole of the Company's property and
officers on fifteen vessels, proceeded to Balasore, which he
burnt, and then crossed over to Chittagong. Its fortifi-
cations were stronger than he had expected, and he sailed
to Madras, where he landed all the Company's establish-
ments. Aurungzebe, incensed at these renewed aggressions,
ordered all the English factories in every part Bengal
of India to be confiscated, and nothing remained of abandoned,
the Company's possessions except the fortified towns of
Madras and Bombay. Sir John Child, the governor of
Bombay, sent two gentlemen to the emperor's encamp,
ment at Beejaporo to treat for a reconciliation. Aurungzebe
by the recent conquest of Beejapore had extended his
power over the whole of India ; but though it was
irresistible on the land, the English were masters of the sea,
and they blockaded the Mogul ports, and both obstructed the
pilgrimage, and destroyed the trade of the Moguls. Nor
was he insensible to the loss his subjects sustained by the
suspension of the English trade, which was calculated at a
croro of rupees a year, and he agreed " to overlook their
u offences," and restore their factories. The nabob of
Bengal, who was favourable to them, lost no time in
acquainting Mr. Charnock at Madras with the emperor's
wishes, and beseeching him to return to Bengal. He
landed at Chuttanutty on the 24th of August, 1690, and 1690
in the i oijrl.b.»:ir!n r village of Calcutta laid the Foundation
foundation of the future metropolis of British °* Calcutta.
India. This spasm of ambition did not last more than
five years, and for half a century afterwards the servants
of the Company were instructed to consider themselves
" the representatives of a body of merchants, and to live
" and act accordingly."
The Company having now a settlement of their own in
142 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV,
4.D. Bengal, were anxious to place it, like Madras and Bombay,
1695 in a state of defence ; but it was contrary to the policy
Erection of °^ ^he Mogul empire to permit the multiplica-
F°rt tion of such fortifications. The forts at the two
""* other Presidencies had been erected before the
authority of the Moguls was extended over the territory
in which they were situated. The nabob of Bengal refused
the permission which the governor had sought, but in
1695 the zemindar of Burdvvan revolted, and in conjunc-
tion with Behim Khan, the chief of the Orissa Afghans,
plundered Hooghly, and threatened the foreign settlements.
The danger to which they were exposed was strongly re-
presented to the nabob, who was bewildered by the
rebellion, and he desired the agents of the Companies, in
general terms, to provide for their own security. Im-
mediately every hand was set to work, night and day, to
raise the fortifications, by the Dutch at Chinsurah, the
French at Chandernagore, and the English at Calcutta.
In compliment to the reigning monarch the fortress was
designated Fort William.
The Company was now threatened by a more formidable
opponent in London. The dazzling profits of the India
Rival com- trade had drawn forth a multitude of competi.
P*1168' tors, but they succeeded in obtaining a renewal
1693 of their charter from the Crown in 1693. A few months
after, however, the House of Commons passed a resolution
to'the effect, " that it is the right of all Englishmen to trade
" to the East Indies unless prohibited by Act of Parlia-
" ment." This gave fresh animation to those who wert
eager to share in the trade, and they petitioned Parlia-
ment for a charter, backed by the tempting offer of a loan
of two millions to the treasury at eight per cent., and it
was accepted. The old Company had not been able to offer
more than a third of the sum, and they were ordered to
wind up their affairs in three years. But the rivalry of the
Disastrous two Companies was found, even in the first year,
results. ^0 be fatal to the public interests. Their compe-
tition enhanced the price of produce in every market in
India, and created a scarcity. The native officers, courted
by two parties, fleeced them in turn, and oppressed both,
and the money which should have been laid out in invest-
ments was squandered in bribes, to the extent of seven lacy
of rupees. At Surat, the agents of the old Company were
seized by the agents of their rivals, dragged through the
streets and delivered to the Mogul authorities of the town
MOOBSHED KOOLY KHAN 143
as disturbers of the public peace. The nation became A.D.
at length sensible of the disastrous results of this conten- 1701
tion, and in 1702 the two Companies were amalgamated
under the title of the " United Company of Merchants
44 trading to the East." Their former privileges
were granted by the Crown ; the new charter **
was sanctioned likewise by Parliament, and the strength of
union inspired them with greater animation in the prosecu-
tion of their commerce. The fortifications of Calcutta
were silently but diligently improved, and gave confidence
to the native merchants, who came there in large numbers,
and it became one of the most flourishing settlements in
the province. But the history of it from this time to the
battle of Plassy, for more than fifty years, and more espe-
cially during the viceroyalty of Moorshed Kooly Khan and
his successor, is only a register of the extortions of the
Mogul government, and the contrivances of the president
to evade them. It is an unvaried tale of insolence and
plunder on the one part, and humiliating submission on the
other, which was at length avenged by the battle of
Plassy. 1702
In the year in which the Companies were united, Moor-
shed Kooly Khan was appointed dewan, or financial
admiiiiatrator, of Bengal. He was the son of a Moorahed-
poor brahmin in the Deccan, and was purchased Kooty-Khan.
and circumcised by an Ispahan merchant. On the death
of his master, he obtained service with the dewan of
Berar, and by his financial ability attracted the notice of
Aurungzebe, who appointed him dewan of Bengal in 1702.
He was soon after invested with the soobadaree, or vice-
royalty of the three provinces of Bengal, Behar, and
Orissa, and removed the capital to the new city of Moor-
shedabad, which he founded and called after his own name.
He was aware that the prosperity of Bengal was greatly
promoted by its maritime trade, and gave every encourage-
ment to the Mogul and Arab merchants, but regarded the
fortified factories of the foreign companies, and more
especially that of the English, with great jealousy, and
when firmly seated in power, trampled under foot the
privileges obtained from the emperor by the English Com-
pany. He imposed heavy taxes on the trade of the
Company, which they had no means of evading except by
the ofler of exorbitant bribes.
The president in Calcutta determined, therefore, to 171$
appeal to the emperor, and despatched an embassy to
144 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA |"CHAP. IV.
Delhi with presents so costly as to make the Court of
Embassy to Directors wince. Moorshed Kooly used all his in-
DeiM. fluence at court to defeat an application directed
against his own interest and authority, and would doubt-
less have succeeded in baffling it but for an unexpected
event. The emperor Ferokshere was betrothed to a
Rajpoot princess, but the nuptials were postponed in con-
sequence of a sharp attack of disease, which the royal
physicians were unable to subdue. On the advice of one
of the ministers, who was favourable to the English, Mr.
Hamilton, the surgeon of the mission, was called in, and
effected a cure. He was required by the grateful emperor to
name his own recompense, and, imitating the noble patriotism
of Mr. Boughton, only asked that the emperor would grant
the privileges the embassy had been sent to solicit, the
chief of which was permission to purchase thirty- eight
villages adjacent to Calcutta. Many objections were raised
to this concession by the representatives of the Bengal vice-
roy, but it was at length conceded. The possession of
these villages, extending ten miles on each side of the river,
would have given the Company the complete control of the
AtDg maritime trade of the province, and Moorshed Kooly
1717 threatened the zemindars with his vengeance if they
parted with a single inch of land. The firman became a
mere piece of waste paper.
Moorshed Kooly Khan is one of the greatest names in
1702 the Mahomedan history of India. He was as eminent a
to Adminiatra- financier as Toder Mull. He caused an accurate
1725 tion of survey to be made of the lands, and revised the as-
Mooraned. •'. -, i • • t i . i • • , 111
sessment ; he divided the province into chuklas,
or districts, and appointed officers over each to collect the
rents, who became rich and powerful zemindars, and as
the office, as usual, became hereditary, assumed the title
and the state of rajas. Of these rajas, only one — in Burd-
wan — retains his zemindaree unimpaired at the present
time. The Mahomedan officers were regarded as sieves,
which retained nothing ; the Hindoo officers as sponges,
which could be squeezed when saturated with plunder, and
they were accordingly employed in the collections, to the
entire exclusion, except in one instance, of the professors
of the creed of the Prophet. The revenues of Bengal
were a little in excess of a crore and a quarter of rupees, of
which one-third was reserved for the expenses of the
Government, and a crore regularly transmitted to the
imperial treasury, the viceroy invariably accompanying
Sacr.VlL] INVASION OF THE MAHKATTAS 145
the procession which conveyed the tribute in person, the first
march out of Moorshedabad. Though severe in the exac-
tion of revenue, he was eminently just in his administra-
tion, constant to one wife, frugal in his domestic habits,
and exemplary in his charities. Under his administration
the prosperity of the country was abundantly increased. A.D.
He died in 17*25, and was succeeded by his son-in-law, 17M
Soojah-ood-deen, a Turkoman noble from Khorasan, who
retained his post in spite of the intrigues at the imperial
court, chiefly through the punctual transmission of the
tribute. He was succeeded in 1739 by his son, Serefraz 1739
Khan, at the time when Nadir Shah was plundering Delhi,
and as the dictate of prudence, the nabob ordered the coin
to be struck and prayers to be read in his name.
SECTION VIT.
SACK OP CALCUTTA AND CONQUEST OP BENGAL.
WITHIN a twelvemonth Aliverdy Khan, a native of Tur-
kistan who had been entrusted with the government of
Behar, succeeded, by largo bribes and larger Aiiverdy
promises to the venal ministers of the emperor Khan-
Mahomed Shah in obtaining the office of viceroy, and
marched against Serefraz, who was defeated and slain. 174]
Aliverdy had been employed for twenty years in public
affairs, and was eminently fitted by his talents to adorn the
position he had clandestinely obtained, and it was through
his energy that Bengal was saved from becoming a Mah-
ratta province. While Rnghoojee Bhonslay was employed
in the Carnatic, as narrated in the last chapter, one of his
generals, Bhaskur Punt, entered Bengal and laid waste
the whole country west of the Bhagruttee, from Mahratta
Cuttack to Rajmahal. A division of his array lnvaalon' 1743
suddenly appeared before Moorshedabad and plundered the
suburbs and extorted two crores and a half of rupees from
the Setts, the most opulent bankers in Hindostan. The
Mahratta commander then moved down upon Hooghly,
which he plundered, and the wretched inhabitants crowded
for shelter into the foreign settlements. The president at
Calcutta sought permission of the viceroy to surround the
settlement with an entrenchment, which was readily
granted, and the work was prosecuted with vigour, but sus*
L
146 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV,
pended on the retirement of the enemy and never com-
AJ>. Mahratta pleted. This was the celebrated Mahratta Bitch,
1742 Difcch- which, though it has disappeared like the old
wall of London, long continued to mark the municipal
boundaries of the town, and to give its citizens the sou-
briquet of the " inhabitants of the Ditch."
The Mahrattas, though invariably defeated, renewed their
ravages from year to year. The recollection of these
^^ devastations was not effaced for several genera-
ceded to the tions from the memory of the inhabitants in the
Mahrattas. western districts, and the invasion of the Bur-
gees— the name by which the Mahrattas were called —
continued, even in tho present century, to be an object
of horror. Wearied out with the conflict of ten years, which
ruined the country and exhausted tho revenue, Aliverdy,
then in his seventy-fifth year, agreed to pay the raja of
Berar the cliout on the revenues of Bengal, and to cede
the province of Orissa to him. The nabobs of Bengal con-
1751 tinned, however, to retain the name of Orissa as one of the
three soobahs under their rule, though nothing was left ot
it to them but a small territory north of the Subunreka.
Aliverdy devoted the remaining five years of his vice-
royalty to repairing the ravages of this Limiting warfare,
1756 and died in April, 1756, at the age of eighty. Tho very next
year the sovereignty of the three provinces passed from
the Turkoman Mahomedans to the English, and became the
basis of the British empire in India.
Aliverdy Khan bequeathed the government to his favourite
grandson Suraj-ood-dowlah, a youth of twenty, who had
1756 suraj-ood- already become the object of universal dread and
dowiah. abhorrence for his caprices and cruelty. He had
long evinced particular animosity towards the English, and
the Court of Directors had specially enjoined the presi-
dent to place Calcutta in a state of defence. The factory
was reported to be very rich, and the young tyrant
had marked it out for early spoliation, but an unexpected
event hastened his movements. Before he came to
power he had despoiled the Hindoo governor of Dacca,
and placed him in confinement. His son Kissendas,
anxious to place his family and treasures in a state of
security, under pretence of a pilgrimage to Jugernath,
proceeded with a largo retinue to Calcutta, whore ho
received a cordial welcome from the president, Mr. Drake.
Immediately on the death of the old nabob, Suraj-ood-
dowlah peremptorily demanded the surrender of Kissendas
filter. VII.] CAPTURE OF CALCUTTA 147
with all his wealth. It was followed by a second communi-
cation, ordering him to demolish the fortifications which it
was reported he had erected at Calcutta. Mr. Drake replied
that he had only put the ramparts facing the river in repair,
in the prospect of a war with Franco, but he refused to
give up the refugee to whom he had given protection. The
young soobadar was at this time marching into Purneah to
coerce the refractory governor, his cousin ; but euraged at
this opposition to his wishes, he ordered his army to turn
back and march directly down to Calcutta.
The town was ill-prepared for such an assault. During A.D<
fifty years of peace the defences had been neglected, and 1766
warehouses had been built up to the ramparts, capture of
The attention which the French had always Calcutta.
paid to the fortification of their settlements formed a
singular contrast to the indifference manifested by the
Engli.-h : and Chaiulcrna^ore was at this time so thoroughly
defensible that it would have bafHed all the attacks of any
native army. After the capture of Madras by Labour-
donnais, the Court of Directors had sent out orders to
strengthen the works, and these orders were repeated with
increased importunity as the health of the old viceroy
declined. But their servants in Calcutta were too busily
intent on amassing fortunes to heed these injunctions, and
their infatuation down to the latest moment was exceeded
only by their cowardice when the crisis came. The militia
was not embodied, and the powder furnished by a fraudulent
contractor was deficient both in quality and in quantity.
There were only 174 men in garrison, not ten of whom had
ever seen a shot fired, and the besiegers were 50,000 in
number. Yet, against these odds, Clive would have made
as noble and successful a defence as he did at Arcot; but
the governor was Drake, and the commandant Minchin.
The nabob's army sat down before it on the 17th June ; 1756
the town was occupied the next day, and the day after, it
was determined to send the women and children on board
the vessels anchored off the fort. As soon, however, as the
watergato was opened, there was an indiscriminate rush
to the boats, many of which were capsized. The enemy
sent some " fire arrows" at the ships, which did no damage
at all, but the commanders immediately weighed anchor
and dropped down the river two miles. Two boats alone
remained at the stairs, and Mr. Drake, without leaving
any instructions, quietly slipped into one of them ; he was
followed by the military commander, and they rowed dowp
L'2
148 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
*.». to the ships. As soon as this base desertion of their posts
17 66 became known, and calmness had been restored, Mr.
Holwell was unanimously placed in command, and it was
resolved to defend the fort to the last extremity. It held
out for forty-eight hours, during which signals were made
day and night to the vessels anchored below, and they
might have come up with perfect ease and safety and have
rescued the whole of the gallant garrison, but not a vessel
moved. On the 21st the enemy renewed the attack with
redoubled vigour : more than half the force was killed or
wounded, and the European soldiers broke into the liquor
stores and became unfit for duty. Mr. Holwell was obliged
to agree to a parley, during which the nabob's soldiers
treacherously rushed into the fort and obtained possession
of it. Search was immediately made for treasure, but
only five lacs of rupees were found in the vaults, and the
nabob's indignation knew no bounds.
The nabob retired about dusk to his encampment. The
European prisoners were collected together in a veranda,
The Black while the native officers went in search of some
Hole. building in which they might be lodged for the
night, but none could be found, and they were desired to
move into an adjoining chamber, which had been used as
the lock-up room of the garrison. It was not twenty feet
square, with only a single window, and, however suitable
•for the confinement of a few refractory soldiers, was death
to the hundred and forty-six persons now thrust into it, in
one of the hottest months of the most sultry season of the
year. The wretched prisoners soon became frantic with
suffocating heat and intolerable thirst, and called upon the
sentries to fire upon them and put them out of their misery.
They sank one by one in the arms of death, and when the
door was opened in the morning, only twenty-three were
dragged out alive, the most ghastly of forms. This is the
tragedy of the Black Hole, which has fixed an indelible
mark of infamy on the name of Suraj-ood-dowlah. Yet so
little did it appear an extraordinary occurrence that it
excited no attention in the native community, and is not
even mentioned by the great Mahomedan historian of the
period. The nabob returned to Moorshedabad and con-
fiscated all the property of the Company at the out
Extinction ^actor^es» an<* ^ey ,were as completely expelled
of the °n from Bengal as they had been seventy years
Comply' before in the reign of Aurungzebe.
1757 But the time of retribution was not distant. The Court
8MH.VIL] RECOVERY OF CALCUTTA 149
of Directors had regarded the progress of Bussy in the
Deccan with a feeling of great jealousy, and deter-
mined to contract an alliance with the Peshwa to
arrest it. Clive, who had been received with dis-
tinguished honour by the Company and the ministry, was
sent for this purpose to Bombay with a considerable force,
but on his arrival found the president and his council
inflexibly averse to embark in so perilous an enterprise.
Admiral Watson happening to arrive at the same time
with his fleet from Madras, it was determined to employ
the powerful armament thus assembled in rooting out the
piratical chief Angria on that coast. His power had become
so formidable, and his audacity had increased to such an ex-
tent, that in the previous year his corsairs had overpowered
three Dutch ships of war, respectively, of fifty, thirty-six, and
eighteen guns, the two largest of which they burnt. The
English fleet and army proceeded against Geriah, his
capital, and within an hour after the attack began, the
whole pirate fleet was in a blaze. In the arsenal were
found two hundred pieces of cannon, with a very large
store of ammunition, and twelve lacs of rupees, which the
captors, with very commendable wisdom, distributed among
themselves without ceremony. The admiral and Clive then
returned to Madras, whore information had just been re-
ceived of the sack of Calcutta ; and although a strong
party in the council was still bent on a conflict with Bussy,
the majority came to the conclusion that it was their first
duty to retrieve the affairs of their masters in Bengal.
An expedition was accordingly fitted out and entrusted to
the genius of Clive, who sailed from Madras with admiral
Watson's fleet, on which were embarked 900 Europeans
and 1,500 sepoys.
They entered the Hooghly, and on the 15th December 1756
reached Fulta, where they found the dastardly Drake and
his iVYr.v fiiLri ! :\ o- in the ships on which they had capture of
taken refuge in Juno. A little higher up the Calcutta,
river there was a small fortification at Budge Budge, held
by the Hindoo general of the nabob, who had been left in
cnarge of the army. It was attacked by Clive, and a ball
happening to pass too close to the commander's turban, he
hastened back to Calcutta. Not deeming himself, however,
safe there, he fled to Moorshedabad, leaving 500 men to
defend the fort, which was delivered up to Clive on the 2nd 1757
January, when the Company's standard was again hoisted on
its ramparts. The nabob tad persuaded himself that tho
150 ABRIDGMENT OP THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
English would never again enter his dominions, and he was
filled with indignation when he heard of their audacity.
He refused to listen to any overture from Olive, and thus
marched down in haste with an army of 40,000 men.
Finding a contest inevitable, Olive determined to take the
initiative, jand long before dawn on the 5th February
marched out with his entire force, augmented by 600
marines, and assaulted the nabob's encampment. Towards
sunrise a February fog bewildered the troops and
weakened the strength of the attack, but the Nabob, who
had never been under fire before, and had moreover seen
Battle at many of his officers fall around him, hastened
Dumdnm. to make overtures of peace, and a treaty was con-
cluded on the 9th February. All the former privileges of
the Company were restored, and permission was given
to establish a mint and to fortify Calcutta. Information
had soon after been received of the declaration of war
between England and France. The French settlement of
Chandernagore, twenty miles above Calcutta, was garri-
soned with 700 Europeans, besides a largo body of native
troops, and Bussy was encamped with a victorious army at
a distance of only four hundred miles in the Northern
Sircars. The nabob had no sooner signed the treaty than
he importuned Bussy to march up to Bengal and expel the
English. Olive felt that the junction of the two French
/orces would compromise the position of the Company, and
he determined to attack Ch.'iiulri'nniroro before it could be
effected. He attacked it by land while admiral Watson bom-
barded it with his fleet, and the town was surrendered upon
Capture of honourable terms after a very gallant resistance
Cfcanderna- of nine days. When the capture had been
gore' effected, Olive remarked, " We cannot stop here,"
and his prediction has been verified by a century of pro-
gress which has carried us beyond the Indus.
Meanwhile, the violence and the atrocities of the nabot
1757 continued to augment the disgust of his ministers and offi-
Confederacy cers. Every day produced some new act of
at the capital, oppression, and in May, Meer Jaffier, the military
paymaster and general, and the brother-in-law of Ali-
verdy Khan, entered into a combination with other officers
of state, and the all-powerful bankers, the Setts, to super-
sede him. There was at Moorshedabad at the time one
Omichund, who had settled in Calcutta about forty years
before, and amassed immense wealth by contracts with the
Company, and who maintained the state of a prince. He ac.
SECT. VI J] BATTLE OF PLASSY 151
companied the nabob to the capital after the battle of the
9th February, constantly attended the durbar, and obtained
such influence in the public councils as to render it advis-
able for the confederates to take him into their confidence. A>1>.
Olive was invited to join the league with magnificent offers 176?
for the Company ; and as he was convinced that "there could
4t be neither peace nor security while such a monster as the
"nabob reigned," he entered readily into their plans. A
secret treaty was concluded, stipulating that the English
should instal Meer Jaffier, and that ho should pay a crore
and three-quarters of rupees to make good their losses.
Omichund got scent of the treaty and threatened to dis-
close the transaction to the nabob — which would have led
to the immediate massacre of the whole party — unless an
additional article was inserted guaranteeing to him a dona-
tion of thirty lacs, and a commission of five per cent, on
all the payments. Clive on hearing of this outrageous
demand came to the conclusion that " art and policy were
44 warrantable to defeat the plans of such a villain," and he
drew up a fictitious treaty on red paper, in which his
demand was provided for, while the real treaty, authenti-
cated by the seals of the confederates, contained no such
stipulation. He is said to have died within a year raving
mad, but this statement is utterly unfounded. This is the
only act in the bold and arduous career of Clive which
does not admit of vindication, though he himself always
defended it, and declared that he was ready to do it a
hundred times over.
Clivo marched from Chandernagore on the 13th June
with 900 Europeans, consisting partly of the 39th Regi-
ment of foot, who still carry on their colours Battle of
44 Primus in Indis," 2,100 natives, and ten pieces Hasay.
of cannon. Ho marched up to Cutwa, where he called a
council of war, which voted against any farther advance ; but
immediately after he resolved to carry out the enterprise, and
on the night of the 22nd moved on to the grove of Plassy.
The nabob's army, consisting of 50,000 horse and foot, was
encamped in its immediate vicinity. Meer Jaffier had taken
an oath to join Clivo before or during the engagement, but
he did not make his appearance, and was evidently waiting
the result of events. On the memorable 23rd of June the 175?
nabob's troops moved down on the small band of English
troops, and Clivo advanced to the attack. The enemy with-
drew their artillery; Meer Mudun, the general-in- chief, was
mortally wounded and expired in the presence of the nabob.
152 ABKIDGKMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IV.
who was unable to control his terror, but mounted a swift
camel and fled at the top of his speed with 2,000 horse, and
did not pause till he reached Moorshedabad. His army
immediately dispersed, and this battle, which decided the
fate of Bengal and Behar, and eventually of India, was
gained with the loss of only seventy-two killed and wounded.
As soon as tne victory declared in favour of Olive, Meer
Jaffier advanced with his troops to congratulate him, and to
obtain the fruits of it. Suraj-ood-dowlah on reaching the
capital found himself deserted by all his courtiers, and
after a day of gloomy reflections, descended in disguise from
a window in the palace with a favourite eunuch and a con-
cubine, and embarked in a boat in the hope of overtaking
M. Law, a French officer, whom Bussy had sent up with
a small force. He proceeded up the river and landing at
Rajmahal to prepare a meal, entered the hut of a religious
mendicant, whose ears he had ordered to be cut off the
preceding year. He was !••• <'•'.*• !••• 1 and made over to those
who were in pursuit of him, and conveyed back to Moor-
shedabad, eight days after he had quitted it. Meerun, the
son of Meer Jaffier, immediately caused him to bo put to
death, and his mangled remains were paraded the next day
through the city and buried in tho tomb of his grandfather.
A.D. Olive entered Moorshedabad on the 29th of June, and
1757 proceeded to the palace, where the great officers of state
cuveat were assembled, and having conducted Meer
" to the throne, saluted him as soobadar of
Bengal, Behar, and Orissa. The change in the
position of the English in the course of a twelvemonth
appears more like a scene in a fairy tale than in sober his-
tory. In June, 1756, Calcutta had been sacked and burnt,
and the Company extirpated. In June, 1757, they had
not only recovered the seat of their commerce and ex-
tinguished their European rivals, but defeated and dethroned
the nabob, and disposed of the sovereignty of a country
larger and more populous than England. Of the treasures
at Moorshedabad more than two crores were made over to
the conquerors, and the first instalment of eighty lacs was
conveyed in a triumphant procession to Calcutta, along the
road where, a twelvemonth before, Suraj-ood-dowlah had
marched back to his capital with the plunder of Calcutta.
For the Company Clive reserved only the fee simple of 600
yards of land around the Mahratta Ditch, and the zemin-
daree rights of the districts south of Calcutta. For himself,
he rejected the magnificent offers of the opulent noblea who
SHOT. VI.] HOSTILITIES WITH THE DUTCH 153
were anxious to secure his favour, and contented himself
with a gift of sixteen lacs from Meer Jaffier. When his
services were afterwards forgotten, and be was upbraided
in the House of Commons with his rapacity, he replied
indignantly — " When I recollect entering the treasury of
u Moorshedabad, with heaps of gold and silver to the right
" hand and to the left, and these crowned with jewels, I
" stand astonished at my own moderation." Intelligence
of the loss of Calcutta was eleven months in reaching Eng-
land, and seven weeks after the Directors heard of its re-
covery and of the brilliant results of the battle of Plassy.
Seventy years before they had sent admiral Nicholson
with a powerful armament to establish them as a political
power in Bengal, but so completely had they dismissed all
the dreams of ambition, that with the richest provinces of
India at their feet, the only satisfaction they expressed was
that their factors would now be able to provide investments
for two years without drawing upon them.
CHAPTER V.
SKCTION T.
PROCEEDINGS IN BENGAL FROM THE BATTLE OF PLASSY TO
HASTINGS* ADMINISTRATION.
THE emperor of Delhi was at this time a puppet in the hands 1757
of his unprincipled minister, Ghazee-ood-deen, and his eldest
son and heir, AH Gohur, had succeeded in making invngjon Of
his escape from the capital, and raising the im- ^u Oohar.
pe rial standard. India was swarming with military adven-
turers ready to take service under any chief, and the prince
found no difficulty in collecting an army of 40,000 men,
and, being joined by the nabob Vizier of Onde, invaded
Behar, and appeared before the city of Patna. Clive lost
no time in ,nix:i':i ihif to its defence, and the prince retired
in all hasto on his approach. During his flight he was
reduced to such distress as to throw himself on the con-
sideration of Clive, and the heir and descendant of Ak- 175§
bar and Aurungzebo was happy to receive a donation of
eight thousand rupees to relieve his necessities.
The influence which Clive necessarily exercised in the
154 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA
A.D. government of Bengal from his character and position
1759 Battle at tended to lessen the importance of Meer Jaffier,
Chinsurah. and his court and family could not fail to re-
member with chagrin that the foreigners who now over-
shadowed the throne had only three years before approached
it as suppliants. The nabob, looking about for the means
of counterbalancing Olive's ascendancy, began to intrigue
with the Dutch at Chinsurah. The governor of Java,
moreover, viewed with no friendly eye the superior ad-
vantages which the English had acquired in Bengal, and in
the hope of fishing up some prize in the troubled waters of
the province, fell in with the projects of the nabob, and
despatched a fleet of seven vessels with 700 Europeans and
800 well-trained Malay sepoys to Chinsurah. Clive was
resolved not to tolerate any rival European influence in
Bengal, and, although the two nations were at peace, seized
the vessels, and directed Colonel Forde to intercept the
progress of the troops. That officer shrank from the
responsibility of attacking the soldiers of a friendly power,
and requested a written authority from his chief. Clive
was sitting at cards when the Colonel's letter was placed
in his hands, and sent a reply in pencil on the back of one
of them — " Fight them immediately. I will send you the
" order in council to-morrow." The Dutch force was
attacked and defeated as it approached Chinsurah. Im-
mediately after the action, the nabob's son appeared in
sight with an army of 7,000 men who were to have joined
the Dutch if the fortune of the day had gone against the
English. Clive exacted from the Dutch the expense of the
expedition sent to defeat their plans, and having sent a
haughty and defiant despatch to the Court of Directors,
from whom he had long been estranged, embarked for
England on the 25th of February, 1760.
1760 At the period of Ciive's departure, the prince Ali Gohur
was advancing a second time to the invasion of Behar.
Scoond On his route, he heard of the assassination of the
invasion of emperor, his father, by Ghazee-ood-deen, and
AU aohur. assilmed the imperial dignity under the title of
Shah Alum. The nabob Vizier joined his force in the
hope of adding Behar to his possessions, and they moved
down upon Patna. Colonel Calliaud, one of the great
soldiers trained under Lawrence and Clive, marched up to
the defence of the town, together with 15,000 of the
nabob's troops under his son Meerun, and the imperial
force was completely routed. The emperor, having received
SECT. I.] BATTLE OF PATNA 155
a promise \£ assistance from the Mahrattas, marched down
through the hills in the hope of surprising Moorshedabad. 1760
Colonel Calliaud followed him without loss of time, and the
two armies confronted each other about thirty miles from
the city; but the emperor hearing no tidings of his
Mahratta auxiliaries, broke up his encampment and
marched back to Patna, to which he laid close siege for
nine days. All hope of prolonging the defence was fading
away when Captain Kriox, who had been despatched in
haste by Colonel Calliaud, was seen approaching the walls
with a handful of troops. He had performed the march
from Moorshedabad to Patna, under the burning heat of
a Bengal sun, in the extraordinary space of thirteen days,
marching himself on foot to encourage his men. The next
day he attacked the emperor's camp, and completely de-
feated him and dispersed his entire force. The nabob of
Purneah, who had been intriguing1 with him, now threw off
the mask and immediately advanced to his aid with 12,000
men and thirty pieces of cannon. To the utter amazement
of the natives, Captain Knox inarched out with a battalion
of sepoys, 200 Europeans, a squadron of cavalry, and five
field pieces, and, after a conflict of six hours, completely
routed the nabob. The native historian dwells with ad-
miration upon the conflict, and describes the breathless
anxiety with which the inhabitants of Patna crowded on
the walls watching the exit of this gallant little band, and
the delight with which they were welcomed back, covered
with dust and sweat. This was another of those „ „ . .
, ... . . , , Gallantry of
daring exploits which in our early career Captain
established the prestige- of our arms and con- Knox*
tributed to give us the empire of India. Colonel Calliaud
and Meerun arrived after the engagement ; Meerun was
struck dead by a thunderbolt as he lay in his tent, and the
country was rid of a monster, in whose cabinet was found
a list of three hundred men of note whom he had destined
to destruction.
Clivo had become so completely identified with the ex-
istence of British power in Bengal that it seemed to the
public officers as if the soul had departed from Mr. Vftn-
the Government on his retirement. He was sue- Mttart
ceeded by Mr. Vansittart, a man of great probity,
but without any strength of character. He belonged to the
Madras service, and the appointment was resented by the
members of the Bengal council, who set themselves to
thwart him on every occasion. To increase the confusion
156 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. V,
which bewildered his weak mind, three of the elder mem-
bers of council who had signed the contumacious letter of
Olive to the Court of Directors were peremptorily dis-
missed by them, and their places were filled, on the rule of
rotation, by men of violent passions, who regarded Mr.
Vansittart with a feeling of hatred, and he was constantly
outvoted in council. The death of Meerun increased the
complication. Notwithstanding his profligacy, his vigour
had been the main stay of his father's government, and on
his death the administration fell into a state of complete
anarchy. The troops besieged the palace for their arrears,
and Meer Jaffier sent his son-in-law, Meer Cossim, to
Calcutta to obtain pecuniary assistance from the council,
but the treasure obtained at Moorshedabad had been dissi-
pated, and there was scarcely a rupee in the treasury. It
was vain to expect any farther supplies from the nabob, and
the council determined to depose him and to elevate Meer
Cossim to the throne, on his promising to reward his
A.D> benefactors with twenty lacs of rupees, to make good all
1760 arrears, and to transfer three rich districts in lower Bengal
Meer Cossim to the Company. Mr. Yansittart proceeded to
nabob. Moorshedabad with a military force to persuade
the nabob to resign the Government, and the old man was
obliged, though not without the greatest reluctance, to
yield, and retire to Calcutta. Meer Cossim met the
difficulties of his position with great skill and energy. He
curtailed the extravagance of the court establishments;
he obliged the public officers to disgorge their plunder ; he
revised the land assessments, and added a crore of rupees
a year to his rent-roll. He faithfully discharged all his
obligations to the Company and to the members of the
council, but the great object he set before himself was to
emancipate himself from their control, and to become the
soobadar in reality, and not in name only. He removed
the seat of government from Moorshedabad to Monghyr,
three hundred miles from Calcutta, and strengthened the
works of that important fortress. In the course of three
years he created a force of 15,000 cavalry and 25,000
infantry ; he established a large arsenal, he manufactured
firelocks, and cast cannon, and had made great progress
in consolidating his power, when a storm was raised by
the unprincipled conduct of the council board in Calcutta,
which in a few months swept him from the throne.
From time immemorial a large proportion of the public
1762 revenue had been derived from the duties levied on the
S*cr,L] THE TRANSIT DUTIES 157
transport of goods through the country. Under the firman ±^
of the emperor, the merchandise of the Company Thetranait 1762
intended for export by sea was allowed to pass ***«••
free, under a dustuk, or pass, signed by the president. The
battle of Plassy transferred all power to the Company, and
their servants immediately embarked on the inland trade
of the country, and claimed a similar exemption for their
private investments. The native merchants, in order to
pass their own cargoes duty free, adopted the plan of pur-
chasing passes from the civilians, and the boys in the
service were thus enabled to realise two or three thousand
rupees a month. The country traders, moreover, fre-
quently hoisted the English flag ; and as it was deemed in-
dispensable to maintain its immunity, Company's sepoys
nrere sent to release their boats whenever they were seized
by the nabob's officers. The trade of the country was para-
lysed, and its peace destroyed, and the two ruling powers
were brought into a state of perilous antagonism. These
encroachments, which were rare during Clive's administra-
tion, increased to an alarming extent on his departure. In
order to remedy these disorders Mr. Vansittart proceeded
to Monghyr, and concluded a convention with the nabob,
which provided that the trade of the Company's servants
should pay nine per cent., though that of his own subjects
was often weighted with twenty-five per cent. On his
return to Calcutta he found the members of council indig-
nant at this unauthorised concession, and resolved not to
pay more than two and a half per cent., and that only on
the article of salt. The nabob then determined to put all 1763
parties on an equality, and abolished all transit duties
throughout the provinces. The council voted this measure
a crime, and demanded, as a matter of right from one whom
they had raised to authority, that the native traders should
be subject to the usual duties, while their own flag was
exempt. This flagitious demand was indignantly resisted
by the only two honest men in the council, Mr. Vansittart
and Mr. Hastings.
The Company's factory at Patna was unfortunately at
this time under the charge of Mr. Ellis, the war with
most inveterate of Meer Cossim's opponents, and MeerC°s»im«
the most violent and unscrupulous of the civilians. He
was resolved to bring about a change in the government,
and, in a time of peace, suddenly seized on the city of
Patna with a handful of European troops. The native
commandant, on hearing that the soldiers were rendered
158 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [Ciup. V
incapable by drink, retnrned to the town and recaptured it,
and Mr. Ellis and his officers, who had proceeded np the
river, were overtaken and brought back prisoners. Meer
Cossim was no sooner informed of this wanton aggression
than he ordered every Englishman in the province to be
seized. Both, parties now prepared for war. The nabob
augmented his army, and invited the fugitive emperor and
the Vizier of Oude, who was hankering after Berar, to join
his forces. The English army, consisting of 650 Europeans,
1,200 sepoys, and a troop of native cavalry, opened the
campaign on the 2nd July, although the rains, the season
ijh of military inaction, had just set in. The nabob's advanced
763 guard at Cutwa was defeated. With the army stationed
at Geriah to dispute the advance of the British force, there
was a long and arduous battle of four hours, and never had
native troops fought with greater resolution and valour
than the newly- raised battalions of the nabob ; but nothing
conld withstand the spirit of the English soldiers. The
nabob's army abandoned its guns and encampment and
fled. Early in November tho English commandant carried
the fortified entrenchment at Oodwa-nulla, and the nabob
fled to Patna, after having ordered all his European
prisoners to be put to death. His own native officers in-
dignantly refused to imbrue their hands in tho blood of
brave and unarmed men ; they were soldiers, they said, and
not executioners. But Raymond, subsequently known as
Sumroo, a name of infamy, who had been a sergeant in the
French army, and was now in the employ of the nabob,
offered his services, and, proceeding to the house where the
Massacre of prisoners were confined, poured in volley on
Europeans, volley through the Venetian windows, till forty-
eight English gentlemen, and a hundred English soldiers,
lay lifeless on the floor. The campaign was completed in
four months by the capture of Patna and the flight of Meer
Cossim to Oude, where the nabob Vizier did not scruple to
despoil him of his property.
On the breaking out of the war with Meer Cossim, the
Council determined to place Meer Jaffier again on
again * er the throne, but the old man, seventy-two years
nabob. of ag6j an(j scarcely able to move for the leprosy,
was previously required to confirm the grant of the three
districts already mentioned to the Company, to concede the
flagrant exemption from the transit duties in which the war
had originated, and to make further donations to the civil
and military officers. But in a few months, the govern-
SECT. I.] MUTINY OF THE SEPOYS 159
ment having a large army to maintain in the field, found
itself on the verge of bankruptcy, which was not to be won-
dered at, considering that peculation was universal, from
the highest to the lowest official. Meer Jaffier was therefore
brought down to Calcutta to concert the means of replen-
ishing tl asury. The members of council demanded a
payment of five lacs of rupees a month for the public
service as long as the war lasted, and they insisted on a
donation at first of ten lacs, and eventually of fifty lacs, for
themselves, for what they had the effrontery to term
" compensation for losses.*' These harassing importunities, A D>
combined with age and disease, served to hasten his end, 176$
and on his return to Moorshedabad he expired in Death of
January, 17C5. Meer Jaffler.
The making of nabobs had for the last eight years been
the most lucrative occupation of the senior civil and
military officers of the Company, and the fourth Hla ^
occasion which now arose was not to be neglected, nabob.
The Court of Directors, exasperated by the iniquities of
their servants, had peremptorily ordered them to execute
covenants to abstain from the receipt of presents from the
natives of the country. But these injunctions were given
to the winds, and, with the covenants on the council table,
the son of Meer Jaffier was obliged to become responsible
for the payment of twenty lacs of rupees to the members of
the council board before he was allowed to succeed him.
The conduct of these men for five years after the retirement
of Clive was marked by a degree of profligacy of which it
would not be easy to find a parallel in any age or country.
Fortunes of vast amount were acquired by the most
nefarious means in the shortest period; every idea of
common morality was treated with sovereign contempt,
while luxury, corruption, and debauchery pervaded every
rank, and threatened the dissolution of government.
Six months after the close of the war with Meer Cossim,
the nabob Vizier determined to take advantage of the
confusion of the times to acquire possession of the province
of Behar, and inarched down upon Patna with a large but
ill-trained force, accompanied by the fugitive emperor and
the disinherited nabob of Bengal. The attack was unsuc-
cessful, and he withdrew his encampment to Buxar.
Meanwhile Major Munro, who had assumed the command of
the army, found the sepoys in a state of flagrant Mutiny of
mutiny, and demanding increased pay and large foeSepoya. 1764
gratuities. With undaunted resolution the Major resolved
160 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [OnAP.V.
to subdue this spirit of revolt at once, and twenty- four of
the ringleaders were arraigned before a court martial, con-
sisting of native officers, and condemned to death. Twenty
of them were blown away from the guns, and the discipline
of the army was restored. This was the first of that series
of mutinies which have broken out from time to time among
the sepoys, and which in less than a century culminated in
the dissolution of the whole army of the Bengal Presi-
dency. At the close of the rains, the Major did not
hesitate to lead this army, so recently in a state of in-
OCT, subordination, to Buxar, where the nabob Vizier had been
23ED, encamped for several months. His army, coMMxting of
Battle of 50,000 troops, was completely routed, with the
Buxar. iOss of his entire camp and a hundred and thirty
guns. The victory of Buxar was an important supplement
to the victory of Plassy. It demolished the only indepen-
dent power in the north of India, and it loft the Company
masters of the entire valley of the Ganges from the Hima-
laya to the sea. The Vizier fled to Bareilly, and offered to
redeem his forfeited kingdom by the payment of half a
crore of rupees to the Company and the army, and a large
douceur to the commandant, but the negotiation came
to nothing. Immediately after tho victory, the emperor
joined the English camp, and began to negotiate for a share
of the territories of his late ally, the nabob Vizier, and tho
council was contemplating a division of them between him
and the Company, when Clive made his appearance in
Bengal.
On his return to England in 17GO, Clive was received
1760 with great distinction by the king and his great minister,
Olive's ^"r* -P^t, who pronounced him " a heaven-
second ap- " born general," and he was honoured with an
pointment. Irish peorage< But the Court of Directors,
in which his enemies were predominant, treated him not
only with malevolence, but with injustice, and he was
obliged to file a bill in equity to recover an annuity which
Meer Jaffier had settled upon him, and which they had un-
gratefully sequestered. The war with Meer Cossim, the
massacre of the Europeans, and the total disorganisa-
tion of the government, had dissipated the golden dreams
of prosperity in which the Company had been indulging.
The Proprietors began to tremble for their dividends, and
they constrained the Directors, to their infinite reluctance,
1765 to send Clive out to retrieve their affairs. He landed at
Calcutta on the 3rd of May, 1765, and found the whole
SBOT.I.] ACQUISITION OF THE DEWANEE 161
service steeped in corruption, and felt himself justified in as-
serting that " there were not five men of principle to be found
" in it." His first duty was to enforce the signature of the
covenants the India House had prescribed to abolish the
receipt of presents. The corrupt officials questioned his
right to make such a demand, but he reduced them to
silence by declaring that he would dismiss every one who
refused to sign them, and send him back to England ; and
they found it prudent to submit to his iron will. Having
thus, in the course of seven weeks fully established his
authority in the Government, Olive proceeded to the upper
provinces to dispose of the imperial questions Arrange. A-D>
which awaited his decision. To prevent another menfc w^h 1766
rising like that of Meer Cossim, he took away
the power of the sword from the nabob of Moorshedabad,
and assigned him out of the revenues of the province the sum
of fifty-three lacs for the expenses of his court and the ad-
ministration of justice. The young nabob exclaimed with
delight, " Thank God, I shall now have as many dancing-
" girls as I like." The Vizier of Oude had forfeited Witb the
his kingdom by the result of the war he had vizier
wantonly waged against the Company ; but Olive, of Oude*
who was indisposed to the enlargement of the Company's
territories, determined to restore it to him, with the excep-
tion of the two districts of Corah and Allahabad, which he
reserved for the emperor, who was now a dependant on the
bounty of the English. Olive treated the vagrant with the
prince with much consideration, and assigned emPeror-
him an annual payment of twenty-five lacs of rupees from
the revenues of the country, in addition to the product of
the districts. Looking back on the cession of Oude with the
light of a century of experience, we are enabled to per-
ceive that it was anything but judicious; and that if Clive
had at that period annexed it, and given it the benefit
of a British administration, as in the case of Bengal and
Behar, he would have conferred a boon on the population,
and benefited the Company's government.
The emperor had repeatedly offered the Company the
Dewanee, that is, the revenues of the three provinces, and
Clive now took occasion to solicit the official The
grant of it. Orissa was still considered one of Dewanee.
them, although all but one district in the north belonged
to the Mahrattas. This act was completed on the 12th of
August, 17G5, a memorable day in the political and con-
stitutional history of British India. As a substitute for a
162 ABEIDGMBNT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP, V,
throne two dining-tables were put together in Olive's tent,
with a chair on them, and covered with embroidery. The em-
peror took his seat, and transferred the government of
twenty-five millions of people and a revenue of three crores
to Lord Olive, as the representative of the East India
Company. The Mahomedan historian of this period,
scandalized by the simplicity of this great transaction, ex-
claims with indignation that " a business of so much
" importance, which at other times would have required
" the sending of wise ministers and able envoys, was done
** and finished in less time than would have been taken up
u in the sale of a jackass. ' ' What will appear scarcely less re-
AD Extension of mar^a^e ^8 ^ne expansion of Olive's sentiments.
1765 Olive's On taking leave of the Court of Directors in
views. 1764, he assured them that nothing but extreme
necessity ought to induce them to extend their views of
territorial acquisition beyond the three districts ceded
to them by Meer Cossim. Before sixteen months had
elapsed, he congratulated them on having become the
sovereigns of three kingdoms ; yet, with this demonstration
of the vanity of all such resolutions, he again ventured to
circumscribe the British empire in India, and after ac-
quiring the Dewanee, declared that " to extend our
" possessions beyond the Curumnassa," — the north-west
boundary of the three soobahs, — " would bo a scheme so
"^xtravagantly ambitious that no Government in its senses
" would dream of it." Not more than eighty-four years
after this solemn denunciation, our boundary had crossed
the Indus and was extended to the Khyber Pass.
This transaction was scarcely completed when the new
empire, which Olive assured the Directors that " all the
Mutiny of " princes of Hindostan could not deprive us of
1766 the Euro- " for many years," was shaken to its foundation
peano cers. ^ ^e mutiny of the European officers. They
had been accustomed to an extra allowance, called batta,
when in the field, which the gratitude of Meer Jaffier had
doubled when he was first raised to the throne, and, as it
was not withdrawn when they were in cantonments, they
considered it a permanent right. When the Court of
Directors became responsible for the finances of the country,
they found that the military expenses swallowed up its
resources, and they ordered this extravagant allowance to
cease ; but the timid Council was deterred by the imperious-
ness of the officers from executing their orders. The duty
of reduction was imposed on Olive as he left England, and
SKCT.I.J MUTINY OF EUROPEAN OFFICEKS 163
on his arrival be announced that the double batta was to
cease on the 1st of January, 176G. The officers im-
mediately formed a confederacy to resist the order, and it
was agreed that two hundred of them should resign their
commissions on the same day, and, as an army of 50,000
Mahrattas was advancing to invade Behar, they felt con-
fident that the Government would be obliged to retain their
services on their own terms.
But they had to deal with a man of inflexible resolution,
who declared that he must see the bayonets levelled at his
throat before he would yield to their demands. cu\e'a A-D>
He directed the commandants to accept the resig- inflexibility. !768
nation of every officer, and to send him under arrest to Cal-
cutta. He ordered up officers and cadets from Madras ;
he engaged the services of others in the settlement, and
proceeded with those who remained faithful, to the head-
quarters of the army, arrested the ringleaders, and ordered
them to bo tried by court-martial. In the course of a
fortnight this formidable conspiracy was quashed by his
undaunted firmness. He was fully aware, however, that all
the officers of Government had a real grievance in the
preposterous policy of the Court of Directors, who
limited their allowances to a pittance on which it was not
possible to live, and forbad all engagement in trade, while
they were surrounded with wealth, which their official
position enabled them to grasp with ease. He therefore esta-
blished a Society for conducting a traffic in salt, on the
principle of a monopoly, the profits of which, after a large
reservation for their masters in Leaderihall Street, were to
be proportionately divided among their servants, civil,
military, medical, and ecclesiastical. But it was speedily
suppressed by the Directors, who substituted for it a com-
mission of two and a half per cent, on the gross revenue
of the province.
After a residence of twenty-two months in India, Clive
was driven home by an acute attack of disease. It has
fallen to the lot of few men to exercise so im- cure in
portant and so permanent an influence on the Bn*land- 176'
course of human affairs. He not only made the Company
sovereigns of a country larger than England, with a
revenue of imperial magnitude, but he laid the foundation
of an empire in the east with an irrepressible element of
expansion. Still more, he established the supremacy of
Europe in Asia, which has ever since been growing more
complete, and is never likely to be shaken. His reception
164 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. V.
in England corresponded, at first, with his eminent merits,
but the tables were soon turned against him. His great-
ness excited envy and censure. He had made many
enemies in India by his stern probity and resolution, and
they purchased India stock that they might wreak their
vengeance on him. One Sullivan, a Director, who possessed
great power at the India House, pursued him with inveterate
malignity, and the Court of Directors, who had always
been hostile to him, now manifested their feelings by re-
storing to the service those whom he had cashiered for
peculation or mutiny. The king's ministers joined the hue
AD and cry. The Attorney- General proposed to confiscate all
1773 the donations he had received from native princes. In
Parliament his conduct was stigmatised as a " moss of the
" most unheard of villanies and corruption." But the
feeling of the House revolted from the proposal which was
made to fix a brand of infamy on him, and substituted for
it a resolution that he had rendered great and meritorious
Death of services to his country. But his lofty spirit
1774 OUveg could ill brook the treatment to which he had
been subject, and, iinder the pressure of physical and
mental suffering, he put a period to his existence.
The next five years of administration were a disgrace to
1767 Five years the national character. No sooner was the strong
to of anarchy arm of Olive removed, than the whole system of
1772 . , ngtt * Government was paralysed by the rapacity of the
Company's servants. The covenants they had signed were
treated as waste paper, and they plunged into the inland
trade of the country, and prosecuted it with the strength
of their official authority. The Council had not the power
and still less the inclination to restrain these abuses. The
nefarious charges of commissaries, contractors and engineers
drained the treasury. Every man who was permitted to
make out a bill against the state made a fortune. Theso
evils were indefinitely aggravated by the memorable famine
of 1770, which swept away one-third of the population of
the lower provinces.
SECTION II.
PBOGEBSS OF EVENTS AT MADRAS AND BOMBAY, 1761 — 1772.
HAVING thus narrated the progress of events in the Gangetic
valley, we turn to the transactions in the Deccan during
Affairs at ^s period, and to the intrigues, perfidy, and
hostilities in which the Mahrattas, the Nizam,
SBCP. II.] ACQUISITION OF THE NORTHERN SIRCARS 165
and Hyder Ali, were incessantly involved. The extinction
of the* French power in 1761 placed the prote*ge* of the
English, Mahomed Ali, in the position of nabob of the
Carnatic. Among the native princes of the time he was dis-
tinguished by his imbecility and his unscrupulousness. His
army was a mere rabble, and the Company's Government
found itself encumbered with the expense of defending a
territory of 50,000 square miles without the command of
its revenues. The country had been without any settled
government for twenty years; it had been despoiled by
successive invasions, and it was now administered by a
court piofligate and wasteful, supported by loans raised at
Madras on usurious interest, which impaired the conduct of
strength of those who borrowed them, and the Mahomed
morals of those who provided them. The
governor of Madras was constrained to make a demand
of fifty lacs from the nabob to discharge the obligations
incurred in seating him on the throne ; but his treasury
was empty, and he proposed to him to obtain funds from the
spoliation of several chiefs, and more particularly spoliation of 1733
of the raja of Tanjore, from whom a contribution Tan)°TC-
of twenty -four lacs in four instalments was extorted. The
peace of Paris restored to the French all the possessions
thev had held in India, and provided, moreover, that
Mahomed Ali should be acknowledged by both parties
nabob of the Carnatic, and Salabut Jung Peace of
soobadar of the Deccan. He had been deposed Paria» **M
eighteen mouths before by his brother Nizam Ali, who, on
hearing that his right 1o the throne had been acknowledged
by these two great powers, caused him to be assassinated.
On the memorable 12th of August, 1705, Clive obtained
from the emperor, at the same time with the Dewanee, a
firman releasing the nabob of the Carnatic from all
dependence on the Nizam, and a grant of the Northern 1766
northern Sircars to the Company. These districts Sircare-
on the Coromandel coast had furnished Bussy with the
sinews of war, but, on his departure, had been wrested from
the French by Colonel Forde. Nizam Ali was not disposed
to submit to the alienation of this province, and on hearing
that an English force was marching down to occupy it,
threatened to send his army and exterminate it. The
government of Madras was at this time in the hands of
Mr. Palk, who had gone to India as one of the Company's
chaplains but renounced his orders, went into the civil service,
in which he amassed a noble fortune, and on his return to
166 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. V.
England obtained a baronetcy. The feeble Council of the
Presidency directed the commander to suspend all military
operations and proceed to Hyderabad to negotiate a treaty ;
A,D. and on the 12th November, 1766, he concluded the humili-
1766 ating convention which provided that the Company should
Disgraceful hold ^ne northern Sircars, which had been con-
Madras? °f ^erre(i on them by the supreme authority in India,
as vassals of the contemptible soobadar of the
Deccan, paying a tribute of seven lacs of rupees a year.
But the Madras Presidency went further, and involved the
Company in the intricate web of Deccan politics, by
agreeing to furnish the Nizam with two battalions of infantry
and six pieces of cannon, " to settle everything right and
" proper in the affairs of his highness* government," well
knowing that his immediate object was to employ them in
attacking Hyder Ali.
The rise and progress of this extraordinary chief, one
of the three men who during the last two centuries have
Bise and risen from obscurity to be the founders of great
progress of kingdoms in India, will now demand the reader 's
attention. Mysore was one of the provinces of
the Hindoo empire of Beejanugor, extinguished in 1564, and
fell to the lot of a family of Hindoo princes, who gradually
enlarged their territories, and, though repeatedly invaded
byt the Mahrattas, maintained their independence for two
centuries, till they wero dethroned by Hyder Ali. His family
emigrated from the Punjab, and his father raised himself to
the post of head-constable and obtained the command of a
1702 His birth small body of troops. Hyder was born about the
year 1702, and remained without distinction for
forty-seven years. It was not before 1749, during the
struggles of the French and English for power in the
Deccan, that he attracted the attention of the regent of
His first Mysore at the siege of Deonhully, and was pro-
17*9 distinction, moted to an important command. This brief
epitome affords no space for narrating the progress of his
career ; and it is sufficient to notice that he augmented his
resources by false masters, and by his incomparable tact
and duplicity gradually absorbed the chief authority in the
state. Having at length acquired the absolute command of
the army, he constrained the feeble raja to resign the sceptre
to him and to retire into private life on an annuity, which
1761 was soon after curtailed. He was a brave soldier, a bold and
skilful general, and a brilliant administrator. Like Sevajee
and Runjeet Sing, he was unable to read or write, and it may
SECT. II.] MAHRATTAS AND NIZAM ATTACK HYDER Hi 7
be questioned whether either of them could have passed the
modern test of talent in a competitive examination, but
they could all three create empires and govern them.
Hyder became master of Mysore at the age of sixty, and
devoted himself for twenty years to the aggrandisement of
his power at the expense of his neighbours. Within two
years he extended his authority up to the Kistna, and AD
overran the territory of Bednore on the summit Acquires 1768
of the western ghauts, which overlooks the Bednore-
maritime province of Canara. The capital, then esteemed
the most wealthy city in the Deccan, fell without a struggle,
and Hyder always attributed his subsequent prosperity to
the treasure he obtained in it. He had previously cast off the
title of Hyder Naik, or constable, and assumed the dignity
of Hyder Ali Khan Bahadoor, and he now introduced
a style of greater splendour and etiquette into his court.
The Peshwa, Ballajee Rao, died of a broken heart on
hearing of the fatal battle of Paniput, and was succeeded
by his son Mnhdoo Rao, then eighteen years of warbe-
age. The Nizam determined to take advantage jJJJJ^jiJjjL 175]
of the weakness of the Mahrattas, to recover the the Nizam
districts his predecessor had been obliged to cede andHyder'
to them in their palmy days, and having formed an alliance
with Bhonslay, raja of Nagpore, marched upon Poona, which 1761
he plundered and partially burnt. Raghoba, the uncle of the
Peshwa, retaliated by laying Hyderabad under contribu-
tions, and the two armies met on the banks of the Godavery.
Before the battle, Raghoba had managed to buy off the raja
of Nagpore by the promise of lands valued at thirty-two lacs
a year, and on the eve of the battle he accordingly deserted
the Nizam, who was defeated with great slaughter. But
as the Mahrattas were incensed at the raja for joining the
Nizam, and the Nizam was annoyed by his desertion at a cri- 1765
tical moment, they united their forces, invaded his kingdom,
and stripped him of the greater portion of the territory he
had acquired by his perfidy.
Mysore had hitherto been regarded by the Mahrattas as
a reserve field for plunder when there happened to be no
other marauding expedition on hand, but the Mahrattas
rapid rise of a new power under Hyder Ali, with •**•**
an army of 20,000 horse and 40,000 foot, one half Hy *
of which consisted of well-disciplined battalions, aroused
the alarm and the indignation of the Poona cabinet, and it
was determined to chastise his audacity. An army waa
accordingly despatched into the country, and Hyder was
168 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CnAP.V,
brought for the first time into contact with the Mahrattas,
and suffered a signal defeat. The next year the Peshwa
again took the field, and the Mysore army was a second
time defeated, with the loss of 10,000 men, and Hyder
considered himself fortunate in being relieved from the
Repeated Mahrattas by restoring the greater portion of the
l^65 n'der0* districts he had usurped, and paying an indemnity
y ' of thirty-two lacs of rupees. To compensate for
these losses he invaded the maritime province of Malabar,
which had never been subjugated by the Mahomedan arms.
The gallant Nairs, or military chieftains, offered a noble
resistance, but the whole province was nevertheless
occupied, and the Mysore flag was planted on the towers of
Calicut, the chief of which was still designated the Zamorin,
as in the days of Albuquerque, two centuries and a half
before. From these schemes of conquest Hyder was
recalled to defend his own dominions and to resist a
confederacy of the Mahrattas and the Nizam, into which
1766 the Company was unwillingly drawn by the fatal article in
the treaty of the 12th November, 1766, which bound the
Madras Government to assist the Nizam with an auxiliary
force. He now claimed the fulfilment of this engagement,
and, in an evil hour, Colonel Smith was sent with an army
to co-operate with him and the Mahrattas in coercing
1767 Hyder. The Mahrattas forestalled the Nizam, and crossing
the*Kistna in January, let loose their predatory horse on
Hyder's northern dominions, and constrained him to
purchase their retreat by the payment of thirty lacs of
rupees.
Colonel Smith, on his arrival in the Nizam's camp, found
that he was basely n'lr-^ini r -r with Hyder for a joint attack
Operations on ^e Etagi18*1 army, and he withdrew with the
of«he bulk of his force to defend the frontier of the
force?1 Carnatic. The bargain with Hyder was completed
by an engagement on the part of the Nizam to fall
on the British force on receiving an immediate payment of
twenty lacs of rupees and a promise of six lacs of annual
tribute. The confederate armies numbered 42,000 cavalry
and 28,000 infantry, with a hundred guns, while the British
force did not exceed 1,030 sabres and 5,800 bayonets, with
Col Smith s*xteen guns. With this disproportionate force
1707 defeats Colonel Smith twice defeated the allies and
federates. captured sixty- four pieces of cannon. During
these operations Hyder's eldest son Tippoo, then
seventeen years of age, suddenly advanced to Madras with
SECT. II.] HABEAS TREATY WITH THE NIZAM 169
a body of 5,000 horse, and plundered the country houses of
the Madras gentry, and the members of Government only es-
caped being captured by the eagerness of the Mysore troops
for plunder. In the meantime, the Government of Bengal
sent an expedition by sea under Colonel Peach, to create a
diversion in the Nizam's territories. He landed on the
coast, carried everything before him, and advanced The jj^^.,
to Warungul, within eighty miles of Hyderabad, territoriee
and the Nizam deserted Hyder, and hastened to afctacked»
make his peace with the English.
The affairs of the Nizam were now in a desperate con-
dition. He had been defeated in two engagements ; his
northern territories were occupied and his capital Disgraceful
was threatened ; and the Madras President, Mr. Jj^jjjjj1
Palk, might have dictated his own terms. It
might have been expected that he would, at least, have
declared the former treaty annulled by the monstrous
perfidy of the Nizam ; but, after several weeks of negotiation,
he concluded another treaty, the most disgraceful which had
ever sullied the annals of the Company. It confirmed the
dishonourable onpiircnii'iii to pay tribute for the northern
Sircars, which had been granted by the imperial firman
" to the Company, their heirs and descendants for ever and
" ever, free, exempt and safe from all demands of the
" imperial dewanee office and the imperial court," and it
postponed the possession of the Guntoor Sircar till the death
of the Nizam's brother, Basalut Jung, to whom he had
illegally assigned it. Hyder Ali, who had been a sovereign
prince for seven years, was contemptuously described in
the treaty as Hyder Naik, or constable, a rebel and a
usurper, and it was stipulated that the English Government
should wrest the Carnatic Balaghaut, the table- land of
Mysore, from him, and hold it as a fief of the Nizam on the
payment of seven lacs a year, and likewise pay chout for it
to the Mahrattas, who were no parties to the treaty. To
crown their folly the Madras Council again involved their
masters in all the intrigues and dangers of Deccan politics,
by engaging to assist the Nizam, the most treacherous
prince in that ago of perfidy, with two battalions of sepoys
and six pieces of artillery whenever he should require
them. The treaty was reprobated by the Court of Directors,
who remarked, " We cannot take a view of your conduct
" from the commencement of your negotiations for the
" Sircars, without the strongest disapprobation, and when
" wo see the opulent fortunes acquired by our servants since
170 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. V,
" that period, it gives but too much weight to the public
" opinion that this rage for negotiations, treaties and
" alliances, has private advantage for its object more than
" the public good." A truer verdict was never pronounced
in Leadenhall Street. During this disgraceful decade the
Madras Presidency was sunk in peculation and profligacy
as deeply as that of Bengal, with the additional vice of
official poltroonery,
Hyder, who was fully cognizant of this treaty which
4>D> treated him as an usurper, and bound the English Govern-
1768 War with ment to dismember his dominions, saw that he
Hyder. j^d now fa maintain a struggle for his political
existence, and he prepared for the conflict. An expedition
from the Bombay Presidency had destroyed a portion of his
fleet and captured some of his towns on the Malabar coast ;
but he speedily recovered them, and returned to prosecute
the war in his eastern districts. In the management of the
war into which the Madras Council had so wantonly
plunged, they exhibited the same spirit of infatuation as in
their negotiations. Two "field deputies" were sent to
control the movements of the force, and the supply of the
commissariat was entrusted to the imbecile nabob of the
Carnatic, who disappointed the Government, as a matter of
course. But notwithstanding every disadvantage, Colonel
Smith overran half Hyder' s territories and captured some
of his principal fortresses. Under the dread of a simul-
taneous invasion of the Mahrattas, Hyder deemed it prudent
to bend to circumstances, and offered to cede the Bararnahal
and to pay down ten lacs of rupees ; but the President,
1768 col. Smith's inflated by recent successes, advanced the most
success. extravagant and inadmissible demands, and
Hyder prepared for a mortal struggle. Colonel Smith,
who had remonstrated with the Council on the folly of their
proposals, was recalled to Madras, and the tide now began
to turn against the Company. The siege of Bangalore was
raised, and Hyder, with his usual energy and rapidity,
recovered all the forts he had lost ; descended into the Bara-
mahal, and turned south to Tanjore, and having exacted
four lacs of rupees from the raja, moved up northwards
towards Madras. The consternation of the community may
be readily conceived. It was now the turn of the bewildered
Hyder Council to sue for an accommodation, but after a
1769 dictates fruitless negotiation, they obtained an armistice of
peace' only twelve days when they had asked for forty.
Hyder resumed his course of desolation. He drew Colonel
BBCT. II.] WAE OF THE MAHEATTAS WITH HYDEK 171
Smith, ttho had been reinstated in his command, to a
distance of one hundred and forty miles from Madras, and
determined to bring the war to a termination by dictating
peace nnder its walls. Placing himself at the head of
6,000 of his best cavalry he marched a hundred and thirty
miles in three days and a half, and suddenly making his
appearance at St. Thome, about four miles from Madias,
demanded that an order should be sent to stop the pursuit of
Colonel Smith, who was following him with the greatest
rapidity, and that the President, Mr. Du Pre, who had
succeeded Mr. Paik, might be sent to his camp to treat
with him. Hyder was master of the situation and dictated A.D.
his own terms. A treaty was concluded on the 3rd April, 1769
the salient points of which were a mutual restitution of
conquests, and an alliance offensive and defensive. Hyder
was to be assisted by a British contingent if he was attacked
by any of the powers in the Deccan, and for the third
time did the Madras Council involve the Company in the
ever shifting and perilous politics of the Deccan. Thus
ended the second Mysore war, with the loss of all the
acquisitions which had been made and all the treasure
which had been expended, and above all, of the prestige of
the English arms.
Hyder Ali, having settled his dispute with the Madras 1770
Government, and obtained the promise of its support, with-
held the payments due to the Mahrattas and H d
invaded their territories. The Peshwa assembled and the
a large army with the determination to subjugate ^^f8*
Mysore. Hyder's forts were rapidly reduced and
his districts laid waste, and he was induced to make
overtures of peace ; but as the Peshwa demanded a crore of
rupees the negotiation was broken off. Hyder then
advanced with 35,000 men and forty guns to Milgota,
where ho found himself entrapped into a false position.
After sustaining an incessant cannonade for eight days he 1771
commenced a stealthy retreat by night to ~ '• . ,•
twenty-two miles distant. It was, however, discovered,
and the Mahrattas assaulted the fugitive army with great
vigour, and it was saved from annihilation only by their
eagerness for plunder. Hyder's capital was besieged for
five weeks, and he importuned the President of Madras for
that assistance which he was bound to afford by the recent
treaty. The President and Council considered it of vital
consequence for the honour and the interests of the Com-
pany to support him, but they were overruled by the
172 ABBIDQMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [OHAP.V,
interference of Sir John Lindsay, whom the prime minister,
deluded bj the representation of the nabob of the Carnatic,
had, by an act of incredible folly, sent out as the king's
representative to his court. The authority of the Company's
Government was at once superseded by that of the Crown,
and the profligate nabob not only set the Madras Council at
defiance, but induced Sir John to insist on an alliance with
the Mahrattas. Hyder Ali, deprived of Biitish support, was
reduced to extremities, and obliged to purchase peace by
the payment of thirty-six lacs of rupees and submitting to an
AD annual tribute of fourteen lacs, and making a
1772 5ytoStorj! cession of territory which reduced the kingdom
of Mysore to smaller limits than it comprised at
the beginning of the century. He never forgave or forgot
this desertion, and ten years later exacted a fearful penalty.
Eight years after the Mahrattas had been expelled from
Hindostan by the battle of Paniput, the Peshwa equipped
Mahratta an army °^ 50,000 horse and a large body of
jyg9 expedition infantry, with a numerous artillery, to recover
to^Hindo- their footing, and renew their spoliations. The
first operations of this force were directed against
the Rajpoots, from whom they exacted ten lacs of rupees ;
and then against the Jauts, who agreed to pay them sixty-
five lacs ; after which they overran the districts of the
1770 Rohillas, and ravaged the whole of the Dooab, or country
lying, bet ween the Jumna and the Ganges, and returned to
Delhi before the rains. The emperor, after the arrange-
ment made with Lord Clive in 1765, had continued to
reside at Allahabad, in the tranquil enjoyment of the
annuity settled on him, and of the revenues of Corah and
Allahabad, while the districts around Delhi still attached to
the Crown were administered by Nujeeb-ood-dowlah, and,
on his death, by his son Zabita Khan. The emperor was
naturally desirous of mounting the throne of his ancestors
and establishing his court in the ancient capital. The
Mahrattas were equally desirous of seating him on it, and
obtaining the important influence of his name. In spite of
the advice of the Council in Calcutta, who warned him of
the danger of such a movement, he threw himself into
their arms, and was by them installed on the 25th
December.
The next year the Mahrattas again overran Bohilcund,
and the Bohilla chiefs were driven to solicit the aid of the
Vizier of Oude. There are few transactions involved in
greater obscurity than the negotiations between the Mah-
SBCT. II.] BEFOBM OF THE GOVERNMENT 178
rattas, the Rohillas, and the Vizier, on this memorable oc-
casion. It would appear that the Mahrattas offered to retire
on receiving forty lacs of rupees, or a bond for Negotiation!
that amount from the Rohilla chiefs, but guaran- wtththe
teed by the Vizier himself. The Vizier endorsed
the bond, and received an instalment of five lacs from Hafiz
Ruhmut, the Rohilla chief, but neglected to pay any
portion of it to the Mahrattas. Meanwhile, the Mahrattas
offered to cancel the demand on the Rohillas if they would
join in an attack on Oude, receiving half the conquered
territories ; but they refused to listen to the proposal, and
cast in their lot with the nabob Vizier. Several detach-
ments of Mahrattas laid waste a portion of Rohilcund,
but they were held in check by the combined force of
the Rohillas, of the Vizier, and of the English brigade
sent to protect the country. The Peshwa Mahdoo Rao,
meanwhile, died at Poona, and his successor planned an
expedition to the Carnafcic, and recalled the whole of the
Mahratta force from Hindostan, and they quitted it laden 1773
with the booty of three campaigns. At the close of the
previous year the emperor, unable any longer to support
the arrogance and rapacity of the Mahrattas, met them in
the field, but his army was completely defeated, and he was
obliged to open the gates of Delhi to their hostile battalions,
and submit to all their demands.
The British Government in India at this period presented
a singular anomaly. Tho agents of a London trading
Company had acquired the sovereignty of pro- Reform of
vinces larger and more populous than England. theOovern-
They were making war and peace, putting up and men '
pulling down thrones, and disposing of princely revenues.
Their servants in India, with salaries of three and four
hundred rupees a month, were coming home, year after
year, with colossal fortunes, and setting up establishments
which cast the ancient aristocracy into the shade. The
Indian nabobs, as they were called, were exposed on the
stage and avoided in society, from the impression that their
sudden and enormous wealth had been acquired by injustice
and oppression. Tho machinery of the Government at
home had been constructed for the management of com-
merce, and was ill suited for the administration of an
empire. The posts in India which afforded the means of
amassing these ambitious fortunes were at the disposal of
the Directors, who were elected by the votes of the Pro-
prietors. A vote was consequently considered so valuable
174 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. V.
that in 1771 the ship's husbands, then a wealthy and power-
fdl body, bought fifteen lacs of rupees of stock to create
three hundred votes. The India House became a scene of
jobbery and corruption never seen in England before. The
A.I). Indian Government was equally fetid in London and in
1771 Calcutta. A general cry was raised for Parliamentary
investigation, which was redoubled by the financial em-
barrassments of the Company. The frauds of their servants
in India had exhausted their treasury. With an annual
revenue of two crores and a half of rupees, they owed more
than a crore and a quarter in England, and a crore in
Calcutta. It was in these circumstances of impending
bankruptcy that the Court of Proprietors voted themselves
a dividend at the rate of twelve and a half per cent. The
Court of Directors borrowed of the bank of England as
long as the bank would lend, and then solicited a loan of a
million from the English exchequer, to prevent the doors of
the India House from being closed. The ministers referred
them to Parliament, which was consequently convened
1772 earlier than usual. A select Committee was appointed to
collect evidence, when the scenes of violence and iniquity by
which the British name had been disgraced in India were,
for the first time, laid bare to the nation, and Parliament
determined at once to take the regulation of Indian affairs
into its own hands. The Company protested against this
invasion of their chartered rights, but the universal odium
they had incurred throughout the country placed them at
the mercy of the ministry. The vicious constitution of
their corporation was reformed. The Directors were to be
chosen for four years instead of one; the votes of the
Proprietors were to be limited to four, whatever amount of
1773 Regulating stock they might hold ; and twelve hundred of the
Act proprietors were disfranchised at a stroke. The
governor of Bengal was appointed Govern or- General upon
two lacs and a half a year, with a Council consisting of four,
on one lac each, and a Supreme Court was to be established
in Calcutta on the model of the courts of Westminster,
with a Chief Justice and three puisne judges. The Act,
which was designated the " ]?<"_* u^iiinir Act," purified the
home administration, but it shook the British power in
India to its foundation.
J HASTINGS'S ADMINISTRATION 174
CHAPTEE VI.
SECTION I.
MR. HASTINGH'S ADMINISTRATION TO THE DEPARTURE OK
MK. FRANCIS.
WARREN HASTINGS was appointed in the Act the first
Governor- General of India. He had landed in Calcutta as
a writer on the Company's establishment in 1750,
and was employed for the first seven years in Hastings's
appraising silks and muslins and copying invoices. early career«
A.D.
The great events which followed the battle of Plassy
afforded the first opportunity of developing his talents, and
he was selected by Colonel Clive to represent the Govern-
ment at the durbar of Moorshedabad, then the most
important of subordinate offices in the service. Three
years after he came by rotation into the Council board, and
offered a strenuous resistance to those profligate measures
of his colleagues which brought on the war with Meer
Cossim. He returned to England after fifteen years' 1755
service comparatively poor, while Mr. Vansittart, who
sailed in the same ship with him, \vas reported to have
taken home little short of fifty lacs. After a residence of
several years in England the Court of Directors restored
him to their service, and appointed him second member of
Council at Madras, where ho exhibited such zeal and ability
as to be selected to take charge of the Government of
Bengal. Hastings found the administration in a Governor of
state of complete anarchy. The double Govern- Bcn?al-
ment established by Clive, which was considered a master-
piece ol' policy, had turned out to be the curse of the
country. The management of the revenue, which embraced
the most important functions of Government, was in the
hands of natives, acting under the venal court of the
nabob, though nominally under the control of the English
Resident, and they were practically without any control
whatever. The people were oppressed by the native
functionaries and zemindars, who enriched themselves at
the expense of the state. Supervisors were appointed in
17C9 to check these abuses, but they knew nothing of the
language or of the people, or of the value of the lands, and
became mere tools in the hands of their rapacious banians,
or head officials. The Court of Directors determined
therefore " to stand forth aa Duan," as they termed it, and
176 ABMDaMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
to take on themselves the collection and management of the
revenues through the agency of their own European
eervants. To Hastings was committed the arduous duty of
carrying out this difficult policy, and he entered upon it
with his accustomed resolution. A. new revenue settlement
was formed under the immediate direction of members of
the Council. The charge of civil and criminal jurisprudence
was committed to the covenanted servants of the Company,
*-D* His vigorous and the treasury was removed from Moorshedabad
1773 reforms. to Calcutta, which became from that time forward
the capital of Bengal. Without the aid of a lawyer, he
drew up a simple code of regulations for the courts he had
established, which exhibited in a remarkable degree the
versatility of his talents. All these organic changes were
completed in the brief space of six months.
The first military operations of Hastings's administration
exercised unhappily a very inauspicious influence on his
reputation. The Vizier had long eagerly coveted the
The Eohiiia possession of Rohilcund, and the Mahrattas had
war« no sooner returned to their own country, as
already stated, than he importuned Hastings to assist him
in seizing it, with the offer of forty lacs of rupees, as well as
a subsidy of more than two lacs of rupees a month for the
pay of the troops employed in the service. He represented
that the Bohillas had offered to pay him forty lacs to
deliver them from the Mahrattas, that they had been
expelled by his army, aided by a brigade of Company's
troops, and that the Bohilla chiefs now repudiated the
obligation. The Vizier's tempting offer was made at a time
when the Court of Directors, overwhelmed with debt and
disgrace, were importuning the Council by every vessel for
remittances. The treasury at Calcutta was not only empty,
but more than a crore of rupees in debt. The nabob wanted
territory and Hastings wanted money, and he persuaded
his conscience that the statements of the Vizier were true,
and that the ingratitude of the Bohillas merited punishment,
more especially as this act of retributive justice would like-
wise promote the interests of the Company.
Hastings proceeded to Benares and concluded a treaty
with the nabob to that effect, and at the same time restored
Treaty with ^° ^m ^ne ^wo districts of Corah and Allahabad,
nabob. which Clive had taken from him and made over
to the emperor, and which the emperor had transferred under
compulsion to the Mahrattas. For this grant the treasury
was enriched by a further payment of fifty lacs. The nabob
SBOT. I] NEW GOVERNMENT IN CALCUTTA 177
Vizier, having secured the aid of an English force, demanded
of the Rohilla chief the balance of the bond, of which only five
lacs had been paid. Hafiz Buhmut offered to make good
whatever the Vizier had actually paid to the Mahrattas,
though they had left the country by orders from Poona and
riot through any exertions on his part; but as nothing had
been paid them, the offer was treated with contempt. The
Rohilla chief, seeing the storm ready to burst, offered to
compromise the claim, but the perfidious Vizier raised his
demand to two crores. The Rohillas determined, therefore,
to defend themselves to the last extremity, and brought A D
40,000 troops into the field, but they were Roiniias 1774
defeated and dispersed, and the brave Hafiz defeated.
Ruhmut fell with three of his sons. The Vizier re-
mained beyond the reach of fire, but as soon as the battle was
decided let his troops loose to plunder. " We have the
" honour of the day," exclaimed the English commandant,
" and these banditti the profit of it." This transaction is
one of tho few stains on the bright and honourable career
of Hastings. It is doubtless true that tho Rohillas, who had
recently occupied the country, were, like all other Afghan
tribes in Hindustan and the Dcccan, dangerous and formid-
able neighbours, and might at any time have joined the
Mahrattas and overrun Oude, which the Company's Govern-
ment was bound to defend, but the war unquestionably
originated in the rapacity of the Vizier and also in the
necessities of the treasury in Calcutta. The assertion that
half a million of people were driven across the Ganges, and
that " the country became a howling wilderness," was an
oriental figure of speech.
Six months after the conquest of the Rohillas, the four
judges of the Supreme Court, and the three new councillors,
landed in Calcutta, and the new Government was Now
proclaimed on tho 20th November. Of the Government 1774
councillors, Colonel Monson was a scion of nobility
and had served on the Coast ; General Clavoring was the
personal favourite of the king, and all powerful with the
prime minister ; and Mr. Francis, the reputed author of
Junws, was equally distinguished by his talents and his
malignity. They came out with the impression that the
Government was a compound of tyranny and corruption,
and that Hastings was a monster of iniquity whom it
was the duty of virtuous men to oppose in every mode. At
the first' meeting of Council in which Hastings presided as
Governor-General, they outvoted him, and at once divested
178 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI
him of all power in the Government. They proceeded to
recall Mr. Middleton, whom Hastings had placed as the
Company's representative at Lucknow, and sent Mr.
Bristow one of their friends to occupy the post, thereby
proclaiming the extinction of Hastings^ authority through-
out Hindostan. They ordered the officer in command in
Oude peremptorily to withdraw the brigade, and to demand
the payment of all arrears from the Vizier within a
fortnight, and thus compromised the safety of Oude, and the
faith of the British Government.
During these transactions the Vizier died, upon which
Mr. Francis declared that every engagement between the
Company's Government and that of Oude was
m*5 conduct thereby cancelled, except that which referred to
towards the payment of arrears. Mr. Francis accordingly
constrained his son to enter into a new treaty,
and though he had denounced Hastings for " letting out
"British troops for hire to the Vizier," not only repeated
the bargain, but increased the hire of the troops. He
likewise obliged the Vizier to cede to the Company the
province of Benares, valued at twenty-two lacs a year.
The deceased Vizier had accumulated two crores of
treasure, which were buried in the vaults of the zenana.
His widow and his mother, historically known as the
" begums," claimed the whole of this property under the
terms of a will, which, however, was never produced. The
Vizier was under heavy obligations to the Company, and the
troops, 100,000 in number, were twelve months in arrear.
The treasure was state property and answerable in the
first instance for its debts, but Mr. Bristow constrained the
Vizier to affix his seal to a deed assigning three-fourths of
it to the princesses, under the guarantee of the Govern-
ment in Calcutta. The troops mutinied for pay, and it
was reported that 20,000 were slaughtered, but the state
was preserved from a revolution by the presence of the
Company's brigade.
As soon as it became known that Hastings's authority
was extinct, and that the surest mode of obtaining the
. , favour of those who were now in the seat of power
Accusations . . . . , . *
1775 against was to bring accusations against him, a swarm of
Hastings. informers hastened to Calcutta and filled the
antechambers of his opponents. Charges of every variety
were rapidly manufactured and eagerly welcomed, and the
triumvirate placed it on the minutes of Council " that there
" appeared to be no species of peculation from which the
SHOT. I.] EXECUTION OF NUNKOOMAB 179
" Honourable the Governor- General had thought it reason-
" able to abstain, and by which he had amassed a fortune
" of forty lacs of rupees in two years . " The most important
and memorable of these charges was that brought forward
by Nunkoomar. He was by birth a brahmin, who had
taken an active part in public affairs at Moorshedabad and
Calcutta, and had accumulated a crore of rupees by intrigue
and treachery. He had been repeatedly denounced to
the Council by the Court of Directors for his knavery. On
this occasion he came forward and offered to impeach
Hastings of having received a bribe of three lacs and a half
from Munee begum, who had been appointed by him to
superintend the nabob's household.
The hostile councillors proposed to confront him with the
Govern or- General in the Council chamber, but Hastings
asserted that he knew what was due to the Hastings^ A.D.
character and dignity of the head of the Govern- dignified 1775
ment, and would not preside at the board to be
criminated by the dregs of society. He dissolved the
sitting and retired, when his opponents placed General
Clavering in the chair, and called in Nunkoomar, who
descanted on the venality of Hastings, and produced a
letter from Munee begum, which testified to the payment
of the douceur. The Council immediately voted that the
Governor- General had clandestinely and illegally received
the sum of three lacs and a half, and should be called upon
to refund it to the treasury. The begum denied all know-
ledge of the letter ; the best Persian experts pronounced
the signature a forgery, but the seal appeared to be genuine,
and the mystery was not cleared up till, after Nunkoomar's
death, facsimiles of the seals of every eminent character in
the state were found in his cabinet. For the vindication of
his own character Hastings now hrouo-ht an action for con-
spiracy in the Supreme Court against .Nunkoomar and
several others. The judges admitted the charge, and held
him to bail.
Eight weeks after the commencement of this suit, a
native merchant in Calcutta brought an action for forgery
against Nunkoomar. It had been instituted m . , _,
• • 11 • j i 11 » i T -xr Trial and
originally in the old mayors court, and Nun- execution of 1774
koomar was committed to prison, but released Nunkoomar-
through the intervention of Hastings. On the establishment
of the Supreme Court this suit, together with all others
then pending, was transferred to its files. The forgery was
established by the clearest evidence, before a jury consisting
x 2
180 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY 03? INDIA [CHAP. VI.
of the most respectable European residents in Calcutta, and
he was found guilty and hung in the most conspicuous
portion of the town. This transaction was long considered
the culminating crime of Hastings's administration. It was
asserted in high quarters that the brahmin was murdered
by Hastings through the forma of law, and that the execu-
tion was designed to stifle all further accusations. But
time, the vindicator of truth, has dispelled the clouds of
prejudice. The coincidence of the charge of Hastings
against Nunkoomar and of the native against Nunkoomar
was purely accidental. There has never been a particle of
evidence to connect Hastings with the forgery suit, and his
own assertion that he had neither prompted nor encouraged
it must be considered conclusive. The sentence, however
conformable to the sanguinary laws of England at the time,
was essentially iniquitous. The crime was not capital by
the law of India, nor in the opinion of the native community,
and it was committed before the Supreme Court brought
the weight of English law to press on India. The odium
of the deed is divided between the judges of the Supreme
Court and the triumvirate who, possessed of supreme power,
declined to suspend the execution of the sentence pending
a reference to England, which they must have known
would have saved his life.
The Court of Directors, to whom both parties had
appealed against each other, passed a vote of censure on
Hastings, but it was overruled by the Court of Proprietors,
who entertained an exalted opinion of his merits. During
Hastings ^ne height of the conflict in Calcutta, Hastings,
A..D. tenders his worried by the opposition and insults of his oppo-
1776 iwtfgnation. nen^ jm(J instructeci fog agent in London to tender
his resignation, but two or three months later, having re-
covered the tone of his mind, revoked the authority. The
agent, however, seeing the strength of the current against
Hastings both in Leadenhall Street and Downing Street,
took upon himself to intimate to the Court of Directors
that he was authorised to offer his patron's retirement from
office. Then ensued several months of violent disputes in
the Court between Hastings' s friends and enemies, which
resulted in a resolution by the majority that he had
positively resigned his post, although his letters revoking
his first instructions were before them, and they proceeded
to fill up the vacancy. The intelligence of these transac-
tions created a serious convulsion in Calcutta. General
Clavering, the senior member of council, determined to
SBCT.II.] PROGRESS OF MAHRATTA AFFAIRS 181
take possession of the Government, and was sworn in by
his colleagues as Governor- General ; but Hastings, who
repudiated the fact of his resignation, refused to give up
the keys of the fort or of the treasury, and issued his com-
mands to all civil and military officers to obey no orders but
his own. The dispute was drifting into hostilities, Vio]once and
which must have been fatal to the public interests, death of
when Hastings brought it to a safe issue by gen.ciaver-
offering to refer the question to the arbitrament
of the judges of the Supreme Court, who, after long and
anxious deliberation, continued till four in the morning,
decided that any assumption of authority by Sir John
Clavering would be illegal. He died shortly after, and Hast-
ings recovered his authority for a time by his own casting
vote ; but he was systematically opposed by Mr.
Francis upon every question, political, military, between
and administrative. The contest ended, ac- ^^{j1^8 .
cording to the barbarous practice of the period,
in a duel, in which Mr. Francis was wounded, and soon
after returned to England.
SECTION II.
WAR WITH THE MAHRATTAS.
To resume the thread of affairs in the Mahratta common-
wealth, the constitution of which was passing through
great and important changes. The four chiefs — _ _
£• T i TT 11 n r? •! 1^1 • p Progress of
Sindia and Holkar, the Gaikwar and the raja of Mahratta
Nagpore — originally the generals of the Peshwa, Q^QiK-
were outgrowing his authority, and developing into inde-
pendent princes, and enjoyed two-thirds of the Mahratta
revenues. The military force of the state, consisting of
100,000 splendid cavalry, with a proportionate strength of
foot and artillery, was no longer under the single control of
the Peshwa ; a large portion of it acted under the command
of these princes, each one of whom had his own individual
interests to pursue. The young Peshwa, Mahdoo Rao,
little inferior to any of his race in the cabinet or in the
field, died in November, and was succeeded by his younger 17751
brother, Narrain Rao, who recalled the troops from the
banks of the Ganges, as already stated. After a brief
reign of nine months he was assassinated, as the Mahrattas
universally believed, by the orders of his uncle Raghoba, a
182 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
brave soldier, but an inveterate intriguer, always imprudent
A,D. Eaghoba an(* never fortunate. He took possession of the
1773 assassinates vacant tbrone, and at once plunged into hostili-
es wa. ^eg ^.^ ^e Nizam, and constrained bim to
make a large cession of territory, wbicb, bowever, by an
act of infatuation, be restored to bim. He tben proceeded
against Hyddr, from wbom be obtained notbing but empty
promises. From these southern expeditions be was recalled
to tbe seat of government by a formidable confederacy
raised against him by the leading ministers at Poona.
They bad received intimation that the widow of the
deceased Pesbwa was about to become a mother, and they
conveyed her for security to a hill fortress, taking the precau-
tion of sending with her a number of brahmin females in the
same condition, to meet tbe contingency of her giving birth
to a daughter. The widow was confined of a son, who was
1774 installed as the Pesbwa Mabdoo Rao the second, and a
regency was formed to conduct tbe Government. Raghoba
Kaghoba's hastened towards Poona, and with tbe aid of
movements. Morari Rao of Gooty, tbe greatest Mabratta
general of tbe age, who had measured swords with Law-
rence and Olive, inflicted a crushing defeat on tbe army of
the regency ; but, instead of following up bis victory by
advancing at once upon the capital, and taking advantage
of the consternation which prevailed, he turned off to
Bporhanpore, and moved across the Nerbudda. There he
was joined by Sindia and Holkar, as they returned from
Bobilcund, and advanced into Guzerat to secure the aid of
the Gaikwar's troops.
Raghoba now opened negotiations with tbe President of
Bombay, and made an offer of money and territory, in
return for military support, which was eagerly
nutates embraced. The Company, whose possessions had
1775 with Bom- been confined for a century to Bombay, had
ay* always coveted the acquisition of the harbour of
Bassein, and the island of Salsette, separated from it by a
narrow channel. The President offered to assist Raghoba
with a body of troops, on his providing funds for their
maintenance, and ceding these coveted possessions in per-
petuity to the Company; but he could not bring himself to
alienate tbe island and tbe harbour, wbicb tbe Mabrattas
prized tbe more highly as they had been wrested from a
1739 European power, tbe Portuguese, about thirty years before.
An engagement was nevertheless concluded with bim, and
a British force of 1,500 men sent to bis aid. While tbe
SHOT. II.] BATTLE OF ARRAS 183
negotiation was pending, the Bombay authorities received
information that a large armament was about to be sent
from Goa to recover Bassein and Salsette, and as they con-
sidered that the Portuguese were likely to be more trouble-
some neighbours than the Mahrattas, proceeded to take A.D.
summary possession of them. Meanwhile, the regency at *774
Poona having succeeded, by large offers, in detaching
Sindia and Holkar from the cause of Raghoba, sent a large
force to attack him. He was routed at Wassud, and fled
with 1,000 horse to the encampment of Colonel Keating,
who had by this time reached Surat with the Bombay de-
tachment.
A treaty was then presented for his acceptance, which 1775
stipulated that the Bombay Government should furnish him
with a body of 8,000 troops to reinstate him as Peshwa, on
condition of his coding territory of the annual value of
nineteen lacs of rupees, making an immediate payment of
eighteen lacs, and irrevocably ceding Salsette and Bassein;
and he could no longer continue to refuse this demand. It
was this treaty, called the treaty of Surat, which Treaty of
involved the Company in the first Mahratta war, Surat-
and it was concluded without the knowledge of Hast-
ings and the Supreme Council. The Bombay authorities
having thus embarked in a war with the regency, Battle of 1775
ordered Colonel Keating to march down on Poona. Arras.
He found the Mahratta army strongly posted at Arras, and it
was on this field that the English and Mahratta forces met
for the first time since the gentlemen of the factory of
Surat had gallantly repulsed Sevajoe in 1669. The dis-
proportion of the armies was as ten to one, but the
Mahratta generals sustained a signal defeat and fled pre-
cipitately across the Nerbudda, after having thrown their
guns into it. The Gaikwar, who had hitherto held aloof,
now hastened to join Raghobn, and promised to furnish
him with a large supply of money and to secure to the
Company a share of the revenues of Broach. The Mahratta
fleet was simultaneously crippled by the English commo-
dore. The campaign had been prosperous beyond the
highest expectation, and the insignificant Presidency of
Bombay had obtained territory of the value of twenty-four
lacs a year. The Poona regency was tottering, and the
Nizam had been emboldened by their weakness to exact a
considerable cession of territory.
These brilliant prospects were marred by the folly and
perversity of Mr. Francis and his associates. They
184 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI,
pronounced the treaty impolitic, dangerous, and unjust, and
L D. Folly of the a^ove a^ unauthorised by the Supreme Council,
775 Supreme which had been invested with the control of the
Council. minor Presidencies, and they sent peremptory
orders to annul the treaty and recall the army from the field.
Hastings equally disapproved of the treaty, but took a
statesman's view of their position, and affirmed that as the
Company's Government was actually involved in war, it
should be prosecuted with vigour, and concluded as speedily
as possible. At the same time the majority in Council
deputed Colonel Upton to Poona to disavow the proceedings
of the Bombay Government, and to open negotiations
with the regency. It was in vain the Bombay autho-
rities remonstrated on the imprudence of destroying
their influence, and withdrawing the victorious troops
from the field, and the disgrace of violating a solemn
engagement.
Colonel Upton, on his arrival at Poona, found the astute
ministers determined tp take advantage of these divided
»7fl Col. Upton councils. The^ extolled to the skies " the wisdom
at Poona. « of the great governor of Calcutta, who had
" ordered peace to be concluded ;" but when the Colonel
proposed that Salsette and Bassein should be guaranteed to
the Company, they assumed an arrogant tone, and demanded
the immediate surrender of Raghoba, and the restoration of
all the territory the Company had recently acquired. The
insolent demands of the regency roused the indignation of
Mr. Francis and his colleagues, and they determined to
support Raghoba ; the troops were again ordered to take the
field, and a supply of treasure was despatched to Bombay. But
the regency, after a little more bluster, came to terms with
Treaty of Colonel Upton, and the treaty of Poorundur was
1776 Poorundur. concluded, which stipulated that Raghoba should
disband his army, and retire to the banks of the Godavery,
that all the territorial acquisitions of the Company should
be relinquished with the exception of Salsette, which
11 might be retained if the Governor- General desired it," and
that twelve lacs of rupees should be paid for the expenses
of the war " by way of favour." Considering that all the
advantages of the late campaign had been on the side of
the English, the Bombay President was justified in pro-
nouncing the treaty " highly injurious to the interests and
"reputation of the Company." It was a flagrant breach
of faith with Raghoba ; it shook the confidence of the native
*" : princes in the engagements of our Government, and it
SECT. II.] REVOLUTIONS AT POONA 185
inflated the regency with an. undue sense of its power,
which led to future difficulties.
Four months after the signature of the treaty, a despatch
was received from the Court of Directors approving of the
treaty of Surat, directing that the territories Decision of A.D.
ceded by Raghoba shonld be retained, and that the court of 1773
the other Presidencies should assist in supporting
him. The Bombay Council, smarting under the indignity
which had been inflicted on them, gave the treaty of
Poorundur to the winds, invited Raghoba to Bombay, and
settled a monthly allowance on him. The Poona regency
raved at this violation of the treaty, bnt their strength was
weakened by discord between the aged premier Succaram
Bapoo and his younger associate Nana Fnrnavese. To
increase the complication of affairs at Poona, a French
adventurer, of the name of St. Lubin, anived
there in March, and announced himself as the
envoy of the king of France, then on the eve of a war with
England. He was authorised, he said, to offer the regency
the support of 2,500 Europeans, and equipments for 10,000
sepoys, as well as officers to discipline and command them.
Nana Furnavese affected to believe in his mission, and made
over to him the harbour of Choul, only twenty-three miles
from Bombay, for the reception of the troops.
Soon after another despatch was received from the Court,
rogrof iiiiLr the sacrifices made by the treaty of
Poorundur, and stating that while the Directors
were determined to adhere to it, if any attempt
were made to evade any of its provisions, the lrec re'
Bombay Government should be at liberty to renew the
alliance with Raghoba. The President found little difficulty
in discovering infractions of a treaty which the Mahrattas
never intended to respect, and prepared to espouse the
cause of Raghoba. These movements were quickened by a
revolution in the cabinet at Poona which placed the 1778
partisans of Raghoba in the ascendant, and an envoy was
sent to Bombay to request tho President to conduct him to
the capital with a military force. Within a few months a
counter-revolution placed Nana Furnavese in power, and
extinguished the party of Raghoba, but the Bombay Council
were determined not to abandon him. Their passions were
enlisted in his cause, which they identified with their own ho-
nour; and, without adequate preparation, without alliances,
without even a commander in whom they had any confi-
dence, they determined to launch a handful of men against
186 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA |CHAP. VI.
the whole strength of the Mahratta empire. Nana Furna-
vese prepared to meet the coming storm, increased his
army, provisioned his forts, and refitted his fleet.
A new treaty was now made with Raghoba, which
differed little from that of Surat. An army of 4,000 men,
*•&• Expedition of whom 600 were Europeans, was sent to capture
1778 toPoona. the Mahratta capital, under Colonel Egerton, an
officer utterly unfit for the charge. Encumbered with
19,000 bullocks, besides other cattle, the army moved at
the rate of two miles a day, while the forces of the enemy
were accumulating around it. Colonel Egerton resigned
the command to Colonel Cockburn, but the responsibility
of all movements lay with Colonel Carnac, who had been
sent as civil commissioner with the force. On reaching
Tullygaum, which had been burnt, a report was spread that
the Mahrattas intended also to burn Chinchore, and even the
capital itself. Colonel Carnac was seized with a panic, and
though only eighteen miles from Poona, with eighteen
days' provisions in the camp, determined, in the first
instance, to open a negotiation with the regency, and then
to retreat. Without waiting for the result of the negotia-
tion, he threw his heavy guns into a pond, and commenced
his retreat, hotly pursued by the enemy. On the evening
Co v nti °^ ^e l^^h January the army encamped at
1779 of War- Wurgaum. The Mahrattas brought up their
gaum. guns during the night, and assailed the camp
with great vigour in the morning. The bewildered Carnac
declared that even a retreat was now impossible and made
overtures to Nana Furnavese, who demanded the surrender
of Raghoba before he would listen to terms. The commis-
sioner would have complied with the demand had ho not
saved them from this infamy by delivering himself up to
Sindia, and, under the auspices of that chief, the British
army was rescued from destruction by a convention which
sacrificed all the acquisitions obtained since ] 773, and for the
first time obliged the British Government to give hostages
to a victorious enemy. The Court of Directors lost no time
in dismissing Colonels Egerton, Cockburn, and Carnac
from their service. Bombay was now at the mercy of the
Mahrattas, and its preservation depended on the arrival of
General Goddard's expedition from Hindostan.
Hastings, who had recovered his ascendancy in Council,
gave his sanction to the proposal of the Bombay Council to
support Raghoba, and resolved likewise to send an expedi-
tion from Bengal across the continent, to frustrate the
SECT. II.] EXPEDITION OF GENERAL GODDARD 187
intrigues of the French at Poona, and to strengthen the A D
Bombay Presidency. The force consisted of Q^^Jj.g 1778
between 4,000 and 5,000 men, and was destined expedition.
to march from the banks of the Jumna to Bombay, through
1,000 miles of unknown country occupied by chiefs who were
far more likely to be hostile than friendly. It was pi onounced
by Mr. Dundas, the India minister, one of " the frantic mill-
" tary exploits of Hastings," but it was through such frantic
exploits that British power and prestige had been estab-
lished in India by a handful of foreigners. It was conducted
by General Goddard, one of the most illustrious names in
the history of British India. So strict was the discipline
which he maintained, so punctual his payments, and so con-
ciliatory his intercourse with the chiefs and people on the
route, that they cheerfully supplied him with all his
requisitions. The raja of Bhopal particularly distinguished
himself by his generous hospitality, though threatened with
the vengeance of the Mahratta regency. On reaching
Boorhanpore the general heard of the misfortunes of the
Bombay force, and turned out of his route to Surat, by
which he avoided an encounter with a body of 20,000
horse sent from Poona to intercept him.
The timely arrival of General Goddard on the western
coast, and the eclat of this celebrated expedition, proved
the salvation of the Bombay Presidency, and re-
stored the reputation of the British arms. The QoddanTs 177$
convention of Wurgaum was equally repudiated continued
by the Bombay Government and by Hastings, succes8*
who directed General Goddard to open a fresh negotiation
with the regency on tho basis of the treaty of Poorundur.
In the mean time Sindia connived at the escape of Raghoba,
who repaired to Surat, where he was honourably entertained
by General Goddard, and received an allowance of half a
lac of rupees a month. The reception granted to him gave
mortal offence to the regency, who determined to join the
confederacy which had just been formed against the Com-
pany, and in reply to the General's categorical demand
of a reply to his proposal, informed him that the sur-
render of Raghoba, and the restoration of Salsette, were
the indispensable preliminaries of any treaty ; he therefore
dismissed their vakeels and prepared for war. At the same
time he concluded a treaty, offensive and defensive, with
the Gaikwar, which provided that he should join the
Euglish camp with 3,000 horse, and receive possession of
all the Peshwa's territories north of the Myhee, and make
188 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
over certain districts south of it to the Company. On the
a.o. 10th February General Goddard captured the noble city of
1779 Ahmedabad, the modern capital of Guzerat, and, having
dispersed an army of 20,000 horse with which Sindia
and Holkar were advancing to attack him, encamped for the
season on the banks of the Nerbudda.
The success which meanwhile attended our arms in the
north-west of Hindostan was equally brilliant. Hastings
Capture of sent a force of 2,400 infantry, with cavalry and
Gwalior. artillery, under the command of Major Popham,
one of the most enterprising officers in the service, to
protect the little principality of Gohud, sixty miles south-
east of Agra, from the encroachments of Sindia. He
marched in February, and after having captured Lahar,
1780 without a battering- train, by the sheer gallantry of his
men, proceeded to the celebrated fortress of Gwalior, on the
summit of a stupendous rock scarped almost entirely round,
and deemed throughout India impregnable. Sir Byre Coote,
the veteran hero of the Carnatic, then General in chief in
Bengal, pronounced the attempt to capture it an act of
madness, but Popham had set his heart on the " glorious
" object," as he called it, and lay about the fort for two
months silently maturing his plans. On the night of the
3rd of August, under the guidance of Captain Bruce, twenty
European soldiers and two companies of sepoys, led by four
officers, applied their scaling ladders to the successive
stages of rock and battlements ; the bewildered garrison
made a feeble resistance; and at daybreak, without the loss
of a single man, the British ensign was waving over the
ramparts. The report of this achievement resounded
through India, and served to wipe out the disgrace of the
" infamous convention " of Wurgaum, as Hastings always
designated it, and which he said it was worth millions to
obliterate. Major Camac, who succeeded Major Popham,
brought up an additional force, and not only invaded
Sindia' s possessions in Malwa, but threatened his capital,
Defeat of an<l he was obliged to quit Poona to attend to the
'•8 Sindia. defence of his own dominions. Major Camac,
who was no soldier, allowed himself to be surrounded by
the more numerous army of Sindia. His camp was reduced
to a state of starvation, and he would have been obliged to
surrender had not Captain Bruce, who had distinguished
himself at Gwalior, made a vigorous attack on Sindia's
camp during the night. The surprise was complete, and
he lost elephants, horses, baggage, and men, but, above all,
SECT. II. j CONFEDEBACY AGAINST THE COMPANY 189
his reputation, while the crest of his rival, Holkar, was
elevated by a successful attack on General Goddard.
Towards the close of 1779 Hastings received intimation
of a general confederacy * -p1,1 ' • -1 by the Nizam to ex-
tinguish the power of the Company, which Confederac A.D.
embraced all the princes of India with the excep- againat^e7 1779
tion of the Gaikwar. A simultaneous attack was Enslish-
to be made on all the Presidencies. Hyder was to invade
Madras ; the attack of Bombay was assigned to Sindia,
Holkar, and the regency ; while the raja of Nagpore was to
enter Bengal through his province of Cuttack. England was
at the same time at war with the French, and they were
intriguing at Poona. Never had the Company been
menaced with such peril, and it required the extraordinary
genius of Hastings to avert it. Hyder was the first in the
field, and burst upon the Carnatic, as will be hereafter
narrated. Bombay was left to its own resources, and the
governor, Mr. Hornby, proved equal to the emergency.
The gallant Colonel Hartley had cleared the Concan of the
Mahrattas, but it was again invaded by Nana Furnavese,
and he had to sustain for two days the assault of 20,000
Mahratta horse with only 2,000 exhausted troops, and 600
sick in his camp. On the third day the Mahratta general
was killed, and the army became dispirited and retired.
General Goddard ascended the ghauts with a large force,
in the hope of capturing Poona, but he was incessantly
assailed by the Mahrattas, and, being vigorously attacked by
Holkar with 125,000 troops, was obliged to retreat to Bom- 1781
bay with the loss of 450 of his troops — the only reverse he
experienced in his victorious career.
The raja of Nagpore, in accordance with the compact, sent
his son Chimnajee with 30,000 troops to Cuttack, but he
was lukewarm in the cause of the allies, and Nagpore de-
loitered seven months on the road. On reaching taohetifrom 1780
the province he found himself straitened for theleague-
funds, and he accepted the offer of sixteen lacs of rupees
which Hastings made him on condition of his w ' * . • .'• u-
from the confederacy. Hastings was thus enabled to buy
off the most formidable member of the league, and to save
Bengal from the horrors of predatory warfare. To relievo
Madras from the pressure of Hyder's army, Hastings
resolved to send a detachment of Bengal troops ; but as the
sepoys had recently broken into revolt, and murdered their
officers, to avoid a sea voyage, he adopted the bold plan of
sending them by land seven hundred miles along the coast,
190 ABRIDGMENT Off THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
AD through, unknown and probably hostile provinces. This
1781 was another of the " frantic military exploits of Hastings,"
but it effectually overawed the native chiefs and augmented
our prestige. The raja of Nagpore, on the receipt of the
money, agreed to send 2,000 horse to co-operate with this
expedition, which Colonel Pearce conveyed to Madras in
safety.
After his defeat by Major Camac, Sindia perceived that
with a victorious enemy in the heart of his dominions he
had everything to lose by connnnin-j: a conflict
which might end in driving him across the
Nerbudda and destroying his influence in the
Mahratta commonwealth. He accordingly made overtures
to the British commandant which Hastings was but too
1781 happy to accept. They resulted in a treaty, signed on the
13th October, by which all the territories of Sindia west of
the Jumna were restored to him, and he agreed to negotiate
a peace between the Company and the regency at Poona ;
and, at all events, to remain neuter. Hastings' s anxiety for
peace with the Mahratta s was quickened by the arrival of a
French armament on the Coast, which he feared might
result in the extirpation of our nation from the Carnatic.
To bring the war with the Mahrattas to a close, he was
ready to sacrifice every foot of ground which had been gained
from them, not excepting even the harbour of Bassein.
A,fter a succession of disappointments the treaty ot
Salbye was at length completed on the 17th May through
Treaty of the mediation of Sindia, who undertook to
1782 Salbye. guarantee the settlement, and thus acquired
additional consequence among the Mahratta chiefs. All
the territory acquired by the Company since the treaty of
Poorundur was relinquished, and it was stipulated that
Hyder AH should be required to restore all his conquests in
the Carnatic and to release his prisoners within three
months, on pain of being treated as an enemy by the
regency. Nana Furnavese, after having accepted the
treaty, delayed the ratification of it for six months, while he
endeavoured to make advantageous terms with Hyder for
repudiating it. Hastings's impatience for the completion
of this pacification was raised to fever heat by the receipt
on the 5th December of a copy of the resolution of the
House of Commons, to the effect that he had acted contrary
to the honour and policy of the nation, and that it was the
duty of the Court of Directors to remove him from the
head of affairs. The promulgation of this vote throughout
SECT. III.] UNJUST CONDUCT TO TANJOKE 191
India would not only have prevented the ratification of the
treaty, but paralysed the authority of Government in A.IX
every court ; but on the 7th the death of Hyder dispersed 1782
thu cloud of anxiety, and Nana Furnavese immediately
ailixed the Peshwa's seal to the treaty. The peace thus
concluded with the Mahratta powers continued unbroken
for twenty years.
SECTION III.
PROCEEDINGS AT MADRAS, 1771 — 1780.
WE revert now to the progress of events at the Madras
Presidency and in the south of India. The little Hindoo
kingdom of Tanjore had been in *t great measure nooeedmgs 1771
exempt from the ravages of war during the ttt Tanjore.
hostilities with Hyder, which terminated in the peace
dictated by him under the walls of Madras. Mahomed AH,
the nabob of the Carnatic, now came forward and im-
portuned the Madras Council to assist him in plundering
the raja, as former nabobs had done. The demands of the
nabob were exorbitant, but, after a little virtuous reluc-
tance, the President sent an army into the country. The
Tanjorines offered a spirited defence, but a breach was at
length effected in the fortifications, when the nabob's second
son, without consulting the English commander, who
had been dragged into this unholy crusade, signed a treaty
with the raja after having extorted an engagement to pay
fifty lacs of rupees In less than two jcars he again
demanded the assistance of the Madras Council to extermi-
nate the raja, on the plea that a fifth of the payment was
still due, and that he had been in communication with
Hyder AH and the Mahratta-s. The President was fully
aware that to meet the extortion he had been under the
necessity of pledging his crown jewels and even his princi-
pality— to the Dutch at Negapatam, instead of to the
English at Madras — but was base enough to resolve on his
ruin. An array was despatched in September ; the raja was
deposed and the principality made over to the unprincipled
nabob. The Court of Directors, indignant at i)ir<?cton* 1774
this infamous proceeding, expelled the President, restore the
Mr. Wynch, from the service and peremptorily ™^
ordered the country to be restored to the raja. Lord Pigot,
who had been in the Madras civil service forty years and
amassed a fortune of forty lacs of rupees, obtained an Irish
192 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
peerage on his return to England, and was now sent out as
governor of Madras ; and, though offered a bribe of sixty
lacs of rupees by the nabob to prevent the execution of the
Court's orders, proceeded in person to Tanjore and seated
the raja on his ancestral throne.
The restoration was no sooner proclaimed than Paul
Benfield, a Madras civilian, caine forward and advanced a
^P: Paul claim on the revenues. Nothing can more clearly
Benfield. demonstrate the total demoralisation of the Com-
pany's service at Madras at that period than the fact that
this man, who came to India without a farthing, and whose
salary had never exceeded three hundred rupees a month,
should not consider it preposterous to assert that for money
lent to the nabob he had assignments on the revenues of
Tanjore of sixteen lacs, and for money lent to individuals he
had assignments on the present crop of more than seven
lacs. After long deliberation, the Council rejected his
claim ; but as they and other members of the civil service
were creditors, real or fictitious, of the nabob to the extent
of a crore and a half of rupees, they perceived that they
were thereby impairing their own claims and the question
was reconsidered. Lord Pigot and his friends strenuously
resisted these nefarious proceedings, but a majority of seven
to five voted that the assignments made to Benfield were
valid. The breach in the council became wider. Lord Pigot
Lordj'igot suspended two of the members, and placed Sir
1776 confined. Robert Fletcher, the Com mander-in- Chief, under
arrest, and the majority retaliated by placing the governor
himself in confinement and seizing the Government. The
Court of Directors ordered that he should be restored to his
position and then resign the service. Seven of the members
of Council were dismissed, and Sir Thomas Rumbold,
who had been in the public service in Bengal, was placed at
the head of the Government, but neither was his administra-
tion smooth, and it ended in his recall.
Basalut Jung, who held tlie Guntoor Sircar as a fief of
his brother the Nizam, had taken a small French force into
Gnntoor his service, but had acceded to the request of the
1779 sircar. Madras Government to receive a British detach-
ment in its stead, and to make over the Sircar for its support.
The treaty was no sooner signed than it was leased for
ten years to the nabob Mahomed Ali, that is, to his
creditors, and a key was thus furnished to the transaction.
Mr. Holland was deputed to Hyderabad to explain it to the
Nizam, who expressed no little resentment at this inde-
SECT. III.] PBOGEESS OF HYDER ALI 193
pendent negotiation with one of his feudatories, and this
interference with the affairs of his family. But when
Mr. Holland proceeded farther to request, on the part of the
Madras Government, that the sum of seven lacs which was
paid as tribute for the Northern Sircars should be remitted,
his indignation knew no bounds, and he charged the
Madras authorities with a flagrant breach of faith. It was
under the influence of thir; feeling of irritation that he set A>IX
himself to organize the general league for the expulsion of 1779
the English previously alluded to. Hastings on hearing
of these proceedings immediately superseded the authority
of the Madras Government at the Nizam's Court, and
assured him that the intentions of the British Government
were honourable and pacific ; that the Sircar should not be
occupied, and that the annual tribute should be paid up as
soon as possible. By these assurances Hastings was enabled
to neutralize the Nizam in the contest for existence which
was now impending.
The second war with Hyder Ali commenced in 1780, but
before entering on the narrative of it, a review of his pre-
vious progress for eight years appears necessary. Progress Of
It has been stated that the crushing defeat he HvderAH,
J j. T\f 1 i. J J 1 • • 1773-1780.
experienced at Milgota reduced his possessions
within a very narrow compass, but the confusion created at
Poona by the murder of the Peshwa enabled him to recover
his position. In November he subjugated the principality 1773
of 0~?rg, which offered a noble resistance and was subjected
to extraordinary barbarity. He promised the sum of five
rupees for each head, and distributed the reward in person,
and seven hundred heads were piled up before he ordered
the carnage to cease. The next year he reconquered the
districts of which the Mahrattas had dispossessed him, and 1774
strengthened his authority in Malabar. Alarmed by these
incessant encroachments, and by the support he afforded to
Raghoba, the regency at Poona formed an alliance against
him with the Nizam, and the combined armies took the field
in 1776; but the generals were corrupted by the gold of 1773
Hyder, the expedition proved abortive, and his power was
extended up to the banks of the Kistna. Notwithstanding
the refusal of the Madras Government to afford him aid, iii
accordance with the treaty, under the sinister influence of
Mahomed Ali and Sir John Lindsay, he renewed the appli-
cation, to enable him to meet the continued hostility of the
Mahrattas. Ho asked only for a supply of stores and arms,
and a small body of troops, for which he was prepared to
0
194 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBYOF INDIA [CHAP. VI,
make a suitable return in money, but the Madras Council,
who were still controlled by the nabob, resisted every over-
ture and turned him into an irreconcilable enemy.
Information was soon after received of the commencement
of war between France and England, and Pondicherry,
H*79 war with which had been completely rebuilt, was captured
France. after a gallant resistance of ten days, fn an-
nouncing this success to Hyder, the governor of Madras
intimated that it was his intention to send an expedition
against the French settlement at Mahe, a small port on the
Capture of Malabar coast, through which Hyder had been
Mahe. jn ^Q habit for three years of receiving supplies
and recruits from Europe. He replied that he should sup-
port the French garrison with all his strength, and retaliate
any attack by invading the Carnatic ; the place was never-
theless attacked and taken, though his colours were hoisted
side by side with those of his French allies. While Hyder 's
feelings were in this state of irritation, an envoy arrived
from Poona to request that, as he had the same reason as
the regency to complain of the perfidy of the English, he
would join the general confederacy which had been formed to
expel them from India. The regency promised an amicable
adjustment of all differences, the relinquishment of the
chout, and a confirmation of his right to all the territories
he had acquired up to the Kistna. Their proposal was
accepted with avidity.
* Preparations were now made on the largest scale. Hyder,
in his seventy- eighth year, superintended every arrange-
Hyder ment in person, and by the end of June had
1780 bursts on the equipped the most efficient force ever collected
Carnatic. *r _ .
under the banner of a native prince. It con-
sisted of 90,000 horse and foot, a large proportion of which
had been trained under European officers. His artillery
consisted of a hundred guns, directed also by European
skill and science, and his commissariat had been admirably
organised by the Hindoo Poornea, one of the ablest of his
officers. While this portentous cloud was advancing
towards Madras, the Government was buried in a fatal
security, and the Commander-in-Chief declared that there
was not the slightest cause for apprehension, but this illusion
was speedily dispelled. Hyder, having completed his pre-
parations, and proclaimed a jehad, or holy crusade, in every
mosque and temple in Mysore, burst on the Carnatic on the
20th of July, and his progress was marked by the blaze of
villages and towns, and the desolation of the country. He
SKCT. III.] DEFEAT OF COLONEL BAILLIB 195
appeared determined to exhaust all the resources of cruelty
which his ferocious nature could suggest. The wretched
inhabitants were driven with their flocks and families to
Mysore, and those who lingered were mutilated. All the
forts, except four, held by English lieutenants, were sur-
rendered by the venal or dastardly officers of the nabob.
The Madras army did not exceed 8,000, of which number
2,500 were under Colonel Baillie in Guntoor, and it was
not till clouds of smoke were seen in every direc- March Of
tion from St. Thomas's Mount, nine miles from Madras
Madras, that orders were issued to take the field. army'
Sir Hector Munro moved out to Conjeveram to relieve
Arcot, which contained the few military stores the nabob
possessed, and which Hyder had besieged. Colonel Baillie
was ordered to join Sir Hector with expedition, but he
halted on the banks of the Cortilla when it was fordable,
and the next day it was swelled by the rains, and continued
impassable for ten days. Hyder Ali sent Tippoo with the
flower of his army to prevent the junction, and an action was
foughton the 6th September, in which Tippoo was so severely
handled that he informed his father that no impression
could be made on the English force without reinforcements,
while Colonel Baillie informed the general that it was no
longer in his power to join him at Conjeveram. Instead of
proceeding at once with his whole force, Sir Hector simply
detached Colonel Fletcher with 1,100 men to reinforce
Colonel Baillie. So great was the dread which Hyder
entertained of British prowess, that he had determined, in
case of a junction of the two forces, to raise the siege of
Arcot and retire. Colonel Fletcher and Colonel Baillie
moved forward till the evening of the 9th, and a short
march would have completed their union with the main
body, but by an act of incredible fatuity Colonel Baillie
ordered his men to lie on their arms for the night. Hyder
Ali, seeing no preparation for any movement on the part of
Sir Hector, brought his whole force up against Colonel
Baillie. He planted his guns during the night with great
skill, and on the morning of the 10th September the 1750
encampment was enveloped by the whole Mysore army.
The troops fought like heroes, and the European pefeat oc
force, when reduced to 800, still demanded to be Baiiiie.
led against the enemy ; but Colonel Baillie refused to
sacrifice the lives of these brave men, and held out a flag
of truce, when Hvder's soldiers rushed on them and would
have butchered tne whole body but for the interference of
o 2
196 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. VL
the French officers. Of eighty-six officers, seventy were
killed or wounded, and the whole army, with all its stores,
baggage, and equipments, was irretrievably lost. Had the
Commander-in- Chief moved up when the cannonade was
first heard, Hyder, attacked on both sides, must have
suffered a severe defeat ; but the dastardly Munro threw his
heavy guns into the great tank or pond at Conjeveram,
destroyed his stores, and retreated in haste and disorder
to Madras, hotly pursued by the enemy.
A vessel was immediately despatched to Calcutta with
information of the disaster. To the embarrassment of a
Energy of war with the Mahrattas was now added that of a
Hastings. war W^}T Hyder, which had opened with the
greatest disgrace the English arms had as yet suffered in
India ; but never did the genius and resolution of Hastings
appear more conspicuous than on this occasion. " All my
' hopes," he wrote, " of aggrandizing the British name and
4 enlarging the interests of the Company have given instant
' place to the more urgent call to support the existence of
* both in the Carnatic ; nor did I hesitate one minute to
* abandon my own views for such an object." He sus-
pended Whitehill, the officiating governor of Madras who
had refused to restore the Guntoor Sircar ; he despatched
every soldier that could be spared, together with fifteen lacs
of rupees, for the exclusive use of the army, not to be
fjngered by the civilians ; and the whole expedition was
equipped and embarked within three weeks. The veteran
Sir Eyre Coote, who had extinguished the French
proceed* to power on the Coast twenty years before, con-
1780 Madras* sented to take the command, and retrieve the
honour of the Company amidst the scenes of his early
triumphs. Hastings also adopted the hazardous expedient
of stopping the Company's investment and devoting the
funds to the expedition ; but even this resource was found
insufficient, and he was obliged, for the first time in bin
administration, to have recourse to a loan.
SBCT. IV.J COOTE KETBIEVES AFFAIKS AT MADRAS 197
SECTION IV.
PROCEEDINGS AT MADRAS, FROM THE DEFEAT OF COLONEL BAIL-
LIE TO THE PEACE WITH TIPPOO, 1780-1784.
SIR EYRE COOTE arrived at Madras, eight weeks after the A.D.
disaster of Colonel Baillie, but found the equipment of the 1781
army so wretched, and the difficulty of obtaining Difficulties
supplies in a country swept by hostile cavalry ofCoote'
so great, that it was ten weeks before he could make any
movement. But his arrival raised the drooping spirits of
Madras, and checked the career of Hyder, who, instead of
driving the English, as he had hoped, into the sea, found
himself confronted by his old opponent. Hyder had ob-
tained possession of Arcot through the treachery of the
nabob's brahmin commandant, and was engaged in be-
sieging Wandewash, which was defended by Lieutenant Flint
with the same gallantry whie,h had been displayed by Clive
at Arcot. The hostile armies remained inactive for four
months ; the English for want of provisions, and Hyder
from a dread of encountering them. Coote then attacked
the fortified temple of Chillumbrum, but was repulsed,
and Hyder was emboldened to risk a general en- Battle of
gagement, and marching a hundred miles in two Porto NoT0'
days and a half, attacked the P]nglish on the 1st of July at 1781
Porto Novo; but after an engagement of six hours' duration,
was totally deteated, with the loss of 10,000 men, while
the casualties on the side of Coote did not ex- ofPollilore
ceed 300. The Bengal brigade was conducted
along the coast by Colonel Pearce with admirable skill, and
without a single accident, and ho reached Pulicat in July.
Hyder detached Tippoo to intercept it, and Coote marched
150 miles to form a junction with it, which ho effected on
the 2nd of Aligns!.. Hyder had brought up the whole of his
army to oppose his return, and taken up his position on the
field where, exactly a twelvemonth before, Colonel Baillie's
army had been exterminated, which the astrologers assured
him was a lucky spot ami a lucky day. The result of the
battle, was doubtful, and both parties claimed the vic-
tory by firing a salute. In the month of September there
was a third engagement at Solingur, in which Qf g^g^
Hyder was completely defeated, with the loss of
5,000 men, while only 100 fell on the side of the English,
198 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
Soon after the army retired into cantonments for the
season at Madras, after a campaign in which all Hyder's
plans were baffled by the superior strategy of Coote, and
Coote's movements were crippled for want of supplies and
equipments.
In the brief period of seven years, two governors of
Madras had been dismissed by the Court of Directors;
one had been suspended by Hastings, and a fourth deposed
by his own Council. The Presidency was demoralized to
the core by corrupt transactions with the nabob, and the
Court of "Directors resolved to place the government in
the hands of one who was free from all local associations,
and untainted by the general corruption. Their choice
A D Lord fell on Lord Macartney, an Irish peer of great
1781 ^ernor^ political experience and dignified character. He
of Madras, reached Madras in June, with the first intelli-
gence of the war between Holland and England. Hyder
lost no time in forming an alliance with the Dutch on the
basis of mutual co-operation against the English. Their
principal settlement on the Coromandel coast was Negapa-
tam, 160 miles south of Madras, garrisoned by an army of
6,500 men. Contrary to the advice of Sir Eyre Coote,
Lord Macartney equipped an expedition from Tanjore and
Madras, which was confided to Sir Hector Munro, and
1781 Capture of greatly strengthened by the marines and seamen.
Negapatam. ^he settlement was captured in November, and
found to contain a large quantity of military stores be-
sides two valuable investments. Two months after, Trin-
comalee, the noblest harbour in Ceylon, was also captured
from the Dutch. But, notwithstanding the successes of
the year, the pressure of the war was severely felt on the
finances of Madras. All the revenues of the Carnatic,
which ought to have been available for its defence, were
absorbed by the nabob and his rapacious creditors, and
the Government was at length constrained to assume the
entire control of the province, reserving one-sixth for the
nabob.
Colonel Braithwaite had been despatched to protect Tan-
jore from the ravages of Tippoo, with a detachment of 2,000
1782 Colonel men, almost all, sepoys. The treachery of his
Braithwaite. gaiaes betrayed him into a position where he
came unexpectedly on Tippoo's army of 20,000 horse and
20,000 infantry and twenty guns ; for twenty-eight hours
his force maintained the unequal contest without flinching,
but was at length overpowered. "The annals of war,"
8»cr. IV, J ARRIVAL OF THE FRENCH ARMAMENT 199
says the historian Mill, " can seldom exhibit a parallel to
" the firmness and perseverance of this little army." This
disaster was counterbalanced on the opposite coast by a
sortie under Major Abingdon from Tellicherry, where he
had been besieged for eighteen months, and the capture
of 1,200 prisoners with sixty pieces of cannon. Hyder's de- A.D.
Hydor began now to give way to despondency ; BP°ndency« 1782
his French allies had not made their appearance; Hastings
had succeeded in detaching Sindia, the Nizam, and the
raja of Nagpore from the grand confederacy, and the Pesh-
wa now threatened to combine with the English, and
wrest from him all the territories he had gained between
the Kistna and the Toombudra. He lamented to his
minister his folly in having plunged into a war with the
Company. " The defeat of many Braithwaites and many
" Baillies," he said, " will not crush them. I may ruin
" their resources by land, but I cannot dry np the sea, and
" I must be exhausted by a war in which I gain nothing
" by fighting." The western coast he considered the
weakest part of his dominions, and he determined to con-
centrate his efforts in that direction. He had issued
orders to blow up the fortifications of Arcot, and to lay
waste the Carnatic, without leaving a vestige of human
habitation, when these gloomy forebodings were dissi-
pated by the arrival of the French armament.
The French fleet was commanded by Suflrein, one of the
greatest admirals Franco has produced. He met Admiral
Hughes returning from the capture of Trinco- Narai
malee, and an engagement ensued which proved action*- 1781
indecisive. Suffroin thei. proceeded to Porto Novo, and
landed 2,000 French soldiers and 1,000 disciplined Africans.
In June, Sir Eyre Coote attempted the capture of Arnee,
Hyder's chief dep6t in the south, but after an indecisive
action under its walls, Hyder succeeded in rescuing his
treasure and his stores. Two other actions were in the
meantime fought between the fleets without any practical
result, and SufFrcin having refitted his ships, sailed to the
south. Lord Macartney had received intelligence that
a second French force had arrived at Galle, and he began
to tremble for Trmcomalee and Negapatam. He entreated
Admiral Hughes to hasten to the defence of Trincomalee ;
but he was jealous of interference, and sluggish in his
movements, and on entering the harbour found that the
place had capitulated four days before. The fleets now
came again in contact, but the result was again indecisive.
200 ABKIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI
A.D. This was the fourth naval action of the year, which was
1782 distinguished as much by the activity of the fleets as by
the inefficient operations of the army.
Admiral Hughes on his return to Madras announced his
intention of proceeding to Bombay to refit his vessels after
Admiral ^our severe actions. The governor represented the
Hughes goes desperate condition to which the affairs of the
to Bombay. Qompanv WOuld be reduced on his departure, with
Hyder master of the Carnatic, Bussy daily expected with
large reinforcements, and the French masters of the sea and
intercepting the supplies of grain on which Madras depended
1782 for its subsistence. But he was deaf to every remonstrance,
and set sail on the 15th of October. That same night the
monsoon set in with a terrific gale ; the shore was strewed
for miles with wrecks ; the largest vessels went down at
their anchors, and a hundred coasting craft laden with rice
were irrecoverably lost. Four days after Admiral Bickerton
arrived in the roads from England, with a considerable fleet ;
and having landed 4,000 troops, resisted all the importunity
of the Government to remain for the protection of the coast,
and insisted on putting to sea to join his commander.
Madras was now subject to all the horrors of famine. The
ravages of Hydcr had driven the wretched inhabitants into
the town for shelter and subsistence, and for some time the
deaths amounted to 1,500 a week. Sir Eyre Coote's shattered
constitution required him to retire to Bengal, and the mon-
sdbn suspended all military operations.
Soon after the defeat of the Mysore army at Tellicherry
in February, Colonel Humberstone, who succeeded to the com*
1782 Deatfc<rf mand, marched into the heart of Mysore, and sat
Hyder. down before Palghaut, one of the strongest fort-
resses Hyder possessed, but the Bombay Council ordered him
peremptorily to retire. Hyder lost no time in sending
Tippoo with a contingent of French troops to repel this in-
vasion, which might have penetrated to his capital. He
came up with the retiring force at Paniani, and assaulted it
in four columns, but was driven back with great loss, when
he determined to turn the attack into a blockade, while
waiting for his heavy guns. But on the 12th of December
the whole of his army was seen to strike its tents, and march
off to the eastern coast. A dromedary express had arrived
the preceding evening with despatches announcing that
" the ever- victorious spirit of Hyder, " to use the language
of his native biographer, " had taken its flight to Paradise."
Worn out by the fatigues of war, and suffering from ft
SHOT. IV.] GROSS MISCONDUCT OF GENERAL STUART 201
cancer in his back, he sunk on the 7th of December, at the A.D.
age of eighty, leaving behind him the reputation of one of 1783
the ablest, most enterprising, and most successful princes
in the modern history of India.
An Asiatic army deprived of its head always becomes a
scene of confusion and intrigue. On this occasion the
danger was increased by the absence of Hyder's concealment
successor, four hundred miles away ; but it was of w* death-
averted by the consummate prudence of Poornea, the ablest
of his ministers. The death of Hyder was carefully con-
cealed ; his body was embalmed and sent to Si rini^ipiiturn,
like a chest of valuable plunder. All orders continued to be
issued in his name, and his closed palankeen with the usual
retinue moved out at the usual hour from the canvas
enclosure of his tent. Tippoo, on his arrival in the camp,
gratified the troops by a liberal donation, and entered upon
the possession of a kingdom with a treasure of three crores
of rupees and jewels of countless value, and an army of
100,000 men in a high state of efficiency. But the fatality
which had blighted the Madras Presidency for fifteen years
still seemed to pursue it. The departure of Sir Eyre Coote
placed the army under the command of General Stuart,
who was perverse, insubordinate, and incapable. Lord
Macartney urged him to take advantage of the consterna-
tion in Hyder's camp when his death was known, but he
affected to disbelieve the report, and the golden opportunity
of striking a decisive blow was lost. With a nobler army
and a more ample commissariat than Sir Eyre Coote had
ever possessed, he allowed sixty days to pass without any
effort. The anxiety which this inactivity created was
happily relieved by the sudden departure of ^w_1
nv f j-i- -i j. mi i • • Obstinacy of
Tippoo for the opposite coast. The alarming m- General
telligence he received of the progress made by the stuart«
British force there induced him, without waiting for the
arrival of Bussy, then hourly expected, to break up his en-
campment and proceed in person to avert the danger.
Bussy landed at Cuddalore on the 10th April, and found
himself at the head of 2,300 Europeans and 5,000 sepoys ;
but he found also to his mortification that Tippoo Bugg ftnd
had left only 3,500 troops to co-operate with him. stuart at
General Stuart-, having no longer any excuse for Cuddalore»
delay, began his march towards Cuddalore with a fine
park of artillery, and an army of 14,500 men, of whom
8,000 were Europeans. Nothing was wanting to the
efficiency of this army-— the largest ever yet assembled at
202 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
the Madras Presidency — bat a commander ; and the troops
were looking with intense eagerness for their beloved old
chief to lead them again to victory ; but Sir Byre Ooote,
who had been persuaded by Hastings to retnrn to Madras,
died three days after he had landed. The expedition now
moved on to Cuddalore at the rate of three miles a day,
*-D- and the town was invested on the 7th June. On the 13th
1 783 ]3US8y made a sally, which resulted in a general action,
and he was defeated, with the loss of thirteen gnns ; but
the victory was dearly purchased with the loss on the
side of the English of 68 officers and 920 European soldiers.
On the same day Suffrein made his appearance in the
offing, and the two fleets came to an engagement, which
flras as indecisive as the former which had preceded it. Ad-
miral Hughes proceeded to Madras to refit, and Suffrein
reinforced Bussy with 2,400 marines and soldiers. On
the 25th June, Bussy made a sortie, and was repulsed with
heavy loss. But General Stuart, who had been peddling
abont Cuddalore for three weeks, had made no progress
in the siege, while his force was daily wasting away from
sickness, fatigue, and wounds ; and Bussy was waiting
for the maturity of his errors to strike a decisive blow,
which would have resulted, there can be little doubt, in the
disgrace and retreat of the English army, and possibly also
in the investment and capture of Madras. From this
danger the Company was happily saved by the arrival of
17 g 5 intelligence that peace had been concluded between France
and England. Hostilities at once ceased, and Tippoo was
deprived of all the aid of the French troops. General
Stuart on his arrival at Madras was placed under arrest by
Lord Macartney and sent to England. It was he who had
arrested Lord Pigot with great treachery ; and the facetious
remark of the nabob's second son on this occasion is not
unworthy of record : — " General Stuart catch one lord, and
" one lord catch General Stuart !
The abrupt departure of Tippoo to the Western coast
was occasioned by the success of an expedition sent by the
Expedition Bombay Government against his possessions in
£r«n> n that quarter. On hearing of the death of Hyder,
Bombay. General Matthews was despatched, contrary to
his own better judgment, to seize Bednore on the table-
land of Mysore. The ascent of the ghauts, which had
been fortified at every point, presented the most formidable
obstacles, but they were surmounted by the gallantry of
the 42nd Highlanders. When, however, the army arrived
. IV.] SUCCESS OF COLONEL FULLEBTON 208
in front of the fortress, it was unexpectedly and uncon-
ditionally surrendered. The Mysore commander, who was
a favourite with Hyder, but hated by his son, had obtained A D
the sightof a letter from him to one of the officers at Bednore, 1733
containing an order to deprive him of his command, and,
if necessary, to put him to death ; and he made over the
fortress to the general. After obtaining possession of it,
ho relaxed his vigilance, and allowed his men to disperse
over the country in search of plunder. Tippoo hastened
to recover it, and it was surrendered only when it had be-
come a heap of ruins. Tippoo then descended to the siege
of Mangalore, which forms one of the most memorable
events of the war. The garrison, commanded by the
valorous Colonel Campbell of the 42nd TT^l.lsi' <!<••>. con-
sisted of 700 Europeans and about 2,000 native sepoys,
while the investing force numbered 100,000 men with 100
guns. The privations sustained by the garrison have
seldom been exceeded. The place was defended for nine
months with unsurpassed fortitude, and did not Fail of
capitulate till the defenders were reduced to 850 Man^lore-
mere skeletons.
While Tippoo was wasting his strength and his reputa-
tion on this siege, which cost him half his army, the
Madras Government sent a force of 13,500 men rx)lonel
across the Peninsula into the heart of the Mysore Fniiarton's 1783
territory, under the command of another of the 8Ucce8S
Company's great soldiers, Colonel Fullarton, who would in
all probability have brought the war to a speedy and success-
ful issue, if he had not been thwarted by the folly of
the Madras authorities. After having captured the re-
nowned fort of Pal ghaut and the important city of Coim-
batoor, he was on the point of inarch inir on tho capital,
while the Mysore army was employed at Mar.g.'ilore, when
he received orders to suspend all operations, and to restore
the districts lie had occupied. Lord Macartney, contrary
to the express orders of Hastings, had opened negotiations
with Tippoo, at the very time when the Peshwa, in ac-
cordance with the stipulations of the treaty of Salbye, was
threatening him with 1i'-::!.:i. s if he did not come to an
accommodation with tho English. The governor of
Madras had even offered of his own accord a suspension
of arms till the reply was received, and the progress of
Colonel Fullarton was according arrested. Lord Macartney
*as so ignorant of the native character as not to be aware
204 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI
that a proposal of negotiation is more likely to render it
abortive than successful
Tippoo treated the proposal with silent contempt for three
months, and then sent one of his most astute officers to
Folly of the cozen the Madras authorities, and they were ac-
Go^Sn- tually persuaded to despatch two commissioners
ment. to his camp at Mangalore. Tippoo was thus
enabled to represent in every durbar that the British
Government had sent two officers of rank from Madras to
sue for peace. Disputes arose between the envoy of Tippoo
and the commissioners which were referred to Madras ; and
the Council, after reviewing their position, ordered Colonel
Fullarton to relinquish all his conquests and retire, instead
of directing him to push on to Seringapatam with his vic-
torious army, and bring the war to a successful issue.
Hastings, with his profound knowledge of the native charac-
ter, reprobated the negotiation through these commissioners,
and maintained that it ought to have been committed to
Colonel Fullarton, and dictated under the walls of the
capital ; but he was now powerless. The Court of Directors
had recently renewed the condemnation of his proceedings,
and the members of his Council had consequently deserted
him; the conduct of the negotiations was therefore left
to the Madras authorities, who fully maintained on this
occasion their traditionary characteristic of imbecility.
If he commissioners were marched leisurely through the
country, detained at every stage, and subjected to constant
Treatment ^dignity. On the fall of Mangalore they were
of the com- admitted into the Mysore camp and insulted by
miesioners. foe erection of gibbets in front of their tents.
The treaty, based on a mutual restitution of conquests, was
at length signed. All that could be said of it was that it
A.D. Treaty of was not more disgraceful than those which the
1784 Mangalore. gOvernor and Council of Madras had been in-
variably making for fifteen years. It was equally injurious
to the reputation of the Company and inimical to the in-
terests of peace, and it entailed the necessity of another
conflict to correct the arrogance with which it inspired
Tippoo, and to which he gave expression in the following
announcement: — "The English commissioners stood with
" their heads uncovered and the treaty in their hands for
" two hours, using every form of flattery and supplication
" to induce compliance. The vakeels of Poona and Hyder-
*' abad united in the most abject entreaties, and his majesty,
" the shadow of God, was at length softened into assent."
SBCT. V.] ENCROACHMENTS OF THE SUPREME COURT 205
SECTION V.
THE SUPREME COURT — CHEYT SING — THE BEGUMS — CLOSB OP
HASTINGS'S ADMINISTRATION — PROCEEDINGS IN ENGLAND.
To RESUME the thread of events in Bengal. The Supreme A.D.
Court, established in Calcutta in 1774, was intended to 1774
protect the natives from the oppression of
Europeans, and to give the Europeans the supreme
blessing of their own laws. The judges were Courfc*
commissioned to administer every branch of English law,
and were invested with all the prerogatives of the King's
Bench. Parliament had thus, in its wisdom or ignorance,
established two independent powers in this new conquest,
without deeming it necessary to define the limits of their
respective authority, and a collision between them became
inevitable. The first stroke fell upon the zemindars.
They had been accustomed to use coercion in the collec-
tion of their rents from the ryots, who had seldom paid
them without it. The Supreme Court was no sooner
established than it began to issue writs against them at
the suit of any ryot who was persuaded to sue It8 et*-
them under the instigation of the attorneys who ments"
spread themselves over the country. They were dragged
down to the Court in Calcutta, and sent to gaol if they
were unwilling or unable to furnish bail. Even when the
arrest was pronounced to have been illegal, they received
no compensation for the expense and indignity to which
they had been subject.
A feeling of dismay spread over the country, such as had
not been felt for thirty years, since the invasion of the
Mahrattas. The arrest and humiliation of the inrevenue
zemindars destroyed their credit and authority, matters,
and enabled the ryots to evade the payment of their rent
with impunity. If the defaulters were subjected to con-
finement, the attorneys advised them to apply to the court
for a writ of habeas corpus, when they were brought down
to Calcutta and '":'•< I..:1.* -1 The zemindars pleaded these
proceedings as an excuse for withholding payment of their
dues to government, and its resources, which were then
dependent solely on the land revenue, were pieced in
extreme peril.
The criminal judicature of the country, which embraced
206 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI,
the police of thirty millions of people, had been entrusted tc
Tn criminal the nabob of Moorshedabad and to his judicial and
judicature, executive officers ; but the judges of the Supreme
Court declared that he was a phantom, a mere man of
straw, without any right to the exercise of any authority
whatever, and in one instance they issued a process of
contempt against his Highness. They affirmed that the
orders of the Provincial Courts established by Government,
were of no more value than if they had been issued by the
king of the fairies. They denied that the East India
Company itself had any authority in India, beyond that of
an ordinary commercial association, and affirmed that the
Governor- General in Council was subject to their jurisdic-
tion, and that it would be penal for him or any public
officer to disobey any process they might issue. The
judges doubtless acted conscientiously, but the whole
fabric of Government was, nevertheless, shaken to its
foundation, and the country was threatened with universal
anarchy.
1779 The aggression of the Court reached its climax in the
Cossijurah case. A native brought an action against the
The Cossi- raja, living at a distance from Calcutta, and not
jurahcaae. subject to the Court, and two sheriff's officers
were sent with a body of eighty men armed with muskets
and swords to execute the writ of the Court, and bring him
up to Calcutta. They invaded his zenana and packed up
his idols, but he escaped their vigilance. Hastings con-
sidered that it was time to vindicate the authority of
Government, and afford protection to its subjects ; and
ordered the party to be intercepted on their return, and
liberated on their arrival in Calcutta. To prevent the
recurrence of such visitations, he issued a proclamation to
landholders of every degree to consider themselves exempt
from the jurisdiction of the Supremo Court unless they had
especially bound themselves to submit to it. The Court
then issued a process against the Governor- General and the
Council, which they treated with the contempt it deserved.
Petitions were addressed to Parliament both by the
native and the European community, praying for redress,
Appoint- but three years elapsed before it was granted. In
B eim0f Slr ^e meant™e Hastings provided a more imme-
***• diate remedy by offering the post of chief judge
in the Sudder Court, the Company's court of final appeal,
to the Chief Justice, upon a salary of 7,000 rupees a month.
He accepted the office, but declined ary remuneration. All
SBCT. V.] CHEYT SING 207
the encroachments of the Crown Court ceased at once.
The appointment was severely censured in Leadenhall
Street and in Parliament, and Sir Elijah Impey was
recalled and impeached, but honourably acquitted. The
arrangement proved to be in a high degree beneficial to the
interests of the country. Hastings had recently remodelled
the judicial system, and though he placed over the civil
courts the best men the service could furnish, they were
necessarily without any judicial experience; and the Chief
Justice, a lawyer of great eminence, was thus enabled to
give form and consistency to their proceedings. With
this object he drew up a code of regulations, clear and
concise, and adapted to the simplicity of native habits,
and it has formed the basis of subsequent legislation.
The pecuniary difficulties of this period were greater
than had been felt for seven years. There was war with
Hyder AH then ravaging the Carnatic, war with Che fc ^
the Mahrattas, and war with the French and y g'
with the Dutch. The entire expense of all military opera-
tions fell on the treasury of Bengal — the only Presidency
which paid. Heavy loans had been contracted ; the credit
of Government was low, and Hastings was obliged to cast
about him for some exceptional source of relief. By the
political constitution of India, a feudatory was always liable
to a demand for extraordinary aid to meet the exigencies
of his superior lord. The grandfather of Cheyt Sing, the
raja of Benares, had, in the confusion of the times, suc-
ceeded in carving out a little principality for himself,
which he held of the Vizier of Oudo, and which Mr. Francis
had constrained the Vizier to transfer to the Company,
giving the raja a suwnud, or deed, which fixed his annual
payment at twenty- two lacs of rupees. Hastings now made
a demand on Cheyt Sing of five lacs of rupees and a body
of 2,000 horso to assist in protecting Behar. The Hastings
requisition was strictly constitutional, and the requisition,
raja paid it for some time, but at length endeavoured to
evade farther payment on the plea of poverty. Hastings
was assured that he had amassed a crore and a half, which
was to a great extent true, and he construed his reluc-
tance into a crime, and determined, as he said, " to make
" him pay largely for his pardon, to exact a severe vengeance
"for his delinquency, and to draw from his guilt the A3)
"means of relief to the Company's distresses." Hastings 1780
had occasion to visit Benares, and the raja, anxious to
avert his displeasure, met him on the way, and offered
208 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
A.D. him twenty lacs, but he raised his demand to fifty lacs. On
1781 reaching the city, Hastings transmitted him a statement
of his offences, and placed him under arrest by sending
the two companies of sepoys he had brought with him
to mount guard on his palace. The populace rose on
them, and, as* they had brought no ammunition, massacred
them all, as well as their officers.
During this enieute the raja escaped across the river,
but the situation of the Governor- General was perilous in
the extreme. His native force was annihilated. He was
Escape ot *& a city renowned for its turbulence, and in the
the raja. midst of an infuriated mob ; ^nd he and the thirty
gentlemen with him had only their own swords to trust
to. Happily, the multitude, instead of attacking Hastings
in his defenceless state, hastened across the river to join
the raja. The whole province was soon in a state of revolt,
but Hastings never lost his self-possession ; and it was at
this critical period that he continued and completed the
negotiations with Sindia which issued in the treaty of
Salbye, with as much calmness as if he had been residing
in his own garden-house in Calcutta. Equally remarkable
was the confidence manifested by Sindia in the destinies of
the Company, by affixing his seal to it under such circum-
stances. Troops arrived rapidly from various quarters ;
but Hastings, not considering his position tenable, made
hid escape by night through a window, and rowed down to
Chunar.
The raja collected an army of 20,000 men, but it was
repeatedly defeated, and his last fortress, Bidgegiirh, in
The raja which his treasure was deposited, was surrendered
subdued. by his begums. Major Popham, the commander,
1781 took advantage of an incautious expression in one of Hast-
ings's letters, and divided the whole of the prize money,
forty lacs of rupees, at once, among the officers and men, to
the infinite annoyance of Hastings, who had been calculat-
ing on the receipt of it to relieve his pecuniary embarrass-
ments. This is one of those transactions in the career of
Hastings for which it would bo difficult to offer any pallia-
tion. Cheyt Sing was contumacious in having hesitated to
afford the necessary aid to his suzerain in a great public
emergency ; but the imposition of a fine of fifty lacs for de-
murring to the payment of a tenth of that sum was a vin-
dictive proceeding, and has always been considered a blot
on his administration.
The loss of the raja's treasure was a source of deep
SKC. V.] PLUNDER OF THE BEGUMS 209
anxiety to Hastings. There were 60,000 troops in the field,
and the treasury was empty. The arrears which Plunder of
were due from the Vizier, however, amounted to a tbe Begums,
crore and a half of rupees, and Hastings looked to this
source for relief, when the Vizier waited on him at Chunar,
and informed him that his own funds were exhausted, and
that it was no longer possible for him to maintain the English
troops employed in protecting his territories. He then
alluded to the treasures of the begums, and requested per-
mission of the Governor-General to take possession of them
and thus discharge his obligations to the Company. At the
same time it was asserted, but on the worthless testimony
of Colonel Han nay, that the begums had abetted the re-
bellion, as it was officially termed, of Cheyt Sing, and sup-
plied him with troops and money. Hastings, under the
severe pressure of circumstances, persuaded himself that
" the begums had made war on the Company,'* and he 1732
yielded to the earnest solicitations of the Vizier, and autho-
rised the spoliation of the princesses. Seventy-five lacs of
rupees were extracted from their vaults, and transmitted
to Calcutta, but not before the two eunuchs, their
ministers, had been subject to torture. For this act of
atrocity, HaMingh is no farther responsible than as it might
be considered the result of his own injustice. To this
treasure the begums had no legitimate title; it was the
property of the state and answerable tor its obligations,
but six years before, their right to it had been acknowledged
under the seal of the Government in Calcutta, which ought
to have been considered sacred. Hastings was so little
conscious of the turpitude of this transaction that he
ridiculed the eensure which "men of virtue " might cast on
it. But posterity has vindicated the principles of public
morality, and although Hastings had no personal interest
in the transaction, but was led into it by a mistaken loyalty
to the interests of the Company, it has been the subject of
general censure.
These proceedings were severely condemned by the Court 1783
of Directors, and the members of his Council thereupon
united in opposition to him, and he justly com- _,.
, . T ,1 f i M i i 11 11 J Close of
plained that while he was he Id personally ruspon- Hastings'
sible for the safety of India, his degradation had ^imstrn'
been proclaimed in every native court, and in the
Council he had only a single vote. In a letter of the 20th
March to the Directors, after alluding to the patience and
temper with which he had submitted to the indignities heaped
210 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
4.D. on him during his long service, he announced his determina-
1784 tion to retire from the Government. He proceeded to Luck-
now, and in compliance with the injunctions of the Court of
Directors restored the jageers which had been sequestered
to the begums, adjusted all accounts with the Vizier, and
then withdrew the Resident. On his return to Calcutta
he addressed valedictory letters to the princes and chiefs of
India, by all of whom he was held in the highest esteem,
1785 and embarked for England in February.
From the king and queen Hastings met with a gracious
reception, and even the Court of Directors greeted him
with a courteous address. With one exception,
mentof the ministry likewise evinced a very friendly dis-
Hastings. position towards him, and Mr. Dundas, who had
moved the vote of censure upon him in the House of
Commons, in terms exceptionally virulent, now pronounced
him the " Saviour of India." But Mr. Pitt, the prime
minister, was strongly biassed against him, and while ap-
plauding his genius and his success refused to advise the
king to confer any mark of distinction upon him. Burke,
who had made Indian politics his especial study for many
years, had contracted a feeling akin to personal animosity
towards him, and aided by the local knowledge and the
unmatched rancour of Mr. Francis, who had obtained a
seat in Parliament, denounced his conduct in the House of
1786 Commons. The House was induced to vote his impeach-
ment at the bar of the House of Lords on twenty- two
charges. Of these only three were of any serious import;
the Rohilla war, the treatment of Cheyt Sing, and the
spoliation of the begums ; the rest were the mere litter
of Mr. Francis's *— j1-'^ ^v. The trial commenced on
1788 the 13th February, I < so, und presented the most august spec-
tacle which had been witnessed in England since tho trial
of the bishops, a century before. The queen, the prin-
cesses, the Prince of Wales and his royal brothers, and the
peers in their ermine proceeded in state to Westminster
Hall to witness the opening of the proceedings. But the
most memorable scene in this great drama was the galaxy
of genius in the seats appropriated to tho managers of tho
House, Fox and Burke, and Sheridan and Grey, and
Windham, names of imperishable renown in the annals of
the country. In the presence of this illustrious assembly
Warren Hastings, who had given law to the princes and
people throughout the continent of India, was arraigned
as a culprit. The management of the trial was left with
SECT. V.] CHARACTER OF HASTINGS 211
the Whigs, who conducted it with ability which has never
been surpassed, and in a spirit of animosity which has
seldom been equalled. They applied to him the epithets
of thief, tyrant, robber, cheat, swindler, sharper, captain
general of iniquity and spider of hell; and then expressed
their regret that the English language did not afford terms
more adequate to the enormity of his offences. The trial
dragged on for seven years, and ended in Ins complete and
honourable acquittal, but it cost him ten lacs of rupees, A.D.
and reduced him to poverty. 1796
The most severe censor of his administration, the philo-
sophic historian Mill, admits that " he was beyond all
" question the most eminent of the chief rulers _.
it i j.i n i j • Character
"whom the Company ever employed, nor is of
" there any one of them who would not have sue- Hastin£s-
4i cumbed under the difficulties he had to encounter." Cen-
surable as some of his acts undoubtedly were, the grandeur
of his career is by many considered as casting his offences
into the shade, and one of the most eminent statesman of
the day asserted that " though he was not blameless, if
" there was a bald place on his head, it ought to be covered
11 with laurel." While the king and his ministers were
losing an empire in the west, he was building up another
in the east. The authority of the Company was limited
to the valley of the Ganges when he assumed the
government. He was anxious to avoid territorial ac-
quisitions— and, indeed, he made none — but it was the
object of his ambition to extend the influence of the Com-
pany to every court in India, and to render it the paramount
power on the continent ; and this object he fully accom-
plished, in the midst of unexampled difficulties. At the
time of his retirement the Company was recognised as the
most substantial and important power in India, whose favour
was courted and whose hostility was dreaded equally by
Tippoo, the Nizam, and the five Mahratta princes. No
British ruler, moreover, has ever secured to an equal
extent, not merely the homage but the warm attachment
of the people under his government, by whom, after the
lapse of a century, the name of " Hustin Sahib " is still
pronounced with a feeling of veneration.
In February 1781, the petitions of the inhabitants
of Calcutta against the encroachments of the Supreme
Court were presented to the House and Reports of
referred to a select committee, of which Mr. Committeea'
Burke was the life and soul, and which presented
p 2
212 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
twelve able reports. On the receipt of intelligence of
A.D. Hyder Ali's irruption into the Carnatic, a secret com-
1782 mittee was appointed, of which Mr. Dundas was chairman.
On the presentation of the report, he denounced the conduct
of Hastings and the governors of Madras and Bombay, and
moved the recall of Hastings from Bengal, and Hornby
from Bombay, for having acted in a manner IVJHILTI nut to
the honour and policy of the nation, and brought calamities
on India, and enormous expenses on the Company. The
House voted the recall of TTjiMinj^, and the Court of
Directors responded to it ; but the Court of Proprietors,
which, at this time, comprised men of higher standing and
of greater eminence than the superior Court, passed a vote
of thanks to Hastings for his eminent services. The
pecuniary embarrassment occasioned by the expensive wars
waged in India constrained the Company to apply to
Parliament for the loan of a crore of rupees, which was
not refused, but it weakened still farther their position,
which had been seriously damaged by the unfavourable
reports of the two committees, and there was a general
outcry for remodelling the Government of India.
Mr. Fox, then at the head of the coalition ministry,
accordingly introduced his famous India bill, which had
1783 FOX'S India been drafted by his colleague Mr. Burke. It
Bill. provided that all the powers ot Government
saould be transferred for four years from the Company to
a Board consisting of seven Commissioners, to bo nomi-
nated in the first instance by Parliament, and subsequently
by the Crown, while the trade was to be managed by nine
assistant Directors. The patronage of the India House
was at the time estimated at two crores of rupees a year,
and it was maintained that the transfer of it to the minis-
try would be fatal to the constitution. The Court of
Directors, threatened with extinction, filled the town
with complaints of the violation of chartered rights, and
inflamed the public mind by a caricature representing
Mr. Fox as Carlo Khan, mounted on an elephant and
assailing the India House ; but the bill passed the House
of Commons by a majority of two to one. Tho king
had been persuaded that it would take the crown from
his head and place it on the brows of Mr. Fox, arid by the
exercise of an unconstitutional influence, he induced the
House of Lords to throw it out, and he lost no time in
dismissing the ministry.
Mr. Pitt, then in his twenty-fourth year, was placed at
SBCT.V.] PITT'S INDIA BILL 213
tho head of the new administration, and brought in 4^
another India bill, which provided for the appoint- Pitt's India 1784
inent of a Board of Commissioners by the Crown, Blll<
with power "to check, superintend, and control all the
"acts, operations and concerns," connected with the civil
and military government and revenues of India. A secret
committee, consisting of the chairman, deputy chairman,
and the senior member of the Court of Directors was to
act in subordination to the Commissioners, and control all
correspondence of any importance ; and twenty-one of the
Directors were thus excluded from all influence in the
administration of India. Mr. Fox's bill annihilated the
Company, but, under Mr. Pitt's bill they retained their
golden patronage and their social position and the trap-
pings of dignity, but the substantial power of Government
»vas transferred to the Crown. The Proprietors, who had
recently set the House of Commons at defiance in the
matter of Hastings' recall, were restricted from interfering
with any of the decisions of the Board of Commissioners,
usually denominated the Board of Control, and, though
they retained the empty privilege of debate, were reduced
to a state of political insignificance. It was, moreover,
resolved that " to pursue schemes of conquest and acqui-
" sition of territory \\aa contrary to the wish, the honour,
"and the policy of the British nation ;" but this renewed
attempt to slop tho growth of the British empire in India
only afforded another exemplification of the vanity of
human wishes.
Mr. Dun-das was appointed President of the Board of 178ft
Control, and one of the first questions which came before
him related to the debts of the nabob of Arcot. Tho Nabob
For many years he had been living on loans ob- of Arcot's
i • i i i *i i. • j • debts.
tamed at an exorbitant premium and usurious
interest, for which he gave assignments on the districts of
the Carnatic. When his court was removed from Arcot
to Madras, the town became the focus of intrigue and
fraud All classes, both in and out of tho service, not ex-
cepting the members of Council, embarked in the traffic of
loans, which became the shortest road to fortune. Every-
one was eager to obtain access to the pagoda-tree, as it
was called, then in full bloom. Hastings, on taking over
the revenues of tho Camatic to support the war with
Hyder, \vas anxious to deal summarily with this incubus
on its resources, and proposed to deduct a fourth from the
principal, to consolidate it with tho interest to a fixed date,
214 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VI.
and pay oiFthe amount by instalments. But the creditors
would not listen to any proposal to cut the tree down,
Mr. Pitt's India bill made provision for the investiga-
tion of these claims preparatory to their liquidation, and
Mr.Dundas's the Court of Directors entered on the duty with
A.D. nary^ro1-" great alacrity, but Mr. Dundas removed the case
1784 coedings. out of their hands, and determined to pay off the
debts without enquiry. The princes of India had already
discovered that the most effectual mode of counteracting
the Government of India, both in England and abroad,
was to subsidize members of Parliament. The nabob of
Arcot adopted this expedient on a inatriiificcMii scale. Paul
Benfield was sent to London with large funds, established
an office in Westminster for the purchase of boroughs, and
in the general election of 1783, made no fewer than eight
members of Parliament, whose votes were placed at the
disposal of the ministry. It was to this Parliamentary
influence that the anomalous proceedings of Mr. Dundas were
generally attributed, by which Paul Benfield secured the
undisturbed enjoyment of a sum little short of sixty lacs
of rupees. The heaviest class of the loans was fixed, with
interest, at two crores and a quarter, but it cost the Com-
pany five crores before it was paid off.
Mr. Fox's Indian Bill made it penal for any servant of
the Company, civil or military, to engage in money transac-
Fabrication tions with any native prince, but no such clause
ofnewioans. was inserted in Mr. Pitt's bill, and the nabob
and his friends embarked in the fabrication of fresh loans
while the liquidation of the old loans was in progress, and
on the payment of the last pagoda brought forward new
1806 demands, to the incredible amount of thirty crores of
rupees. Parliament was now resolved that they should be
subject to a severe scrutiny, and a board of Commissioners
was appointed at Madras to investigate them, and another
board in London to receive appeals. Their labours
extended over fifty years, and cost India a crore of rupees,
but they reduced the claims from thirty-two crores of
rupees to about two and a half. Mr. Dundas's proceedings
Revenues of regarding the revenues of the Carnatic were
1785 theCarnatic. equally disastrous. The nabob had received a
larger income from them while they wore under the
management of the Company than when administered
by his own officers, but those officers and his creditors
lost the opportunity of plunder, and induced him to
become importunate for the restoration of the country.
SBCT. V.J LORD CORNWALLIS GOVERNOR GENERAL 215
Contrary to the advice of the Court of Directors, Mr.
Dundas ordered the districts to be given back to the nabob,
that is, to his creditors, who began again to reap a rich
harvest, while the Madras Presidency, with an army seven
months in arrears, was reduced to a state bordering on
bankruptcy,
CHAPTEK VII.
SECTION I.
ADMINISTRATION OF LORD COKNWALMS — MYSOBK WAR.
ON the departure of Hasting^, Mr. Mocpherson, the senior A.D
member of Council succeeded temporarily to the Govern- !785
ment. lie had originally gone out to India as Mr. Mac-
purser of one of the Company's vessels, but Pi,6,1?01,1
attached himself to the nabob of the Carnatic Governor-
and returned to England as Ins agent, and General-
through the influence of the Duke of Grafton, who highly
appreciated his abilities, was appointed to the Madras
civil service, from which he was subsequently promoted
to the Bengal Council. The great merit of his brief
administration, which lasted only twenty-two months, lay
in his economical reforms which resulted in the laudable
reduction of a crore and a half of animal expenditure.
The Government of the Company's possessions since the
battle of Piassy had hitherto been given to one of the
officers on their own establishment in India, ^^ Corn
but it was found that whatever advantage \\aiiis 1786
might be derived from his local knowledge and Q^raiT
experience was counterbalanced by the trammels
of local associations, and the difficulty of exercising
a due control over those who had once been his equals.
The ministry determined, therefore, to select for the office
of Governor- General a nobleman of high character, un-
fettered by any Indian ties of friendship or relationship. Lord
Macartney, the governor of Madras, was chosen for the ap-
pointment, but he disgusted Mr. Dundas by endeavouring
to make terms with the ministry, and Lord Cornwallis was
216 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIL
A.D. nominated in his stead, and lie assumed charge of the
1786 Government in September, 1786. And thus, by the
singular caprice of events, the man who had surrendered a
British army to Washington at Tork Town, which entailed
the loss of America, was appointed to govern India, while
the man who had saved India under the most arduous
circumstances was subjected to a prosecution for high
crimes and misdemeanours.
The Government of Lord Cornwallis commenced under
the most auspicious circumstances. Hastings's adminis-
tration had been crippled by the chronic oppo-
ofcorn?868 sition of the home authorities at the India House
waiiia's and Downing Street. Lord Cornwallis enjoyed
pos ion. ^e entire confidence of Mr. Pitt, and of the
Board of Control, to which the Directors were subordinate,
and of which his friend Mr. Dundas was President. The
office of Commander-in- Chief was likewise united with that
of Governor- General, and Lord Cornwallis was thus enabled
to control all the military arrangements and expenditure.
Hastings had only a single voice in the Council, while his
successor was invested with the power of overruling the
votes of his colleagues whenever he deemed it necessary.
The Court of Directors had been in the habit of nominating
their friends and relatives to the most lucrative appoint-
ments in India, and the influence of this independent
connection greatly fettered the authority of government,
and fostered and protected abuses. Hastings had protested
against it, but he had not sufficient official strength to secure
success ; Lord Cornwallis, on the other hand, was strong
in the support of Mr. Pitt and Mr. Dundas, and threatened
to resign the Government unless it was discontinued ;
It is not, therefore, a matter of surprise that the arrival of
Lord Cornwallis should have quenched the spirit of faction
and intrigue, a,nd given a higher tone to the Government.
The first three years of his administration were occupied
1786 in the reform of abuses, which were to be traced mainly to
*° T . n w the vicious and traditional policy of the Court of
1789 Lord Corn- r\- t n - • it i *• i n
' Directors of giving small salaries, and allowing
^definite perquisites. The salaries came from
their own treasury, but the perquisites from
the pockets of the people. Every man, as Lord Corn-
wallis remarked, who returned to England rich was deemed a
rogue, and every man who went home poor a fool.
He found the system of peculation in full vigour. The
treasurer was lending the public funds at twelve per cent.
Sacr. L] LORD CORNWALLIS'S REFORMS 217
The Commander-in- Chief had given two of his favourites
the lucrative commission of raising two regiments, but
while they drew full allowances for the men, the regiments
existed only on paper. The collectors of the land revenue,
who were also armed with the power of magistrates,
monopolised the trade of the district under fictitious names,
and amassed fortunes. The post of political Resident at the
court of the raja of Benares was considered worth four lacs
of rupees a year, while the salary attached to it did not
exceed a thousand rupees a month.
Lord Cornwallis set himself to the task of reforming
these abuses with unflinching vigour. He hunted out
frauds in every corner, put a period to jobbing Lonl Corn. ?
agencies, and exorbitant contracts. He refused waiiis'^stem
to allow men of power and influence at home to g°ur*
quarter their friends and kindred, and sometimes their
victims at the gambling- table, on Indian appointments, and
he had the courage to decline the recommendations of the
Prince of Wales, "who," he wrote, ** wab always pressing
"some infamous and unjustifiable job upon him;" but it
was not till he had convinced the Court of Directors of the
truth which Clive and Hastings had in vain pressed on
them, that u it was not good economy to put men into
" places of the greatest confidence, where they have it in
" their power to make fortunes in a few mouths, without
" giving them adequate salaries," that the purification of
the public service became practicable. It has continued to
improve ever since, nui'A iil.-!J:« -1'n^ the growth of the
empire, and the Indian service now presents an example
of administrative integrity which has seldom, if ever, been
equalled.
The Vizier lost no time in renewing the request he 1786
had not ceased for years to make, to be relieved from
the expense of the Company's troops stationed The affairs
in his dominions for their protection, but the of Oude*
rapid increase of Sindia's encroachments in Hindostan,
and the growing power of the Sikhs, convinced Lord Corn-
wallis that the troops could not be withdrawn without
great risk, but he reduced the charge by one third. The
Vizier was likewise delivered from the pressure of the
European harpies, who, under the predominance of British
influence, had long been preying on him, one of whom,
Colonel Hannay, had amassed a fortune of thirty lacs in
a few years. Ho likewise conferred an inestimable boon
on him by peremptorily refusing to recognise the claims of
218 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII.
any of his private creditors, whether European or native,
and thus saved him from the fate of the nabob of Arcot.
But he did not fail to remonstrate with him, though in
vain, on the abuses of his administration. The only con-
cern of the Vizier was to obtain the means of personal
gratification, •" and hence the zemindar was allowed to
squeeze the ryot and the ministers to squeeze the zemin-
dar, and he squeezed the ministers and public officers when
they were sufficiently gorged with plunder, and squan-
dered the money in boundless dissipation.
By the treaty with the Nizam, the Gruntoor Sircar was
assigned to the Company after the death of his broth erBasalut
TheGnntoor Jung. He died in 1782, but the Nizam steadily
Sircar- evaded the surrender of it, and Lord Cornwallis,
A.U. when taking leaveof the Directors, was directed peremptorily
*788 to demand it. In 1788, he drew a body of troops to the
frontier, and instructed the Eesident to claim the full
execution of the treaty. To his great surprise, the Nizam
at once acceded to his wishes, but he also expressed his
confidence that the Company's Government would with
equal alacrity fulfil the obligations to which they were
bound by the other articles of the treaty ; which were, to
assist him with two battalions of troops, and six pieces of
artillery whenever he should require their services, and
to reduce and transfer to him the province of the Camatio
Baltigliuut. then usurped by Hyder Naik. With his usual
duplicity he despatched an envoy simultaneously to Tippoo
to propose an alliance for the extirpation of the English.
Tippoo readily embraced the proposal, and demanded tho
hand of one of the Hyderabad princesses, but the Tartar
blood of the son of Cheen Killich boiled at the idea of a
matrimonial alliance with the son of a naik, or head con-
stable, and the negotiation was broken off.
Lord Cornwallis was disconcerted by this manoeuvre.
Since the unfortunate treaty of 1768, the Company's
Lord Corn- Government had twice acknowledged Hyder and
pradentlm" Tippoo as the lawful sovereigns of this pro-
letter, vince, and to furnish the Nizam with the English
brigade he desired would lead to dangerous complications ;
on the other hand, it was important to prevent his throw-
ing himself into the arms of Tippoo. To meet the diffi-
1789 culty, Lord Cornwallis addressed an official letter to him,
engaging to transfer the province if it should come into
the possession of the Company with the aid of his troops,
and likewise to furnish him with tho brigade on condition
SECT. I.] AFFAIRS OF TBAVANCORE 219
that it should not be employed against any of the allies of the
Company, a list of whom, which did not include the name A.D.
of Tippoo, was subjoined. Tippoo was naturally irritated 1789
to find that the dismemberment of his dominions was
within the contemplation of the Governor- General, and that
he was prepared to place a "British force at the disposal of
the Nizam, with liberty to employ it against him. That
this communication was highly injudicious will not be
questioned ; but it is idle to attribute the war with Tippoo
six months after to its influence, inasmuch as he had fitted
out an expedition against the raja of Tra van core six
months before the date of it.
The little principality of Travancorc, at the southern ex-
tremity of the Malabar coast, had been placed under British
protection by the treaty of Mangalore. Tippoo,
who had long coveted the possession of it, had been ^nd\he°°ie
for some time assembling an army to invade it. and Madras
,1 -it ii i i /» -i i i i Government.
the raja, to strengthen his delences, had purchased
two towns in the neighbourhood of the Dutch. Tippoo
demanded the surrender of them on the plea that they
belonged to his vassal, the raja of Cochin. The raja
appealed to Lord Cornwallis, who directed the authorities
at Madras to inform both him and Tippoo that if the Dutch
had really held independent and unreserved possession of
these places, the raja was to be supported in retaining
them. Mr. Holland, the governor of Madras, more unprin-
cipled than any of his predecessors, not only withheld this
communication from Tippoo, but endeavoured to extort a
lac of pagodas for himself from the raja as the condition
of supporting him. The army on the Coast was likewise
kept in an inefficient state, and the pay of the troops was
allowed to fall into ai rears, while, in direct violation of the
orders of Lord Cornwallis, the public revenues were appro-
priated to the payment of the creditors of the nabob, of
whom he was one of the principal. Tippoo suddenly
attacked the " lines of Travancorc," as they were termed, 1789
— the defensive wall the raja had erected — and was re-
pulsed with the loss of 2,000 men, upon which he ordered
up a battering train from Soringtipatam, and reinforcements
from every quarter. This wanton attack of an ally was an
unequivocal declaration of war against the Company, but
Holland proposed a pacific adjustment of the question to
Tippoo, and soon after deserted his post and embarked
Tor England.
Lord Cornwallis considered it essential to our honour to
220 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII,
defend an ally, and to take up the gauntlet which Tippoo
Lord Corn- na^- thrown down. It was not a time for potter*
waUis's ing over Acts of Parliament, and he proceeded at
ancea. once ^ ^^ alliances, offensive and defensive, to
A.D. the two native powers in the Deccan, the Nizam and the
1700 Peshwa, whicli their hatred and dread of Tippoo led them to
accept with great alacrity. A tripartite treaty was concluded
which provided that they should simultaneously attack
Tippoo's dominions, and join the British army with 10,000
horse, if required, for whose services they were to be reim-
bursed, and that the Mysore territories and forts conquered
by their united arms should be equally divided among them.
General Medows, an officer of r. --V ••*.v1-.:i -,- 1 ability, had
arrived at Madras as governor and Commander in Chief,
and Lord Cornwallis entrusted the conduct of the
Iowa's campaign to him. The deficiency of the corn-
abortive missariat, owing to the profligate neglect of
campa gn. jjoiian^ retarded the departure of the army for
several months, but the General was enabled to murch from
Trichinopoly on the 26th of May, at the head of a force of
15,000 men. Coimbatoor was captured in July, and Palghat
1790 and Dindigul, both deemed impregnable, in September, but
the force was injudiciously separated, and Tippoo, by a
masterly movement, interposed between the divisions, one
of which suffered heavy loss both in men and guns. When
the war became inevitable Lord Cornwallis adopted the
bold plan of Hastings, and despatched a large expedition to
Madras along the coast where we had no allies ; and, not-
withstanding the able dispositions of Tippoo to prevent its
junction with the Madras army, it was effected without a
conflict. Tippoo then proceeded southward, closely fol-
lowed by General Medows, but these marches and counter-
marches, which were without result, subjected the troops
to severe fatigue, and weakened their confidence in the
General. The campaign proved abortive, and Lord Corn-
wallis determined to take the command of the army into
his own hands.
He arrived at Madras on the 12th December and made
the most vigorous preparations to take the field. Meanwhile,
Second Tippoo proceeded to the north, and having ravaged
campaign. ^ne Carnatic, marched south to Pondicherry, and
despatched a mission to Paris, to Louis XVI., soliciting the
aid of 6,000 troops, for whom he would make suitable pro-
vision. The unhappy king was then in the vortex of the
Revolution, and replied : " This resembles the affair of
SECT.!.] LORD CORNWALLIS'S SECOND CAMPAIGN 221
" America, of which I never think without regret. My
" youth was taken advantage of at that time, and we are
* suffering for it now ; the lesson is too severe to be for-
14 gotten." The army was assembled at Vellore, on the
llth February, and inarched without any opposition to A.D.
Bangalore, which capitulated on the 21st, but not before 1791
Tippoo had succeeded, by forced inarcLes, in removing hia
seraglio and his treasure. The Nizam's contingent of
10,000 horse was assembled at Hyderabad in the preceding
year, but did not enter Tippoo's dominions till it was
certain that he had marched southward, and that there
was no risk of encountering him. In 1791, they hastened
to join Lord Cornwallis's camp as soon as they heard
that Bangalore had capitulated ; but there was neither
discipline nor valour in their ranks, and the flaunting
cavaliers were unable to protect their own foraging parties,
and soon ceased to move beyond the English pickets.
Lord Cornwallis was now in full march on Seringapatam,
and Tippoo determined to try the result of a battle. It
was fought at Arikera, and he sustained a total Battle of
defeat. From the summit of the hill, where the Arikera.
last shot was fired, the eastern face of the capital greeted
the eyes of the victors ; but here, to their deep chagrin,
the campaign terminated. For several weeks the army
had been suffering the extremity of want. The stores,
scanty when the army began its march, were rapidly ex-
hausted ; Tippoo's light horse intercepted all supplies, and
created a desert round the camp. On the 20th May the
artillery officers reported that the bullocks were reduced
to such a state that they could no longer drag the heavy
guns, and Lord Cornwallis was convinced that the safety
of the army depended on an immediate retreat. General
Abercromby, who had been sent with a force from Bombay
to cooperate with Lord Cornwallis from the western coast,
had arrived within forty miles of the capital, but was
directed on the 21st May to destroy a portion of his siege
guns and bury the rest and retire to the coast. The next
day Lord Cornwallis destroyed his own battering train and
began his melancholy return to Madras.
By the coalition treaty, signed on the 1st June, theregency
at Poona engaged to furnish 10,000 troops to operate against
Tippoo, but the minister, Nairn Purnavese, still TheMah-
allowed his envoys to remain at the court, in the rattft army,
hope — which he did not conceal — that, at the eleventh
hour, Tippoo might be induced to purchase his neutrality by
222 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII
a concession of territory. When this expectation vanished
and the Mahratta force took the field, it became evident
that the primary object of the Nana was to use the British
artillery in recovering the fortresses which Tippoo had
wrested from the Mahrattas, and six months were occupied
in the siege ;of Dharwar. Hence, in the first campaign
of 1790, the Peshwa's force rendered no assistance what-
ever. In the ciinipiiiizn of 1791 it joined the army of
Lord Cornwallis only on the first day of the retreat. If
he had received any intimation of its approach, the result
of the campaign might have been different; but his intelli-
gence department wa$ deplorable, while Tippoo's admirable
establishment of scouts intercepted all communication. The
bazaar of the Mahratta army, rich with the spoils of India,
presented a singular contrast to the poverty of the English
camp, and the provisions they brought, though sold at an
exorbitant price, proved a seasonable relief to the famishing
English soldiers. The Mahratta sirdars, who had been
enriching themselves by pillage from the day they took
the field, set up a plea of poverty, and demanded an.
advance of fourteen lacs of rupees, which Lord Cornwallis
was constrained to make to prevent the transfer of their
alliance to Tippoo. It was on this occasion that he followed
the example of Hastings, and took the funds provided for
the Company's investment out of the holds of their ships.
Qn his return to Madras Lord Cornwallis employed the
A.D. army in the conquest of the Baramahal and the capture of
^91 Preparations ^ne fortresses with which the country was
for the third studded. Nothing filled the native princes with
campaign, g^^ awe Of ^e military power of the Company,
as the ease and rapidity with which such forts as Kist-
naghery, Nundidroog, Savandroog, and others that were
deemed impregnable, were captured, while they considered
themselves fortunate if forts of inferior strength were
1792 taken after a siege of six months. Early in January Lord
Cornwallis took the field with a convoy surpassing in
magnitude anything which had been seen before, and which
led Tippoo to exclaim : " It is not what I see of the
" resources of the English that I dread, as what I do not
" see." The army consisted of 22,000 men and eight \-six
field pieces and siege guns. It was augmented, but by no
means strengthened, by about 8,000 of the Nizam's troops,
more showy than serviceable, and a small contingent of
Mah ratta horse. On the 5th February the whole force reached
a position which commanded a view of Seringapatam,
SECT. I.] TIPPOO OBLIGED TO MAKE PEACE 228
A.D.
situated on an island of the Cauvery, protected by three 1791
lines of defence mounting three hundred guns, and sur-
rounded by a hedge of thorny plants absolutely impervious
to man or beast. Tippoo's army was encamped on the
northern bank of the stream, in a strongly fortifird position,
which Lord Cornwallis reconnoitred on the 6th, and
determined to storm the same night. The generals of the
allies were lost in astonishment when they heard that the
English commander had gone out " like an ordinary
" captain," in a dark night without guns, to assail these
formidable lines The conflict, which was carried on
throughout the night, terminated in the capture of all
Tippoo's redoubts, and the establishment of the British
force in the island itself. Soon after Lord Cornwallis was
strengthened by the junction of General Abercromby's
force of 6,000 men from Bombay, and the operations were
pushed on with such vigour that Tippoo was assured by
his principal officers that no dependence could any longer
be placed on his troops, and that he had nothing left but
submission. Threatened as he was with the loss of his
kingdom ho accepted the severe terms dictated by Lord
Cornwallis : — that he should surrender half his dominions,
pay a war indemnity of three crores, and give up two of
his sons as hostages. The generals of the Peshvva and the
Nizam left the negotiations entirely with the English
plenipotentiary ; but after they had been completed, the
Mahratta commander put in a demand of sixty lacs for
himself and the Nizam's general, as a "reasonable remuner-
" ation for their labours in the negotiations," but consented
to its reduction by one half. From documents found at
Seringapatamwhenit wascaptured six years later, it appears
that the generals of both the allies were all the : !• i- •, : t:;!^ ,1
in a clandestine correspondence with Tippoo, tue pertidious
object of which was happily defeated by the prompt move-
ments of Lord Cornwallis and the early completion of the
treaty. The coalition treaty provided that the territories
and fortresses conquered by their united exertions should
be equally divided among the three signatories. The
Mahrattas had given no assistance in the war ; indeed,
their main body did not join the English camp until a
fortnight after the treaty had been signed. The Nizam's
force had done nothing but consume food and forage ; but
Lord Cornwallis determined to adhere with scrupulous
fidelity to the original compact, and made over a third of
the indemnity, as well as of the territory, to each of his
224 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII.
A.D. confederates, annexing only one third, of the annual value
1792 of forty lacs of rupees, to the Company's territories.
This was the first acquisition of territory after it had
been resolved to prevent it by Act of Parliament. Mr.
Pitt, when introducing his Bill in 1784, stated
the^wth1 that his fi^ and principal object was to prevent
of the em- the "governor of Bengal from being ambitious,
,p e* and bent on conquest ; but, though the dread of
territorial expansion was the bugbear of the day, and
continued to haunt the India House and Downing Street
till we had absorbed all India, the tendency of our policy
for twenty years had lain in an opposite direction. Clive
had given back the kingdom of Oude in 1765, when it was
forfeited by the issue of the war, and he denounced
any attempt to extend our dominions beyond the Curum-
nussa. Hastings was at one time prepared to relin-
quish the Northern Sircars ; Lord Cornwallis, soon after he
assumed the Government expressed his wish to withdraw
from the Malabar coast, and reduce Bombay to the posi-
tion of a factory ; and Lord Shelburn, when prime
minister in 1782. proposed to abandon Madras, and give
up everything but Bengal and Bombay. If the size of the
Indian empire had depended on the wishes or the policy
of the public authorities of the day, it would have been
comprised within very narrow limits.
The increase of the Company's dominions in India, which
was reprobated by the Court of Directors, by Parliament
Cause of the an(l by the ministry, arose from the progress of
growth. circumstances over which none of those authori-
ties had any control. From time immemorial, aggression
had been the vital principle of all native states. Twenty-
five centuries before, the father of Hindoo legislation had
placed conquest among the foremost of royal virtues.
" What the king has not got," said Munoo, "let him
" strive to gain by military strength ;" and it was a precept
never disregarded. The Mahomedans adopted this stand-
ing rule, not only in reference to infidel princes, but to
those of their own creed. Every new dynasty proceeded
to attack and appropriate the dominions of its neighbours.
During the oiiflilcrm!- century, the political cauldron in
India had been seething with more than ordinary violence.
The four chief powers of the period, Tippoo, the Nizam,
the Peshwa and Sindia, who, had been established within
the previous sixty years, were maintained in vigour by
the impulse of aggressiveness. Scarcely a year had passed
SBCT, I.] REVENUE AND JUDICIAL BEFOEMS 225
without an invasion of the rights of some prince in Hindo- AiD>
stan or the Deccan. It was in this state of things that the 1793
Company appeared on the scene, and took up arms for the
defence of their factories, and by the superior discipline and
valour of their troops became a first-rate military power, and
consequently an object of jealousy and dread to the belli-
gerent princes of India. It was the restlessness and en-
croachment of the native princes, and not the ambition of
English rulers, that gave rise to nearly all the wars in
which they were engaged. The slightest symptom of
weakness, and too frequently the appearance of moderation,
became the signal for hostility ; and when the aggression
was subdued it appeared the dictate of prudence to prevent
the repetition of it by reducing the resources of the ag-
gressor, and depriving him of some portion of his territory.
And thus has the British empire in India been gradually
extended by a mysterious and inexorable necessity, which
has overpowered not only the opposition of the India
House and the ministry, and the denunciations of English
patriots, but the omnipotence of Parliament. The House
of Commons ratified all the proceedings of Lord Corn-
wallis, not excepting oven the acquisition of territory,
and the king conferred on him the dignity of a marquis.
The precedent has been scrupulously followed over since,
and every Governor-General who has enlarged the British
dominions in India has received the thanks of Parliament
and been decorated with honours by the Crown.
SECTION II.
LOUD CORNWALLIS'S ADMINISTRATION — Hi) VENUE AND JUDICIAL
REFORMS — PROGRESS OF SINDIA.
THE brilliant success of the Mysore war reflected great
credit on Lord Cornwallis ; but the permanent reputation
of his administration rests on his revenue and Revemie
judicial reforms. The changes which had been reforms.
so repeatedly made in the revenue lUTimLvmrr.i-i during the
thirty years of our rule were found to have been equally
detrimental to the welfare of the ryots and the interests
of the state, and Lord Cornwallis, soon after his arrival,
affirmed that .-. • • '• ,•• and internal commerce were in a
state of rapid decay, and that no class appeared to flourish
Q
226 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII
but the money-lenders. The Court of Directors felt the
necessity of adopting some decisive policy to arrest the pro-
gress of ruin, and accordingly framed their memorable letter
A.D. of the 12th April , the salient points of which were, that the
1786 settlement should be made with the old zemindars, and not
with farmers or with temporary renters, — on the ground of
fiscal expediency, and not as a matter of right, — and for a
period of ten years, and eventually, if it was found to work
well, in perpetuity. Lord Cornwallis employed three years
in endeavouring to acquire information on the subject to
serve as the basis of a settlement. The fee simple of the
land had always been considered as belonging to the
sovereign, but the Court of Directors, acting on a generous
and enlightened policy, determined to confer it on the
zemindars, and thus give them a permanent interest in the
soil. The land thus became real property, and a large and
opulent class of landholders was thereby created. The
relationship between the zemindar arid the ryot was an
important question, and involved in great perplexity, which
has not yet been removed. The zemindar had always
squeezed out of the ryot every farthing that could be
realised, leaving him little beyond a rag and a hovel.
Mr. Shore, who superintended the settlement, the ablest
revenue officer in India, was of opinion that some decisive
provision should be made to ensure an equitable adjust-
ment of the demands of the zemindar, but, unfortunately,
the regulations passed to protect the ryot from extortion
were indefinite and inadequate. He was, indeed, permitted
to resort to law, but to expect that a poor cultivator could
appeal to the courts against a rich and powerful landlord
was an absurdity. This defect was unquestionably a blot
in the settlement, which, in other respects, was benevolent,
if not beneficent.
After the settlement had been completed, the important
question arose whether it should be decennial or permanent.
1792 The raa Lord Cornwallis maintained that a fixed and un-
nent setSe- alterable settlement was the only panacea for the
ment. evils which afflicted the country, and the only
protection from the still greater ruin which threatened it,
and that the grant of this boon would give the zemindars
an irresistible inducement to promote the cultivation of the
land and the welfare of the ryots. On the other hand,
Mr. Shore, who was far better acquainted with the subject
than the Governor- General, opposed with equal tenacity the
proposal to make the settlement irrevocable. He argued
SBCT. II. J PERPETUAL SETTLEMENT 227
that the Government had only the roughest estimate of
the capabilities of the land and of the collections, that the
land revenue formed the bone and muscle of the public
resources, and that it was preposterous to fix the revenue
for ever without any definition of the boundaries of estates,
and when a third of Bengal was a jungle. As to the
public spirit of the zemindars which a permanent settle-
ment was expected to foster, he justly remarked that the
whole zemindary system was a mere conflict of extortion
on the one part and resistance on the other, and that it
was vain to hope for any improvement. The question was
referred to Leaderihall Street, and some of the Directors,
influenced partly by their own local experience in India
and partly by Mr. Shore's opinion, proposed to make it
decennial. It was then placed before the Board of Control,
and Mr. Pitt, who had studied Indian subjects as no prime
minister has ever studied them since, closely investigated
it for a week in conjunction with Mr. Dundas and Mr.
Charles Grant, and came to the determination to make the
settlement permanent, and it was prppiuliratrd at Calcutta
on the 22nd March, 1 703. It was the boldest and most impor-
tant administrative measure the Company had ever ventured
upon. Under its operation cultivation has been extended,
and the opulence of the provinces has been augmented ; the
zemindars, and those who have acquired interests in the
land under them, have grown wealthy, and the comfort
of the cultivators has, perhaps, been promoted. But it is
now universally felt that the permanent character given to
it was an egregious blunder, and that a term of fifty years,
if not of a shorter period, would have equally promoted the
object in view. No margin was allowed to meet the in-
evitable increase of expenditure which would bo required
for the defence of the country, or for the improvement of
it by the institutions of civilisation. The Government has,
however, continued for a period of eighty years to maintain
the settlement to the very letter with scrupulous fidelity
under every emergency, and has thus exhibited an example
of good faith heretofore unknown in India.
The administration of Lord Cornwallis was likewise
distinguished by a radical change in the fiscal and judicial
branches. The control of the revenue was con- CMl ftnd
centrated in a board in Calcutta. A civil court criminal
was established in each district and in the prin- C0urt8<
cipal cities, presided over by a covenanted servant of the
Company. Four courts of appeal were erected at Calcutta,
u 2
228 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIL
±.D. Dacca, Moorshedabad, and Patna, from whose decisions an
1793 appeal lay to the sudder or chief court at the Presidency,
composed of the Governor- General and the members of
Council. The judges of the four courts of appeal were to
proceed on circuit twice a year to administer criminal
justice and --to hold jail deliveries. The district judges
were likewise invested with magisterial powers, and
authorised to pass sentence in trivial matters, and to
commit delinquents for trial before the judges of circuit.
Within circles of about twenty miles a native officer, called a
daroga, was appointed to arrest offenders on written charges,
and to take security, not only for his appearance, but also
for that of the witnesses, before the magistrate. For more
_ _ than ten years the simple rules for the adminis-
Thecode. ... «•'. , . n r , ~. ^,.. , T
tration ot justice drawn up by Sir Elijah Impey
had been the manual of the courts. Lord Cornwallis
determined that all the regulations affecting the rights,
the property, and the persons of the subjects of Govern-
ment should be embodied in a code, and translated into
Bengalee and Persian. Mr. George Barlow, a civilian of
mark, but without any legal education, was entrusted with
the charge of drawing up the new code, and he expanded
the ordinances of Sir Elijah into a bulky folio of regula-
tions, but without improving them. This volume of laws,
however valuable as a monument of British philanthropy,
w&s little suited to the habits or wants of a people accus-
tomed to prompt and simple justice. The course of pro-
cedure was loaded with formalities, and, combined with the
multiplication of technical rules, tended to defeat the object
in view. Every suit became a game of chess ; "justice,"
as the natives observed, " was made sour by delay," and
equity was smothered by legal processes. To crown the
grievance, the business of the courts was transacted in a
language — the Persian — equally foreign to the judges, the
suitors, and the witnesses.
The wisdom and judgment manifested in Lord Corn-
wallis's various institutions have always been freely ac-
1793 Jmowledged, but they were deformed by one great and
Exclusion of radical blemish. From the days of Akbar all
natiyes. civil and military offices, even those of the highest
grade, had, with occasional exceptions, been open to all
the natives of the country ; and, in the early days of
Hastings, some of the most important offices in the state
had been enjoyed by natives of merit or influence. Lord
Cornwallis pronounced the natives unworthy of trust, and
considered that the administration in every department
SECT. II.] PKOGRESS OF INDIA 229
ought to be conducted by the Company's covenanted ser-
vants, some three hundred in number, to the entire exclusion
of native agency, with the exception of thedaroga on twenty-
five rupees a month, and a moonsiff to try petty civil suits,
to be paid by a commission on them ; in other words, by the
encouragement of litigation. Every prospect of honourable
ambition was thus closed at once against the natives of the
country, and the fatal effects of this ostracism were speedily
visible in the inefficiency of the whole system of govern-
ment.
The only other event of any note in the year 1793 was
the capture of Pondicherry on the declaration of war
between France and England at the outbreak of Captureof
the Revolution. Lord Oornwallis embarked for rondi-
England in October, after a memorable reign of cherry>
seven years, during which period he had contributed to
the purity and vigour of the power created by the daring
of Olive, aud consolidated by the genius of Hastings. The
dignity of his character, and his firmness and integrity, com-
bined with his calmness and moderation, conciliated and
swayed the native princes, aud commanded the cheerful
obedience of the European servants.
The treaty of Sal bye, which Sindia had concluded with
Hastings in 1782 on the part of the Peshwa, gave him an
elevated position in the Mahratta commonwealth, progrcwof
He was no longer the mere feudatory of Poona, Sindia.
but an independent chief, and an ally of the British Go-
vernment, and he determined to push his schemes of
ambition in llmdostan, for which circumstances were
peculiarly favourable. The imbecile emperor was a mere
puppet in the hands of his minister, Afrasiab Khan, who
invited Siudia, in his master's name, to assist in demolish-
ing the power of his rival, Mahomed Beg, and he accord-
ingly advanced with a large army to Agra, where he had
an interview with the emperor. Soon after Afrasiab was
assassinated, and Sindia became master of the situation,
and was appointed the executive minister of the empire,
with the command of tho imperial troops. The districts
of Agra and Delhi were assigned for their support, and he
was thus put in possession of the Doab, the province
lying between the Jumna and the Ganges, and its great
resources. Intoxicated with this success, he preferred a
demand for the chout of Bengal, which was indignantly
rejected by Mr. Macpherson, the officiating Governor- 1784
General. He then proceeded to demand the arrears of
230 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII.
tribute, which he stated at sixty lacs of rupees, from the
Rajpoots at the gates of Jeypore. The greater portion of
the amount was paid, but, on his demanding the balance,
the Rajpoots made common cause to resist him. In the
battle which ensued, he was deserted by Mahomed Beg,
and by the -whole of the imperial troops, who took over
A.D. eighty pieces of cannon to the enemy. He was discomfited
1787 and fled from the field, and in his extremity entreated
Nana Furnavese, the head of the regency at Poona, to aid
him in supporting the Mahratta authority in Hindostan.
The Nana was jealous of his growing power, but despatched
troops under Holkar, although rather with the object of
watching his movements than of supporting them.
Mahomed Bee: fell in the battle, but his place
Ishmael Bear. i* *» t t • i T-IIT-* i
^ was supplied by his nephew, Ishmael Beg, who
laid siege to Agra, on the part of the Rajpoots, and was
joined by Gholam Khadir, a Rohilcund jageerdar, and his
free lances. Sindia advanced to raise the siege, but was again
completely defeated in a battle fought on the 24th April.
Gholam Khadir was recalled to defend his own jageer from
the encroachments of the Sikhs, now rising into power, and
Sindia took advantage of his absence to attack Ishmael Beg,
1788 who was defeated, and escaped from the field by the swift-
ness of his horse. He joined Gholam, and the united
chiefs advanced to Delhi, of which Gholam obtained pos-
sgssion, and his licentious soldiery were let loose on the
imperial city, which was subjected for two months to such
scenes of violence, rapine and barbarity, as were said to be
" almost without example in the annals of the world."
The ladies of the seraglio were exposed and dishonoured,
1788 and some of them starved to death, and the unhappy
monarch, plundered and dethroned, was deprived of sight
by this monster of cruelty. Ishmael Beg turned with
horror from these atrocities, and accepted service with
Sindia, who proceeded to Delhi, reseated the emperor with
great pomp on his throne, and made every effort to alle-
viate his sorrows. Gholam Khadir fled on his approach,
but was captured, and deliberately hacked to pieces. The
turbulent Ishmael Beg did not long remain faithful to
Sindia, but again joined the Rajpoots, whom Sindia de-
1790 feated at Patun in 1790, and the next year at Mairta.
The success of both these engagements was due chiefly to
1791 the disciplined battalions of the Count de Boigne, a native
of Savoy, an officer of distinguished ability and great
military experience, who had come out to India in search of
SECT. II.] SINDIA'S PKOCEEDINGS AT POONA 231
employment, and entered the service of Sindia, and in-
duced him to create a sepoy corps on the model of the
Company's army. De Boigne raised and organised a large
force, disciplined by European officers, the majority of
whom were natives of France. It was eventually aug-
mented to 18,000 regular infantry, 6,000 irregulars, 2,000
irregular horse and 600 Persian cavalry, with 200 pieces
of artillery. This formidable force rendered Sindia the
paramount native power in Hindostan, and the most im-
portant member of the Mahratta body.
Sindia offered to join the alliance against Tippoo,
promoted by Lord Cornwallis, on condition that the Com-
pany's Government should guarantee all the pos- sindia at
sessions he had acquired in Hindostan, and P°ona.
furnish him with two battalions of troops, similar to those
granted to the Nizam. These proposals were considered
inadmissible, and he declined to become a party to the
treaty of Poona. That he might, however, be in a position
to take advantage of circumstances in the war in which the
princes of the Deccan were about to be engaged with Tippoo,
he proceeded with an army to the Mahratta capital, greatly
to the annoyance of N"ana Furnavese, who dreaded his
ambitious designs. He had obtained from the impotent
emperor the title of Vakeel-i-Mootluk, or regent of the
Mogul empire, for the Peshwa, and for himself the office of
hereditary deputy, and he gave out as the pretext for the
journey that he was proceeding to the Mahratta capital
to invest the Peshwa with this dignity. The Nan a and
the ministers could not view without disgust the acceptance
of honours by the head of the Mahratta power from the
puppet of an emperor, but their opposition was unavailing.
Sindia had gained a complete ascendency over the young
Peshwa by his cheerful and genial demeanour, which
formed a strong contrast to the stern and morose bearing
of the prime minister, Nana Furnavese. Sindia had, more-
over, brought a variety of rarities for him from Hindostan,
and studied to make arrangements for his amusement. The
ceremony was imposing beyond anything which had been
seen at Poona. A grand suite of tents was pitched Imogtituro
in the vicinity of the city, a throne was placed of the 179J
to represent that of the Great Mogul, on which Peshwa*
the patent and the insignia were deposited. The Peshwa,
surrounded by his whole court and the representatives of
foreign powers, approached the throne and made his
obeisance, and then retiring to another tent was invested
282 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII,
with the gorgeous robes of the office, and returned to
Poona with such pomp and grandeur as the inhabitants
had never before witnessed. Sindia and Nana Furnavese,
though plotting each others' destruction, maintained an
outward appearance of civility, but their armies could not
be restrained from hostility in Hindostan. The forces of
Holkar and' Sindia were jointly engaged in levying tribute
from the Rajpoots, but they quarrelled about the division
of the spoil. Sindia's commander, De Boigne, with 20,000
horse and 9,000 infantry, attacked Holkar' s army, con-
sisting of 80,000 men, including four battalions disci-
plined by his French general. Holkar was completely
A.D, defeated, and the four regiments were all but annihilated,
1792 only one European ofDtvr < MM j i; •* the carnage. This victory
rendered Sindia the first power among the Mahrattas,
and deepened the apprehensions of his rival Nana Furna-
1794 Death of vese» ^u^ 0 was re^eve(^ ^rom a^ anxiety by the
Mahdajee unexpected death of Sindia, on the Itith February.
Sindia. -por thirty-five years he may be said to have
passed his life in his camp, devoting his time and energies
to the improvement of his army and the increase of his pos-
sessions. From his father he received a small principality,
and he bequeathed to his son a kingdom, extending from
the Sutlege to Allahabad, and including two-thirds of
Malwa, and some of the fairest provinces in the Deccan,
and the most efficient military force in India.
The period for which their exclusive privileges had been
granted to the Company expired in 1793, and the Court of
1793 The new Directors applied to Parliament for the renewal
Charter. of them. But new commercial and manufacturing
interests had been springing up in England with great
vigour, and petitions poured into the House from Liverpool,
Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester, and other seats of industry
and enterprise, protesting against the exclusion of the
country from any share in the trade of India. The India
House met these representations by the bold assertion that
it was essential to the national interests that the Company
should be the sole agents for conducting the commerce
and the government of India. The ministry found the
existing state of things exceedingly comfortable, inasmuch
as Indian affairs were, on all essential questions, under
their control. Lord Cornwallis had placed the finances of
India in a flourishing condition, and Mr. Dundas, the
India minister, asked the House with an air of triumph,
whether they were prepared to interrupt this tide of
finer. II.] SIB JOHN SHORE'S ADMINISTRATION 238
prosperity and the growing commerce of India for a mere
theory. His arguments were received with blind con-
fidence in a House in which free trade was considered the
inevitable road to ruin ; and the monopoly of the Company
was renewed for twenty years, although, to meet the
clamours of the merchants, the Company were directed to
allot 3,000 tons a year for their private trade. An effort
was made by Mr. Wilberforce to obtain permission for
missionaries and schoolmasters to proceed to India and
give instruction, religious and secular, to the natives who
might desire it, but it was resisted by the ministry, the Court
of Directors, and the old Indians. The charter of 1793 was a
faithful mirror of the views of an age in which it was con-
sidered that the introduction of free trade and European
settlers, of schoolmasters and missionaries, would be fatal
to the British power in India.
SECTION III.
SIR JOHN SHORE'S ADMINISTRATION.
LORD COKNWALLIS was succeeded by Sir John Shore, one of
the ablest of the Company's servants, and the author of
the permanent settlement. In a letter to Mr. Sirjohn
Dundas on the subject of appointing his successor, store's A,D.
Lord Cornwallis had said that " nobody but a a'lt<*edente- 1793
" person who had never been in the service, and who was
" essentially unconnected with its members, who was of a
"rank far ^ur; M- -•:•:' his associates in the government,
" and who had the full support of the ministry at home,
" was competent for the office of Governor- General." This
letter, however, did not reach England till after the
selection of Sir John Shore had been made, at the instance
of Mr. Pitt, who was favourably impressed with the in-
dustry, the candour, and the ability exhibited by him in
reference to the revenue settlement. He entered on his
duties on the 28th October, 1793.
The first question which arose to try the mettle of the
new Governor- General was connected with the politics of
the Deccan . After the termination of the war The guaran-
with Tippoo, Lord Cornwallis, anxious to secure tee treaty,
permanent peace to the Deccan, submitted to the two
native princes who were parties to the tripartite treaty of
234 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAI. VII,
1790 the draft of a " treaty of mutual guarantee," which
would have established a balance of power in the Deccan,
and guarded the rights of the princes from mutual aggres-
sion. The Nizam, as being the weakest, agreed to it with
alacrity ; but the Mahrattas had a long account against
him which .it was not their policy to close, and which they
intended to settle by the sword, and they therefore, declined
Rejected by any engagement which would interfere with the
A-D- the Mah- designs they formed against him. After twelve
1793 rattas. months of fruitless discussion, Lord Cornwallis
was obliged to abandon all hope of securing the concurrence
of the Poona regency. Sindia had been the most strenuous
opponent of the guarantee treaty, and his death seemed to
present a favourable opportunity for renewing the negotia-
tion, and making a vigorous effort to preserve the tran-
quillity of the Deccan, then menaced by the Mahrattas.
They fully anticipated some decisive interference on the
part of the Company's Government, such as they knew
Lord Cornwallis would have undertaken. But they soon
perceived that the sceptre was now in feeble hands, and
1794 they hastened their preparations when they found that Sir
John Shore had resolved to limit his intervention to ** good
" offices." The Nizam, who advanced counter claims of
even greater amount than those of the Mahrattas, imme-
diately claimed the fulfilment of the treaty of 1790 ; but
§ir John lacked the spirit of his predecessor. He had a
morbid dread of offending the Mahratta powers, and he
paid a servile homage to the Act of Parliament which dis-
countenanced native alliances, though Lord Cornwallis
had driven his coach through it, and he resolved to remain
neuter in the impending struggle. It is, however, due to
his memory to state that this decision was evidently in-
fluenced, to a considerable extent, by the incompetency of the
Commanders-in-Chief at all the Presidencies, with none of
whom could he venture to undertake hostilities.
To assemble a Mahratta army when there was any hope
of plunder had never presented any difficulty. On this
Expedition °ccasi°n the young Peshwa, having determined
against the to take the field in person, summoned his feuda-
Nizam. tories of every degree, and it proved to be the last
time they were ever assembled together under the national
standard. Sindia, Holkar, the raja of Nagpore, the Gaikwar,
and the southern jageerdars, each furnished a quota, and
the whole force numbered 130,000 horse and foot, with
150 guns, while the army of the Nizam amounted to about
SHOT. HI.] BATTLE OF KUKDLA 235
110,000. The Nizam had engaged a French officer of the
name of Raymond to discipline two battalions, which
were increased to twenty-three when the struggle with
the Mahrattas appeared inevitable. In the ranks of
Sindia were likewise 10,000 men commanded by Perron,
and 2,000 with Holkar, nnder Dudrenec ; and the most
efficient soldiers on each side were under the command of
natives of France.
The two armies met on the 12th March, a little in advance
of the village of Kurdla, which has given its name to this
decisive battle. The advanced guard of the Nizam Battle of A.D.
put to flight one large division of the Mahralta Kurdla. J-Q^
infantry, but the whole of the Nizam's cavalry broke and
fled when it was assailed by the French force. Raymond's
infantry had, however, obtained considerable advantage over
Perron's, and there was some prospect of his ultimate
success, when he was peremptorily ordered by his master
to withdraw from the field. The Nizam had taken his
zenana with him, and his favourite sultana, terrified by the
roar of the cannon, insisted upon his retiring beyond its
reach. The dotard yielded to her importunities, and the
whole army retreated in wild confusion, although scarcely
two hundred men had fallen in both armies. The Nizam
took refuge in Kurdla, and within two days was obliged
to sign a humiliating treaty, making cessions of territory
of the value of thirty-five lacs a year, paying the sum of
three crores of rupees, and delivering up his minister, the
only able man at his court, to the Peshwa. The two
battalions of Company's troops in his service were not
permitted by Sir John Shore to assist him during the
battle ; and on his return to Hyderabad he dismissed them
in disgust, and ordered Raymond to use avery exertion to
augment and discipline his sepoys, and assigned districts for
their support. The power and influence in the Nizam's
councils which Lord Cornwallis had secured for the
Company, were thus transferred to the French.
The battle of Kurdla completely prostrated the Nizam,
and the Mahrattas would doubtless have returned to com-
plete his humiliation, but for the unexpected Death of the
death of the Peshwa, and the confusion which it reshwa.
occasioned. Nairn Furnavese had, with occasional inter-
missions, enjoyed the chief control inMahratta affairs duiing
his minority ; but though the Peshwa was now of age,
he was still kept in a state of galling tutelage, which at
length became insupportable, and on the 25th October he 1796
236 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VH.
threw himself from a terrace in his palace, and expired
two days after, bequeathing the crown to his cousin Bajee
Rao, the son of the once famous Raghoba, who was then
held in durance by Nana Furnavese. Then ensued a sceno
of intrigue and anarchy, which lasted more than three years,
and which 'has scarcely a parallel in the native history of
India. After a variety of convulsions, the fortunes of the
Nana were reduced to the lowest ebb, but retrieved by his
extraordinary genius. " The vigour of his judgment,"
observes the historian of the Mahrattas, " the fertility of
" his resources, the extent of his influence, and the com-
" bination of instruments he called into action, surprised
" all India, and from his European contemporaries pro-
" cared him the title of the Mahratta Machiavelli." He
proposed to restore to the Nizam the territory which had
been wrested from him, and to remit the balance remaining
due, and having thus gained his assistance, as well as that
A.D. of Sindia and Holkar, marched in triumph to Poona,
1796 where he seated Bajee Rao on the throne, and regained
his own power as prime minister. But Bajee Rao, the
most perfidious of native princes, incited Sindia to destroy
him, and he was treacherously seized at a banquet and
1797 sent prisoner to Ahmednugur. The Peshwa then made
arrangements for the assassination of Sindia, but his
courage failed him at the last moment, and he exhibited
f<5r the first time that indecision of character which marked
all his future career.
Mr. Dundas had announced his opinion that India could
only be retained by a large European army, that the pro-
Mutiny of portion of European to native troops should be as
European one to three, and that the whole force should be
officers. placed* under the Crown, and " act in concert
" with the general strength of the empire/' The scheme
of amalgamation which Lord Cornwallis had drawn up
1794 was not altogether approved by the Board of Control, or the
Court of Directors, and Mr. Dundas undertook to draw up
a second. But the European officers of the Company, who
were opposed to any nrrinlLrrmrmtion. were already in a state
of mutiny, and Sir John Shore found, on assuming the
Government, that he had to deal with the insubordination
of a whole army. The officers repressed their resentment
while they awaited the arrival of Mr. Dundas's regulations,
but their patience was exhausted by delay. On Ohrist-
1795 mas ^y Sir John convened the Council, and informed
them that delegates had been elected from each regiment
SKCT.HL] MUTINY OF EUROPEAN OFFICERS 287
to form an executive board, and that every regiment bad
bound itself to protect their persons and make good their
losses. The terms which this board was to demand from
the Government were, that the native regiments should
not be reduced, or the European regiments increased,
beyond a certain limit, and that all allowances which had
been granted to the army at any time should be restored.
If these conditions were not accepted, they were prepared
to seize the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief,
and to take possession of the Government.
The Council was thunderstruck by this announcement.
It was a crisis similar to that which the undaunted spirit
of Clive had quelled in two months, thirty years Submi8Bion
before ; but there was no Clive at Calcutta, of the
Orders were sent to Madras and the Cape for e°vernmenfc-
troops, and the admiral was desired to bring up his fleet,
and even De Boigne was asked for a regiment of Sindia's
cavalry. The Commander-in-Chief went to Cawnpore, and
by his courteous manners soothed the feelings of the
officers, but it was the firmness of the artillery that
stemmed the tide of mutiny. The long- expected regula-
tions of Mr. Dundas arrived in May 1796, and disgusted
all parties. The Governor- General himself described them
as a mass of confusion. The flame of revolt blazed forth
afresh in tlu» army, and remonstrances poured in upon the
bewildered Government. Sir John Shore, in writing to
the Court of Directors, stated that the pressure was so
severe that ho had been obliged to give way. The regula-
tions were modified and concessions made which exceeded
even tho expectations of the army. The intelligence of this
submission tilled the ministry with such alarm that it was
resolved to supersede Sir John Shore forthwith, and Lord
Cornwallis was importuned to proceed to India, if only for
twelve months, and restore order. He was accordingly
sworn in as Governor- General on the 1st February, and the
appointment was duly notified at all the Presidencies. But
the mutineers had a representative body of oflicers sitting
in London, and, incredible as it may appear, the Court of
Directors and the Board of Control, after having recalled
Sir John Shore for his weakness, entered into negotiations
with them and made concession after concession, and silenced
one of tho ringleaders by a lucrative post at the India
House. An order was passed in reference to the mutiny
which Lord Cornwallis described as " milk and water/'
*nd he threw up the appointment in disgust.
288 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. VII
The last act of Sir John Shore's administration was
marked by as much vigour as those preceding it had been
Onde signalised by feebleness. The Vizier of Oude
was a man of good disposition, but spoiled by
the enjoyment of absolute power, and vitiated by the
fools, knaves and sycophants who composed his court.
The Government was completely effete, and but for the
protection of British bayonets, the country would have
been absorbed by the Mahrattas or the Sikhs. Before his
departure from India, Sir John Shore visited Lucknow
and endeavoured to impress on the Vizier the necessity of
reforming the abuses of the administration ; but what-
ever favourable impression he might have produced in
the morning was effaced in the evening when the prince
was surrounded by buffoons and parasites, or stupefied
Death of the with opium. Six weeks after Sir John's return
nabob. to Calcutta, he sank into the grave, exhausted
by indulgence, and the succession of Vizier Ali, whom
he had acknowledged as his son, was sanctioned by the
Government of India.
Information was received soon after that his birth was
spurious and his character atrocious, and Sir John returned
A.D. to Lucknow to ascertain the truth, when he ob-
1797 er * tained evidence that he was riot even the illegiti-
mate son of the late Vizier, but the offspring of a man of
the lowest caste, and likewise that his pr. ifligsiry had created
a feeling of universal disgust. Sir John was convinced
that he had been accessory to an act of injustice, and as
the late ruler had left no legitimate issue, he conferred the
throne on his brother, then residing at Benares. He was
required on being installed, to sign a new treaty, by which
the defence of the country was entrusted to a body of
10,000 British troops, for whom an annual subsidy of
seventy-five lacs of rupees was allotted, that the native
army of the state should not exceed 35,000 troops, that the
Saadut Ali fortress of Allahabad, the key of the north-west
1798 Nabob. provinces, should be made over to the Company,
and the Vizier eschew all foreign negotiations. During
these arrangements, Sir John Shore was encamped with
a small force near the town of Lucknow, and exposed to
eminent danger from the violence of Vizier Ali,and the bands
of desperate men in his pay, under the command of a reck-
less adventurer, who had 300 pieces of cannon, and openly
talked of assassinating the Governor- General. The fear-
lessness which he exhibited in this perilous position, ai?
SHOT. III.] LORD WELLESLEY'S ADMINISTRATION 289
well as the resolution and justice of his proceedings,
created general admiration in India, and the Court of Direc-
tors applauded the " great temper, ability and firmness he
" had displayed on this occasion. " The arrival of the Vizier
with a large force from Benares rescued him from danger,
and on his return to Calcutta he embarked for England, A.D.
and was raised to the peerage as Lord Teignmouth. 179(
CHAPTEE VIIL
SECTION I.
LORD WELLESLEY— LAST MYSORE WAR.
SIR JOHN SHORE was succeeded by Lord Mornington, sub- 1799
sequently created Marquis Wellesley, then in his thirty,
eighth year, under whose vigorous rule the power i^
of the Company was rendered paramount through- Wellesley .
ont India. At the Board of Control, where he had occupied
a seat for four years, he had acquired a comprehensive
knowledge of Indian affairs, and he moreover enjoyed the
advantage of Mr. Pitt's personal friendship and the confi-
dence of Mr. Dun das. He called at the Capo on his way
to India, and had the good fortune to meet there Lord
Macartney and Lord Hobart, both of whom had been
governors of Madras, as well as Major Kirkpatrick, formerly
resident at Sindia's court, and more recently at Hyderabad,
and obtained from their communications the most important
information regarding the views and the position of the
various princes in India.
At the commencement of this important epoch, it may
bo useful to glance at the state of India. After the
humiliation of Tippoo Sultan, Lord Cornwallis en- state of
deavoured to establish a balance of power in the India'
Deccan. But there never had been any real balance of
power in India, and aggression and rapine had been the only
principle of action among its princes. Wars were com-
menced and prosecuted without any semblance of justice,
and restrained only by the power of resistance. Eighteen
months after the departure of Lord Cornwallis, the battle
240 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
of Kurdla prostrated the power of the Nizam ; the Peshwa
was reduced to extremity by the encroachments of Sindia ;
and even the appearance of a balance of power in the
Deccan was irretrievably lost. The Government of Calcutta
had become an object of derision in all the native courts,
and a prolongation of Sir John Shore's nerveless adminis-
tration would have entailed very serious calamities. In
the south, Tippoo was brooding over his misfortunes, and
husbanding his resources to retrieve them. Though de-
prived of half his dominions, he was still able to maintain
a powerful army in full efficiency. The Nizam had aug-
mented the battalions under Raymond to 14,000, men and
the French, who were animated by the national hatred of
England which then prevailed in France, exercised a
paramount authority in the state. Sindia was supreme at
Poona and at Delhi, and enjoyed all the influence and
authority still attached to the imperial throne. His terri-
tories in the Deccan extended to the Toombudra, and
skirted the frontiers of the Nizam and the Peshwa, while in
Hindostan it extended to the Sutlege, and abutted on the
dominions of the Yizier and of the Company. The French
battalions, raised and disciplined by Do Boigne, had been
augmented to 40,000 men, in no way inferior to the Com-
pany's sepoy army, with 450 guns, and fortresses, arsenals,
foundries, depots, and all the appliances of war. Lord
Ccfrnwallis had bequeathed to his successor a surplus
revenue of a crore and eighty lacs of rupees a year, but
it had dwindled into a deficit, and the Company's credit
was so low that the treasury could not raise a loan under
12 per cent.
Lord Wellesley landed in Calcutta on the 17th May, and
within three weeks was startled by the receipt of a pro-
A"°* The Mauri- clamation issued by the governor of the Mauritius,
1798 tins pro- stating that envoys had arrived from Tippoo
ciamation. guitan with despatches for the Government in
Paris, proposing an alliance offensive and defensive, and
requesting the aid of a body of troops to assist him in
expelling the English from India. Soon after it was
announced that a French frigate had landed 150 men,
including officers, from the Mauritius at Mangnlore, on
the Malabar coast, who had proceeded to Seringapatam
and entered the Mysore service. Lord Wellesley de-
termined to anticipate the hostile movements of Tippoo,
and directed General Harris, the officiating governor of
Madras, to assemble the Coast army -for an immediate
SECT. I.J LORD WELLESLEY'S EMBARRASSMENTS 241
march on Seringapatam, and called on the Nizam and
the Peshwa, the signataries of the treaty of 1790, to
furnish their quota of troops in accordance with its twelfth
article.
The Presidency of Madras was thunderstruck with thi#
venturous project. They had a morbid dread of the
Mysore power, which had dictated peace under Dismay at
the walls of Madras, and annihilated Baillio's Madras,
force, and ravaged the Carnatic ; and they conjured up
the memory of all the disasters which had for twenty
years attended their wars with Hyder and Tippoo. The
entire disposable force of the Presidency did not exceed
8,000 men, and they were destitute both of draft cattle
and commissariat stores ; and far, they said, from being in
a condition to march on Tippoo's capital, the force was
not equal to the defence of the Company's territories, if he
should invade them. On the other hand, the Mysore ruler
could muster 60,000 troops, a large portion of whom con-
sisted of the celebrated Mysore horse; his infantry was in
part disciplined by French officers; he possessed a hundred
and forty-four field-pieces, a rocket brigade, a long train of
elephants, an ample supply of draft and carriage cattle,
and a splendid commissariat. In these circumstances
Lord Wellesley found it impossible to strike an immediate
blow, but he issued peremptory orders for the speedy
equipment of the army, and he met the remonstrances
addressed to him in his own imperious style, by threatening
with his severest displeasure " those who presumed to
" thwart him, and arrogated to themselves the power of
" jjoxtT11.!!.'- the empire committed to his charge."
The state of affairs at Hyderabad demanded Lord
Wellesley's earliest attention. The troops, to the number
of 14,000, disciplined and commanded by French ^^ Wftllfts
officers, presented a serious difficulty. They ley's embar-
could not be taken into the field as a portion of rassmentfl-
the Nizam's contingent, without the risk of their joining
the Sultan, with whose French officers they were in con-
stant correspondence ; while to leave them behind without
an adequate force to watch them, was equally perilous.
At this critical juncture, moreover, Lord Wellesley received
a communication from Zeman Shah, announcing his
intention to cross the Indus and enter Hiiulostan, and
asking the Biitish Government to assist him in driving the
Mahrattas back into the Deccan. He was the grandson
of Ahmed Shah Abdalee, who had astounded India by his
242 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
victory at Paniput forty years before ; and the prospect of
another Abdalee invasion created a universal feeling of
excitement, if not of alarm. Thus beset with embarrass-
ments in the north and in the south, Lord Wellesley
resolved boldly to carry out his policy of alliances with the
native princes on his own responsibility, without waiting
for the sanction of the Court of Directors or the ministry.
He found that the Company had not augmented their
security by curtailing their influence, but had drifted into
a position in which it was less perilous to advance than to
stand still. He determined to break up that policy of
isolation which had been erroneously considered the safe-
guard of British power, and within three months after he
had taken the chair at the Council board, negotiations
were opened throughout the continent, and every durbar
was electrified by the revival of that energy which recalled
the days of Hastings and Cornwallis.
A.D. Lord Wellesley found it necessary to dispose of the
1798 French force at Hyderabad before he took the field against
Negotiations Tippoo. The great minister of the Nizam, Meer
atHyder- Alum — otherwise called Musheei-ool-Moolk —
abad. on keing released from Poona and resuming his
office, was alarmed at the power which the French officers
had obtained in the state, and was disgusted with their arro-
gance. He lost no time in proposing to Sir John Shore to
substitute an English subsidiary force for the French
battalions ; but Sir John had not the nerve for so bold a
proceeding. Lord Wellesley eagerly embraced the proposal,
and made an offer to protect the state from all unjust
claims in every quarter with a body of 6,000 troops, to be
subsidised by the Nizam, on condition that the French
corps should be dismissed, and the settlement of all disputes
with the Mahrattas referred to the British Government,
The Nizam manifested great reluctance to contract an
alliance which he could never shake off, with so irresistible
a power as the Company, but his minister persuaded him
that it was better to repose under the protection of a
power governed by the principles of honour, than to be
perpetually exposed to the avarice of the Mahrattas and
the ambition of Tippoo. »
In the preceding year the Peshwa solicited the aid of a
British force to protect him from the encroachments of
Sindia, but it was declined by Sir John Shore,
aiimnce He then concluded an alliance with the Nizam,
Polhwa! an(* ce(*ed territory of the annual value of eight
lacs of rupees as the price of his assistance.
SECT. I.] NIZAM'S FRENCH FORCE DISBANDED 243
Sindia revenged himself by releasing Nana Furnavese,
whom he held in confinement, and inviting Tippoo to join
him in an attack on the Nizam. These manoeuvres led to
a temporary reconciliation between Sindia and the Peshwa,
and it was at this juncture that the proposal of a subsidiary
alliance, which included the reference of all claims on the
Nizam to the arbitrament of the British Government, was
renewed. The Peshwa was too astute not to perceive that
such an alliance involved the extinction of his political
importance, and it is not to be wondered at that he, in
common with the other princes of India, with whom
independence had a charm, the value of which was en-
hanced by its risks, should have been indisposed to resign it.
But the Peshwa assured the Resident that he would faith-
fully observe the conditions of the tripartite treaty in the
approaching war with Tippoo, and a large Mahratta force
was ostensibly ordered into the field.
To give effect to the treaty with the Nizam, troops were
despatched to Hyderabad ; but at the last moment he
evinced an invincible reluctance to place himsolf Estinctlon
in a state of helpless and ir retrievable dependence ofthePrench
on a superior power, and he fled to the fortress force'
of Golconda. The Resident was obliged to assume a high
tone and to assure the minister that his master would be
held responsible for this breach of faith. He was at length
convinced that there was more danger in endeavouring to
evade the engagement than in fulfilling it, and a proclama-
tion was issued dismissing the French officers, and releasing
the sepoys from the obligation of obedience to them.
Officers and men were thrown into a state of confusion
and dismay by this unexpected order — Raymond was no
longer at Hyderabad — but the British force was moved
into a position which completely commanded the French
encampment and placed their nmirtt/inos at its mercy. In
this helpless state, the officers sent to inform the Resident
that they were ready to place themselves under his pro-
tection ; but the men, to whom large arrears were due,
rose in a body and placed the officers in confinement, and
it was not without great difficulty they found refuge in the
English camp. Captain Malcolm, a young and ambitious
officer, then rising into notice, succeeded in quelling the
excitement by the payment of their arrears ; and before the
evening this large body of disciplined troops, possessed of
a powerful train of artillery and well-stored arsenals, was
disarmed without the loss of a single life. This great
244 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
achievement, the first act of the new Government, filled
the native princes, who were calculating on the decay of
the Company's power, with amazement, while the ability
with which it was planned, and the promptitude with
which it was executed, diffused a spirit of confidence
throughout the civil and military services which con-
tributed in no small degree to the success of Lord Welles-
ley's plans.
A.D. On the 8th October, Lord Wellesley received information
1798 that Bonaparte had landed in Egypt, on his way to the East
and he reiterated his orders to press forward the organisa-
tion of the Madras army, which he promised to strengthen
by the addition of 3,000 volunteer sepoys from Bengal,
and with the 33rd Foot, under the command of Colonel
Wellesley, afterwards the l)uke of Wellington. On hear-
ing that the disbandment of the French force at Hyderabad
n . had been completed, he addressed his first letter
Communica- r . ' . .
tion with to Tippoo, upbraiding him with his embassy to
Tlppoo. faQ MaTiritius, and the connection he had formed
with the inveterate enemies of the British nation, " which
" must subvert the foundations of friendship subsisting
" between him and the Company." He proposed to de-
pute Major Do vet on to his court, to propound a plan calcu-
lated to remove all doubt and suspicion. To infuse vigour
into these arrangements he resolved to proceed in person
to Madras, where he landed on the last day of the year,
and assumed the control of all political and military move-
ments, leaving the local administration in the hands of the
governor.
Tippoo' s reply was altogether evasive. He asserted
1799 Tippoo's fa^ the vessel which had gone to the Mauritius
replies. was sent by a mercantile tribe, and that " the
" French, who were full of vice and deceit, had put about
" sinister reports to ruffle the minds of the two Sircars."
He declined the proposed conference with Major Doveton
as superfluous, " inasmuch as his friendship and regard
" for the English were perfectly apparent." At this very
time, however, he was despatching one of his French
officers to the Directory in Paris, to solicit 10,000 troops,
to be employed at his expense in expelling the English ;
and he was likewise inviting Zeman Shah to join him in
prosecuting a holy war against the infidels and polytheists.
" Please God," he wrote, " the English shall become
" food for the unrelenting sword of the pious warriors."
Lord Wellesley addressed another letter to him on the 9th
SBCT. I.] PROGRESS OF THE MYSORE WAR 245
January, demanding a reply in twenty- four hours, to which
Tippoo, after a considerable delay, replied that he was going
on a hunting excursion, as was his wont, and that Major
Doveton might be despatched after him.
Every moment now became precious. The capital,
Seringapatam, was the heart of Tippoo's power, his principal
granary, and his only arsenal. Owing to the rise progress of
of the Cauvery around the island on which it the army,
was built, it was impregnable from June to November, and
it was necessary to reduce it before the rains set in. After
waiting in vain for a definite reply, Lord Wellesley ordered
the army to take the field. It was the largest and the
most complete in point of equipment and discipline which
had ever yet assembled under the Company's colours. It
consisted of 20,802 men, of whom 6,000 were Europeans,
with a battering train of forty guns, and sixty-four field-
pieces and howitzers, and 10,000 of the Nizam's cavalry, as
well as the Hyderabad subsidiary force, which, under
the command of Colonel Wellesley and Captain Malcolm,
had become a most efficient auxiliary. The entire army was
commanded by General Harris, whose personal knowledge
of the route was of great value. Tippoo, leaving his
generals to watch the movements of the general at Madras,
proceeded with the flower of his army to the ^
Malabar Coast to oppose the Bombay force march- the Malabar
ing on his capital. Coast.
On the 5th March, Tippoo unexpectedly appeared before its
advanced guard. General Stuart, the commandant, with
the main body, was ten miles in the rear, and it fell to
the gallant General Hartley — a name of high renown on
that coast — to meet the shock. His little force, and more
especially the battalions under Colonel Montresor, bore the
assault of the whole of Tippoo's force for six hours with
the most determined resolution, but as they were reduced
to their last cartridge the general happily came up and
decided the fate of the day. Tippoo retreated through the
wood with the loss of 2,000 men, and six days after
marched off in an opposite direction to resist the advance
of General Harris, whose army stood on the table land of
Bangalore on the 15th March. Contrary to the advice of
his most experienced officers and his French commander,
Tippoo fixed on Malavelly as the field for disputing the
progress of the British army, and the battle ended Battle of
in his complete discomfiture on the 27th March. Maiaveily.
He felt certain that General Harris would pursue the
246 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
northern route to the capital as Lord Cornwallis had done,
and he had taken the precaution to lay it waste, not leav-
ing a particle of food or forage. But the general moved
down in an opposite direction, and crossed the Cauvery
at the hitherto unknown ford of Sosilla, without any
interruption. Nothing could exceed the rage and dismay
of Tippoo when he discovered that all his plans were frus-
trated by this strategy, and he called a meeting of his
officers, and asked their advice with tears in his eyes ; they
declared that they would make one last and desperate
effort for the defence of the capital and the kingdom, and,
if unsuccessful, die with him.
Seringapatam was invested on the 6th April, and the siege
was pushed on with such vigour that Tippoo was induced
Thesie e ^° Pr°P°se a conference. General Harris informed
him that the only terms on which he was autho-
rised to treat were the cession of half his territories, the
payment of a war indemnity of two crores, and the delivery
of four of his sons and four of his chief officers as hostages.
These terms were rejected by the Sultan. On the 4th May
A.D. the breach was reported practicable, and the troops were led
1799 to the storm by General Baird, a distinguished officer,
who had been immured in the dungeons of the fort for four
years, in irons, by Hyder and Tippoo. He ascended the
parapet at one in the afternoon, and exhibited his noble
figure in the view of both forces, and then, drawing his
sword, desired his men to follow him, and show themselves
worthy the name of British soldiers. A small and select
band of Tippoo's soldiers met the forlorn hope in the
breach, the greater portion of whom on either side fell in
the desperate struggle. The works were defended with
great valour, more especially in the gateway where Tippoo
had taken his station, and where he fell covered with
wounds. The fortress was captured, and, as his remains
were conveyed through the city, the inhabitants prostrated
themselves before his bier, and accompanied it to the
superb monument of Hyder, where he was interred with
the imposing rites of Mahomedan burial, and the honours
of a European military funeral.
Thus fell the capital of Mysore, though garrisoned by
20,000 troops, and defended by 287 pieces of cannon, and
. abundantly supplied with provisions and military
stores. It was the opinion of Lord Wellesley,
and of the best military authorities in the camp, that,
considering the strength of its fortifications, and the diffi-
SBCT. I.] EXTINCTION OF MYSORE KINGDOM 247
culty of approaching it, a thousand French troops under
an able commander might have rendered it impregnable.
But thrr- i:gh ,4 the siege, and indeed throughout the
campaign, Tippoo had failed to exhibit either wisdom or
energy. He rejected the advice of his most experienced
officers, and listened only to the flatteries of youths and
parasites, and the predictions of astrologers. During the
line of march General Harris was so heavily encumbered
with his ponderous siege train and endless impediments,
that his progress was restricted to five miles a day, and it was
a miracle that he was not constrained, like Lord Cornwallis,
to turn back for want of provisions. There were numerous
occasions on which an active and skilful enemy might have
impeded his march till the rains set in, and rendered the
campaign abortive ; but all these opportunities were
neglected by Tippoo in a spirit of infatuation. The success
of the army was owing to a combination of boldness and
courage, and good fortune. Tippoo was forty-six years of
age at the time of his death. He possessed none of his
father's abilities for peace or war. He was a compound
of tyranny and caprice, of superstition and bigotry, and
likewise an atrocious persecutor. In the opinion of his
own subjects, Hyder was born to create an empire, and
Tippoo to lose it.
For half a century the Deccaii had been the scene of
convulsions, and tho groat source of anxiety and expense
to the Court of Directors, whoso possessions, security of
even in the intervals of peace, had always been the Deocan.
insecure. Lord Wei lesley terminated this state of jeopardy.
Within a twelvemonth after he landed in Calcutta, he had
extinguished the French force and influence at Hyderabad,
and obtained the command of all the resources of the
Nizam. He had subverted the kingdom of Mysore, and
established the authority of the Company, without a rival,
in the Deccan, on so solid a basis that it has never since
been menaced. The capture of Seringapatam in less than
a month resounded through the continent of India, and
the extinction of one of its substantial powers struck terror
into the L Tarts of its princes, and exalted the prestige of
the Company's Government. These advantages were not,
however, obtained without a violation of those solemn
injunctions which the wisdom of Parliament, of the minis-
try, and of tho India House had periodically repeated to
restrain the growth of British power in India, and hence,
in writing to Mr. Pitt, Lord Wellesley said, "I suppose
248 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
A.D. « yOU wiH either hang me, or magnificently honour me for
1799 u mv <jee(is jn either case, I shall be gratified, for an
" English gallows is better than an Indian throne." He was
magnificently honoured — by the king with a step in the
peerage, and by Parliament with its thanks.
The issue of the war had placed the whole of the Mysore
dominions at'the disposal of the Governor- General, and he
New Mysore exercised the rights of conquest with great wis-
kingdom. ^om an(j moderation. He resolved to make over
a portion of it to the family of its ancient and disinherited
princes, though they had passed out of all recollection, and
were living in abject poverty and humiliation. A child
five years of age was drawn from a cottage and seated on
a throne, with a revenue of fifty lacs of rupees a year.
The kingdom was bestowed on him as a free gift, and it
was emphatically declared to be personal and not dynastic.
Every allusion to heirs and successors was therefore
distinctly eliminated. Indeed, Lord Wellesley did not hesi-
tate to affirm that the territories placed under the nominal
sovereignty of the raja whom he created, constituted an
integral portion of our own dominions, and they were
treated in this light for more than sixty years.
The remaining territories were thus partitioned. Dis-
tricts of the annual value of about thirty lacs, were allotted
The remain- ^° ^e Company, but charged with the payment of
ing terri- about eight lacs a year to the families of Hyder
torifs. an(j Tippoo, and territory valued at about twenty-
four lacs was transferred to the Nizam. The Peshwa
was not overlooked. He had not only violated his engage-
ment by taking no part in the campaign, but, with his
usual duplicity, had received envoys from Tippoo, and
accepted a gratuity of thirteen lacs of rupees from him,
and concerted a scheme for attacking the dominions of the
Nizam while his army was employed in the siege of
Seringapatam. But Lord Wellesley overlooked this dupli-
city, and offered him out of the spoils of Mysore districts
yielding ten lacs of rupees, on condition of his excluding the
French from his dominions, and admitting the mediation
of the British Government in the questions still in dispute
with the Nizam. The offer was rejected, and the reserved
territory was divided between tho Company and the Nizam.
The personal property captured at Seringapatam rather
exceeded a croro of rupees and Lord Wellesley took on
Prize himself the responsibility of anticipating, as he
money. gai^ the assent of the Crown, and the sanction
SECT. I.] CESSION OF TERRITORY BY NIZAM, ETC. 249
of the Directors, and directed the immediate distribution
of it among the troops — the third instance in which prize
money had been, not unwisely, divided in India, without
waiting for dilatory orders from England. The Court of
Directors manifested their sense of Lord Wellesley's merits
by offering him ten lacs from the proceeds of the captured
stores ; but his high sense of honour induced him to
decline it, upon which they settled an annuity of half a lac
of rupees a year on him. To complete this narrative of
the last Mysore war, it only remains to be stated that a
daring adventurer, Dhondia Waug, collected together a
body of Tippoo's disbanded cavalry and proceeded north-
ward, ii1iiHdrrir.tr towns and villages. Success brought A.D.
crowds to his standard, and the peace of the Deccan was I80fl
seriously menaced. At length, Colonel Wellesley set out in
pursuit of him with four regiments of cavalry, and after
chasing him for four months without any relaxation, at
length brought him to bay, and he was killed, and his army
broken up.
SECTION II.
LORD WELLESLEY — THE CARNATIC — OUDE — FOK1 WILLIAM
COLLEGE — WAR WITH SINPIA AND NAGPORE.
THE refusal of the Peshwa to refer the settlement of his
demands on the Ni/am to the arbitration of the British
Government, pointed out to his able minister ce^^of
the treatment he might expect from Mahratta terntoiyby
rapacity, and he was anxious to secure his master t10 lzam*
against it. He proposed, therefore, to Lord Wellesley that
the subsidiary force should be augmented and territory
allotted for its support in lieu of the monthly payment
then made in money. The proposition was, on a variety of
considerations, welcome to the Governor- General, and the
arrangement was speedily completed. The force was
increased to eight battalions, and districts yielding sixty-
three lacs a year were made over in perpetual sovereignty
to the Company, under the stipulation that the British 180°
Government should guarantee all the remaining territories
of the Nizam from every attack. The districts thus trans-
ferred consisted simply of those which had been assigned to
him from the Mysore territory in the wars of 1792 and
1798. The transaction was mutually advantageous. It
250 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
extended the Company's territories to the Kistna, and it
relieved the Nizam of all further apprehension from his
hereditary and insatiable enemies — and that without the
alienation of any portion of his patrimonial kingdom. It
is true, that by resigning the defence of his dominions and
the royal prerogative of conducting negotiations with
foreign princes, he lost his political independence ; but, on
the other hand, he secured the continuance of his royal
dynasty. Every other throne in the Deccan has been swept
away, while the descendant of the Tartar, Cheen Killich
Khan, still continues to hold his regal court at Hyderabad.
About the same time the raja of the little principality of
Tanjore Tanjore was mediatised. His debts to the Com-
A.D. mediatised- pany were cancelled on the resignation of his
1800 territory, out of the revenues of which he received four lacs
a year, and a fifth of its improved resources.
By the treaty concluded with the nabob, Mahomed AH,
by Lord Cornwallis in 1792, certain districts were hypothe-
state of the catecl for the support of the Company's troops who
Carnatic. defended the country. That prince, who had been
placed on the throne by the Madras Government in the days
of Clive and Coote and had occupied it for fifty years, died
1795 in 1795. His son Oomdut-ool-omrah was surrounded, as
his father had been, by a legion of rapacious Europeans,
many of them in the public service, who fed his extrava-
gance by advances at exorbitant interest, and, contrary to
Sie stipulations of the treaty, received assignments on the
districts pledged for the support of the troops. The loans
thus furnished the nabob with the means of paying his
instalments to the Government of Madras with punctuality,
but they served also to increase his embarrassments,
though the crisis was for a time postponed. At the par-
ticular request of the Court of Directors, Lord Hobart,
the governor of Madras, proposed to the nabob to transfer
the districts to the Company in lieu of the pecuniary pay-
ment, and offered him as an inducement, to relinquish debts
due to the Government, to the extent of a crore of rupees.
But though the arrangement would have been highly
beneficial to the nabob, it was not to the interest of his
creditors, who held him at their mercy, to resign the lands
which they subjected to rack rent, and the proposal was
rejected. Lord Hobart then proposed to resort to force,
on the ground that as the nabob had violated the treaty of
1792 by granting these assignments, it was no longer
binding on the Company ; but Sir John Shore peremptorily
SECT. II.] ANNEXATION OF THE CARNATIC 251
refused his concurrence. The correspondence thereupon
became acrimonious, and the matter was referred to Leaden-
hall Street, and Lord Hobart was recalled. The Lord
Court, however, requested Lord Welleslcy to Hobart's A.D.
call at Madras on his way to Calcutta, and recall< 1798
make another effort to obtain the sanction of the nabob to
the surrender of the districts, which were in a state of rapid
decay, as a substitute for the payment he was bound to
make ; but, under the sinister influence of the harpies
around him, the proposal was again spurned.
The nabob was bound by treaty " not to enter into any
" negotiation or political correspondence with any Euro-
" pean or native power without the consent of clandest{ne
" the Company." But on the capture of Seringa- corres-
patam, it was discovered that both the late and P°ndenoe-
the present nabob had been engaged in a clandestine cor-
respondence with Tippoo by means of a cypher, which was
found ; and that they had made important communications
to him, inimical to the interests of the Company. The
fact of this intrigue was established by the clearest
oral and documental evidence, to the satisfaction of the
Governor- General, the governor of Madras, the Court of
Directors, and the Hoard of Control ; and Lord Wellesley
came to the conclusion that " they had not only violated
" the treaty, but placed themselves in the position of
"enemies of the Company, by endeavouring to establish a
" unity of interests with their most inveterate foe." The
obligations of the treaty were considered to be extinct, and
it was resolved to deprive the family of the government of
the Carnatic, reserving a suitable portion of the revenue
for its support. But when the period for action arrived,
the nabob was on his death-bed. On his death his reputed
son, whom ho had nominated his successor, was made
acquainted with the evidence of his father's and his grand-
father's treacherous correspondence with Tippoo, and in-
formed that all claim on the consideration of Government
was forfeited. His succession to the throne was no longer
a matter of right, but of favour, and would be conceded
only on condition of his making over the Carnatic to the
Company, with the reservation of a suitable provision for
the maintenance of his court and family. He refused to
accept the title on these terms, and it was granted The nabob
to a cousin, of whoso legitimate birth there was mediatlsed»
no question. The nabob was mediatised, and the Carnatic
became a British province. The territories obtained from
252 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
Mysore and the Nizam, from the nabobs of the Carnatic
and Tanjore, may be said to have created the Madras
Presidency. Of the population, which, according to the
latest census, amounted to twenty-two millions, eighteen
are inhabiting the districts which Lord Wellesley annexed
to it.
While Zeman Shah was advancing into Hindostan,
Lord Wellesley despatched a native envoy to the king of
A.D. Embassy to Persia to induce him to threaten his hereditary
1800 Persla- dominions in Central Asia, and constrain him to
retire from India. The agent urged that the Shah was a
Soonee, and had grievously oppressed the Sheahs, the
ruling sect in Persia, and that it would be an acceptable
service to God and man to arrest the progress of so
heterodox a prince. The pious monarch swallowed the
bait, and instigated Mahomed Shah to invade the territories
of his brother Zeman Shah, who was obliged to recross
the Indus in haste. But Lord Wellesley farther deemed it
advisable to send a more imposing embassy to the court of
Ispahan " to establish British influence in Central Asia,
" and prevent the periodical disquietude of an invasion by
" Zeman Shah, with his horde of Turks and Tartars,
" Usbecks and Afghans." The officer selected for this
duty was Captain Malcolm, who was eminently qualified
for it by his thorough knowledge of the oriental character
and weaknesses, and his acquaintance with eastern lan-
guages, as well as his admirable tact and invariable good
humour. The embassy was equipped in a style of mag-
nificence intended to dazzle the oriental imagination, and
to inspire the Persian court with a due sense of the power
and majesty of the British empire in the east. The result,
which had been in a great measure anticipated by the
native agent, was not commensurate with its cost, which
made the Court of Directors wince ; but it secured the
object of establishing British influence in Persia, at least
for a time.
Lord Wellesley could not consider India safe while a
French army held possession of Egypt ; and he proposed
Expedition to send a force from India to
to the Bed support the army which he felt confident they
Sea< would despatch, to co-operate with the Turkish
1800 Government in expelling it. After long delay the necessary
orders were received from Downing Street, and an army
consisting of 4,000 European troops and 5,000 volunteei
sepoys, was sent up the Red Sea under General Baird,
SBCT. II.] BONAPARTE'S GRAND ARMAMENT 253
with the animating remark of the Governor- General, " that
" a • more worthy sequel to the storm of Seringapatam
" could not be presented to his genius and valour." The
troops landed at Cosseir, in the Red Sea, and after traversing
120 miles of arid and pathless desert to the Nile, en-
camped, on the 27th August, on the shores of the Mediter-
ranean ; but the report of its approach, combined with the
energy of the commander from England, had induced the
French general to capitulate before General Baird's arrival.
The history of India abounds with romantic achievements,
but no incident can be more impressive than the appearance
of sepoys from the banks of the Ganges, in the land of the
Pharaohs, marching in the footsteps of Caesar to encounter
the veterans of his modern prototype.
Within a month of the surrender of the French army in
Egypt, the preliminaries of peace between France and
England were signed by the former Governor- peaccof
General, Lord Cornwallis, at Amiens. The Court Amiens. igo2
of Directors immediately issued orders for their military
establishments to be reduced, but Lord Wellesley, with
great forethought, wisely suspended the execution of them.
The treaty of Amiens was no sooner ratified than Bonaparte
despatched a large armament to Pondicherry, which the
treaty had restored, consisting of six vessels of war, a large
military stall', and 1,400 European troops, under the
command of M. Leger, who was designated, in his patent,
" Captain-General of the French establishments east of
" the Cape." It was to be followed by a second squadron of
equal magnitude. For three years it had been the great
aim of Lord Wellesley to eradicate French influence from
India, and as he had now succeeded in excluding it from the
Deccan, he could not regard the re-establishment of a
powerful French settlement on the Coroinandel coast with-
out a feeling of anxiety. He felt that all the relations of
Government with the native states would be at once
deranged, and the seeds of a more arduous conflict than
the last planted in the soil of India, ever fruitful in
revolutions. The order to restore Pondicherry was re-
iterated from Downing Street, but, by an act of unexampled
Audacity, Lord Wellesley directed Lord Clive, the governor
of Madras, to inform the French admiral on his arrival
that he had resolved to postpone the restitution of the
French settlements till he could communicate with the
ministry in England. The French fleet returned to the
Mauritius, and the recommencement of hostilities in
254 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
• Europe saved India from the danger to which it wonld
have been exposed if the continuance of peace had enabled
Bonaparte to give full scope to his designs.
On the approach of Zeman Shah to the Indus, Lord
Wellesley, well-knowing that the kingdom of Oude would
Demand on ^ one of the early objects of spoliation, requested
the nabob Sir James Craig, the commandant, to communi-
of Oude. ca^e ^ y{ews on £QG defence of it. He replied
that the rabble of troops maintained by the Vizier was not
simply useless, but actually dangerous ; and that if he
were required to take the field against the Shah, he could
not leave them behind with safety. The Court of Directors
had stated that the British force, 13,000 in number, was too
weak for the protection of the country, more especially since
Sindiahad planted an army of more than 30,000 disciplined
troops, commanded by European officers, on its frontier,
watching an opportunity of springing on its opulent
districts. The existing treaty had allotted a subsidy of
seventy-six iacs of rupees a year for the payment of this
force, and also provided for its augmentation, if necessary.
A.D. Lord Wellesley now pressed on the Vizier the absolute
1800 necessity of disbanding his disorderly soldiers, and devoting
the fifty lacs of rupees thereby saved to the support of a
larger British force.
This reform would have placed the military power of
the kingdom absolutely in the hands of the Company; to
Discussions *^is the nabob manifested an invincible repug-
withtne nance, and he proposed to abdicate in favour
nabob. Qf ^ &Q^ &^ ^Q retire into private life with the
treasure he had accumulated. Lord Wellesley stated that he
was prepared to sanction his retirement provided he took
up his residence in the British dominions, and vested the
government of the kingdom permanently in the hands of
the Company, but could not permit him to withdraw the
treasure which belonged to the state. The nabob imme-
diately withdrew his abdication, and Lord Wellesloy ex-
pressed great indignation at his insincerity and duplicity,
as he termed it, and charged him with having made a
proposal, which was from the first illusory, in order to
defeat the reform of his military establishment, which was
imperatively required. Several regiments were ordered to
march into the Oude territory, and the nabob was directed
to provide for their maintenance. He remonstrated in
earnest language, but Lord Wellesley returned his com-
munication, which he said was deficient in the respect due to
SRCT. II.] OUDE DISTRICTS ANNEXED 255
the first British authority in India. The proceedings began
to assume a very vexatious appearance. The Dep^^ f£\
Vizier continued to exhibit a spirit of passive of Mr. H.
resistance, and Lord Wellesley's correspondence Wellesley-
was marked by increasing hauteur ; but he was desirous, if
possible, to avoid the appearance of a compulsory cession
of the districts, and despatched his own brother and private
secretary, Mr. Henry Wellesley, afterwards Lord Cowley,
to overcome his repugnance ; but the nabob continued in-
flexible, and persisted in asserting that it would inflict an
indelible stain on bis reputation throughout India to
deprive one of its royal houses of such a dominion.
The Resident at length brought the discussion to an issue
by ordering the intendants of the districts selected for the
support of the British force to transfer their col- Newtreftt
lections and their allegiance to the Company, with the
The nabob deemed it vain any longer to contend nabob>
with such negotiators, and on the 12th November, signed a 1801
treaty which made over to the Company in perpetual sove-
reignty districts yielding one orore and thirty-five lacs of
rupees. The security which this transfer of military power
gave to the possessions of the nabob as well as of the
Company will admit of no question. A British army, fully
adequate to the defence of the country, was substituted for
the wretched troops of the nabob, always an object of more
dread to their masters than to their enemies ; a valuable
addition was made to the strength and resources of the
Company, and a large population was rescued from oppres-
sion. But of all the transactions of Lord Wellesley's ad-
ministration, this acquisition of territory by the process of
compulsion has been the most censured. For any justifica-
tion of it we must look to the position of the country. The
throne of Oude was upheld by British bayonets alone, and
the dynasty would hare ceased to exist in a twelvemonth,
if they had been withdrawn. Under the perpetual menace
of a Mahratta invasion, it was necessary that a large and
efficient force should be maintained there ; but it was not
possible for the Company to support such a force with only
one- third of the revenues. The settlement of the provinces
thus ceded by the Vizier was entrusted to a commission,
consisting of members of the civil service, with Mr. Henry
Wellesley as president, but ho received no additional allow
ance. Their labours were completed within a year; the
Court of Directors, however, lost no time in denouncing
this appointment, though temporary, as "a virtual super-
256 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
" cession of the just rights of the civil service," and drafted
a despatch, peremptorily ordering Mr. Wellesley to be dis-
missed ; but the President of the Board of Control drew his
fatal pen across it. At the same time they expressed their
cordial approbation of the terms of the treaty, which,
among other merits, created thirty new appointments for
their favourite service.
Lord Wellesley unhappily approved and maintained the
erroneous policy initiated by Lord Cornwallis of excluding
The College na^ves fr°m any share in the government of
of Fort the country, and working it exclusively by the
William. European agency of the covenanted servants ; but
he determined to qualify them for their important duties
HJOO kv a suitable education. The civil service was originally a
mercantile staff, and India continued to be treated more in
the light of a factory than of an empire. The public ser-
vants rose, as they had done a century before, through the
grades of writer, factor, and junior and senior merchants,
and though they were required to perform the functions of
magistrates and judges, of secretaries of state and ambas-
sadors, it was deemed sufficient, if, before they left England,
they were initiated into the mysteries of the counting-
house, and understood botok-keeping by double-entry. Of the
laws and institutions, and even the language of the people,
they were not required to know anything. Lord Wellesley
w^s resolved to remove this glaring anomaly by founding
a college in Calcutta, in which their European education
should be completed, and they should acquire a knowledge
of the laws, literature, and language of the natives.
Like all Lord Wellesley 's plans, the institution was pro-
jected upon a scale of imperial magnificence ; and it was,
moreover, erected without so much as consulting
tegran enr. ^e Court of Directors, and they passed a pereuip-
1802 tory order for its immediate abolition, Lord Wellesley was
mortified beyond measure by this subversion of one of his
most cherished schemes, which exposed him to the contempt
of India, and he gave vent to his feelings in a passionate
appeal to his friends in the ministry, and entreated them to
save from extinction an institution he deemed invaluable
— which indeed, he regarded with greater pride than the
conquest of Mysore. On receiving the orders from Leaden-
hall Street, he passed a resolution abolishing the college,
with the sullen remark that it was done " as an act of
" necessary submission to the controlling authority of the
" Court; " but in a second resolution he allowed eighteen
SBCT. II.] LORD WELLESLBY'S FREE TRADE POLICY 257
months for the gradual abolition of it ; and in the meantime
the Court of Directors, under the pressure of the andreduc-
Board of Control, consented to the continuance tion*
of it on a reduced scale.
At the renewal of the charter in 1793 the ministry en- A.B.
deavoured to silence the clamours of the merchants and 1793
manufacturers ot England, as already stated, by pmate
ohliging the Court of Directors to allot them :j,000 trade-
tons of freight annually, but this concession was found in-
adequate to the demand. The commerce of India was, in
(act, bursting the bonds of the monopoly > which, however
serviceable it might have been during the infancy of our
connection with India, was altogether unsuited to an age
of development. The trade of Calcutta had been rapidly
expanding, and was forcing itself into the continental
markets, in foreign vessels provided with cargoes by English
capital. Ju 17W the exports in vessels under the nags of
America, of Portugal, and of Denmark, had exceeded a
crore and a half of rupees.
Shipbuilding had likewise made threat progress in 1799
Calcutta dining the previous ten years, and Lord Wellesley, to
finding 10,000 tons of India-built shipping in the port on 1801
his arrival, chartered a large portion of it for the use of
the pri\ate merchants. In his letter to the Court of
Directors on the subject, lie *aul that it would be
equally unjust and impolitic to extend any facili- ^fi^n™™1
ties to British merchants which would sacrifice Weiiesiey's
or ha/nrd the Company's rights and privileges,
and that the conunri rial indulgence he had granted extended
only to such arhclrs of Indian produce and manufacture as
were necessarily excluded from the Company's investments.
Mr. Dundas, who entertained the same liberal views as
Lord Wellesley, was anxious to authorise the Government
of India to license India-built shipping " to bring home
" that which the means and capital of the Company were
" unable to embrace." But at the India House the dread of
interlopers was still in undiniinished vigour. Though the
cream of the India trade was still to be assured to the
Company, the Directors would not permit others to obtain
the dregs. The proceedings of Lord Wellesley were em-
phatically reprobated ; he lost caste irretrievably in Leaden-
hall Street, and the treatment ho experienced from the
Directors during the last three years of his Indian career
was scarcely less rancorous than that which had embittered
the life of Warren Hastings. Notwithstanding the remon-
s
258 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII
strance of the minister, they passed a direct vote of censure
on the commercial policy he had patronised.
A..D. As soon as the arrangements in Oude were completed,
1802 Lord Wellesley tendered his resignation, assigning to "his
Resi ation ' ' H°noiirable Masters," as he termed them, no
of Lord other reason than the full accomplishment of his
Weiiesicy. plans for the security and prosperity of the
empire. To the prime minister, however, he unburdened
his mind, and informed him that the real cause of his retire-
ment was the invariable hostility of the Court and the
withdrawal of their confidence. They had peremptorily
ordered the reduction of the military establishments, while
he considered it, in the existing circumstances of the
empire, essential to its security to maintain them in full
vigour. They had cut down the stipends he considered
advisable at the close of the war, and had selected for
especial censure and retrenchment, the allowances granted
by the Madras Government to his brother General
Wellesley to meet the cost of his important and expensive
command in Mysore ; this he considered "the most direct,
" marked, and disgusting indignity which could be devised."
They had abrogated the power vested in the Governor-
General in Council by Parliament of enforcing his orders
on the minor Presidencies, though they might happen to
supersede the injunctions of the Court, and they had de-
strtoyed the authority of the Supreme Government over them
by reversing this regulation. They had wantonly dis-
placed officers of the highest ability and experience who
enjoyed the full confidence of the Governor- General, and,
contrary to law, had forced their own nominees into offices
of emolument, for which, moreover, they were totally unfit.
Lord Wellesley vigorously remonstrated against this
practice. " If the Government of India," he said, " was thus
The causes " to be thwarted in every subordinate depart-
of it. " ment, deprived of all local influence, and
" counteracted in every local detail by a remote authority
" interfering in the nomination of every public servant, it
" would be impossible to conduct the government under
'* such disgraceful chains." Lord Castlereagh, the President
of the Board of Control, was anxious to retain the services
of Lord Wellesley, and placed his letter to the premier in
the hands of the chairman at the India House. He did
not disguise from him the great dissatisfaction and jealousy
felt by the Company with regard to certain of Lord Welles-
ley's measures, and, more especially to the employment of
SECT. III.] MAHBATTA AFFAIRS 259
Mr. Henry Wellesley. He bad, in fact, wounded them on A.D
the two points on which they were most sensitive — their
monopoly and their patronage. But Lord Castlereagh was
assured that the Court were not unmindful of his eminent
services, and would request him. to postpone his departure
to the 1st January 1804 ; little <ln , lining of the momentous
consequences of this resolution. Be tore that date, the
Mahratta power was prostrate, and the map of India recon-
structed.
SECTION III.
LORD WELLESLEY — MAFIUATTA AFFAIRS — TREATY OP BASSBIN
WAR WITH SINDIA AND NAGPORE.
THE extinction of the kingdom of Mysore, and the complete
control established over the Nizam, left the British Govern-
ment without any antagonist but the Mahrattas, Deat.h of
and the two rival powers now confronted each Nana Fur-
other. The offer of a subsidiary alliance to the navesc-
Peshwa, made by Lord Wellesley in 1799, which would have
introduced the thin end of the wedge of British ascendancy
was rejected under the advice of Nana Furiiavese. That
great statesman closed his chequered career in March, 1800. J800
For more than a quarter of a century he had been the
mainspring of every movement in the Mahratta commonv
wealth, which he had regulated by the strength of his cha-
racter and the wisdom of his measures, not less than by
his humanity, veracity and honesty of purpose, virtues
which were not usually found among his own countrymen.
" With him," wrote the Resident at Poona, " departed all
" the wisdom and moderation of the Mahratta Government."
His death left Sindia without a competitor at Poona, where
he exercised supreme authority, and it was not without
delight that the Peshwa contemplated the rising power of
his rival, Jeswunt Rao Holkar.
Mulhar Rao Holkar, who raised himself from the con-
dition of a shepherd to the dignity of a prince, arid esta-
blished one of the five Mahratta powers, died at The Holkar
the age of severity-six, after a brilliant career of family-
forty years. His only son died soon after, leaving a widow,
Aylah bye, and a son and daughter. The son died in 1766, 1761
and his mother, a woman of extraordinary talent and
energy, resisted the importunity of the chieftains to adopt
s2
260 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAV VIII
a son and retire into private life. She resolved to undertake
the government of the state herself, and selected Tokajee
Holkar, one of the same tribe, though not of her kindred,
to command the army. Through his singular moderation
and the commanding genius of the bye, this perilous ar-
rangement, which placed the military power in the hands
of a distinguished soldier, while the civil government was
administered by a female, was perpetuated without jealousy
for thirty years. She sat daily in durbar and gave audi-
ences without a veil, and dispensed justice in person. She
laid herself out to promote the welfare of the country by
the encouragement of trade and agriculture, and raised
Indore from the obscurity of a village to the rank of a
capital. She acquired the respect of foreign princes by the
weight and dignity of her character, and in an age of
universal violence was enabled to maintain the security of
her dominions. She was the purest and most exemplary
of rulers, and she added one more name to the roll of those
illustrious females who have adorned the native history of
India by their talents and virtues.
A.D. She died in 1795, and Tokajee two years later, and the
1795 reign of anarchy began, and continued without abatement,
Bari move *°r twenty years. Mulhar Rao, the son of Tokajee,
mente of°V assumed the command of the army and the go-
g»wnnt vernment of the state, but he was attacked and
' * killed by Sindia, who was thus enabled to reduce
the rival house of Holkar to a state of complete subordina-
tion. Jeswunt Rao, the illegitimate son of Tokajee, fled
from the field to Nagpore, but the raja, anxious to con-
ciliate Sindia, placed him in confinement, but he contrived
at length to make his escape, and took refuge at Dhar,
which, under the same hostile influence, he was obliged to
quit, with seven mounted followers and about a hundred
and twenty ragged half- armed infantry. He determined
now to trust his fortunes to his sword, and giving himself
out as the champion of his nephew, the young son of his
brother Mulhar, called upon all the adherents of the house
of Holkar to rally round him and resist the encroachments
of Sindia; and the freebooters who swarmed in Central
India flocked to his standard.
Jeswunt Rao was soon after joined by Ameer Khan, a
Rohilla adventurer, about twenty-five years of age, together
Ameer with a large body of free lances, and for eighteen
Khan. months they spread desolation through the
districts lying on the Nerbudda, but were at length
SHOT. III.] WAR BETWEEN HOLKAR AND SINDIA 261
obliged to separate when the field of plunder was ex- A.D.
hausted. Ameer Khan proceeded eastward to the opulent 18
town of Saugor, where lie subjected the inhabitants to
every species of outrage, and acquired immense booty.
Nothing gives us a clearer view of the anarchy and
wretchedness of Hindostau at this period than the ease
with which Jeswunt Rao was able, in the space of two
years, to collect under his standard, by the hope of
plunder, a force of 70,000 Pindarees and Bheels, Afghans
and Mahrattas. With this force Holkar entered Malwa,
and the country was half ruined before Sindia could come
to its rescue from Poona. To expel Holkar he despatched
two bodies of his troops, one of which, though commanded
by Eui'opeans, was obliged to lay down its arms, and the A>n>
other was attacked with such vigour that of its eleven 1801
European officers seven fell in action and three were
wounded. The city of Oojein, Sindia's capital, was saved
from indiscriminate plunder, by submitting to a contribution
of fifteen lacs. At Poona, Bajee Rao, relieved from the
presence of Sindia, subjected his feudatories to extortion
and his people to oppression, which led to the appearance
of numerous bodies of brigands, one of which, Wittojee,
the brother of Jeswunt Rao, was constrained to join.
He was captured and sentenced to be trampled to death
by an infuriated elephant, while Bajee Rao sat in the bal-
cony of the palace to enjoy the yells of the expiring youth,
Jeswunt vowed sharp vengeance, and it was not long
before he found an opportunity of executing it.
Sindia, having ordered Shirjee Rao, his father-in-law, 1801
and the greatest miscreant of Central India, to join his
camp, proceeded in pursuit of Holkar, who was sindiade-
totally defeated on the 14th October. The wretch featsHoikar.
entered the capital, Indore, and gave it up to plunder.
The noblest edifices in the city, which had been erected
and adorned by Aylah bye, were reduced to ashes. Those
who were possessed of property were tortured to reveal it,
and the wells were choked up with the bodies of females
who destroyed themselves to escape dishonour. Holkar
was not long in recovering the blow. His daring spirit
was exactly suited to the temper of the age, and his stan-
dard was speedily crowded with recruits, with whom he
proceeded to the north, plundering every town and village
in his progress, and to the horror of his lawless, but
superstitious soldiery, not sparing even the shrines of the
gods. He then laid waste the province of Candesh, and
262 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII
moved down on Poona, and the Pesliwa began to tremblo
for his safety. Lord Wellesley had not ceased to renew
the offer of the subsidiary alliance when there appeared any
prospect of success. The negotiation fluctuated with the
Peshwa's hopes and fears, and when Sindia, who had
earnestly dissuaded him from accepting it, sent ten batta-
lions of infantry and a large body of cavalry to protect
him from the assault of Holkar, it came to an abrupt ter-
mination.
Holkar continued to advance to Poona, and the dismayed
Peshwa made him the most abject offers, but they were
Battle of haughtily rejected. The combined army of
Poona. Sindia and the Peshwa encamped in the vicinity
of the capital, consisted of 84,000 horse and foot. Sindia's
force comprised ten battalions under the command of Col.
Dawes, while Holkar had fourteen battalions, disciplined
and commanded by European officers. The battle of Poona,
A.D. which was long and obstinately contested, ended in the
1802 complete victory of Holkar, who captured the whole of
the baggage, stores and encampment of the allies. The
Peshwa, who had kept out of the reach of fire, fled precipi-
tately to the sea coast, where he obtained the accommoda-
tion of a British vessel from the governor of Bombay and
embarked for Bassein, which he reached on the 6th December.
Holkar entered the capital and placed the Peshwa's ille-
gitimate brother, Amrut Rao, on the throne, after exacting
the promise of an immediate payment of two crores, and
territory yielding another crore, as well as the command of
the army and the control of the state. After two months
of singular moderation he gave up the capital to pillage.
Bajee Rao, now became eager for the alliance as affording
him the only chance of regaining his crown, and on the last
The treaty of day of December, he signed the memorable treaty
Bassein. of Bassein, by which he agreed to entertain a
1802 body Of C,000 English troops, and a suitable complement
of artillery, and to assign districts yielding twenty-six lacs
for their support, to entertain no Europeans in his service,
and to refer all his claims upon the Nizam and the Gaik-
war to the arbitration of the Governor-General. The
treaty likewise guaranteed the southern jageerdars in the
enjoyment of their ancient rights.
The treaty of Bassein, viewed in connection with its
consequences, forms one of the most important events in
Kemarkson ^ne history of British India. Although the
the treaty, authority of the Peshwa had long ceased to
SECT. III.] THE TREATY OF BASSEIN 263
possess its former importance in the Mahratta counsels,
he was still regarded by the other chiefs as the centre of
their national unity, and the recognised chief of the
Mahratta commonwealth, and the extinction of his inde-
pendence essentially weakened its power. It has been
the subject- of warm controversy, but the sound judg-
ment of the Duke of Wellington, then General Wellesley,
based upon his extensive Indian experience, may be con-
sidered conclusive. " The treaty of Bassein," he asserted,
" and the measures adopted in consequence of it, afforded
" the best prospect of preserving the peace of India, and
" to have adopted any other measure would have rendered
" war with Holkar nearly certain, and war with the whole
" Mahratta, nation more than probable." This opinion has
been fully confirmed by posterity. War with the Mahratta
powers was inevitable ; the treaty may have hastened it,
but it must not be forgotten that it likewise deprived them
of all the resources of the Peshwa's Government.
The establishment of the Company's paramount A-B
authority at the Mahratta capital gave great umbrage to 180S
Sindia and to the raja of Nagpore. The former Umbra of
found all his ambitious projects in the Deccnn Bmdm and
defeated, and exclaimed : " The treaty takes the i^**porc
" turban from my head." The Nagpore raja was at
once deprived of the hopes he and his ancestors had
cherished of some day obtaining the office of Peshwa.
The two chiefs immediately entered into a confederacy to
obstruct the objects of the treaty, and Bajee Rao himself
had no sooner signed it, than he despatched an envoy to
solicit their aid to frustrate it. Holkar, whose plans were
thwarted by this masterly stroke of policy, agreed to join
the coalition on condition that the domains of his family
should bo restored to him ; but, although he was reinstated
in them, he no sooner perceived Sindia involved in hos-
tilities with the British Government, than he let loose his
own f.ii!ii-h!i'(r hordes on his possessions in Malwa.
Lord \\ rill -!i-\, who had early information of this coali-
tion, informed Sindia and the raja of Nagpore that he was
desirous of maintaining friendly relations with Lord Wcllea.
them unimpaired, but would resist to the full ie> •» military
extent of his power any attempt to interfere movemcnta«
with the treaty. To be prepared for every contingency,
he ordered the whole of the Hyderabad subsidiary force,
and 6,000 of the Nizam's own infantry, and 0,000 horse,
under Colonel Stephenson, up to the frontier. General
264 ABKIDOMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII
Wellesley likewise marched up 600 miles in the same
direction with the Mysore contingent, 8,000 infantry,
1,700 cavalry, and 2,000 of the celebrated Mysore horse,
under an able native commander. The southern jageerdars
were induced by the influence which General Wellesley
had obtained over them, to join him with 10,<'00 troops.
Amrut Rao, whom Holkar had left in command at Poona,
had declared his determination to reduce it to ashes when
he could no longer hold it ; but the city was saved by the
energy of General Wellesley, who made a forced march of
D sixty miles in thirty-two hours to rescue it. Soon after
1803 Bajee Rao quitted Bassein, and on the 13th May, the day
which had been selected by his astrologers, entered Poona,
accompanied by British bayonets, and ascended the throne
under a British salute.
The designs of Sindia became daily more evident. He
marched down with a large force from Oojein to form a
Dcvelo junction with the raja of Nagpore, who moved up
ment of to meet him with a large force on the 17th April,
ajjjjjj^ Both princes informed the Resident that it was
their intention to proceed to Poona " to adjust the
" government of the Peshwa." He assured them that any
such movement would be considered an act of hostility,
and involve the most serious consequences. Various com-
munications were intercepted in different directions, which
placed then* warlike designs beyond doubt ; and, on the
23rd May, therefore, Colonel Close, the Resident at Sindia's
court, was instructed to demand a categorical explanation
of his intentions, when he replied that, with regard to the
negotiations on foot, he could give no decisive answer till
he had seen the raja of Nagpore, then encamped about
forty miles distant, " when you shall be informed whether
" there is to be war or peace." Lord Wellesley considered
this announcement not merely an insult to the British
Government, but an unequivocal menace of hostility on the
part of both princes, who had planted their armies on the
frontiers of the two allies, the Nizam and the Peshwa,
whom the Government were bound to defend. The com-
plication of affairs at this juncture was increased by the
arrival of the French armament, already mentioned, at
Pondicherry, which Sindia announced to all the Mahratta
princes as the reinforcement of an ally. The confederates
continued to prolong the discussions for two months, while
they were employed in pressing Holkar to join them.
During this period of suspense, the perfidious Peshwa con-
SECT. IV.] WAR WITH SINDIA AND NAOPORE 265
tinned to importune Sindia to avoid any concession, but
advance at once to Poona " to settle affairs." He obstructed
the progress of supplies, and lost no opportunity of embar-
rassing the Government.
Time was now invaluable, but no reply could be received
to any reference to Calcutta under six weeks, and Lord
Wellesley, therefore, ventured to take upon him- Dple ation
self tho responsibility, for which ho was after- of powers to
wards captiously censured, of vesting full powers, ^eifesiey.
civil, military, and diplomatic, in reference to
the conduct of Mahratta affairs in the Deccan, in General
Wellesley, and at the same time furnished him with a
clear exposition of his views of policy. - The general re-
ceived this commission on the 18th July, and lost no time in
calling on the allied chiefs to demonstrate the sincerity 1
of the pacific declarations they were making, by with-
drawing their forces from a position, not necessary for the
security of their own territories, but menacing equally to the
Nizam, the Company, and the Peshwa. A week of
frivolous and fruitless discussion then ensued, during
which Sindia had the simplicity to say that they were not
prepared to determine on any movement, as the negotiation
with Holkar was not yet complete. Wearied with these
studied delays, General Wellesley gave them twenty-four
hours for their ultimatum, when they proposed that the
British armies should retire to their cantonments at Bom-
bay, Madras, and Seringapatam, while their forces fell back
forty miles to Boorhanpore. To this General Wellesley
replied : "I offered you peace on terms of equality, and
" honourable to all parties : you have chosen war, and are
" answerable for all consequences." On tho 3rd August the
British Resident withdrew from Sindia' s camp, and the
Mahratta war of 1803 commenced.
SECTION IV.
LORD WELLESLEY — WAR WITH SIND1A AND NAOPORE.
LOKD WELLESLEY, finding a war with Sindia and the raja
of Nagp°re inevitable, determined to strike a decisive blow
at their power, simultaneously, in every quarter preparationi
of India. In the grand combinations of this for war.
campaign he was his own war minister, and never undei
266 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
the Company's rule had the resources of Government been
drawn forth upon a scale of such magnitude and applied
with such promptitude and effect. In the Deccan the ad-
vanced force under General Wellesley of about 9,000 men,
and of Colonel Stephenson, consisting of about 8,000, was
appointed to operate against the main armies of the con-
federates. In the north 10,500 troops were assembled
under General Lake, to attack Sindia's possessions in Hin-
dostan, which were defended by his French battalions ; and a
force of 3,500 was allotted for the invasion of Bundlecund.
On the western coast an army of 7,300 men was organised
to dispossess Sindia of his possessions in Guzerat, while
5,200 men were to occupy the province of Cuttack, be-
longing to the raja of Nagpore, on the eastern coast. The
whole force of about 43,500 men was animated by that tradi-
tionary spirit of enterprise and enthusiasm which had created
the British empire in India, and which, on this occasion, was
heightened by unbounded confidence in the statesman at
the head of the Government. The armies of the con-
federates were computed at 100,000, of whom one half
consisted of cavalry, with a superb train of artillery of
many hundred pieces.
As soon as the Resident had quitted Sindia's camp,
General Wellesley opened the campaign by the capture of
Ca tiive *ke 8^ronS fortress of Ahmcdnugur, Sindia's great
A D. o*Ahmed- arsenal and depot in the Deccan, and by taking
i803 nugur. possession of all his districts south of the Goda-
very. Meanwhile the confederates spent three weeks in
marching and countermarching, apparently without any
definite object. General Wellesley, misled by his guides,
was unexpectedly brought, after a march of twenty-six
miles, to a position from which ho could behold Sindia's
encampment, consisting of 50,000 men and 100 guns,
stretched out before him, and he resolved to bring on an
immediate action without waiting for the junction of
Battle of Colonel Stephenson's force. The handful of
ABsye. British troops which had to encounter this for-
midable array at Assye, did not exceed 4,500. The Mah-
ratta infantry was entrenched behind formidable batteries,
which the General had particularly enjoined the officer
commanding the advance not to assail in front, but he
charged up to the muzzle of the guns ; the carnage was
appalling, but the indomitable courage and energy of the
troops, more especially the 74th, bore down all opposition,
and Sindia's splendid infantry, standing by the guns to
SECT. IV.] BINDIA'S POWER IN HINDOSTAN 267
the last, was at length overpowered and dispersed. The A.D.
victory was the most complete which had ever crowned the
Company's arms in India, but it was dearly purchased by
the loss of one-third of its numbers. Sindia lost 12,000
men and all his guns, ammunition, and camp equipage.
His army was a complete wreck, and he retreated with a
small body of horse to the Taptee. Colonel Stephenson
was sent in pursuit of him, and captured the flourishing
town of Boorhanpore and the strong fortress of Aseergurh.
Meanwhile all Sindia' s districts in Guzerat were occupied,
and nothing remained to him but his possessions in
Hindostan.
This valuable territory had been enlarged and con-
solidated by the indefatigable exertions of the late Mali,
dajee Sindia, and chiefly through the army raised Rindm.s pog.
and disciplined by the Count de Boigne, on w^ionsin
whose retirement to France the command de- in Ostan*
volved on General Perron. Dowlnt Rao, since his acces-
sion to his uncle's throne in 171)4, had continued to reside
at Poona that he might maintain a paramount influence in
the Mali rat ta councils, and the administration of these
provinces in the north devolved on the general, who con-
ducted it with groat ability and moderation. He had
succeeded in extending the control of Sindia over the
Rajpoots, and was rapidly stretching it over the Sikhs up
to the banks of the Sutlej. His advanced posts approached
the Indus in one direction and Allahabad m the other, and
the territory under his control yielded a revenue of two
crores of rupees. His army consisted of 28,000 foot, not
inferior in any respect to the Company's sepoy army, with
5,000 cavalry and 140 guns. The jeopardy to which the
interests of the Company were continually exposed by the
presence of this powerful force, entirely under French
influence, along the whole of the north-west frontier was
but too apparent, and Lord Wellesley considered it an
object of the highest importance to extinguish it. Happily
for the accomplishment of his wishes Sindia's Mahratta
officers entertained such jealousy of the extraordinary
power granted to a foreigner that he considered his position
no longer tenable, and was contemplating his retirement
when the war broke out.
General Lake had been entrusted with the same plenary
powers in Hindostan which had been confided to General
Wellesley in the Deccan. He opened the cam- capture of
paign by advancing against General Perron's
268 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIIL
encampment, but he withdrew his army 15,000 strong with-
out firing a shot, upon which General Lake laid siege to
Allygurh, the great arsenal and dep6t of Sindia in Hin-
dostan. It had been fortified with extraordinary skill by
A.D. French officers, but it was captured by a coup de main,
1803 through the irresistible gallantry of the 76th Highlanders.
The number of guns captured amounted to 281. Shortly
after, Perron having learnt that his enemies at Sindia's
court had procured an order for his dismissal, obtained
permission to pass through the British camp on his way to
Lucknow, and was received with the distinction due to his
rank and his talents. General Lake then advanced from
Allygurh towards Delhi, and within sight of its minarets
encountered the French force under General Bourquin,
19,000 in number. The battle was severely contested, but
the British infantry, led again by the 76th Highlanders,
and by the Commander-in- Chief in person, advanced calmly
amidst a storm of grape and chain shot, and charged with
the bayonet ; the ranks of the enemy reeled, and then
broke up in confusion.
Three days after the engagement, General Bourquin
and three of his officers delivered up their swords to
The troops General Lake. The city of Delhi was imme-
enter Delhi, diately evacuated by Sindia's troops, and the
British standard was hoisted upon its battlements. The
emperor, though a prisoner and sightless, was still con-
sidered the fountain of honour by Hindoos and Mahomed-
ans, and a patent of nobility under the imperial seal waa
as highly prized in the remotest provinces of the Deccan
as it had been in the days of Aurungzebe. " General
1803 " Lake," in the magniloquent proclamation of Lord
15th Wellesley, "was ushered into the royal presence, and
Sept. « found the unfortunate and venerable emperor, oppressed
* by the accumulated calamities of old age and degraded
4 authority, extreme poverty and loss of sight, seated
4 under a small tattered canopy, the remnant of his royal
* state, with every external appearance of the misery of
" his condition." Lord Wellesley made a noble provision
for his support, and then formed the judicious resolution
of removing him and the royal family from the dangerous
associations of Delhi, and proposed Monghyr for his
future residence ; but the emperor clung with such tenacity
to the spot which had been for six centuries the capital of
Mahomedan power that the Governor- General was reluct-
antly constrained to relinquish the design. For this
SKCT. IV.] PEACE WITH NAGPOKE 269
generous but imprudent act the Government was required A.D.
to pay a fearful penalty half a century later. 1803
Leaving Colonel Ochterlony in command at Delhi,
General Lake marched down to Agra, which capitulated
after a protracted siege, when the treasure found Battle of
in it, about twenty-eight lacs of rupees, was Laswaree.
promptly and prudently distributed among the officers and
men, " in anticipation of the approval of the home autho-
" rities." On the outbreak of the war Sindia had sent
fifteen of his French battalions across the Nerbudda to
protect his possessions in Hmdostan. They were con-
sidered the flower of his army, and were usually called the
" Deccan Invincibles," and nobly did they sustain the
reputation they had gained. Including the fugitives from
Delhi they formed a body of 13,000 horse and foot, with
72 pieces of cannon, under native commanders. General
Lake came up with their encampment at Laswaree on the
1st November, and they fought as native soldiers had
never fought before when they had no European officers to
animate them. They were at length overpowered, but not
till one-half of their number, as reported, lay on the field
killed or wounded. The general himself conducted all the
movements, and impetuously led the charge in person, more
to the credit of his gallantry than of his military talent.
Though a dashing soldier and adored by his men, he was
a very indifferent general, but the flagrant errors of the
day were covered — as they have since been on more than
one occasion — by the chivalrous valour of the men at the
sacrifice of their lives.
Alarmed by the reverses he had sustained, Sindia made
overtures which resulted in an armistice, and General
Wellesley was now enabled to turn his whole
attention to the raja of Nagpore, whom he had JjJS|£!
been closely following. On the 28th November he submission
came up with his whole army at Argaum, and ° ftgpore-
obtained a complete victory. The fortress of Ga \\ilirm-h
surrendered in the middle of December, and General
Wellesley prepared to march upon Nagpore, which must
have at once capitulated. The province of Cuttack had
also been occupied by a British army without a single
casualty. The raja, reduced to extremities by these rapid
reverses, and trembling for his capital and his throne,
hastened to sue for peace, and the treaty of Deogaum was
negotiated and concluded in two days by Mr. Mount-
Stuart Elphinstone on the 18th December. Cuttack was
270 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII
A,D. annexed to the Company's territories, and the uninterrupted
1803 communication between Calcutta and Madras, which the
Court of Directors had coveted for many years, and for
which they were at one time prepared to pay a large
sum, was established. The opulent province of Berar was
made over to our ally the Nizam, though during the
campaign his officers had behaved with more than ordinary
perfidy. The raja likewise engaged to refer all his differ-
ences with the Nizam and the Peshwa to the arbitrament
of the British Government. These cessions of territory,
which comprised some of his most valuable districts, re-
duced him to the position of a secondary power in India.
Sindia could no longer hesitate to accept the severe
terms dictated by the Governor- General. His French
Submission battalions, the bulwark of his power, were anni-
of Sindia. hilated. His territories in the Deccan, in Guzerat
and in Hindostan, the rich patrimony bequoathed to him
by his uncle, had been wrested from him, and nothing lay
before him but the extinction of his power. He yielded to
necessity within a fortnight after the raja of Nagpore had
agreed to the treaty of Deogaum, and signed the treaty of
Sirjee Anjengaum. He was obliged to cede all his terri-
tories lying between the Ganges and the Dooab, and those
north of the principalities of Jeypore and Joudpore, the
fortress and territory of Ahmednugur in1 the Deccan, and
Broach and its dependencies in Guzerat/ He relinquished
all 'claims on the Peshwa, the Nizam, and the Gaikwar,
and acknowledged the independence of the rajas and feu-
datories in Hindostan with whom Lord Wellesley had
recently concluded treaties. The war which produced
these great results was scarcely of five months duration,
and it was concluded before it was known in Leadenhall
Street that it had commenced. Ahmednugur with its
territory was made ovfr to the Peshwa, and the wealthy
districts in Hindostan were united with those which had
been acquired from the Vizier of Onde, to form a separate
Treati of province now known as the North West Presi-
aiiiancoin dency. Having thus reduced the Mahratta
the north, power in Hindostan, Lord Wellesley was anxious
to prevent the renewal of it by establishing a barrier
between the possessions of Sindia, north of the Nerbudda
and those of the Company, and General Lake was in-
structed to conclude treaties of alliance with the Jaut
prince of Bhurtpore, and the princes of Jeypore, Joudpore,
Machery, Boondee and Gohud, who were thereby absolved
SBCT. V.] WILBNESS OF HOLKAB 271
from all allegiance to the Mahratta powers, and relieved A.D,
from all dread of their encroachments. 180£
The genius of Lord Wellesley had thus, in the course of
five years, reorganized the political condition of India, and
placed his masters on the pinnacle of power. The Com-
pany had now become the absolute sovereigns of the most
valuable portion of the continent, the protector of the
states not included within its possessions, and the umpire
in the disputes of all. Its authority was established on a
more solid basis than that of Akbar or Aurungzebe. The
reputation and splendour of Lord Wellesley 's administration
had now reached its culmination, and the disasters which
clouded the remainder of his Indian career were owing en-
tirely to the blunders of the Commander-in- Chief, though
his Government was necessarily saddled with the obloquy of
them.
SECTION V.
LORD WELLESLEY — WAR WITH HOLKAR — COLONEL MONSON'S
KKTREAT.
DURING the war with Sindia and the raja of Nagpore, Hoi- 1804
kar, instead of uniting his forces with theirs, sought more
profitable employment for them in predatory ex- Hoikar's
cursions into Hindostan. On the conclusion of proceedings,
the peace he marched upon the wealthy town of Muhesur,
where he was reported to have obtained a crore of rupees,
by which he was enabled to take into his pay the soldiers
whom Sindia and the raja of Nagpore bad disbanded.
His army was thus augmented to 60,000 horse, and 15,000
foot, a force far exceeding his requirements or his resources,
and which could only be maintained by plunder. He was
assured by the Governor- General and General Wellesley
that, as long as he abstained from invading the dominions
of the Company or of ttunr allies, no attempt should be
made to interfere with his movements. But repose w-as in-
compatible with his condition ; his fortune was in his
saddle, and his reckless disposition led him to throw
himself on the British buckler. In March he demanded
of General Wellesley the cession of certain districts in the
Deccan which he affirmed had once belonged to his family,
and he sent to General Lake to demand the rlwut as the
inalienable right of the Mahrattas, and threatened uif his
u demands were not complied with, that countries many
272 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII,
A.D. " hundred miles in extent should be plundered, and ealami-
1804 « ties fall 011 many hundred thousand human beings by a
" continued war, in which his armies would overwhelm
" them like waves of the sea." These insolent menaces
were followed up by an inroad into the territories of tho
British ally, the raja of Jeypore.
Lord Wellesley felt that there could be no prosperity or
even peace in Central India while this large predatory
War with horde continued to roam through it under this
Hoikar. rampant chief, and that an army of observation
would be found to be far more costly th in an army of action ;
and on the 16th April directed Generals Wellesley and Lake
to take the field against him. General Lake moved into the
Jeypore territory, and chased him out of it. General Wel-
lesley then in the Deccan urged him to continue the pursuit
without pause, and assured him that if it was prosecuted
with vigour, the war would be over in a fortnight. By an
act of incomprehensive fatuity, General Lake rejected this
advice, withdrew his army into cantonments, and sent
Colonel Monson with a weak force to follow Hoikar.
Lord Wellesley strenuously urged him either to recall the
brigade or to strengthen it, but General Lake did neither.
Colonel Monson was as remarkable for his personal bravery
as for his professional incompetence. With a detachment
feeble in numbers, and not supported by a single Euro-
pean soldier, with only about 2,500 worthless irregular
horse, he advanced into the heart of Holkar's territory
to encounter a force ten times its number, and commanded
by the most daring soldier of the day ; and he neglected to
make any provision for supplies, or for crossing the
various streams which would become unfordable in two or
three weeks.
1804 On the 7th July Colonel Monson recei ved the alarming in-
telligence that Hoikar had called up his whole force and
nei was raarching upon him, and that Colonel
Monson's Murray, whom General Wellesley had ordered
retreat. Up from Guzerat to support him, had fallen back.
The provisions in his camp were only equal to two days'
consumption, and he deemed it necessary to make an
immediate retreat. Whenever the troops stood at bay,
Hoikar, notwithstanding the immense superiority of his
force, sustained a repulse. At Rampoora Colonel Monson
was reinforced by two battalions sent to his aid by
General Lake, and was well supplied with provisions ;
but he unaccountably lingered there twenty-four days,
SKCT. V.] COLONEL MO>*SON'S RETREAT 273
daring which time Holkar never once ventured to attack A.D.
him. He then recommenced his retreat, which soon 1804
hecame a disgraceful rout, and the last sepoy straggled
into Agra fifty days after he had begun to retire. Twenty-
three years before Colonel Carnac had, with equal indiscre-
tion, marched into the heart of Smdia's territories, and
found himself in the same predicament JLS Colonel Monson;
yet, by the Vi- • expedient of a bold and aggressive
movement, ^ • ,- \ •• is completely defeated, and lost guns,
ammunition, encampment, and reputation. But for the
imbecility of the commander, the same 'triumph would
have crowned the valour of the troops under Colonel
Monson, and Lord Wellesley would not have had to lament
the lo^s of live battalions of infantry and six companies of
artillery. This was the most signal disgrace the Com-
pany's arms had sustained since1 the destruction of Colonel
13aillie's detachment by Hyd< r, and it was commemorated
in ribald son^s in the bazaars throughout the continent.
The raja of B hurt pore, who was the first to seek the
alliance of the Government in the flood-tide of success in
1803, was the first, to desert them when the tide appeared
to be ebbing.
Flushed with success, Holkar advanced to Muttra with
an army estimated at (»0,OU() men, and General Lake, with
his usual energy, rapidly assembled his regiments n0ikar be-
to meet this unexpected inroad. Meanwhile, sieges Delhi.
Holkar planned the daring project of seizing the city of
Delhi and obtaining possession of the person of the
emperor, and of the influence still attached to his name.
Leaving his cavalry to engage the attention of General
Lake, he suddenly appeared before the gates of the city
on the 7th October. It was ten miles m circumference, 1804
defended only by dilapidated walls and ruined ramparts,
and tilled with a mixed and unruly population. The
garrison was too weak to admit of reliefs, and provisions
were served to the troops on the battlements ; but Colonel
Ochterlony, with a spirit worthy of Clive, defended it for
nine days against the utmost efforts of the enemy, 20,000
strung, with 100 pieces of artillery. Holkar at length
drew olfhis force in despair, and sending back his infantry
and guns into the territory of his new ally, the raja of Bhurt-
pore, set out with his cavalry to lay waste the Company's
districts in the Doab.
General Lake left his infantry under General Fraser, to
T
274 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII
watch Holkar's battalions, and started in pursuit of him
Pursuit of with six regiments of cavalry, European and
Hoikar. native, and his horse artillery, giving him no
rest night or day. Hoikar generally contrived to keep
twenty or thirty miles ahead of him, ravaging the defence-
less villages as he swept along ; but, after a forced march
of fifty miles in twenty-four hours, the general succeeded
A.D. in overtaking him at dawn, at Futtygurh, on the 17th
1804 November. The enemy's horses were at picket, and the
men asleep beside them in apparent security, when several
rounds of grape announced the arrival of their pursuers.
Hoikar sprang on his horse, and galloped off with a few
troopers, leaving the rest of the troops to shift for
themselves, and they were dispersed and cut up in all
directions. He hastened back to rejoin his infantry, but
found on recrossing the Jumna, that they had suffered an
irreparable defeat. General Frazer with a force of (j, 000
men had attacked his army consisting of fourteen battalions
Battle of °f foot* a large body of horse and 160 guns,
E^g- and obtained a decisive victory, capturing more
than half his artillery ; but the victory was dearly pur-
chased by the loss of the general. During the engage-
ment, a destructive fire was opened on the British force
from the fortress of Deeg, belonging to the raja of Bhurt-
pore, which was immediately invested and captured.
The fortunes of Hoikar were now at the lowest ebb.
General Jones, who had succeeded the incompetent Colonel
Siege of Murray, had captured all his forts in Maiwa, and
Bhurtpore. marched up, unmolested, to General Lake's
encampment. The largo host with which he had
proudly appeared on the banks of the Jumna only four
months before had disappeared, and the annihilation of his
power appeared inevitable, when every a-1 \antncro was
thrown away by the fatal resolution of General Lake to
invest Bhur+pore. The town was eight miles in circum-
ference, surrounded by the invulnerable bulwark of a mud
wall of great height and thickness, protected by numerous
bastions and by a broad and deep ditch, filled with water,
and defended by 8,000 of the raja's troops and the rem-
nant of Holkar's infantry. General Lake turned a deaf
ear to all advice, and without a sufficient siege train, or an
engineer officer of any experience, without even making a
reconnaissance, commenced the siege with breathless im-
petuosity. Four consecutive attacks were made upon it
during fifteen weeks, which entailed the unprecedented
SHOT. V.] SIEGE OF BHURTPORE 275
loss of 8,200 in killed and wounded, of whom 103 were A.D.
officers. The siege was abandoned on the 21st April ; 1804
but the raja, who had severely felt the loss of all the
revenues of his districts and the exactions of Holkar,
sought an accommodation with the Government, and a
treaty was soon after concluded on condition of his con-
tributing twenty lacs of rupees in four instalments towards
the expenses of the war. But this issue of the campaign
did not cover the disgrace of our failure, the remembrance
of which was perpetuated even in the reinote districts of
the Deccan by rude delineations of British soldiers hurled
from the battlements of Bhurtpore.
This pacification was hastened by the hostile attitude of
Sinclia. By the treaty of Sirjee Anjenganm, he had agreed
to relinquish all claim on the rajas with whom
Lord YVellesley had concluded treaties. But, tuUeof
when the list was presented to him four months Slndia-
after, he was exasperated to find the name of the rana of
Gohud included in it, and also thefort of Gwalior. He scouted
the idea of considering the rana, whose territories he had
absorbed twenty years before, as an independent prince, or
of making over to him the fortress of Gwalior, which he
valued not merely for its strength, but as a personal gift
from the emperor. General Wellesley affirmed that Sindia
had subscribed the treaty with the distinct understanding
that the fort and territory should remain with him, and it
was in ignorance of this agreement that Lord Wellesley
had resolved to consider Gohud as an independent princi-
pality. General Wellesley said, " that he would sacrifice
" it, and every other frontier town ten times over, to
" preserve our credit for good faith." Major Malcolm, the
envoy at Sindia's court, was equally urgent, but Lord
Wellesley, who was entirely in the wrong, imperiously
persisted in his resolution, and Sindia was obliged to
submit, but the loss continued to rankle in his bosom.
The disastrous retreat of Colonel Monson and the
failure of the siege of Bhurtpore, produced a profound
sensation throughout Jlindostan. The victors of confederacy
Assyo had been chased by Holkar up to the against QO-
walls of Agra. The captors of Gwalior had vcrnm™t«
been baffled before a mud fort in the plains, and an im-
pression was created that the Company's good fortune was
on the wane. A hostile confederacy was secretly formed,
which included Sindia, Holkar, Ameer Khan, and the
raja of Bhurtpore; and Sindia ventured to attack our allies
276 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
A.D. and to invade Sangor. At the instance of his Danister,
1805 Sirjee Rao, the encampment of Mr. Jenkins, the Resident,
was plundered, and he was placed under restraint. Sindia
moreover assembled an army of 40,000 men, and moved
on towards Blmrtpore, with the intention, he said, of
:.• <roii,i:i' LT a peace between the raja and the British
Government. Lord Wellesley conld not fail to feel acutely
the insult which such a proposal implied, but ho and his
brother were anxious to avoid a rupture with Sindia at
this time. The morale of the army was low, and the
north-west frontier was defenceless. The Resident dis-
suaded Sindia from crossing the Chumbul towards Bhurt-
pore, assuring him that it would inevitably result in a war,
and advised him to return to his own capital ; but he said
his funds were exhausted, and General Wellesley assured
Lord Wellesley that he was really impoverished by his late
losses, and under the advice of the General an advance of
money was made to him from the treasury, on which he
retraced his steps to Subulgurh.
He was joined soon after by Ameer Khan and Holkar,
with about 3,000 of the cavalry which yet adhered to his
Movements standard. The confederates pressed Sindia for
of the con- money, but his exchequer was exhausted, and he
federates. gave them permission to despoil his general,
Ambajee Anglia, who had amassed two crores in his
service, and Shirjeo Rao, Sindia' s father-in-law, extorted
fifty lacs of rupees from him by torture. The atrocities of
this miscreant constrained Sindia to discard him, and
Ambajee having been appointed in his stead, broke up the
alliance between his master and Holkar and Ameer Khan,
and the path was thus opened for an accommodation
with the British Government. Sindia had nothing to
expect, but everything to lose, by a struggle with the
Company, and he was sincerely desirous of the restoration
of concord. Lord Wellesley was equally anxious for the
re-establishment of a good understanding, that he might
reduce the burdens of the state. He had determined to
restore Gohud and Gwalior, as a matter of policy, and
another month or six weeks would have brought about an
Supersedure arQica^c adjustment of all differences, and placed
of Lord the tranquillity of India on a solid basis ; but,
1805 Wellesley. Qn th ^^ July he w&g 8uperseded by tfie
arrival of Lord Cornwall] s, and his whole scheme of policy
was at once subverted.
The administration of Lord Wellesley is the most
SBCT. V] LOKD WELLESLEY'S GOVERNMENT 277
memorable in the annals of the Company. He found the A.D,
empire beset with perils in every quarter; he Remarks on 18°*
bequeathed it to his successor in a state of com- his adminis-
plete security, with the prestige of our power tratlou-
higher than it had ever stood. He annihilated the French
force at Hyderabad, demolished the kingdom of Mysore,
and became master of the Deccan. He extinguished the
more formidable battalions of French troops in the employ
of Smdia, and turned his possessions in Hindostan into a
British province. He paralysed beyond redemption the
great Mahratta sovereigns; he doubled the territories and
lesourees of the Company ; he exhibited a special genius
for creating and consolidating an empire, and he would
rank as the greatest of the Go\ernors-General if he had not
been preceded by Warren Hastings and followed by Lord
Dalhousie. He was resolved to quench those internecine
contests among the princes of India which, for a century
since the death of Aurung/ebe, had turned its fairest pro-
\inccs into a desert. He felt as his brother the Duke of
Wellington, then General Welle.sley, happily expressed it,
*k that no permanent system of policy could be adopted to
" protect the weak against the strong, and to keep the
*' princes for any length of time in their relatn e positions,
" and the whole body in peace, without the establishment
" of one power winch, by the superiority of its strength
" and its military system and resources, should obtain a
" preponderating1 influence for the protection of all." The
Company was to be this preponderating pov»er, but the
Company was still a commercial body, with an instinctive
dread of military operations, which interrupted its invest-
ments and disturbed its balance-sheet. The mercantile
spirit was still in the ascendant in Leaden hall- street,
whereas Lord Wellesley maintained that " as long as the
" Company represented the sovereign executive authority
" in this vast empire, its duties of sovereignty must be
" paramount to mercantile interests." These antagonistic
views created a strong feeling of antipathy towards him at
the India House. Parliament, moreover, had thought, tit
to interdict all increase of territory and all alliances with
native princes without the sanction of t he Court of Directors,
and they hoped under the shadow of this injunction to
continue at peace v\ith the native princes, and to pursue
their mercantile enterprises without any impediment. But,
in defiance of this rule, Lord Wellesley had been engaged in
wars from Cape Comorin to the Sutlej, had broken the power
278 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAP. VIII.
A.D. of prince after prince, and loaded the Company with the
1805 responsibility of governing one half and controlling the
other half of India. The vastness of his schemes, and the
audacity of his aspirations, confounded them ; and even
his friend Lord Castlereagh, the President of the Board of
Control, regarded with a feeling of anxiety the vast extent
of our dominion and our responsibilities, The announce-
ment of the war with Holkar, however inevitable, filled
up the measure of his delinquencies, and completed the
dismay of the India authorities in Leadenhall- street and
at the Board of Control ; and it was resolved to supersede
him, and " to bring back things to the state the legislature
" had prescribed in 1792 ;" in other words, to put the
political clock back a dozen years.
On the return of Lord Wellesloy to England, an attempt
was made to subject him to an impeachment. A Mr.
Attempt at Paull> originally a tailor, had gone out to India
impeach- as an adventurer, and having amassed a for-
ment> tune in the hot-house of corruption at Lucknow,
obtained a seat in Parliament, and brought articles of
charge against Lord Wcllesley ot high crimes and mis-
demeanours which were dropped on the dissolution ; and
Paull having failed to obtain a seat at the election, put a
period to his life. Lord Folkstone subsequently renewed
the charge, but the resolution of censure which he pro-
pos%d was negatived by 182 to 31. On the other hand,
the vindictive Court of Proprietors passed a vote of con-
demnation by 928 to 195. But thirty years later, when
truth had triumphed over passion and prejudice, the Court
of Directors took occasion, on the publication of his
despatches, to assure him by a unanimous resolution, " that
" in their judgment he had been animated throughout his
" administration by an ardent zeal to promote the well-
Applause of " being of India, and to uphold the interest and
the Court of " honour of the British empire; and that they
rs. u looked back to the eventful and brilliant period
*' of his administration with feelings common to their
" countrymen." They voted him a grant of 20,OOOZ. and
ordered his statue to be placed in the India House as a
recognition of his services.
SECT. I.J LOKU COKNWALL1S 279
CHAPTER IX.
SECTION I.
LORD COKNWALL1S AND SIR G. BARLOW.
LORD CoRNWAr/Lis was Mr. Pitt's invariable refuge in every
Indian difficulty. When the Company's possessions were
considered to be in danger from the proceedings T . n
c ixr TT A ' Tin ii« i Lord Corn-
of Warren Hastings, Lord Cornwallis was sent ^aih>s brief
out to restore their security. When again, in 5"ith.nd
1797, Sir John Shore's weakness had brought on
the mutiny of the officers which threatened the dissolution
of Government, he was entreated to go out, if only for a
year ; and now he was importuned a third time in 1805
to undertake the office of Governor- General, and save the
empire from the ruin with which it was supposed to be
threatened through Lord Wcllesley's ambition. His con-
stitution was exhausted by thirty years of labour in
America, in India and in Ireland, but he would not refuse
what he considered the call of duty, and he landed at Cal-
cutta on the 30th June, with the linger of death visibly
upon him. Within twenty-four hours Lord Wellesley had
the mortification to learn that his whole system of policy
was to be immediately demolished. Lord Cornwallis lost
no time in announcing that it was his object to restore the
native princes to a condition of " vigour, efficiency, and
" independent interest," and to remove the impression of
our design to establish British control over every Indian
power. He was resolved, in fact, to steer the vessel of the
state in 1805 by the cphemeris of 1793.
He immediately proceeded up the country by water, and
on the 19th September sent a despatch to Lord Lake de-
fining the policy he intended to pursue. He Lord0orn
proposed to restore all Holkar's family domains Avaihs's
when he manifested a reasonable disposition; P°IIC>-
to give up Gohud and Gwalior to Sindia, and even to
waive the demand which had been made by Lord Wellesley
280 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
of the release of the Resident, Mr. Jenkins, whom
Siudia detained in honourable bondage, if it was found to
be an obstacle to a reconciliation with that chief; to abro-
gate the treaty with Jeypore ; to remove the emperor and
his family to some town near Calcutta, and to restore
Delhi to the Mahrattas •. to dissolve all the alliances con-
cluded with the princes north of the Chumbul, and to
compensate them for the loss of our protection from the
territories we had acquired beyond the Jumna, which was
to be our future boundary. Before this letter could reach
Lord Lake, Lord Cornwallis was in his grave. It wa^
dictated to his secretary at a time when he was in such
a state of mental and physical debility, that it may be
questioned whether he fully comprehended the scope and
tr< A 4.1, consequences of this abrupt and fundamental
Hisneatn. PT TT , i , /~n
change ot policy. He was put on shore at dha-
A.D. zeepore, where he expired on the 5th October He had
1805 no£ fae genius of Hastings or of Lord Wcllesley, and his
merits as a Governor- General have been over-rated, but
none of the rulers of British India have ever more richly
earned the esteem and confidence of Europeans and natives
by his sterling integrity, his straightforward and manly
character, and the spirit of justice and moderation which
regulated all his actions.
Sir George Barlow, the senior member of Council, suc-
ceeded temporarily to the office of Govern or- (J en eral He
had presided for many years over some of the
low and ins most important offices m the state, in winch he
P°Ucy- had acquired a rich fund of experience. He had
been extolled for his official aptitude and ability by three
successive Governors-General, and though the ministry had
wisely resolved never again to place any local officer at
the head of the Government, they hail yielded to the
recommendation of Lord Wellesley, and given him the,
reversion of the highest office. But Sir George was simply
a first-rate civilian, eminently qualified for every subor-
dinate department, but destitute of that patrician dignity
and that elevation of mind which the management of the
empire required. While he continued under ihe influence
of Lord Wellesley's master spirit, he cordially adopted his
large and comprehensive policy, and became so closely
identified with it that he lost the prospect of succeeding
him when that policy was discarded at the India House.
This fact was communicated to him by Lord Cornwallis,
and may not have been without its influence in converting
him to the opposite line of policy, of which he now became
SRCT. 1 1 SIB GEORGE BARLOW 281
the unflinching advocate. Ho hastened to inform Lord A.D,
Lake that it was Inn intention to dissolve all our alliances
with the native princes, to relinquish all right to interfere
in their affairs, and to withdraw from all connection with
any state beyond the Jurnna. Lord Wellesley proposed
to rest the security of our dominion on the establishment
of general tranquillity under our supremacy. Sir George
considered that our position would be equally secure if
the native states were allowed to tear one another to pieces,
and were thus deprued of all leisure to attack us This
despicable policy was aptly described by Mr. Metealfe, sub-
sequently Governor-General ml nttcriv), as "disgrace with-
" out compensation, treaties without security, and peace
" without tranquillity "
Sindia was as anxious to avoid a second collision with
the Government of Calculi. i a> the Governor-General him-
self, and an envoy was sent to the head-quartei s p<.arewitii
of Lord Lake, then about to start in pursuit of Smdia.
Holkar. A treaty \\as eoneliuh d on the 'Jolh December,
by which Gohud and Gwalior were restored to him, and it
was stipulated that the Chumbiil should be the boundary
of the tuo states, and that the British Government should
enter into no treaties with the rajas of Oodypore, Joudpore,
and oilier chiefs whom lie claimed as his feudatories.
Northern India swarmed with military adventurers, con-
sisting of the fragments of the armies disbanded by Sindia
and the raja of Nngpore, and of the irregulars whom our
Government had dismissed ; hence Holkar, notwithstanding
his reverses, was able to collect a body of 12,000 horse and
J>,000 foot, whom it was important to disperse Lord Lake
set off in pursuit of him at, the head of his cavalry and
light infantry, and a "Hritish army was, for the first time,
conducted to the banks of the Sutlej by the general who
had been the first to camp on the Jumna. On crossing
the Sutlej Lord Lake was brought into communication
with Runjeet Sing, the young chieftain of twenty-four, then
employed in laying the inundation of a new kingdom in
the Punjab; and on the banks of the Beyas (the ancient
Hydaspes) concluded a, treaty with him by which he en-
gaged to afford no further assistance to Holkar, and to
oblige him to evacuate the Punjab forthwith. Holkar,
now a helpless fugitive, was pursued to the holy city of
Umritsir, and sent an envoy humbly to sue for peace,
which he was ready to accept on any terms.
Under the positive instructions of Sir George Barlow,
282 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX,
A.D. the draft of a treaty was presented to him which provided
1805 Dis acefui ^or ^s comple^e reinstatement in power, the
treaty with restoration of all the territories which had be-
Hoikar. Jonged to his family, and the relinquishraeiit of
all interference with the chiefs whom he claimed as his
dependents. He was required to relinquish all right to
R/ampoora, and all claim on Boondee, to entertain no
Europeans in his service, to return to Hindostan by a
prescribed route, and to abstain from, injuring the terri-
tories of the Company or their allies. To Hoikar, whose
fortunes were now desperate, these proposals appeared like
a godsend, but their incredible leniency convinced him
that they could only be dictated by fear, and his envoy
returned with a demand for eighteen additional districts in
Hindostan, and liberty to levy contributions on Jeypore,
both of which were peremptorily refused. Fresh difficul-
ties were started by his envoys, till Lord Lake threatened
to recommence the pursuit, when the ratified treaty was
at once produced. But Sir George Barlow was displeased
with the terms of the treaty both with Sindia and Hoikar.
He considered that to fix the Mahratta boundary on the
banks of the Chumbul, might imply a pledge to protect
the princes beyond it from their rapacity ; and he there-
fore added declaratory articles withdrawing British pro-
tection from every state to the west of the Jumna. Ram-
poora* was voluntarily surrendered to him, arid he fired a
royal salute on the occasion, declaring at the same time
that " the English were great rascals, and never to be
" trusted." The raja of Boondee had the strongest claims
on the gratitude of the Company as a constant and faithful
ally, and as having two years before afforded shelter and
aid to Colonel Monson in his retreat, in spite of the
menaces of Hoikar. Lord Lake made a strenuous effort to
save him, but Sir George was deaf to every remonstrance,
and cancelled the article in the treaty which protected
him from the rapacity and revenge of Hoikar.
The course pursued toward Jeypore was yet more dis-
graceful. The raja was tho first to accede to Lord
The raja of Wellesley's system of subsidiary alliances, but he
Jeypore. wavered in his fidelity when Colonel Monson was
flying before Hoikar, and Lord Wellesley informed Lord
Cornwallis that this defection had cancelled his claim to
our alliance. In the following year Hoikar entered his
territories and claimed his assistance against the Company,
but Lord Lake assured him that the boon of our protection
SECT. I.] AGGRESSIONS OF HOLKAR 283
would be restored to him if he resisted the advances of A.D.
that chief, and in this hope he afforded cordial and efficient 1806
aid to our detachments proceeding in pursuit of him.
Lord Cornwallis, who was the soul of honour, said that
any promise Lord Lake had given to the raja should be
held sacred. Sir George Barlow, however, refused to ac-
knowledge any such obligation, and as Holkar entered the
Jeypore territory, bent on plunder and revenge, informed
him that the protection of Government was withdrawn for
the breach of his engagement during Colonel Monson's
retreat. Lord Lake, indignant at the contempt with wliieh
his expostulations were treated and the degradation of the
national character, threw up all his political functions.
Holkar was bound by the treaty to return to Hindostan
by a prescribed route, arid to abstain from all ,i«.n. '< -'»»!•
on the territories of the Company or their allies. ApKn*sion
But to save the iield allowances Sir George ofllolkftr-
Barlow directed Lord Lake to hasten out of the Punjab ;
and Jlolkar no sooner found him across the Sutlej than
he let loose Ins predatory bands on the districts of the
Punjab; nor was there any article of the treaty which he
did not violate with audacity. He halted for a month in
the Jeypore territory, and, seeing the British support with-
drawn from the raja, extorted eighteen lacs of rupees from
him, and then inarched down to wTreak Ins vengeance on
Boondee. This disastrous termination of the Mahratta
war sowed the seeds of a, more momentous contest. The
wisdom of Lord Wellesle^'s policy was simply vindicated
by the twelve years of anarchy which followed the sub-
version of it; while the adoption of a neutral policy and oi
a system of isolation fostered the growth of a new pre-
datory power, which it eventually required an army ol
100,000 men to extinguish.
It was not long before the evils of this policy of non-
interference became visible. The rana of Oodypore was
regarded as the " sun of Hindoo glory," and an Desolation of
alliance with his family as the summit of social Rajpootnna.
distinction. The beautiful daughter of the reigning prince
had been betrothed to the raja of Joudpore, and on his
premature death was claimed by his successor ; but her
hand was given to the raja of Jcypore. The rivals
appealed to arms, and 100,000 men, consisting not only of
Rajpoots, but of Sindia's Main-atlas and Ameer Khan's
Patans, were brought into the field. In February 1807
Lhe raja of Joudpore sustained a crushing defeat, but soon
284 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
A.D. after succeeded in detaching Ameer Khan from his ally,
1807 the raja of Jeypore, by the promise of half a crore of
rupees, and the plains of .ley pore wore laid waste by him.
The rana of Oodypore, who had taken no part in the war
of which his daughter was the innocent cause, was not-
withstanding subjected to plunder by Siudia and Ameer
Khan, and in his extremity supplicated the Governor-
General for protection, offering to make over half his terri-
tories for the defence of the remainder. Raj poo tana was
bleeding at every pore, and its princes, the rajas of Joudpore
and Jeypore, the rana of Oodypore as well as Zalirn Sing,
the renowned regent of Kotah, invoked the aid of British
authority, and represented that there had always been in
1807 India some supreme power to which the weak looked for
protection from the ambition and rapacity of the powerful.
The Company, they said, had now succeeded to this
position, and were bound to fulfil the responsibilities
attached to it. The ]\IaUrattas and the Patan^, who were
now spreading desolation through the country, could offer
no resistance to the British arms, and the Governor- General
had only to speak the word, and peace and tranquillity
would be restored. But any such interference was contrary
to the prevailing policy of the India House ; the request of
the rana of Oodypore wa^ refused, and lie was obliged to
come to a compromise with Ameer Khan and assign him a
fourth of his dominions to preserve the rest from rapine,
and likewise to submit to the indignity of exchanging
turbans with the Patan freebooter.
The great blot in Sir George Barlow's administration
was the abandonment of Rajpootana, but he earned no
H dcrabad ^tle (;1'(idit for the resolution with which he
maintained the peace of the Deccan. Meer Alum,
the able minister of the Nizam, had become obnoxious to
his master by his steady support of the British alliance,
and was obliged to take refuge at the Residency to escape
assassination. The Nizam then proceeded to open nego-
tiations with Sindia and Ameer Khan, and to assemble
troops with the undisguised intention of dissolving all
connection with the Company's Government. Sir George
1806 Barlow "felt that the dissolution of the alliance would
* subvert the very foundation of British power and ascend-
1 ency in the political scale in India. The position we
1 abandoned at Hyderabad would be immediately occupied
1 by our enemies, and the result would be universal
* turbulence and distrust." On this occasion therefore lit
SECT. I.j THE FINANCES 285
did not hesitate to discard the principle of neutrality, A.D.
and to order the Nizain to restore Meor Alum to his post, 180C
and submit to a more direct interference of the Resident
in the management of his affairs. Equally meritorious
were his proceedings at Poona. The Court of Th
Directors considered the treaty of Hassem the
source? of multiplied embarrassments, and were desirous of
withdrawing from Mahratta politics, and allowing- ihc
Peshvvato resume his position as the head of the Mahratta
commonwealth. Sir George resisted with energy every
effort to modify the treaty, and had the courage to state to
his masters that, while he desired to manifest every attention
to then1 wishes, there4 was a higher obligation imposed on
him, that of maintaining the supremacy of British rule,
which would be compromised by any deviation from the
policy established by Lord Wellesley at Poona.
The state of the ii nances demanded the early attention
of Sir George The pecuniary difficulties of the Company
had always arisen from the wars in which they
v i i • 11 rm i i- • The finances.
had been involved. I here was no elasticity in a
revenue derived almost exclusively from the land, and any
extraordinary demand on the treasury could only be met
by having recourse to loans. With the return of peace
and the alleviation of the military pressure, the finances,
with one exception, had recovered their spring. The
extensive military operations of Lord Wellesley had aug-
mented the public debt and brought on one of the inter-
mittent fevers of alarm at the India House. It was over-
looked that our wars in India had generally terminated in
an accession of territory and revenue which speedily over-
balanced the encumbrance they had entailed. Thus, in
Lord Wellesley 's administration the increase of the debt
amounted to about eight crorcs and a half of rupees, and
the permanent increase of revenue to about seven crores.
By the cessation of war and the reduction of the regiments
of irregulars, the deficit which had appalled Leadenhall-
stroet was converted into a surplus, which, with little
fluctuation, remained steady for twenty years.
In the month of July the Government was astounded 180(1
by the massacre of European officers and soldiers by the
native sepoys in the fort of Vellore It was situ- The Veiiore
ated eighty-eight miles west of Madras, and only mutiny.
forty from the frontier of Mysore, hud been selected, con-
trary to the wise judgment of the Court of Directors, for
the residence of Tippoo's family, and it was speedily filled
286 ABTUDOMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX
A.D. with 1,800 of their adherents and 3,000 emigrants from
1806 Mysore. The European troops in the garrison consisted of
about 370 men, and the sepoys numbered about 1,500,
many of whom were Mahomedans who had been in the
service of Tippoo. At 3 o'clock in the morning of the 10th
July the sepoys suddenly assaulted the European barracks,
and poured m volley after volley through the Venetian blinds,
till eighty of the soldiers had been killed and ninety-one
wounded. They then proceeded to the residence of the
officers, of whom thirteen fell victims to their treachery.
During the massacre an active communication was kept
up between the mutineers and the palace of the Mysore
princes, many of whose followers were conspicuous in the
scene. Provisions were also sent out to the sepoys, and
the royal ensign of Mysore was hoisted amidst the shouts
of the crowd. The remaining Europeans held their posi-
tion till they were rescued by the gallantry of Colonel
Gillespie, who was in garrison at Arcot, eight miles distant,
and who, on hearing of the outbreak, started without a mo-
ment's delay with a portion of the 19th Dragoons and
his galloper guns, and arrived in time to rescue the
survivors.
The searching investigation which was made revealed
the cause of the mutiny. The new Commander-in- Chief,
Cause of the Sir John Cradock, soon after his arrival ob-
mutiny. tained permission of the governor, Lord William
Bflntinck, to codify the military regulations, but upon the
express condition that no rules should be added without
the permission of Government. Unknown to the governor,
the adjutant- general took on himself to introduce several
innovations which interfered with the religious prejudices of
the sepoys. But that which gave them peculiar offence
was the new form prescribed for the turban, which bore
some resemblance to a European hat, an object of general
antipathy to the natives. A report was industriously
spread through their ranks by the Mahomedans, who led
the hostile movement, that the new turban was the pre-
cursor of an attempt to force them to become Christians ;
and the panic-stricken and exasperated sepoys wero thug
stirred up to mutiny and massacre. The Court of Director?
were overwhelmed by the news of this catastrophe, and
in that wild and vindictive spirit which terror inspires,
instantly recalled the governor and the Commander-in-
Chief before a single line of explanation had been received
from either. Lord William Bentinck remonstrated against
SECT. I.] THE SERAMPORE MISSIONARIES 287
the gross injustice of punishing him as an accomplice in A.I
measures with which he had no farther connection than to 180
obviate their evil consequences. The Court, in their reply,
bore testimony to his uprightness, disinterestedness, zeal
and respect for the system of the Company, but also
remarked that, " as the misfortune which happened under
" his administration placed his fate under the government
" of public events and opinions which the Court could not
" control, so it was not in their power to alter the effect of
" them."
OP the panic created by the mutiny at the Council board
in Calcutta, the unoffending1 missionaries were made the
victims. In 1793, Mr. Carey had proceeded to The ^ a
Bengal to establish a Christian Mission, and gation of
laboured with much zeal but little success for Chrihtlanit7-
seven years in the Malda district. In 1799, Mr. Marshman
and Mr. Ward proceeded to join him, and, being without a
licence, were ordered to quit the country the day after
their arrival, but obtained an asylum at the Danish settle-
ment of Serampore and wore taken under the protection
of the Danish crown. There they were joined by Mr. A.D,
Carey, and established a fraternity which, under the 1^<
designation of the " Serampore Missionaries,'* has attained jgQ(
historical distinction as that of the pioneers of Christian
civilisation in Hindustan. They opened the first schools
for the gratuitous instruction of native children ; they set
up printing-presses and prepared founts of type in the
various Indian characteis; they compiled grammars of
the Bengalee, Sanscrit and other languages, into which
they translated the Sacred Scriptures. They gave their
chief attention to the cultivation and improvement of the
Bengalee language, and published the first prose works
which had appeared in it, and laid the foundation of that
vernacular literature which has since obtained a large
development. They, and the converts who had joined
them, were tacitly permitted to itinerate in the districts of
Bengal, and met with considerable success in the propaga-
tion of Christianity. But missionary efforts had always
been viewed with mistrust by the Court of Directors and
by their servants in India, on the ground that they might
disturb the prejudices of the natives and create disaffection.
The mutiny at Vellore was hastily ascribed to an inter-
ference with the religious prejudices of the Madras sepoys,
and Sir George Barlow, under the influence of alarm,
considered it necessary peremptorily to interdict the
288 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
M.D. labours of the Serampore Missionaries. The Vellore panic
IK)6 gradually died out, and the restrictions imposed on them
were allowed to fall into abeyance.
The Court of Directors had always been anxious to have
the highest office in India left open to their own servants,
Su rsession an^ ^G great zeal which Sir George Barlow
ofSirGeorge had manifested in carrying out their non-inter-
Bariow. vention policy recommended him to them as the
permanent successor of Lord Cornwallis. The death of
Mr. Pitt and the dissolution of his ministry introduced the
Whigs to Downing-street, and within twenty-four hours of
their accession to power they were called upon to make pro-
vision for the Governor-Generalship. The President of the
Board of Control, new to office, agreed as a temporary
measure to the nomination of the Court, and Sir George
Barlow's commission was made out and signed ; but ten
days after the ministry announced that they had selected
Lord Laudordale for the office. The Court of Directors
strenuously resisted the appointment, not only as an
abrupt and contemptuous rejection of their nominee, but
likewise on personal grounds. His ostentatious admira-
tion of the French revolution, which led him to drop his
aristocratic title, might have been forgiven ; bat he had
rendered himself obnoxious to them by his advocacy of
Fox's India Bill, and, more recently, by his support of
Lord Wellesley's free-trade policy. The Directors refused
to sanction the appointment, and the ministry retaliated
by cancelling the nomination of Sir George Barlow The
controversy between them was carried on for many weeks
with great acrimony, but was at length terminated by the
nomination of Lord Minto, the President of the Board of
Control.
SECTION TI.
LORD MINTO' S ADMINISTRATION — FOREIGN EMBASSIES.
A.D. LORD MINTO had been engaged for many years in the
administration of public affairs. As Sir Gilbert Elliot he
was one of the maunders nominated by the
LordMmto ,-.- c ~ , h , . ,, . /
governor- House or Commons to conduct the impeachment
general. of Warren Hastings, and the prosecution of Sir
Elijah Impey was committed to his especial charge. He
SECT. IT.] LOUD MINTO— BUNDLECUND 289
was subsequently minister plenipotentiary at Vienna, and
had been for twelve months President of the Board of
Control, where he obtained an insight into the machinery
and character of the Indian Government. He was an
accomplished scholar, a statesman of clear perceptions and
sound judgment ; mild and moderate in his views, yet
without any deficiency of firmness, and distinguished
above his predecessors for his singular urbanity. He was
accepted by the Directors with the understanding that he
should eschew the policy of Lord Wellesley, and tread in
the footsteps of Lord Cornwallis and Sir George Barlow.
His first act in India was an act of clemency. On his
arrival at Madras he found GOO of the Vellore mutineers
awaiting their sentence. The Supreme Government had
sentenced them to transportation beyond sea, a punishment
equivalent to death, but Lord Minto adopted the more
lenient course of expelling them from the service, and
declaring them incapable of re-enlistment.
On reaching Calcutta, his attention was immediately
called to the state of anarchy into which the feeble policy
of his predecessor had plunged the province of Anarchy in
Bimdleeund. The country was overrun by Bundiecund.
military adventurers who lived only by plunder, and 150
castles were held by as many chieftains who were per-
petually at feud with each other. The inhabitants, a bold
and independent race, were, moreover, disgusted with the
stringency of the judicial and revenue systems we had
introduced, and deserted their \ illag^s, and too often
joined the banditti with which the country swarmed. The
two strongest forts in the province, Callinger and Ajygurh,
were held by chiefs who bid defiance to the British Go-
vernment. Lord Lake considered the possession of these
fortresses essential to the tranquillity of the country, and
urged Sir George Barlow to reduce them, but he con-
sidered that. " a certain extent of dominion, power and
" revenue would be cheaply sacrificed for security and
" tranquillity in a more contracted circle." The sacrifice
was made1, but the security was farther off than ever.
The two chiefs who had seized the forts, together with
some of the most notorious leaders of banditti, received a
legal title to the lands they had usurped, with permission
to settle their quarrels among themselves by the sword.
Within five weeks after Lord Minto had assumed the
Government he recorded his opinion that " it was essential
" not only to the preservation of political influence over
n
290 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
" the chiefs of Bundlecund, but to the dignity and repu-
_. " tation of the British Government, to interfere
Vigorous .. n . ! . f» • i • -i • i » i
policy of for the suppression ot intestine disorder.
LordMinto. rp^ Bim^e announcement that the British
Government was determined to enforce its full authority
through the province was found sufficient to induce the
numerous chiefs to make their submission, and to engage
to refer every dispute to its decision. The renowned
fortress of Callinger, which had baffled all the efforts of
Mahmood of Glmzni eight centuries before, and which the
Peshwa's general had recently besieged two years without
success, was surrendered after an arduous struggle. The
fortress of Ajygurh was likewise mastered, and peace and
prosperity were restored to Bundlecund.
The difficulty of maintaining the principle of non-
interference was again demonstrated before Lord Minto
Career of ^ac^ keen a Jeafr ™ India, in reference to the
Runjeet proceedings of Runjeet Sing, whose career now
mg> claims attention. On the retirement of the
Abdalee after the battle of Paniput, the Punjab became the
scene of confusion, and the semi-military, semi-religious
community of the Sikhs was enabled to enlarge and con-
solidate its power. It was divided into fraternities or
misils, the chief of each of which was the leader in the
field and the umpire in time of peace. Clmrnit Sing, the
bead of one of them, commenced a series of encroachments
on his neighbour--, and his son Maha Sing pursued the
1792 same course of ambition. He died in 17D2, leaving an
only son, Runjeet Sing, who at the early age of seventeen
commenced that career of conquest which resulted even-
tually in the establishment of a power as great as that of
Sevajee or Hyder Ali.
Runjeet obtained possession of the city of Lahore, the
ancient seat of authority m the Punjab, and succeeded in
His en- Jib-'i'h : f the various Sikh misils. By the year
1806 croa^hments 1806 his dominions were extended to the banks
inSirhmd. ^ ^ g^^ an(j jic cagt ft wisnfui eye on the
province of Sirhind, lying beyond that river, and occupied
by about twenty independent Sikh chieftains. They had
been obliged to bend to the authority of Sindia when
General Perron established his power over the province,
and on the extinction of Mahratta rule in that region
transferred their allegiance to the British Government,
and considered themselves subject to the sovereignty of
the Company, and entitled to its protection. Runjeet
.I EMBASSY TO KUNJEKT SING 291
Sing proceeded with his usual caution, and by inducing A.D.
one or two of the chiefs to invite his intervention for the 180)
settlement of their differences, obtained a pretext for enter-
ing Sirhind with an army. On his return from one of
these expeditions in 1807, he levied contributions indis-
criminately in every direction, seized upon forts and lands
and carried off all the cannon which he could lay his
hands upon.
These repeated inroads iilled the Sikh chieftains with 1808
alarm, and in March, 1808, a deputation proceeded to
Delhi to implore the protection of the British A alof
Government, whose vassals the envoys stated theSikh
they had always considered themselves since the cVeram^tG°"
downfall of Sindia's power. Runjcet was anxious
to discover the views of the Governor-General in reference
to this appeal, and addressed a letter to him expressing his
wish to cultivate friendly relations with the Company, and
adding, " the country on this side the Jumna — except the
" stations occupied by you — is mine ; let it remain so."
This bold demand of the province of Sirhind brought up
the important question whether an energetic and ambitious
chieftain, who had in ton years erected a largo kingdom
upon the ruin of a dozen princes, should be allowed to
plant his army, composed of the finest soldiers in India,
within a few miles of our frontier, and Lord Minto boldly
assumed the responsibility of taking the Sikh states of
Sirhind under British protection, and shutting up Runjeet
Sing in the Punjab.
The treaty of Tilsit, concluded in 1807 between the
emperor of Russia and Napoleon, was supposed to include
certain secret articles intended to ailb?d facilities Mission to
for the invasion of India by the French. It was Lahore,
determined, therefore, by the ministry to anticipate the
designs of the French emperor, and to block up his path
by forming defensive alliances with the rulers of the inter-
mediate kingdoms of Peisia, Afghanistan, and the Punjab.
The most diilicult of these negotiations, that with Runjeet
Sing, was entrusted by Lord Minto to Mr. Metcalfe, a
young civilian of high promise, who had been trained up
in the school, and, indeed, under the eye of Lord Wellesley.
He was sent to Lahore to accomplish two objects which
appeared mutually irreconcilable — to frustrate Runjeet
Sing's passionate desire of annexing the province of
Sirhind, and to obtain his co-operation to prevent the
entrance of a French army into our territories. Mr,
292 AEEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
A.D. Metcalfe was treated \\ itli feeling of suspicion and hostility,
and when he was at length permitted to propound the
object of his mission was given to understand that, although
Runjeet Sing did not object to the proposed treaty, in
which, however, he had less interest than the Company,
it must recognise his sovereignty over all the Sikh states
beyond the Sutlej. Mr. Metcalfe replied that he had no
instructions to make this concession ; but while the nego-
tiation was in progress, Runjeet Sing broke up his cam})
at Kussoor, crossed the Sutlej a third time, and for three
months swept through the province, plundering the various
chiefs, and compelling them to acknowledge his authority.
Lord Minto resolved to lose no time in arresting his
Rtmjeet progress, and, if necessary, to have recourse to
ordered to arms. Napoleon, moreover, had begun to be en-
retire' tangled in the affairs of Spain, and all idea of
invading India, even if it had ever been seriously enter-
tained, was abandoned. Having, therefore, no longer any-
thing to ask of Runjeet Sing, Lord Minto w;is enabled to
assume a bolder tone, and to resolve on making a military
demonstration. The Commander- in- Chief was directed
to hold a force in readiness to advance to the banks of the
Sutlej, and a letter was addressed to the Sikh ruler
informing him that by the issue of the war with the
Mahrattas the Company had succeeded to the power and
the rights they had exercised in the north of Hindostan.
The Sikh states in Sirhind were now under British pro-
tection, and the Maharaja must withdraw from the districts
of which he had taken possession in his late raid, and con-
fine his future operations to the right bank of the Sutlej.
Runjeet Sing, on his return from the expedition across the
river, hastened to Umritsur to exchange the toils of the
field for the enjoyments of the harem. Like Hyder Ali, he
was the slave of sensual indulgence when not absorbed in
the excitement of war. On the evening of his arrival Mr.
Metcalfe waited on him to present the Governor- General's
letter, but he exclaimed that the evening was to be devoted
to mirth and pleasure, and called for the dancing- girls, and
then for the strong potations to which he was accustomed,
and before midnight was reduced to a state of unconscious-
ness.
1808 The letter delivered by Mr. Metcalfo remained for several
weeks unnoticed, and on the 22nd December he demanded
an audience of Runjeet Sing, and announced that a British
army was about to take the field, and would sweep his
Swrr. II.J EMBASSY TO CABUL 293
garrisons from Sirhind. He bore the communication for
some time with composure, but unable at length to control
his feelings, rushed out of the room, vaulted into the
saddle, and galloped about the courtyard with frantic
vehemence, while his ministers continued the discussion
witli Mr. Metcalfe. Two months were again wasted in
studied delays and constant postponement, but Run]eet
Mr. Metcalfe continued with unflinching firmness feing** sub-
to insist on the complete evacuation of Sirhind. mi880n>
Runjeet Sing was constrained to submit, and on the 25th A.D.
April aflixed his seal to a treaty which provided that the *°09
British Government should not interfere with his territory
or subjects, and that he should abstain from any con-
nection with the states under British protection. The
treaty consisted of fifteen lines, and is one of the shortest
on record. In the range of our Indian history there are
few incidents of more romantic interest than the arrest of
this haughty prince in the full career of success by a youth
of twenty- four. On the retirement of the British army a
garrison was left at Loodiana, which became our frontier
station in the north-west, and the British ensign which
Lord Wellesley had planted on the Jumna was six years
after erected on the Sutlej by Lord Minto.
The embassy to Cabul was fitted out on a scale of mag- 1808
nificence intended to impress tlio Afghan court with an
idea of the power and grandeur of the present Embassy to
rulers of India, and was entrusted to Mr. Mount Oabui.
Stuart Elplnnstone, one of Lord Wcllcsley's school of
statesmen. The sovereign of Afghanistan, Shah Soojah,
the brother of Zeman Shah who invaded India in the days
of Lord Wellesley, gave the mission a cordial reception,
but his cabinet did not fail to remark that its object
appeared to be more in the interests of the Company than
of Afghanistan. They said they had nothing to apprehend
from the French, and were desirous of ascertaining what
offers they were prepared to make before a definite reply
was given. While the negotiation was in progress, the
expedition which Shah Soojnh had imprudently sent to
subjugate Cashmere was completely defeated. His rival
brother had obtained possession of Cabul and Candahar,
and was advancing on Peshawur. Shah Soojah, whose army
was annihilated and whoso treasury was empty, earnestly
solicited pecuniary aid from the Government of India, and
Mr. Elphinstone advised a grant of ten lacs of rupees, which
would have enabled him to recruit his force and regain hii
294 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
power ; and it might possibly have saved the Government
the many crores of rupees spent thirty years after to reseat
him on the throne. But the dread of a French invasion
had died out, and it was 110 longer considered necessary to
conciliate tfye ruler who held the gate of India, as CabuJ
was then deemed. The request was refused; Shah Soojah
A.D. was defeated by his brother and fled to India and became
1810 a pensioner on the Company's bounty.
The third mission to counteract the designs of the French
was sent to Persia. The king had wantonly involved
Affairs of himself in a war with Russia and lost some of his
Persia. most valuable provinces. He applied for aid to
the emperor Napoleon, who sent General Gardanne as his
representative to Teheran, -with a large military staff and a
body of engineers to make surveys, and military officers to
discipline the Persian troops. A treaty was concluded
which provided that a French army marching through
Persia should be furnished with supplies and joined by a
Persian force ; that the island of Karrack, in the Persian
gulf, thirty-three miles from Bushire, should be ceded to
France, and that all Englishmen should be excluded from
the country, if the emperor desired it. The British ministry,
who considered the French embassy the precursor of a
French army, were determined to counteract these hostile
movements by sending an ambassador to the Court, and
Lord Minto and General Wellesley united in recommending
English ^na^ Colonel Malcolm, who was eminently quah-
embassy to fied for the duty by his skill in oriental diplomacy
e eran. an(^ languages, and by the popularity he had
acquired in his first embassy, should be again sent from
Calcutta ; but the ministry considered that a representative
of the Crown would be likely to carry more weight than an
envoy from the Company, and they selected Sir Harford
Jones, who had been consul at Bushire, for the office, and
J808 he landed at Bombay in April. But Lord Minto, on his
arrival in Calcutta, was resolved to despatch Colonel
Malcolm as the representative of the Government of India,
and Sir Harford Jones was desired to tarry at Bombay till
the result of his mission was known. On reaching Persia
Colonel Malcolm, overlooking the paramount influence the
French minister had acquired at tho Court, assumed a
dictatorial tone, and was forbidden to advance farther than
Sheraz, where he was desired to place himself in commu-
nication with the king's son. Colonel Malcolm took
imbfage at this proceeding, abandoned the mission, and,
SECT. II.] EMBASSY TO PERSIA 295
returning to the coast, embarked with his suite for Calcutta.
Sir Harford Jones was then directed by Lord Minto to
proceed with his mission.
Ten days after this order had been despatched, Colonel
Malcolm arrived in Calcutta, bn-ail,' ir vengeance against
the Persian court, and persuaded Lord Minto Succcsgof
that the only effectual mode of counteracting the sir Harford
influence of the French was to make a military Jones*
demonstration, and arrangements were made forthwith to
despatch an armament to occupy the island of Karrack.
Repeated and peremptory orders were likewise sent to Sir
Harford Jones to quit Persia, under the threat of disavow-
ing his mission and dishonouring his bills ; but before they
could reach him ho had accomplished his object and
concluded a treaty with the kiug. The French embassy
was dismissed, and the Persian envoy at Paris recalled.
Lord Minto felt that Sir Harford had been fully accre-
dited by the Crown, and that the national faith was
pledged to his engagements, and he accordingly ratified
the treaty. He felt, however, that the rank and estima-
tion of the Government of India had been compromised in
the eyes of Asia by the mission from the Crown, and he
considered it among the first of his duties "to transmit to
u his successor unimpaired the powers, prerogatives and
" dignities of the Indian empire in its relations to sur-
" rounding nations as entire and unsullied as they were
" committed to his hands."
Another embassy was imprudently fitted out in the most
costly style, to eclipse the mission of the Crown, and en-
trusted to Colonel Malcolm, in order that " he Colonel Mal
" might lift the Company's Government to its coim'sae-
u own height and to the station which belonged £^,ein~
" to it." He was welcomed by the king and
courtiers with great cordiality, but in the royal presence 1809
stood the ambassador of the Crown, " whose face the
" Indian Government had spared no pains to blacken in
" the eyes of the Persian court." There was every pros-
pect of an unseemly and dangerous collision. The Persian
courtiers, finding two rival envoys contending for their
favours, were preparing to playoff the one against the other,
in the hope of a golden shower of presents. But the good
sense of Sir Harford and of the colonel smoothed down
asperities and defeated the intrigues and cupidity of the
court, and the English ministry soon after recalled both
envoys, and appointed Sir Gore Ouseley minister from
296 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX
the King of England to the Shah of Persia. The cost of
Colonel Malcolm's mission was twenty-two lacs, and that
of Sir Harford Jones, which was also saddled on the Com-
pany, did not fall short of sixteen lacs.
SECTION III.
LORD MINTO'S ADMINISTRATION— AMEER KHAN — MUTINY
OP THE MADRAS OFFICERS.
A.D. WITHIN four mouths of the signature of the treaty with
1809 Runjeet Sing another occasion arose to test the possibility
Ameer Khan °^ raain^ainmg the policy of neutrality. The free-
andNag- hooter Ameer Khan, having within ten years
pore. created a principality which yielded a revenue
of fifteen lacs of rupees a year, was recognised as the
head of the Patans in Central India, and aspired to the
rank of a prince. His army, however, was too large for
his resources, and, after having drained Rajpootana, he
was obliged to seek for plunder in a more distant sphere,
and selected Nagpore for his next operations. Under
pretence of asserting certain fictitious claims of Holkar on
the raja, he poured down across the Nerbudda with 40,000
horse and 24,000 Pindarees. The raja was simply an ally
of the Company, and had no claim to their protection ; but
Lord Minto did not hesitate to affirm that " an interfering
and ambitious Mussulman chief at the head of a numerous
* army should not be allowed to establish his authority on
the ruins of the raja's dominions over territories con-
tiguous to those of the Nizam — likewise a Mahomcdan —
1 with whom projects might be formed inimical to our
1 interests."
The raja had not solicited our assistance, but two armies
were ordered into the field to protect his territories. The
. _ Nagpore general, however, twice succeeded in
Ameer Knan °Y • * -r^i 1,1 . i n • i
repulsed repulsing Ameer Knan, but he returned a third
crashed. ^mc and blockaded the raja's army in Chaura-
gurh, while his Pindarees desolated the country.
The British divisions were now closing upon him, and
Colonel Close took possession of his capital and his torn-
lories, and the extinction of his power appeared inevitable,
when the troops were unexpectedly recalled, from the
apprehension felt by Lord Minto that the farther prosecu-
tion of hostilities might lead to complications displeasing
SBCT. III.] MUTINY OF MADRAS OFFICERS 297
to the Court of Directors. He was allowed to recruit his A-v*
strength, and Central India was left for seven years more at
his mercy. But the tide appeared to be turning at the India
House against this neutral policy, and the Directors not only
questioned the wisdom of the moderation Lord Minto had
exercised towards him, but went so far as to advise the con-
clusion of a subsidiary alliance with the raja of Nagpore.
Sir George Barlow was appointed to succeed Lord William
Bentinck at Madras. During the twenty months he had
filled the office of Governor-General he had SlrGeore
alienated society by his cold and repulsive Bariowat
manners, and the absence of all genial feeling in Madms-
the intercourse of life. He was never able to obtain that
personal influence which is essential to the successful
administration of public affairs, more particularly in India.
The submission he exacted to his will, which in Lord
Wellesley was regarded as the natural absolutism of a
great mind, was in him resented as the vulgar despotism
of power. At Madras he, became unpopular by his arbi-
trary and unjust proceedings, as well as by the lofty
assumption of official dignity, and by isolating himself in
a small coterie of officials and confidants. But it was the
mutiny of the army which fixed a lasting stain on his
administration.
This was the third time* in the course of half a century
that the Company's Government had been shaken to its
foundation by the insubordination of their Euro- .. .. ,
rr» mi • • 1 • 1 Mutiny Of
pean officers. J he invidious distinction between European
the pay of officers in Bengal and Madras, and offlcer8*
the monopoly of all posts of command by the officers
of the royal army, had created a feeling of discontent
among the officers of the Madras army, which was un-
happily fomented by the bearing of the Commander-in-
Cliief, Major-General Macdowall. The Court of Directors
had refused him the seat, in Council, which, with its liberal
allowances, had always been attached to his oflice, and he
did not care to conceal the exasperation of his feelings from
the officers under him.
Since the conclusion of the war in 1805, the Court of
Directors had been importunate for retrenchments, and
had threatened u to take the priming knife into .. ... .
it ji • i -i » •/» ,1 /» i i >, , Abolition of
their own hands it they found any hesitation the tent
on the part of the Madras Government. Among °°ntrftct-
the plans of economy which had been contemplated by
Lord William Bentinck and Sir Johu Cradock was the
298 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
A-D- abolition of the tent contract, which had given the officers
® commanding regiments a fixed monthly allowance to
provide the men with tent equipage, whether in the field
or in cantonments. The Quartermaster- General was
ordered by, the governor in Council to report on the
question, and he stated that the nature of the contract was
found by experience to place the interests of the com-
manding officers in opposition to their duty. They took
fire at this remark, and called on the Commander-in- Chief
to bring him to a court-martial for having aspersed their
characters as officers and gentlemen. Tho Quartermaster-
General was placed under arrest, and appealed to the
governor, and the Commander- in- Chief was directed to
release him. But, while yielding to this authority, lie
issued a general order of extraordinary virulence, protest-
ing against the interference of Government and denoun-
cing the conduct of the Quartermaster in having resorted
to the civil power in defiance of the officer at the head of
the army. Sir George Barlow, instead of treating the
order with contempt as an ebullition of passion on the
part of the general, who was on the eve of quitting the
service, issued a counter order equally intemperate, charg-
ing him with inflammatory language. Major Bowles, the
Deputy Adjutant-General, who had signed the order
OJncially, was suspended ; his cause was immediately taken
up as that of a martyr , addresses commending his conduct
poured in upon him, and subscriptions were raised to com-
pensate the loss of his allowances.
Three months passed after the departure of the Com-
mander-in-Chief, who was lost at sea, and the ferment had
General begun to subside, when Sir George Barlow blew
mutiny. the dying embers into a flame. In the height of
the excitement a memorial of grievances had heen drawn
up to the Governor- General, though not transmitted ; but on
the 1st May Sir George Barlow issued an order suspend-
ing four officers of rank and distinguished reputation, and
removing eight others from their commands, on the ground
of their having signed the memorial, which had been
surreptitiously communicated to him. The whole army
was immediately in a blaze. A hundred and fifty-eight
officers of the Jaulna and Hyderabad divisions signed a
flagitious address to Government, demanding the restoration
of the officers, in order " to prevent the horrors of civil war
" and the ultimate loss of a large portion of the Company's
44 possessions in India." The Company's European regi-
3Fxrr.III.] THE MUTINY IlEPRKSSED 299
ment at Masulipatam placed the commanding officer in A.D.
arrest, and concerted a plan for joining the Jaulnah and 1809
Hyderabad divisions, and marching to Madras and seizing
the Government.
Sir George Barlow had thus by his intemperance and
indiscretion goaded the army into revolt, and brought on a
portentous crisis; but in dealing with the mutiny pirmnesg0f
he exhibited such undaunted resolution as almost sir George
to make amends for having caused it. Colonel
Malcolm and other oiliecrs of high standing and great
experience, advised him to bond to necessity and recall
the obnoxious order of the 1st May ; but he resolved to
vindicate the public authority at all hazards. He called 1810
upon all the otticers in the army to sign a pledge to obey
the orders of Government on pain of removal from their
regiments. The sepoys and their native officers generally
remained faithful to their salt, and there was no collision
except at Seringapatam, where the native regimeuts under
disaffected oiliecrs refused to submit, and were lived upon
by the royal troops, and a hundred and fifty killed and
wounded. The vigorous proceedings of Sir George con-
founded the ollicers, and induced them to pause on the
brink of a, rebellion against their king and their country.
Lord Mmto, moreo\er, had announced his intention to
proceed at once to Madras, and the general confidence
reposed in his justice and moderation promoted the return
of the oflicers to a sen^e of duty.
The Hyderabad brigade, which had been the first to
mutiny, \\as the foremost to repent. Its example was
followed by the other brigades and regiments; The mutiny
the seditious garrison of Serin gapat am sur- extin-
rendered. that fortress, ami a, profound calm ^81(H-
succeeded the storm which had threatened to overturn
the Government. On his arrival at Madras Lord Miuto
issued a general order reprobating the conduct of the
officers, but, likewise expressing his anxiety for the wel-
fare arid the reputation of the army in kind and concili-
atory language. He granted a general amnesty to all but
twenty-one o Hirers, who wore either cashiered or dismissed;
but they were all eventually restored to the service, and in
the great Mahratta and Pimlaree war, se\en years later,
had an opportunity of effacing the stain on their character
by their pal hi i! in and devotion. The mutiny was the
subject of long and acrimonious debates flt the India
House, which terminated in Sir George Barlow's recall.
800 ABRIDGMENT OF TBE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
It was in connection with his administration that Mr.
Edmonstone, who had served under two civilian and three
Mr Edmon- no^e Governors-General, and who, after filling
stone on the the highest subordinate office in India, became
oSSSShip. ^e Nestor of Leadenhall-street, said, that " he
" was averse to selecting Governors from among
those who had belonged to the service, and that a person
of eminence and distinction proceeding from England to
fill that office, if duly qualified by talent and character,
carried with him a greater degree of influence, and
inspired more respect than an individual who had been
known in a subordinate capacity."
A.D. The suppression of piracy in the eastern hemisphere
1809 fg faQ especial vocation of the English nation ; and the
Suppression attention of Lord Minto was imperatively called,
of piracy. at this time, to this duty. The Arabs, who were
the bravest soldiers and the most hardy seamen in the
east, were also the most notorious pirates. The chief
tribe on the sea coast, the Joasmis, had recently embraced
Wahabee tenets, and added the fierceness of fanaticism to
their national valour ; and the only alternative they offered
to their captives was the profession of Mali omedani sin or
death. Their single-masted vessels, manned with about
150 men, sailed in squadrons, and it was rarely that any
native craft was able to escape their pursuit. Hitherto
they had prudently abstained from molesting English
vessels, but they became emboldened by the inactivity of
the Company's cruisers, which were forbidden to interfere
with them, and they had recently captured a large
merchantman, and cut the throats of all the Europeans on
board and thrown them into the sea with the pious
ejaculation, "Alia Akbar! great is God!" Lord Mirito was
determined to root out these buccaneers, and sent a power-
ful armament against their chief stronghold, Ras-al-Kaima.
It was defended with Arab obstinacy and carried by
British gallantry. The port, with all the valuable mer-
chandise in it — the accumulation of numerous piratical
expeditions — together with a large fleet of pirate vessels,
was delivered to the flames, and piracy was for a time
suppressed in these waters.
The possession of the Mauritius and of Bourbon by the
French in the bay of Bengal exposed British commerce in
Depredations ^e eastern seas to the constant depredation of the
from the privateers fitted out in them. The losses BUS-
anrit;ius- tained by the merchants of Calcutta from the
SECT. III.] CAPTURE OF THE MAURITIUS 301
commcncemont of the war with France in 1703 to the year A.D.
1808 were calculated at between three and four crores of 1810
rupees. By an act of incomprehensible folly, the ministry
in England had not only neglected to send an expedition
against them, while they were; capturing every island in
the West Indies, but had positively interdicted any effort on
the part of the Indian Government to reduce them. The
French cruisers consequently continued to prey on British
trade, and to sweep the seas from Madagascar to Java.
With six ships of the line and sixteen frigates on the
Indian station, six vessels sailing from Calcutta, valued at
thirty lacs of rupees, had been captured by French cruisers
in as many weeks. A memorial was at length transmitted
by the mercantile community to the ministry, complaining
of the insecurity of commerce and the supincness of the
navy, and the Governor-General and the Admiral were
instructed to take decisive measures for the protection of
trade. That object, it was supposed, would be attained
by blockading the Mauritius; but six of the Company's
magnificent Indiamcn, \alued at more than half a crore of
rupees, were captured by French frigates winch sailed out
of the port, and returned to it in triumph with their prizes,
in the teeth of the blockade An expedition was then sent,
in the first instance, to the- island of Bourbon, which was
captured with a slender effort ; hut tins achievement was
overbalanced by a series of unexampled disasters at sea,
which were justly attributed to the ignorance and mis-
management of the naval department. Three English
frigates were captured, and three set on tiro by the French
squadron, which maintained its national honour in these
seas as nobly as SulVrem in the days of Warren Hastings.
Meanwhile, fjord Minto was assembling an armament of
overwhelming force, consisting of one 74 gun ship
and thirteen frigates, besides sloops and gunboats, and a
land force of 11,000 men, which comprised 0,300 European
bayonets, and 2,000 seamen and marines, and four volunteer
regiments. To oppose this force the French general could
only muster 2,000 European soldiers, and a body of half-
disciplined African slaves, and, unwilling to sacrifice the
lives of bravo men in a hopeless contest, he surrendered 1810
the island on fair and equitable terms.
302 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA fCHAP. IX.
SECTION IV.
LORD MINTO'S ADMINISTRATION — EXPEDITION TO JAVA —
THE PINDAREES THE NEW CHARTER.
A.D. THE subjugation of Holland by the emperor Napoleon
1811 placed the Dutch settlements in the east at his command,
Expedition an(l ne spared no pains to complete the defences
to Java. of the most important of them, the island of
Java. He despatched large reinforcements under an officer
in whom he had confidence, General Daendels, who
repaired the old fortifications and erected new and more
formidable works in the vicinity of the capital, Hutavia.
From some unexplained cause he was superseded by
General Jaensens, who had surrendered the Cape to the
English squadron four years before. The emperor at his
final audience reminded him of this disaster, and said :
" Sir, remember that a French general does not allow
" himself to be captured a second time." Lord Minto,
having obtained the permission of the Court of Directors
to proceed against the island, summoned to his counsels
Mr. — afterwards Sir Stamford — Raffles, a member of the
government of Penan g, who had acquired a knowledge of
the condition, the policy, and the language of the various
tribes in the eastern archipelago superior to that of every
other European at the time. The expedition consisted of
90 sail, on which were embarked 0,000 European troops,
and about the same number of sepoys, and was the largest
European armament which had ever traversed the eastern
seas. Lord Minto determined to accompany it as a
volunteer, leading the way in the "Modesto" frigate,
commanded by his son, and the whole fleet anchored in
the bay of Batavia without a single accident on the 4th
August. The entire body of troops under the command of
General Jaensens amounted to 17,000, of whom 13,000
were concentrated for the defence of Fort Cornells, which
was strong from its natural position, and had been rendered,
as was supposed, impregnable by science. It was an
entrenched camp between two streams, one of which was
not fordable, and the other was defended by strong
bastions and ramparts. The entire circumference of the
encampment was five miles, and it was protected by ?00
pieces of cannon.
SBCT.IV.] CAPTUBE OF JAVA 303
Sir Samuel Ahinuty, the General-in-Chief, determined A.D,
at first to assail it by regular approaches, but the attempt 1813
was found to be all but impracticable under a Ca tnreof
tropical sun, and must have been abandoned FortCor?
when, on the setting in of the rains, the malaria nch8'
of the Batavian marshes prostrated the army. It was
resolved, therefore, to carry it by a coup de mam, which
brought into play the daring spirit of Colonel Gillespie, of
Vellore renown, to whom the enterprise was committed.
His column marched soon after midnight on the 26th
August, and came upon the first redoubt as the day
dawned, and carried it at the point of the Imonet. The
impetuous valour of his troops mastered the other redoubts
in succession, till he found himself in front of the enemy's
reserve and of a large body of cavalry posted with power-
ful artillery in front of the barracks. Having drive?) them
from this position, the Colonel placed himself at the head
of the dragoons and horse artillery, and pursued them for
ten miles till ho had completed the disorganisation of the
whole army. Ja\a. was won in a single morning, and by
the efforts of a single officer. The loss of the French in
the field was severe, and (>,000 of their troops, chiefly
Europeans, wore made prisoners ; but the victory cost
the inuulers 000 in killed and wounded, of whom eighty-
five were officers. The Court of Directors had given
instructions that on the capture of the island the fortifica-
tions should be demolished, and the arms and ammunition
distributed among the natives, and the island evacuated.
But Lord Minto ^as not disposed to put weapons into the
hands of the natives, and abandon the colonists without
arms or fortresses to their vindictive passions, and consign
this noble island to the reign of barbarism. He deter-
mined to retain it, and committed the government of it to
Mr. Raffles, under whose wise and liberal administration it
continued to flourish for several years.
Lord Minto returned to Calcutta in 1812, and imme- 1812
diately after learned that he had been superseded in the
Government. The usual term of office was con- supersession
flidered to extend to soven years, and Lord Minto of ix>ni
had intimated to the Court of Directors his wish
to be relieved earl} in 1814; but the Prince Regent was
anxious to bestow this lucrative post on the- favor rite of
the day, the Karl of Moira, who had recently failed in his
attempt to form a ministry. Under the dictation of the
Board of Control, the Court of Directors were obliged to
304 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
pass a resolution for the immediate termination of Lord
Minto' s administration. Circumstances detained Lord
Moira in England longer than he expected, and Lord
Minto did not quit India till within three or four months
of the time , he had fixed for his departure ; but the in-
fliction of this indignity on a Governor- General whose
government had been without a failure, and who had given
A.D. universal satisfaction, reflected equal discredit on the
1812 servile ministry and on their royal master.
On the return of Lord Minto from Java, it became
necessary for the first time to order troops into the field
ThePinda- ^° repel the inroads of the Pindarees. The
«*»• earliest trace of these freebooters is to be found
in the struggles between Aurungzebe and the Mahrattas,
whose armies they accompanied into the field. After the
Peshwa had delegated the charge of '• i.'ul.'r'i'nir !!:••
Mahratta power in Hindostan to his lieutei »,- •-, >::vi ,i ai <l
Holkar, the Pindarees nominally ranged them selves under
their standards, and were designated Sindia Shahee and
Holkar Shahee Pindarees, but they were not allowed to
pitch their tents within the Mahratta encampment. Those
chiefs found it useful to attach to the^r armies a body of
freebooters who required no pay, and were content with
an unlimited license of plunder, and were always ready to
complete the work of destruction. The Pindarees found
tneir account in establishing a connection, although in-
direct, with established governments, to whom they might
look for protection in case of emergency. But this re-
lationship did not restrain the Pindarees from plundering the
districts of their patrons when it suited their interests, nor
did it prevent the Mahratta princes from seizing the Pinda-
ree leaders after their return from a successful foray,
and obliging them to give up a portion of their plunder.
The withdrawal of British protection from Central India
opened a wide field for plunder, and increased the strength
Pindareo an(i audacity of the Pindarees. Two of the
leaders chiefs in the suite of Sindia offered their services
to the nabob of Bhopal to plunder the territories of Nag-
pore ; and, when their offer was declined, proceeded to
Nagpore, and were readily engaged by the raja to ravage
the dominions of Bhopal. On their return the raja did
not scruple to break up their encampment and despoil
them of the rich booty they had acquired. Of the two
leaders, one took refuge with Sindia, and his two sons
Dost Mahomed and Wassil Mahomed collected and or-
SECT. IV.] THE PINDAREES 305
ganised his scattered followers. The other died in con- A.D.
fine m ent, when the leadership devolved on Cheetoo, who 1812
had been purchased when a child, during a famine, and
regularly trained to the Pindaree profession. His superior
abilities and daring spirit raised him to the head of the
troop, and he was rewarded for his services to Sindia by
the title of nabob arid a jageer. Ho fixed his head-quarters
at Nimar, amidst the wild fastnesses of the region lying
between the Nerbudda and the Vindya range. Kureem
Khan another Pindaree leader of note was a Rohilla, who
in the progress of events obtained a title and an assign-
ment of lands from Smdia ; but, as he continued to en-
croach upon the Mali rat ta territories, Sindia determined to
crush his rising power, ai»d treacherously seized him at a
friendly entertainment. He was placed in confinement for
four years, and not liberated without the payment of six
lacs of rupees. On obtaining his liberty the Pindarees
flocked to his standard in greater numbers than ever.
Cheetoo, also was induced to join him, and an alliance was
formed with Ameer Khan, then in the spring tide of his
career. Their united bands did not fall short of 60,000
horse, and from the palaee to the cottage every mind was
filled with consternation by this portentous assemblage of
banditti in Central Asia. Happily the union was short-
lived. Cheetoo, who had always felt the hostility of a rival
to Kureem Khan, was prevailed upon to desert him, when
his camp was assailed and broken up by Sindia.
These were the acknowledged leaders of the Pindarees,
to whoso encampment the minor chiefs repaired when the
season arrived for their annual expeditions. Their system of
ranks were recruited by miscreants expelled from plunder,
society, and men pursued by their creditors, as well as by
men weary of peaceful occupation, and eager for excite-
ment. The Pindaree standard was generally raised at the
Dussera, or autumnal festival, towards the end of October,
when the rains had subsided, and the rivers became ford-
able. Leaders of experience and acknowledged courage
were selected, who took the command of bodies of 4,000 or
5,000 men, all mounted, and armed with spears of from
four to six yards in length. They were not encumbered
with either tents or baggage, and they obtained supplies
for themselves and their horses from the villages they
plundered on the line of march. Neither were they em-
barrassed with any prejudices of caste, or compunctions of
conscience, and the history of their career is not relieved
306 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
by a single generous or chivalrous act. They frequently
moved at the rate of forty or fifty miles a day, and as they
were unable to remain long in one spot, the greatest de-
spatch was used to complete the plunder of the village ; and
tortures which almost exceed belief were inflicted on men
and women to hasten the discovery of property. Their
progress throughout the country was indicated by a stream
of desolation, for what they could not carry off they de-
stroyed.
For several years their depredations had been confined
to the neighbourhood of the JSTerbudda aud the frontiers of
Attack on ^e Pesnwa> the Nizam and the raja of Nagpore ;
British but, as these districts became exhausted, they
territories. were obliged to enlarge the sphere of their expe-
ditions, and on one occasion swept through 400 miles of
country south of the Nerbudda, and returned without
molestation, laden with plunder. The Dussora of 1811
was celebrated by a congregation of 25,000 Pindaree horse,
and a detachment of 5,000 plundered up to the gates of
Nagpore, and burnt down one of its suburbs. The next
A.D. year a large body under Dost Mahomed plundered the
V812 British district of Mirzapore, and boldly proceeded down
towards Gya, within seventy miles of Patna, levying
heavy contributions in this new and untrodden field, and
then disappeared up the source of the Soane, before a
^British soldier could overtake them. This was their first
invasion of British territory, and, coupled with the period-
ical devastation of the native states, induced Lord Minto
to entreat the Directors to consider whether " it was
" expedient to observe a strict neutrality amidst these scenes
" of disorder and outrage, or to listen to the voice of
" suffering humanity and interfere for the protection of
" the weak and defenceless states who implored our assist-
" ance against the ravages of the Pindarees and the
" Patans." Before he quitted the Government he ad-
dressed a second letter to the Directors, pointing out that
the augmented numbers, the improved organisation, and
the increasing audacity of the Pindarees, rendered the
adoption of an extensive system of measures for their
suppression, a matter of pressing importance.
Lord Minto' s administration has never been sufficiently
appreciated, perhaps from the circumstance of its inter-
vening between the more active and brilliant
Character of careers of Lord Wellesley and Lord Hastings,
Lord Minto • ^ it ghould not be fatten that his hands
were tied by the ruling policy of the India House,
V.} RENEWAL OF THE CHARTEE 307
which he altogether reprobated. He assured the Court of A.D,
Directors that " no extent of concession or territorial res- 1812
" titution on our part would have the effect of establishing
* any real and effective balance of power or forbearance on
" the part of other states, when the means of aggrandise-
u ment should be placed in their hands ; " and that " the
" expectation of augmenting our security by diminishing
" our power and political ascendancy on the continent of
" India was utterly vain." He remarked, " that with the
" native princes, war, rapine, and conquest constituted an
u avowed principle of action, a just and legitimate pursuit,
u and the chief source of public glory ; sanctioned and even
" recommended by the ordinances of religion, and prose-
" cuted without the semblance or pretext of justice, and
" with a savage disregard of every obligation of humanity
" and public faith, and restrained only by the power of
" resistance." By these and similar representations he
prepared the Court of Directors to abandon the absurd
policy of non-intervention, and to assume that supremacy
on the continent which was irrevocably established by his
successor; but ho did not hesitate to vindicate the para-
mount authority of the British Government on many
occasions, in Travancoie, in Naupo-re, in Bundlecund, and
in Sirhind ; and to his administration belongs the merit
of having swept every hostile and piratical flag from the
Indian seas, and established the predominance of British
power on the ocean, though In; was forbidden to do so on
land.
The period \\as now approaching when the question of 1809
renewing the Company's commercial monopoly was to to
come before Parliament. In the preliminary Ne otiations 1812
discussions between the ministry and Leadenhall forganew°DS
Street, the Court of Directors assumed a lofty charter-
tone, and made extravagant demands, which they were
obliged gradually to withdraw ; but they continued to
insist on the renewal of the charter in all its integrity.
The President of the Board of Control, however, informed
them that the ministry had made up their minds no longer
to exclude the merchants of England from the trade of
India. The points at issue between the Company and
the Cabinet appeared at length to bo reduced to the
question of opening the outports of England to the enter-
prise of private merchants, and on this point the Court of
Directors determined to take their stand. They affirmed
that any diversion of the trade from London 4to the out-
308 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX.
ports would break up large and important establishments,
and throw thousands out of bread ; would increase smug-
gling beyond the possibility of control ; would entail the
ruin of the China trade, and reduce the value of the
Company's stock ; would paralyse their power in India,
and compromise the happiness of its inhabitants ; and not
only impair the interests of Great Britain in Asia, but
imperil the British constitution.
The ministry, however, were not appalled by these
terrific spectres, which the genius of monopoly had con-
Op sition Jure(^ UP> but informed the Directors that if the
of theVjoiirt extension of commercial privileges to the rest of
of Directors. faQ nation would render it impossible for them
to continue the government of India, some other agency
might be provided for that object, consistent with the
interests of the public and the integrity of the constitution.
But the Directors and the Proprietors refused any con-
cession, and expressed their confidence that Parliament
would not consent to gratify a few interested speculators
by abolishing a commercial system which had existed for
two centuries, and was fortified by a score of Acts of Parlia-
ment. On the other hand, the claim of the Company to a
continuance of their monopoly encountered a strenuous
opposition throughout the country. In the twenty years
which had elapsed since the previous charter, manufactures
And commerce had been developed beyond all former
example, and the merchants and millowners demanded
the right of an unrestricted trade with India, from their
respective ports, and in their own vessels, with such
unanimity and vigour, that the ministry felt it impossible
A.D. to re8ist the national voice. On the 22nd March the
1813 President of the Board of Control brought forward the
ministerial propositions, that the Government of India
should be continued for twenty years longer in the hands
of the Company, with liberty to continue to prosecute
their trade, but that the whole nation should be allowed
to participate in it ; that the Company should enjoy the
exclusive trade to China, and that the restrictions on the
resort of Europeans to the country should be relaxed so as
to amount to a virtual abolition.
These propositions were violently opposed by the
Directors and Proprietors, and they petitioned Parliament
Witnesses of ^or ^eave ^° bring forward witnesses to support
the Direo- their claims. The first witness was the venerable
*°rs' Warren Hastings, then in his eightieth year
SECT. IV.] OPENING OF THE TRADE TO INDIA 309
Twenty-six years before he bad been arraigned by the A.D.
House of Commons at the bar of the House of Lords for 1813
high crimes and misdemeanours. He had outlived the
passions and prejudices of that age, and the whole House
rose as he entered and paid a spontaneous homage to his
exalted character and his eminent services. But his views
of Indian policy belonged to that remote period when he
was laying the foundation of the empire ; he could not
realise the change of circumstances in England and in
India, and was opposed to all innovations. The evidence
of Lord Teignmouth, of Mr. Charles Grant, of Colonel
Malcolm and Colonel Munro, and indeed of all the witnesses
marshalled by the India House, ran in the same groove.
They maintained that the climate of India and the habits
and prejudices of the natives precluded the hope of any
increased consumption of British manufactures ; that the
trade of India had reached its utmost limit, and that it
could bo conducted to advantage only through the agency
of the Company ; that the free admission of Europeans
would lead to colonisation, and to the oppression of the
natives, and the loss of India. But all the authorities and
all the evidence the Court of Directors could muster,
proved of no avail. The House yielded to the voice of the
nation, and opened India to the commercial enterprise of
all England.
Reference has been made in a previous chapter to the
restrictions imposed on the Seramporo missionaries by Sir
George Barlow during the panic created by the The mission-
Vellore mutiny, which were removed on his »ry question,
arrival by Lord Minto. But- on his return from Java,
without the remotest appearance of any political necessity,
he was induced to adopt stringent measures against the
missionary enterprise, and to order eight missionaries, the
majority of whom had recently arrived, peremptorily to
quit the country. The hostility of the Court of Directors
to missions and to education hail all the inveteracy of
traditional prejudice, and it became necessary to take
advantage of tin* Charter discussions to apply for the
interposition of Parliament. The question was entrusted
to Mr. Wilberlorce, who, in a speech distinguished for its
eloquence, entreated the House to grant permission to
place the truths of Christianity before the natives of India
for their voluntary acceptance. But the India House and
its witnesses, with some exceptions, were as virulently
opposed to this concession as to that of free trade, and
310 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. IX,
reprobated the admission of missionary and mercantile
agents with equal vehemence. But the voice of the
country was raised with more than ordinary urianimity
against the monstrous proposition that the only religion
to be proscribed in India should be that of its rulers. The
House was, inundated with petitions from every corner, and
from all classes and denominations, and the clause giving
missionaries the same access to India as merchants was
passed by large majorities.
CHAPTER X.
SECTION I.
LORD HASTINGS'S ADMINISTRATION — THE NEPAUL WAR.
THE Earl of Moira, subsequently created Marquis of
Hastings, took the oaths and his seat in Council on the
4th October. He was of the mature age of n'fty-
Hastings nine, a nobleman of Norman lineage, with a tall
governor- and commanding figure, and distinguished by
enerai. ^.g pa^cjan bearing. He entered the army at
the age of seventeen, and served seven years in the war of
independence in America. His life had been subsequently
passed in connection with important public affairs, and he
brought to his high office a large fund of experience, a
clear and sound judgment, and great decision of character,
together with the equivocal honour of being the personal
friend of the Prince Regent. In his place in Parliament
he had denounced Lord Wellesley's wars and his ambitious
policy of establishing British supremacy throughout India ;
but this opinion was reversed as soon as he had taken a
survey of the position and prospects of the Indian empire ;
and before he had been many months in India he recorded
his impression that " our object in India ought to be to
" render the British Government paramount in effect, if
" not declaredly so ... and to oblige the other states to
" perform the two great feudatory duties of supporting
" our rule with all their forces, and submitting their
" mutual differences to our arbitration."
SBCT.I.J NEPAUL 311
Lord Hastings found his eastern throne no bed of roses. A.D.
The non-intervention policy — which the authorities in 1813
Leadenhall street considered the perfection of state of
political wisdom, and the native princes an i™ua.
obvious token of pusillanimity — had brought on a contempt
of our power, and sown the seeds of new wars. The
violence of Holkar had ended in insanity ; his government lost
its strength, and Ameer Khan stepped in and became at
once the prop of the throne and the curse of the country.
The troops of Sindia had been incessantly employed in
jiLTgrandising his power by encroachments oil his neigh-
bours. The Peshwa had been husbanding his resources
for the first opportunity of shaking off British control.
The Pmdaree freebooters were spreading desolation through
a region 500 miles in length and 400 in breadth ; and on
the northern frontier of Bengal and Behar a new power
had arisen and invaded our districts, and hung like a dark
cloud on the mountains of Nepaul. The Company's army,
which had been subject to large reductions in a spirit of
unwise economy, was found to bo inadequate to the defence
of our frontier, and the treasury was empty.
The first and immediate difficulty of Lord Hastings arose
out of the encroachments of the Nepaulcsc or Goorkhas. The
valley of Nopaul is embosomed in the Himalaya, Description
and bounded on the north by some of its loftiest of Nepaul.
and most majestic peaks, and on the south by its first and
lowest range. That range is skirted by a magnificent
forest, from eight to ten miles in depth, which presents an
unbroken series of gigantic trees ; no breatli of wind
readies the interior, which is littered with rank and
decay od vegetation ; no animal ventures into it, and no
sound of a bird is heard in its recesses. An open plain,
called the terace, stretches along tho south of the forest,
about 500 miles in length and 20 in breadth. The soil is
watered by the streams which descend from the mountains,
and, when cultivated, pi*oduces tho most luxuriant crops,
but during the greater part of the year is as pestilential as
the Pontine marshes.
About tho middle of the fourteenth century, various
colonists of Rajpoots entered the country and subdued the
aboriginal Newars, and in the course of time _. .
j i ^ A -T- A i j. j. RIso and
were ranged under three tribes. About ten progress of
years after the battle of Plassy, Prithee Narrain, 2^2°°*"
the chief of tho tribe of Goorkhas, having sub-
dued all the other chiefs, established a new dynasty, with
312 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CfeAp. X
A.D. Katmandhoo for its capital. His descendant, an infant,
1806 was placed on the throne in 1805, and Bheem Sen formed
a council of regency under his own presidency. The
impulse of conquest which the founder had given to the
nation continued in undiminished vigour. An expedition
was sent to Lassa, and the living type of Booddha was
subject to the humiliation of paying tribute to his Hindoo
conqueror. But the emperor of China, the secular head
of Booddhism, avenged the insult by invading Nepaul and
obliging the Nepaulese to send an embassy with tribute to
Pekin every three years. The cabinet of Katmandhoo then
pushed their conquests eastward to Sikkim, and westward
to the mountainous region of the higher Sutlej, where Umur
Sing, their renowned general, came in contact with the
rising power of Runjeet Sing, but was recalled from the
siege of Kote Kangra to the defence of his own country
from the assaults of the British Government.
During the twenty-five years preceding the war we treat
of, the Goorkhas had come down into the plains and
Their en- usurped more than 200 British villages, arid
croachments the subjects of the Company were exposed to
territory? continual aggression along the whole line of their
frontier. At length they had the presumption to
seize upon the districts of Bootwul and Scoraj in Goruck-
pore, which the Vizier of Oude had transferred to Lord
Wellesley in 1802. Lord Minto was anxious, if possible,
to avoid a resort to arms, and proposed a conference with
the Nepaul ministry, which resulted in demonstrating that
they had not the shadow of a right to them. Accordingly,
1813 in June, he demanded the immediate restitution of them, and
intimated that, in case of refusal, the Government would
be obliged to have recourse to force ; but the Nepaul
cabinet distinctly refused to evacuate them. Their reply
did nob reach Calcutta till after the arrival of Lord
Hastings, and, upon a careful examination of all the docu-
ments, he deemed it indispensable to make a categorical
demand that they should be surrendered within twenty-
five days. The period expired without any communication
from Katmandhoo, and he ordered the magistrate of Goruck-
pore to expel the Goorkha officers
1814 Lord Hastings's letter created a profound sensation at
Katmandhoo, and convinced the regent that the dispute
« ,, about these border lands was rapidly merging
Goorkhas . , . . « • , i , i »-» • • ?
resolve on into a question of peace or war with the British
Wftr> power. A national council was convened to
BHCT.I.J LOAN FROM LUCKNOW 818
discuss the question, when Umur Sing said that his life A.».
had been passed amidst the hardships of war, and he was
not ignorant of its risks, but he deprecated a war with the
British Government, and affirmed that the lands were not
worth the hazard. uWe have hitherto," he said, " been
u hunting deer, but if we engage in this war we bhall have
*' to hunt tigers." But the regent and his party were bent
on war, and determined to demand the surrender of the
whole of the country north of the Ganges, and, as if to
render hostilities inevitable, sent a detachment down to
Bootwnl, and put the police officer and eighteen of his men
to death. The Goorkhas had thrown down the gauntlet,
and Lord Hustings had no alternative but to take it up,
promptly, without waiting for the result of a reference to
Leadeiihall Street. This defiance of the British power
seemed an act of incredible temerity on the part of the
Goorkhas. Their whole army did not exceed 12,000, and
it was scattered over a long line of frontier, and their
largest gun was only a four-pounder ; but uninterrupted
success for many years had infused a feeling of confidence
into their minds. Their real strength consisted in the
impracticable nature of their country, and in our entire igno-
rance of its localities.
Lord Hastings found himself dragged into an arduous
conflict with an empty exchequer. On all former occasions
the Government had resorted to a loan, but this LUCknow
was difficult, if not altogether impracticable, at a loai1
time when their promissory notes were at a discount of nine
and ten per cent., and money was worth twelve per
cent, in the market. In this dilemma he cast his eye
on the hoards of the Vizier, amounting to seven crores
of rupees. That prince was anxious to be relieved
from the imperious interference of the Resident} in the
affairs of his government and of his court, and Lord
Hastings had expressed a wish to afford him relief
from this annoyance; on hearing, therefore, of the em-
barrassment of the Government, he resolved to evince hivS
gratitude by offering a donation of a crore of rupees. He
died while Lord Hastings was on his way to Lucknow,
where the offer was renewed by his son and successor.
Lord Hastings agreed to accept it as a loan to the Com-
pany, bearing interest, though he could not receive it as a
gratuity ; but he gained little by the aid thus afforded him.
Of the old loan at eight per cent., which the Government
was cnriuiAniirintr to convert into a six per cent, stock,
about half a crore of rupees was still unredeemed j and
314 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA
the Vice-President in Council, without any intimation to
the Governor- General, employed half the sum obtained at
Lucknow in paying it off. This act of folly deprived Lord
Hastings of the sinews of war, and would have produced a
disastrous effect on the campaign if he had not submitted
to the humiliation of soliciting a second crore, which was
not, however, given without much reluctance.
With regard to the plan of the campaign, Lord Hastings
considered it impolitic to confine his operations to the
Plan of the simple defence of a line of frontier several
campaign, hundred miles in extent, which it would be found
impracticable to guard effectually against an energetic
and rapacious enemy. He felt that our military reputation
could be sustained only by a bold and successful assault
on the strongest of the Goorkha positions. Ho accordingly
planned four expeditions on four points : the western on
the Sutlej, the eastern on the capital, and two others on
intermediate points. The division under General Gillespie,
who had gained a high reputation at Velloro and in Java,
was the first in the field, 3,500 strong, and advanced
toward the Dhoon valley ; during his progress he came
upon a small fort at Kalunga, held by 600 Goorkhas.
Lord Hastings had warned him against any attempt to
storm works which should be reduced by artillery, but,
with the reckless daring of his character, he determined to
carry it by assault, and as he rushed up to the gate to
encourage his men who were • ,'., "\ :> ,1 by the murderous
fire of the Goorkhas, he was shot through the heart. A
retreat was immediately sounded, but not before twenty
officers and 240 rank and file lay killed or wounded.
1814 A month was lost in waiting for heavy ordnance from
Delhi ; but after the breach was reported practicable, the
Failure of assau^ was repulsed, with another loss of 680
three of the men. Three days of incessant shelling rendered the
divisions. ^QQ^ unteuable, and the bravo Goorkha comman-
der made his escape with only seventy survivors. The
reputation of the division was not restored by General
Martindell, on whom the command devolved, who allowed
himself, with an army of 5,000 sepoys and 1,000 Europeans,
to be held at bay by 2,300 Goorkhas. The division under
General J. S. Wood, which was appointed to penotrato
Nepaul through Palpa, was paralysed by similar incapacity,
and an army of 4,500 British soldiers, European and native,
was not found to be a match for 1,200 of the Nepaul force.
The chief reliance of Lord Hastings was placed on the
SBCT. I.] NON-SUCCESS OF THKEE AEMTES '315
division of General Marley, 8,000 strong, destined to march A.D.
directly on the capital, only 100 miles from our frontier;
but he surpassed the others in imbecility. Two detach-
ments were sent east and west without any precautions,
and were fiercely assailed by the enemy. The sepoys fled,
but the officers fell fighting with their usual valour, and
guns, stores, and ammunition were captured by the enemy.
The wretched general made a retrograde movement, and,
though reinforced by two European regiments, could not
be persuaded to enter the forest ; and one morning, at early
dawn, mounted his horse, and, without even delegating
the command to any officer, galloped back to the canton-
ments at Dinapore. General George Wood, who succeeded
him, was equally devoid of spirit, and the services of the
division were lost.
This was the first campaign, since the Company took up
arms in India, in which their troops outnumbered those of
the enemy. Our non-success was owing entirely Effect of
to the exceptional incompetence of the generals, these re-
r i TT j • 111- • j • • , i verses.
Lord Hastings regarded his position with ex-
treme anxiety, and, in his diary, stated that if we were to
be foiled in this struggle, it would be the first step to the
subversion of our power. These reverses were diligently
promulgated throughout India, and revived the dormant
hopes of the native princes, who began to make military
demonstrations. Under the auspices of the Peshwa, who
sent envoys to all the courts in India, not omitting even
the Pindarecs, a secret treaty of mutual support was con-
cluded against the British Government. The army of
Sindia was organised on our frontier. Ameer Khan, with
25,000 horse and foot, took up a position within twelve
marches of our territories. Runjeet Sing marched 20,000
men to the fords of the Sutlej, and 20,000 Pindarees stood
ready for any opportunity of mischief. To meet this
emergency, Lord Hastings ordered up the whole of the
disposable force of the Madras army to the frontier of the
Deccan, and raised additional regiments of infantry, en-
listed irregular horse, and increased the strength of the
army to 80,000. But the Company's iklaly or good fortune,
as the natives observed, was still in the ascendant. Run-
jeet Sing was recalled by a threatened inroad of the
Afghans. Sindia's two commanders, after long discord,
attacked each other; the Pindaree leaders quarrelled
among themselves ; Ameer Khan found more immediate
employment in the plunder of Joudpore, and the cloud
% 316 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CnAP.X
was completely dispelled by the brilliant success of General
Ochterlony.
A.D. The division of this general was appointed to dislodge
1816 the Goorkhas from the territories they had acquired on
Operations ^ne higher Sutlej, where Umur Sing was in
of General command, and the ablest of the Goorkha generals
Ochterlony. wag ^.^ againgt the ab]est of tbe English Com*
manders. The scene of operation was a wild and rugged
region, presenting successive ranges of mountains rising
one above another to the lofty peaks of the Himalaya,
broken by deep glens and covered with thick forests. The
general had formed a correct estimate of the bold character
of his opponent and of the advantage ho enjoyed in his
position, and pursued his object by cautious but steady
advances. He opened the campaign by the capture of the
important fortress of Nalagurh, after a bombardment of
thirty hours, with the loss of only one European soldier.
During the next five months the valour of the British
troops was matched by the gallantry of the Goorkhas, and
the skill of British engineers was repeatedly foiled by the
tact and resolution of their opponents. The service was
the most arduous in which the Company's army had ever
been engaged. At an elevation of more than 5,000 feet
above the level of the sea, at the most inclement season of
the year, amidst falls of snow often of two days continuance,
the pioneers were employed in blasting rocks and opening
roads for the eighteen-pound ers, and day after day the
men and the elephants were employed in dragging them
up those alpine heights ; but the energy of the general, and
the exhilarating character of the warfare, diffused a feeling
of enthusiasm throughout the army. By a series of bold
and skilful manoeuvres every height was at length sur-
mounted and every fortress captured but that of Malown.
Before General Ochterlony reached it, Lord Hastings had
despatched some irregular corps raised by Colonel Gardner,
an officer of great merit who had been in the Mahratta
service, to occupy the province of Almora. That gallant
officer and his new levies speedily cleared it of the
Goorkhas, and effectually cut off Umur Sing's communica-
tion with the capital, and deprived him of all hope of
reinforcements. The Goorkha officers entreated him
to make conditions with the general, but the stern old
chief spurned their advice, and they passed over to the
English camp. He retired into the citadel with 200 men,
but when the batteries were about to open upon it he
SBCT. I.] CLOSE OF THE NEPAUL WAR 317
hesitated to sacrifice in a forlorn conflict the lives of the
brave men who had nobly adhered to him to the last, and
accepted the terms offered by his generous foe, who, in
consideration of the skill, bravery, and fidelity with which
he had defended the country, allowed him to march ont
frith his arms and colours and personal property.
The discomfiture of their ablest general, and the loss of
their most valuable acquisition, took away from the
regency all confidence in their fastnesses, and ^0^
induced them to sue for peace. Commissioners Goorkha
came down to Segowlee and signed a treaty calnpaign*
on the 2nd December, under an engagement to deliver the AJX
ratification of it within fifteen days, and a royal salute was
fired in Calcutta in honour of the peace. But the ratifica-
tion was never sent. Umur Sing and his son had in the
meantime arrived at Katmandhoo, and successfully urged
the regency to continue the war and to dispute every inch
of ground. Another campaign became inevitable, and
Lord Hastings had to assemble an army with all speed to
strike a blow at the capital before the rains commenced.
A force of 20,000 men was collected on the frontier, and
placed under the command of General Ochterlony, who
advanced with his usual caution and promptitude. Finding
the Goorkha works in the first pass unassailable, he deter-
mined to turn the flank of the enemy, and on the night of
the 14th February marched in dead silence through a 1816
narrow ravine, where twenty men might have arrested a
whole army. The force bivouacked for two days and
nights without food or shelter, awaiting the arrival of the
second detachment, and then advanced to Muck wan pore,
within fifty miles of Katmandhoo, where the Goorkha army
sustained a signal defeat. The regency lost all conceit of
fighting ; the treaty duly ratified, was sent down in hot
haste, and peace was concluded on the 2nd March on
terms -!• •-V.v'y moderate. The Goorkhas were not only
the most valiant but the most humane foes we had ever
encountered in India, and they also proved to be the most
faithful to their engagements. Unlike ether treaties with
Indian princes, this of 1816 has never been infringed ; and
instead of taking advantage of our embarrassments during
the mutiny of 1857, they sent a large force to assist in
quelling it,
31 8 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP.X.
SECTION II.
LORD HASTItyGS's ADMINISTRATION — TRANSACTIONS WITH NATIYJ
PRINCES — MA1IEATTA AND PINDAUEE WAR.
THE policy of Lord Wellesley had been steadily repudiated
by the Court of Directors, but its wisdom, was amply
Fatans and vindicated by the misery which followed its
pindaree*. abandonment, and by the desolation of Central
India for ten years by the Patans and the Piridarees.
Ameer Khan, tlie Patan, had established a regular govern-
ment, but the predatory element was always predominant
in it. His army was estimated at 10,000 foot and 15,000
horse, with a powerful artillery, and as it was his plan to
levy contributions from princes and states, he marched
about with all the appliances for the siege of towns. The
object of the Pindarees was universal and indiscriminate
plunder, and they swept through the country with a
degree of rapidity which rendered it impossible; to calculate
their movements, and baffled all pursuit. On his arrival,
Lord Hastings found 50,000 Patans and Pindarees in the
heart of India subsisting by plunder, and extending their
ravages over an area as large as England.
A.D. One of his earliest acts was to point out to the Court of
1814 Directors, in language more emphatic than that of Lord
Minto, the increasing danger of this predatory
5o!ftoethe" power. He asserted that India could not prosper
Court of until the Government " became the head of a
" league embracing every power in India, and
" was placed in a position to direct its entire strength
" against the disturbers of the public peace." But this
course of policy was systematically opposed by the two
members of his Council. Mr. Edmonstone combined
official talent of a high order with long experience, bat
lacked the endowments of a statesman, and clung to the
retrograde policy of Sir George Barlow. Mr. Dowdeswell
had all the narrowmindedness of Sir George without a
tithe of his ability. In reply to Lord Hastings's represen-
1815 ^a^i°nj ^ne Court, still clinging to the non-interveiition
policy, forbad him to engage " in plans of general con-
" federacy or of offensive operations against the Pindarees,
" either with a view to their utter extirpation, or in
** anticipation of expected danger." They enjoined him to
SBCT.II.J PEOPOSED NATIVE ALLIANCES 319
undertake nothing that could embroil them with Sindia,
and to make no change in the existing system of political
relations ; to maintain the course of policy pursued by Sir
George Barlow, to reduce the strength of the army, and
practise a rigid economy.
Before this communication reached Calcutta, Lord Hast- A.D.
ings, in the hope of preventing the Pindarees from crossing 1814
the Nerbudda, had entered into negotiations for v
a subsidiary alliance with the raja of Nagpore, native
which the Court had sanctioned five or six years alUance8-
before, but the raja persisted in resisting the proposal.
Lord Hastings then proposed a similar alliance with
Bhopal, Nvith the view of holding the Pindarees in check.
Bhopal was a small principality in Mahva, in the valley of
the Nerbudda, lying between the British territories and
the head-quarters of the Pindarees. The prince was the
only chief in Central India who gave any support to the
expedition of General Goddard in 1778, and the testi-
monials granted by him on that occasion arc still carefully
preserved in the archives of that noble house. In 1813,
Sindia and the raja of Nagpore formed a confederacy to
absorb its territories, and brought a force of 60,000 men
against its renowned minister, Vizier Mahomed, which
besieged the capital successively for two years. He
implored the interference of the British Government, and
Lord Hastings considered that in the existing circum-
stances of Central India, it was of no little importance to
protect a state situated like Bhopal from extinction, and
the two Mahratta powers were informed that it was under 1813
the protection of the Company. The raja of Nagpore,
after some hesitation, withdrew his army, but Sindia
assumed a lofty tone — it was at the time of the three
failures in the Nepaul war — and declared that Bhopal was
one of his dependencies, with which the Government was
debarred from interfering by Sir George Barlow's treaty of
1805. But the vigorous preparations made by Lord
Hastings to enforce his requisition, and more especially
the success of General Ochterlony, staggered him ; his two
generals attacked each other under the walls of Bhopal,
and the siego was raised. But the projected alliance with
Bhopal fell to the ground.
Bajee Rao, the Peshwa, was about this time brought
into conflict with the Government, which eventually ended
in his ruin. He had none of the talents for Affairs at
government which had viisiii.guislu'd his pve-
820 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X.
decessors, and rested the success of his schemes on in-
trigue and perfidy. He was the slave of avarice and
superstition ; he had accumulated five crores of rupees in
ten years, but he was lavish in his gifts to temples and
brahmins, and his time was passed in constant pilgrimages
from shrine to shrine. His efforts to seize on the estates
of the great feudatories of the Mahratta empire, denomi-
nated the " southern J . _-• -,•• 1 :••-." many of them of greater
antiquity than his own house, had been defeated by the
interposition of the Resident, and increased his disaffection,
igjg About the year 1813, one Trimbukjee Danglia, who was
oritri'iully in the spy department, entered his service, and
by his intelligence and energy, and not less by pandering
to his vices, obtained a complete ascenda icy over his mind.
So great was the servile devotion he manifested to his
master that he assured Mr. Elphinstone, the Resident, that
he was ready to kill a cow at his bidding. Towards the
English Government he always manifested an implacable
hostility, and was incessantly urging the Peshwa to shake
off their alliance and assert his position as the head of the
Mahratta power.
The Peshwa had claims on the Gaikwar extending back
for half a century, which, with interest, amounted to little
Claims on short of three crores. The Gaikwar advanced
theftaikwar. counter claims of scarcely less amount, and he
1814 deputed his chief minister, Gungadhur Shastree, to Poona,
to adjust them ; but he would not venture into the city
without the guarantee of the Resident. His reception was
ungracious, and he was so completely baffled by evasions,
that he determined to return to Baroda, upon which Trim,
bukjee changed his tactics, and spared no pains to gain
him over to the interests of his master, who promised to
bestow the hand of his sister-in-law on his son. The
Shastree was thus induced to compromise the Gaikwar
claims, without his concurrence or that of the Resident, for
land yielding about seven lacs of rupees a year. An aus-
picious day was selected by the astrologers for the nuptials,
and splendid preparations made for it; but the Shastree,
hearing that his master repudiated the treaty, requested
that the marriage might bo suspended. Tho Peshwa
considered this an unpardonable insult, which could be
expiated only with his blood.
The Shastree was accordingly induced to accompany the
1815 Peshwa on his -nPirriMri..*' to Punderpore, though warned
of his 'danger, and, soon after bis arrival there, yielded
SBCT.IL] MUBDEB OF THE SHASTBEE 321
to the importunities of Trimbukjee to pay his devotions
at the shrine after dusk. On his return he Aflsassinft_
was waylaid and assassinated. The murder of tionofthe
a brahmin of the highest rank and learned in shasfcree-
the shasters, in a holy city, at a period of pilgrimage,
and in the immediate precincts of the temple, filled the
Mahratta community with horror. But the victim was
also the minister of an ally of the Company, arid had
proceeded to the court at Poona under a safe conduct. The
Resident took up the case with promptitude and vigour, and
having traced the murder to the agency of Trumbukjee,
called on the Pcshwa to deliver him up. The demand was
resolutely resisted, and the Peshwa began to levy troops
and determined to raise his standard, although unable to
obtain the promise of assistance he solicited from the other
Mahratta powers ; but Mr. Elphinstone had taken the
precaution of calling up troops to the capital. Bajee
Rao's constitutional cowardice mastered every other feel-
ing, arid he surrendered his favourite on condition that his
life should be spared. He was placed in confinement in
the fort of Tanna, when he fully confessed the assassina-
tion, but declared that he had not acted without his master's
orders.
Lord Hastings returned to Calcutta at the close of 1815,
and placed on the records of Council an elaborate minute
pointing out. in stronger language than he had
yet used the increasing danger arising from the iiW second
growth of the Pmdaree power, and, in order to
suppress it, proposing a general system of alliances
under the guarantee of the Company, a revision of our
relations with the native powers, and a new settlement of
the Mahratta dominions. It is two colleagues opposed the
proposal and it was sent on to the India House with their
dissent. While it was on its way to England, the necessity
of some immediate effort was rendered more imperative
by their increasing audacity. The duasera festival, when
the plan of the winter campaign was usually organized, 18U
was celebrated in the autumn of 1815 at Nimar, the head-
quarters of Cheetoo, the chief leader, by a larger collection
of Pindarees than had been assembled on any previous
occasion, and their operations were especially directed
against the territories of the Company and of the Nfaam.
A body of 8,000 crossed the "Norbudda in October, and
swept through his provinces as far south as the Kistna,
and returned so richly laden with booty that merchants
322 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X.
were invited from all quarters to purchase it. This extra-
ordinary success attracted fresh crowds to their standard,
and a body of 23,000 crossed the Nerbudda in February.
One large division poured down on the northern Sircars,
sacked the civil station of Guntoor on the Coromandel
coast, and for ten days plundered the adjacent villages
with perfect impunity. Troops were immediately des-
patched from Calcutta by sea, but the Pindarees had
disappeared before their arrival, and it would have been as
vain to follow them as to pursue a flight of locusts. It was
found on investigation that during this raid 330 villages
had been plundered, and many of them burnt ; 500 persons
had been wounded ; 182 put to death, and 3,000 sub-
jected to torture, while the loss of property was estimated
at twenty-five lacs of rupees.
This expedition demonstrated the importance of obtain-
ing the co-operation of the raja of Nagpore, through whose
1816 subsidiary territories the Pindarees had passed, but the raja
alliance with still continued to resist every proposal of a sub-
Nagpore. sidiary alliance. He died on the 22nd March,
and was succeeded by his son Pcrsajee, who was blind,
palsied, and a confirmed idiot. His nephew, subsequently
known as Appa Sahib, was acknowledged as regent, but
was vigorously opposed by the intrigues of the court and
the zenana, and threw himself upon the British Government,
and offered at once to conclude the proposed alliance. A
treaty was accordingly signed on the 29th May, which
provided that a body of 6,000 infantry, a regiment of
cavalry, and a suitable proportion of artillery, should be
subsidized by the Nagpore state, and that the raja should
not contract any foreign alliances, and refer all differences
with other powers to the arbitration of the Governor-
General. Lord Hastings was thus enabled to place on
record that in two months he had been able to effect
what had been fruitlessly laboured at for twelve years, and
he now considered it certain that the Pindarees would
not be able again to cross the Nerbudda, A despatch was
soon after received from the India House revoking the
permission formerly given to contract such an alliance,
but it arrived too late to do any mischief.
The Court of Directors had in 1813 sanctioned the
renewal of the protective treaty with Jeypore which Sir
Proposed George Barlow had torn up. Ameer Khan and
aiiiancewith his freebooters having drained Joudpore, fell
Jeypore. UpOn this state, and laid siege to the capital.
SECT. II.] MR. CANNING'S DESPATCHES 828
The raja despatched an envoy to Mr. Metcalfe, the Resident
at Delhi, to implore the protection of the Government,
and Lord Hastings, having regained his authority in
Council by the accession of Mr. Seton who voted with
him, resolved to avail himself of the warrant of the Court,
and to conclude the alliance. Two divisions of troops,
each 9,000 strong, were ordered into the field to expel the
Patans from Jeypore, and to meet the hostility of Sindia
or Holkar, who, having once subjected the country to
plunder, considered that they had established a right over it.
The four subsidiary armies of the Peshwa, the Nizam, the
Gaikwar, and the raja of Nagpore were ordered forward,
but the raja of Jeypore had no intention to fetter himself
with any such connection, and, in the true spirit of oriental
policy, was negotiating with Ameer Khan, whom he
induced eventually to raise the siege by threatening to sign
the treaty, and thus bring down the weight of the British
armies upon him.
Mr. George Canning, one of the most brilliant of English
statesmen, who was appointed President of the Board 1816
of Control in June 1816, was immediately pegp^^
called upon to take into consideration Lord from Eng-
Hastings's proposal to form a general system of land*
alliances with a view to the extirpation of the Pindaree
power. New as he was to the Government, it is no
matter of surprise that he should have been unwilling to
assume the responsibility of so fundamental a change in
the policy of the empire, more especially when it was
opposed by the councillors in Calcutta, and by those who
might be considered his constitutional advisers in Leaden-
hall Street. Lord Hastings was, therefore, informed that
the Court of Directors were unwilling to incur the risk of
a general war for the uncertain purpose of rooting out the
Pindarees, and that they would not sanction any extended
military and political combinations for that purpose. They
suggested that the Government might possibly enter into
negotiations with some of tho Pindaree leaders, or treat
with the men to deliver up their chiefs. This advice
kindled the indignation of Lord Hastings. The suggestion
of the Court to engage one portion of the Pindaree con-
federation to destroy another, he attributed to the culpable
negligence of the Government of India to point out the
brutal and atrocious character of these wretches. But
immediately after the transmission of this despatch from
the India flouse, Mr. Canning received information of the
» 2
324 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X.
A.D. irruption of the Pindarees into the Northern Sircars, and
1816 the atrocities they had committed. His views were at
once changed, and another despatch was sent under his
directions, which stated : " We think it due to your Lord-
* ship not to lose an instant in conveying to you an explicit
assurance of our approval of any measures you may have
authorised or undertaken, not only for repelling invasion
but for pursuing and chastising the invaders. We can
no longer abstain from a vigorous exertion of military
power in vindication of the British name and in defence
; of subjects who look to us for protection. . . . Any
connection of Sindia or Holkar with the Pindarees
; against us or our allies, known, though not avowed,
1 would place them in a state of direct hostility to us."
Lord Hastings was confident that the Nagpore subsi-
1816 diary f°rce planted on the banks of the Nerbudda would
.17 _. , effec tuallypre vent the Pindarees from crossing it,
*« Pindaree , , J l , „ n ,. . , . . • }
campaign but he was painfully disappointed. As the period
of 1816-17. Of £ke annual swarming approached, Colonel
Walker moved up to the Nerbudda with the whole body,
n n mix "•! rifj: 6,000 men, but they were found unequal to the
protection of a line a hundred and fifty miles in extent.
The Pindaree detachments pushed across between his
posts, and a large body dashed down on the British district
of Kimedy, and burnt a portion of the town of Ganjam,
and but for the accidental arrival of Company's troops to
quell an insurrection in Orissa, would have laid the whole
province under contribution. Other bodies plundered the
territories of Nagpore and Hyderabad. The expeditions of
1816—17 were the boldest they had undertaken, and the
success which attended them gave rise to serious considera-
tions. With the Nagpore subsidiary force guarding the
Nerbudda, 23,000 Pindarees had crossed it. With 82,000
British troops, besides the Poona brigade and the Nizam's
contingent distributed over the country, they had rushed
through the peninsula and ravaged both coasts. It was
felt that the cost of these defensive measures exceeded the
largest calculation of the cost of a campaign to exterminate
the freebooters. It was therefore unanimously resolved in
Council to abandon the resolution which had been adopted
to abstain from any system of offensive operations till the
sanction of the home authorities could be received, and to
adopt vigorous measures against them without delay.
Intimation of this determination to extinguish the
Pindarees was immediately conveyed to Sindia, and ho was
fcwr.IIJ TREATY IMPOSED ON BAJEE RAO 325
requested to cooperate in carrying it into execution, but
they had agents at his court, and warm parti- Bindla,g
zans amongst his ministers, who endeavoured determina-
te persuade him that his own security would be tl<n'
impaired if ho sanctioned the extirpation of these valuable
auxiliaries, who were ready at any time to flock to his
standard, and who required no pay. The agents of the
Pindarees boasted that they would outdo the exploits of
Jesvvunt Rao Holkar, and that 50,000 of their body would
carry lire and sword to Calcutta. But Sindia was not to
be misled by this gasconade ; he had not forgotten Assye,
the Company had recently triumphed in Nepal, they had
secured the resources of Nagpore, and the Government in
Calcutta was again animated with the spirit of Lord
Wellesley, and lie promised his co-operation.
During these negotiations at Gwahor events of great
importance transpired at Poona. Trimbukjee effected his
escape from Tanna, and though i he Peshwa mani- Hostility of
fested unusual cordiality towards the Resident for BajeeRao.
some time, there v\as the clearest evidence that he was en-
gaged in correspondence with Holkar,and Sindia, and Ameer
Khan, and the Pindarees, for a simultaneous rising against
the Government. Under the direct ion of Trimbukjee, he
hastened the enlistment of troops, collected draft cattle,
augmented his artillery, provisioned Lis forts, and deposited
his jewels and treasure in the strongest of them. In 1817
April, Mr. Klphinstone presented a note to him upbraiding
him with the hostile movements he v%as abetting, and
declaring that the good understanding between the Govern-
ment and him was at an end. At the same time, he pe-
remptorily demanded the surrender of Trimbukjee, and the
delivery of three forts as security, and he supported these
representations by ordering up troops to Poona. The
Peshwa's brave general Gokla urged a bold appeal to arms,
but he had not the spirit to adopt this advice. The forts
were surrendered, and a reward offered for the apprehension
of Trimbukjee.
On the eve of his comprehensive operations against the
Pindarees, Lord Hastings deemed it necessary to exact
greater securities from this perfidious prince. nc
Mr. Elphinstono was desired to present him with penalty in.
the draft of a treaty which required him to dismiss f}^1 on
the agents of foreign princes accredited to his
court, to refer all matters in dispute with them to the
arbitrament of the British Government, to renounce all his
826 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CnAP.X.
4.D. rights in Saugor and Bundlecund, and, in lieu of the con-
i817 tingent of 5,000 horse and 3,000 foot he was bound to
furnish, to cede territory yielding twenty- four lacs a year.
His ministers endeavoured to mitigate the severity of these
penalties, and they affirmed that we appeared to exact a
greater degree of fidelity to engagements than any native
prince was able to observe. The treaty was nevertheless
signed on the 13th June. When the intelligence of these
arrangements and of this large addition to the Company's
territories reached England, Mr. Canning remarked that
this transaction sufficiently proved " the irrepressible
" tendency of our Indian power to enlarge its bounds, and
" to augment its preponderance, in spite of the most pe-
* remptory injunctions of forbearance from home, and the
4 most scrupulous obedience of them in India. These
' measures were considered an unwelcome though justifiable
' exception to the general rule of our policy ; only the oc-
* currence of these exceptions had been unfortunately too
1 frequent." Before this despatch had left the India House,
the Peshwa was a fugitive, and his kingdom a British pro-
vince.
On the death of Holkar in 1811, Toolsee bye, the favourite
of his harem — young, beautiful, and fascinating in her
Hoikar's address, with great talent for business, but violent
to Court. and vindictive, resolved to conduct the govern-
ment as regent. Ameer Khan exercised a preponderating
influence in the state, by means of his lieutenant and his
battalions when he was absent plundering Rajpootana. lie
was considered the head of the Patan faction. Tantia joge, a
brahmin and a merchant, accepted the oflice of prune
minister, and was the leader of the Mahratta party. The
troops of the state were frequently mutinous for pay, when
districts were assigned to the commandant, who fleeced the
people without mercy, and sacked open villages, and
cannonaded walled towns. There was no power in the
state stronger than that of the military, and the govern-
ment was in a state of anarchy. It was at this period, in
the autumn of 1817, that the agents of Bajee Rao arrived
in the camp to promote the confederacy he was forming
against the Government of India.
SHOT. III.] LORD HASTINOS'S NATIVE ALLIANCES 827
SECTION III.
LORD HASTINGS'S ADMINISTRATION — WAR WITH THE PESHWA
WITH NAGPORE — WITH HOLKAR — THE PINDAREES.
THE disorganisation of Central India had now reached its A.D.
climax. The number of armed men who lived by violence
fell little short of 100,000, and there was no L()1(1Hast.
native potentate with the power, or even the dis- w-'a new
position, to restore peace and security. On the P°llcy*
8th July, Lord Hastings proceeded to the upper provinces
to reduce this chaos to order. He felt that the only mode
of dealing effectually with the Pindarees was to assail them
in their haunts, and hunt them through the country till
their organisation was completely broken up. He felt,
likewise, that, to prevent the revival of such a confederacy,
it wras necessary to resettle Central India, to define the
boundaries of each principality, and to prevent mutual
encroachments by the establishment of our paramount
power ; in short, to restore and complete the system of policy
devised by Lord Wellesley twelve years before. But the
President of the Board of Control, the Court of Directors,
and Ins own Council, were equally opposed to any such
general federation under our supremacy. In his progress
up the country, he therefore communicated to the Council
his intention to take upon himself the sole responsibility of
deviating from the views of the home authorities, and
carrying out the general system of alliances he had deter-
mined to form.
The resolution was executed with promptitude and
vigour. The chiefs of Malwra and Rajpootana were in-
formed that the neutral policy had ceased, and Treatleg f
that the Government was prepared to admit alliance with
them to protective alliances. The intelligence pJ^J^
was received with exultation throughout those
provinces, and the Residency of Delhi was speedily crowded
with the agents of nineteen of the princes of Central
India. The first to enter into the circle of alliances was
the venerable and virtuous Zalim Sing, the regent of
Kotah. Then came the youthful and accomplished nabob
of Bhopal, who eagerly embraced the alliance his father
had refused. The raja of Boondee, ungenerously aban-
doned to tho mercies of Holkar by Sir George Barlow,
328 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X.
was now taken again under British protection. The raja
of Joudpore, brought to the brink of ruin by the rapacity of
the Mahrattas and Patans, eagerly accepted an offer which
released him from all further anxiety. Even the proud
house of Oodypore, which had never acknowledged the
supremacy of Mogul or Mahratta, now submitted to the
supremacy of the Company; and lastly, the raja of Jeypore,
seeing every other prince bending the knee to the ruling
power in India, came into the system of alliances. Within
four months, Mr. Metcalfe, the Resident at Delhi, to whom
the management of these negotiations was committed,
concluded the treaties of alliance with all these princes
upon the principle of u subordinate co-operation and ac-
" knowledged supremacy,"
The military operations on which Lord Hastings entered
1817 were up011 a larger scale even than those of Lord Welles-
Extent of ^ev' anc^ embraced the whole extent of country
military pre- from the Kistna to the Ganges, and from Cawn-
parations. pore to Quzerat< The armies of the three Presi-
dencies were called out, and, including irregulars and the
contingents of native princes, the entire force amounted to
116,000 infantry and cavalry, and 300 guns. Tlio magni-
tude of this array was out of all proportion to the simple
object of exterminating bands of marauders who never
stood an attack ; but Lord Hastings was not ignorant that
the extinction of the Pindarees was opposed to the wishes
and the interests of the chief native powers, and that the
ever perfidious Peshwa was endeavouring to unite them in
a confederacy against the Government ; his preparations
were, therefore, intended to provide for any adverse move-
ments on their part. Happily, the powers of Governor-
General and Commander-in-Chief were united in his
person, and all the arrangements, political and military,
were regulated by the same undivided authority. The
veteran soldier of sixty -five took the field in person. The
plan of the campaign provided that four divisions should
advance from the Deccan, under the orders of Sir Thomas
Hyslop, the Madras Commander-in-Chief, and four from
the north-west, and converge on the camps of the Pinda-
rees.
In the north it was necessary to place a check on the
dubious intentions of Sindia and Ameer Khan. Sindia
Treaty with na<^ a^ °nce agreed to the proposal to co-operate
Sindia. in attacking the Pindarees, but rumours had
been diffused through his army that Bajeo Rao was about
SECT. III.] SUBMISSION OF AMEEE KHAN 329
to raise the national standard and assail the Company, and
his troops were eager to join in the warfare ; he himself
also had accepted twenty- five lacs of rupees from the A.D.
Peshwa. On the 10th October, a note wa,s delivered to 181?
him, stating that as he had excited the Pindarees to attack
the Company's territories, and had subsequently afforded
them an asylum on their return, the Governor- General
considered the treaty of 1805 abrogated, and was about to
enter into alliances with the chiefs of Malwa and Raj poo-
tan a, which that treaty had interdicted. He was now
required to manliest his sincerity by pl.icing his troops at
the disposal of the British Government, and admitting a
garrison into the fortresses of Hindia and Aseergurh. To
quicken his decision, Lord Hastings took the field on the
16th October, and having crossed the Jumna marched
directly towards Gwalior. By this manoeuvre Sindia's
communications with the Peshwa and the Pmdarees, and
even with the bulk of his own army then encamped in his
southern districts, was cut off, and lie was isolated in his
capital with only 8,000 troops. He signed the treaty on
the approach of Lord Hastings, and saved his kingdom
from the fate which overtook the other Mahratta powers.
While the camp lay in the vicinity of Gwalior it was
desolated by a visitation of cholera, little, if at all, known
previously in India, which reduced the strength of the
force, including camp followers, to the extent of nearly
20,000 men. At the height of the disease, Lord Hastings
gave instructions to his staff that if he himself should fall a
victim to it, his body was to be silently buried in his tent,
lest his death should discourage the troops, and em-
bolden Sindia to attack the encampment in its prostrate
condition.
Ameer Khan was at this juncture scarcely less important 131
a chieftain than Sindia. His army consisted of fifty-two
battalions with an efficient cavalry, and a hundred Ameer
and fifty guns. It was as necessary to break up Khan,
the Patan as the Pindaree force, and Lord Hastings did
not hesitate to compass that object by offering to confirm
him in tho sovereignty of the districts ho held belonging
to the Holkar state, on tho condition of his disbanding his
force, and surrendering his guns at a valuation. He
wavered at first, but on hearing of tho extinction of the
power of Bajee Rao and Appa Sahib, he accepted the
proposal and became an acknowledged feudatory prince,
with a territorial revenue of fifteen lacs a year.
830 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X.
The advance of one division from Hindostan and two
from the Deccan towards the head- quarters of the Pinda-
A»D« Outbreak of rees, became the signal for the explosion of the
1817 the Peshwa. plot which the Pesliwa had organized among the
Mahratta powers against the Company. He himself broke
out on the 5th November, the raja of Nagpore on the 26th,
and Holkar's army on the 16th December. After the
signature of the treaty of the 5th June, he went on pil-
grimage to Pundurpore, and soon after received a visit
from Sir John Malcolm. The credulous general allowed
himself to be so completely cajoled by the craft of the
Peshwa into the belief of his cordial attachment to the
British Government, that he advised him to increase the
strength of his army. Under his advice, moreover,
General Smith's army was allowed to quit Poona, and the
cautionary fortresses were restored. Bajee Rao now
redoubled his preparations for war. From his private
hoards he advanced a crore to Gokla his commander, to
increase his levies and to provision his forts. He likewise
spared no pains to conciliate the southern jageerdars with
whom he had always been at issue, and endeavoured to
seduce the sepoys from their allegiance by large bribes,
but without success. He even laid a plan to assassinate
Mr. Elphinstone, but it was discountenanced by Gokla.
He returned to Poona in the beginning of October, and
it became daily more and more evident throughout the
" month that a conflict was inevitable. Mr. Elphinstone,
therefore, fell back two miles to a more defensible position
at Kirkee, and called up a European regiment from
Bombay, but, even with this addition, the British force
collected for his protection did riot exceed 3,000, while the
Mahratta army numbered 18,000.
The Peshwa was confident that Sindia and Ameer Khan
had already taken the field in accordance with their en-
Battieof gagements, and that their example would be
Kirkee. immediately followed by Holkar and the raja of
Nagpore ; and on the 5th November he plunged into hosti-
lities, but it was on this very day that Sindia signed the
treaty which neutralized his power. Towards noon ho
sent an arrogant message to Mr. Elphinstone, propounding
the terms on which he would consent to remain on terms
of friendship with the Government. While his messenger
was on the way back, the plain was covered with masses
of cavalry, and a stream of soldiers issued from every
avenue of the city. Mr. Elphinstone wisely advised the
SHOT. III.] BATTLE OF SEETABULDEE 331
commanding officer, Colonel Burr, to take the offensive ;
and that veteran, though labouring under a disease which
soon after proved mortal, boldly charged into that vast
host, and obtained a signal victory with the loss of only
eighty-six men in killed and wounded. The battle of
Kirkee was one of the most brilliant in the annals of
British India, and inasmuch as it annihilated the kingdom
of the Peshwas was albo one of the most decisive. General
Smith, hastened back to Poona ; but, although the Peshwa
had been reinforced by the troops of the southern jageer-
dars, he declined another engagement; and on the 17th
November, leaving liis camp standing, decamped south-
ward with his army. Poona surrendered to the General,
and thus ingloriously fell the power of the Peshwa one
hundred years after it had been established by his great
grandfather, Bullajeo Wishwanath.
Appa Sahib, the regent of Nagpore, continued on friendly
terms with the Resident for several months after the
conclusion of the subsidiary alliance, but. on the Affairs nt j
1st February the imbecile raja Persajee was swore,
found strangled in his hod, and subsequent enquiries fixed
the guilt on Appa Sahib, who immediately mounted the
throne. From that time forward there was a marked
change in Ins conduct, and he exhibited an anxiety to
relieve himself from the state of dependence in which the
alliance had placed him. He entered cordially into the
hostile views of the Peshwa, and bestowed a dress of
honour on the Pindaree leader, Cheetoo, who visited his
court to claim his aid. The Peshwa, then flying before
the British troops, conferred on him the title of Commander-
in-Chief of the iMahratta empire, and on the 24th November,
notwithstanding the remonstrance of the Resident, he pro-
ceeded to his camp to be invested with the insignia, and
this was immediately followed by an attack on the Resi-
dency. It was situated on two hills called the Seetabuldee,
the one lower than the other, in the immediate vicinity ot
the city. The force consisted of about 1,500 men, with
four six-pounders, 'i ho raja's army mustered 18,000, of
whom 4,000 were Arabs, the bravest soldiers in the Deccan,
and thirty-six guns. Tl :»•-. '• »•«.: the night the Mahratta
artillery played on the : .!•-, • i . ;•: ^ngth a tmnbiil exploded,
and in the confusion of the moment the Arabs charged up
the smaller hill and captured the guns, and turned them
upon the larger hill. The whole of the raja's army now began
to close upon the encampment in all directions, and to
382 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X,
A.D. prepare for a general assault. The ammunition at the
1817 Residency was running short; one-fourth of the little
force, which included fourteen officers, was either killed
or wounded, and its total annihilation appeared inevit-
able, when the fortune of the day was changed by the
gallantry of Captain Fitzgerald, commanding the three
troops of Bengal cavalry. Contrary to the impassioned
protest of his faint-hearted commander, he rushed upon the
main body of the enemy's horse with irresistible fury, and
captured two guns, which he turned r.pon them. The sight
of this gallant exploit roused the enthusiasm of the jaded
troops on the upper hill, who had been eighteen hours in-
cessantly fighting, and officers and men plunged down the
hill, fell upon the infantry, and chased it like a flock of sheep.
Reinforcements poured into Nagpore from all quarters,
and Mr. Jenkins, the Resident, dictated his own terms to
Deposition of the raja. He was required to disband his troops,
Appa Sahib, surrender his guns, and repair to the Residency,
and acknowledge the forfeiture of his kingdom ; these
terms were accepted. Lord Hastings had determined to
punish the atrocious perlidy of Appa Sahib by depriving
him of the throne ; but finding that Mr. Jenkins had
engaged to restore his royal dignity, he agreed to uphold
the engagement, and the raja resumed his authority on the
1818 8th January. But within a short time he offered the
Peshwa, then flying before his pursuers, an asylum in his
« dominions, and prepared to join his camp himself. He
was also detected in exciting the forest tribes to insurrection
and impeding the surrender of his rorts ; and Lord
Hastings ordered him to be deposed and sent to the holy
city of Benares, with an allowance of two lacs a year ;
but he saved the Company's exchequer this burden by
corrupting his guards on the line of march, and effecting
his escape. The next of kin was placed on the throne, and
the administration during his minority was placed in the
hands of Mr. Jenkins, under whom the country enjoyed
twelve years of unexampled prosperity.
Lord Hastings had made the offer of a treaty to Tool-
see bye, the regent of the Holkar state, and she had re-
Conflictwith sponded to it by sending a private communication
Holkar. to the Resident at Delhi, offering to place thr
young prince and the state under British protection. All
the substantial power of the state was, however, in the
hands of the military chiefs, and as soon as it was known
that the Peshwa had risen in arras they resolved to march
SKCT. III.] DEFEAT OF HOLKAK'S AEMY 838
down and join his standard. The regent and the ministers
were suspected of a leaning to a British alliance, and the
officers placed the chief minister under restraint, and, on
the evening of the 20th December, conveyed the bye to
the banks of the Sipree and struck off her head, and threw
her body into the stream. The army, 20,000 strong, then
marched down to join the Peshwa, and in their progress
found the British force, which was in pursuit of the
Pindaree leader Chectoo, encamped at Mehidpore, where a
decisive engagement was fought on the 21st December.
The Mali rait a army was posted with great skill on the
banks of the Sipree, its left defended by an angle of the
stream, and its right by a deep morass, and the front pro-
tected by a formidable battery of seventy guns. The main
feature of the action was the rash step of crossing a difficult
river by a single ferry in the face of strong entrenchments,
and rushing forward to seizo the guns which had silenced
the light field pieces of the English army. The sepoys
were mowed down by the enemy's cannon, but continued
to advance wilh unshaken steadiness, and at length suc-
ceeded in capturing the batteries, though not without the
loss of 77H in killed and wounded. The movements of the
day were directed by Sir John Malcolm, who was less of a
general than of a diplomatist; with bettor strategy the
same result, might have been obtained with less slaughter.
Holkar's entire camp, with all his guns and military stores,
fell to the victors, and the po^er of the state was irre-
coverably broken. A treaty ^vas soon after concluded, and
cessions of territory were made to the Company, to Zalim
Sing of Kotah, to Ameer Khan, and to his lieutenant,
\\hirh reduced the kingdom to two-thirds of its former
dimensions.
During (he rainy season of 1817 tlie Pindarecs were
encamped to the number of 2J>,000 under the three leaders
Cheetoo, Kureem Khan, and Wassil Mahomed. opcrfttjong
They were not ignorant of the measures in pro- nrainstthe
gress to extirpate them, and they implored aid lmarees-
of the M ah rat t a princes, but. they had enough to do to
protect themselves, and the different bodies of the Pindarees
were obliged to disperse as the British detachments advanced
upon them. Sindia, indeed, invited Kureem Khan and
Wnssil Mahomed to Gwalior, but Lord Hastings imme-
diately took up a position which prevented their advance.
They then turned off to the west, where they were inter-
cepted by General Donkin, who captured Kureem Khan's
834 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X,
elephants, kettle-drums, standards, and family. The two
leaders burnt their tents and fled southward with about
4,000 of their best horsemen, and their followers were cut
up by the British troops and the exasperated villagers
whom they had subjected to plunder. The chiefs were so
hotly pursued that they were constrained at length to
surrender at discretion, and one of them was settled on a
small estate in the province of Ghazepore ; the other was
placed under surveillance, and put a period to his life by
poison, The most renowned of the leaders, Cheetoo, was
pursued by Sir John Malcolm; his bivouac was repeatedly
beaten up, and he wandered about for a twelvemonth with
a handful of followers who gradually deserted him, and
being at last separated by hunger from his son and his last
companion, plunged into a jungle infested with tigers.
After a diligent search his horse was discovered grazing
saddled and bridled, and not far off the mangled remains
of this renowned freebooter who had recently ridden forth
at the head of 20,000 men.
These military and political operations are equally
remarkable for the rapidity with which they were executed
Besuitoftho an(l f°r ^ne completeness of their result. In the
campaign, middle of October 181 7, the Mahrattas, Pindarees,
AtD> and Patans, presented an array of more than 150,000 horse
1817 and foot, and 500 cannon, prepared to try conclusions with
the British Government. In the course of four months
«this formidable armament was utterly broken up. The
power of Sindia was paralysed ; the army of Holkar
existed only in name ; the Peshwa was a fugitive ; the
Patan force of Ameer Khan was disbanded, and the Pin-
darees had disappeared ; the Mahratta commonwealth was
irretrievably dissolved, and every military organisation
within the Sutlej was extinguished, with the exception of that
of Sindia which ceased to be formidable. The effect of the
campaign, moreover, was to subjugate not only the native
armies but the native mind, and to convince both princes
and people that the sceptre of India was now definitely
transferred to a foreign power. To the chiefs who lost
their independence, and with it that feeling of dignity
which was sometimes the parent of royal virtues, the
change was a calamity, but to the community at large it
was an unquestionable blessing. General tranquillity took
the place of universal violence under the guarantee of a
power willing and able to maintain it. A feeling of sub-
stantial security was diffused through Central India, and its
BBCT.IH.] BATTLE OF KORYOAUM 385
inhabitants sought the means of subsistence and distinction
by cultivating the arts of peace and not by war and rapine.
The settlement of India in 1818 was, moreover, built on so
sound and solid a foundation that it has required fewer
modifications than so great a political structure might
have been expected to need. Having thus extinguished
all opposition, Lord Hastings proclaimed the universal
sovereignty of the Company throughout the continent, and
declared that the Indus was to all intents and purposes the
boundary of their dominion.
Bajce Rao began his retreat southward on the 28th A.D.
November, arid on passing Satara caused the raja and his 181?
family, the descendants of Sevajee, to be brought Battle of
into his camp. Finding himself closely pursued Korygaum.
by General Smith, he turned northward towards Poona.
Colonel Burr, the commandant, immediately called down
to his support the detachment left at Seroor, under
Captain Stanton, consisting of one battalion of infantry
and 300 irregular horse. He commenced his march at
eight in the evening, and reached the village of Korygaum,
sixteen miles from Poona, at ten the next morning, when,
to his surprise, he perceived the whole army of the Peshwa,
25,000 strong, encamped on the opposite bank of the river.
The Mahratta troops were immediately sent across
against this handful of soldiers exhausted by a fatiguing
march through the night, and destitute both of provisions
and water, but the officers and men met the shock with
invincible resolution. The engagement was kept up
throughout the day, and every inch of ground in the Jan. I
village was disputed with desperate valour, but it ended 1818
in the discomfiture and retreat of the Mahrattas. The
most remarkable feature of this brilliant engagement lay
in the fact that the sepoys were without any European
support except twenty-four artillery men, of whom twenty
were killed and wounded. Of eight oflicers engaged, three
were wounded and two killed ; the total loss amounted to
187.
On leaving Korygaum the Peshwa again marched south-
ward, always keeping ahead of his pursuers, but he was
suddenly overtaken at Ashtec, and, after re- _ .. ,
, . J , . ! n T , « ' ,, . , . . Pursuit and
pn»admi«r his general uokla tor allowing him to sum-ndorof
be surprised, quitted his palankeen and mounted th°Peshw*-
his horse and tied, leaving the general to cover his retreat.
Stung with the reproaches of his master, and determined
not to survive the day, he placed himself at the head of
8&6 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X,
300 horse and rushed on the British cavalry, and, after
receiving three pistol shots and three sabre cuts, expired
on the field of honour, the last and one of the noblest of
the great Mahratta commanders. The raja of Satara was
rescued at Ashtee. The Peshwa, hunted out of the
Deccan, moved again to the north, crossed the Taptee, and
advanced to the Nerbudda, but the fords were guarded
and the different divisions of the army were closing upon
him, when, seeing no chance of escape, he appealed to the
weakness of Sir John Malcolm, calling him "his oldest
" and best friend." Strange to say, he was admitted to an
interview, when he so thoroughly cajoled him by his
flatteries, that at a time when his fortunes were desperate
and he must have surrendered at discretion, the imprudent
general engaged to allow him eight lacs a year, and made
other concessions equally unwise and preposterous. Lord
Hastings, who had destined him an allowance of only two
lacs, was not a little mortified at the prodigality of these
terms, but felt himself bound in honour to ratify them.
A proclamation had been previously issued announcing
that the Peshwa and his family were for ever excluded
from the throne. A small portion of the territory, yielding
about fifteen lacs of rupees a year, was then erected into
a separate principality and bestowed on the descendant of
Sevajee, and the remainder was incorporated in tho Com-
pany's territories. The Peshwa was conducted to Bithoor,
* near Cawnpore, where he lived long enough to receive two
crores and a half of rupees from the treasury in Calcutta.
1818 The country which had been the scene of warfare, was
studded with forts which held out for some time after the
Capture of submission of the princes. They were garri-
forts. soned in general by Arab mercenaries, whose
services were valued not only for their courage and fidelity,
but as a counterpoise to the native soldiery, among whom
a spirit of insubordination was traditionary. The capture
of the fort of Talneir was marked by the untoward
circumstance of the massacre of 300 of the garrison in hot
blood, owing to a misunderstanding, and by the unjust
execution of the commandant, which tarnished tho laurels
of Sir Thomas Hislop. At length the only fort which had
1819 not submitted was AM •••ii:'i:i\ for the surrender of which
Sindia had given an official order on the commandant, but
he had private orders not to deliver it, and it was not
captured till a battery of more than sixty guns had played
on it for a fortnight.
rf2CT.IV.] TEEATMENT OF LORD HASTINGS 337
SECTION IV.
LORD IJAfcTlNGS'S ADMINISTRATION — HOMi: PROCEEDINGS —
EDUCATION — THE PRESS — PALMER AND CO.
MR CANNING moved the usual vote of thanks to Lord Hastings A.D.
and to the army in the House of Commons ; bat he qualified
his eulogy by stating that the House and the Homo pro-
country were in the habit of appreciating the oeedm^s-
triumphs of our armies in India with great jealousy ; that,
almost uniformly successful as our military operations had
been in that part of the world, they had almost as uniformly
been considered questionable m point of justice ; that the
termination of a war in India, however glorious, was
seldom contemplated with unmixed satisfaction, and that
the increase of our territories was ascribed by sober reflec-
tion and impartial philosophy to a spirit of systematic
encroachment and ambition. These considerations, he said,
were not necessarily applicable to the Mahratta and Pin-
daree war, but the House was to understand that the
vote was intended merely as a tribute to the military
conduct of the campaign, and not, in any sense as a
sanction of the policy of the war. In the same captious
spirit the Court of Directors, while duly appreciating1 "the
" foresight, promptitude, and vigour with which Lord
"Hastings had dispersed the gathering elements of a
" hostile conspiracy," recorded their deep regret that any
circumstances should have led to an increase of territory.
Lord Hastings had lost caste at the India House, and its
official communications to him were scarcely less acrimo-
nious than those which had been addressed to Clive, to
Warren Hastings, and to Lord Wellesley. The despatch
written on receiving information of the brilliant termina-
tion of tho campaign was loaded with petulant and
frivolous animadversions, and " not mitigated," as Lord
Hastings observed, "by the slightest indication of satis-
"faction at the fortunate issue of the military exertions."
They censured him for diMvgarding their orders regarding
the reduction of the army, though they had undoubted
evidence thai, under existing circumstances, on the eve
of a great and inevitable conflict, to have carried them
out would have been fatal to the interests of the empire.
In anticipation of extensive military operations he had,
Z
338 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X.
remodelled the Quarter- master- General' s department, and
he was censured by the Court for not having previously
obtained their sanction, while they pressed on him the
appointment of one of their own nominees to the post,
of whom Lord Hastings remarked in his correspondence,
that it would be difficult to find in the whole army a
field officer more signally unfit for the post. In the same
spirit of antagonism, the honours so richly earned by the
heroes of Kirkee, and Seetabuldee, and Korygaum, were
withheld from them.
The pacification and final settlement of India would
have been a sufficient distinction for any administration,
Encourage- but l<ord Hastings established a higher claim to
mentof public gratitude, by the < ucoiira'/cnuMn which
education. ^e wag ^e ^^ ^ ^Q ^ tke mtellectual im-
provement of the natives. The India House had hitherto
acted upon the principle that any attempt to enlighten the
A.D. people would create political aspirations which might
1818 endanger their power, and lead to its subversion. Lord
Hastings repudiated this policy, and in one of his public
addresses stated that " it would be treason against British
" sentiment to imagine that it ever could be the principle
" of this Government to perpetuate ignorance in order to
" secure paltry and dishonest advantages over the blindness
"of the multitude." These enlightened views gave an
immediate and powerful impulse to the cause of education.
Lady Hastings had already set an example by establishing
a school at Barrackpore Park, and compiling treatises for
the scholars. Schools also sprang up in the districts
around Calcutta through the agency of the missionaries,
and were fostered by a liberal donation from Government.
Some of the most wealthy and influential native gentlemen
in the metropolis raised large subscriptions, and esta-
blished the Hindoo College for the education of their
children and relatives in the English language and Euro-
pean science. All the efforts which have since been made
with constantly increasing vigour, to impart knowledge to
the native community, date from this period.
Emboldened by tins liberal policy and the success of Lord
Hastings, the Serampore Missionaries, on the 31st May 1818,
T A TT ± issued the first native newspaper, entitled the
Lord Hast- tl ^ •• -^ ,, -,... r r >• i , -IT
ings and feumacnar Durpun, or Mirror of Intelligence,
the Press. rj^ig attempt to rouse the native mind from its
torpidity, by the stimulus of a public journal, created great
alarm among the leading men in the Government, but Lord
SECT. IV.] LIBERALITY TOWARDS THE PRESS 339
Hastings afforded every encouragement to it ; he manifested
the same spirit of liberality towards the English Press, and,
notwithstanding the violent opposition of the members of
his Council, removed the censorship which had been im-
posed by Lord Wellesley during the anarchy of war. In
deference, however, to the despotic sensibilities of the
governing class, he imposed severe restrictions on the
editors ••• v.ii1: • the subjects and the personages which
were to be exempted from remark, but the exceptions
soon fell into abeyance. In vindication of his policy, he AJ).
stated, in reply to an address from Madras, " that he was 1818
" in the habit of considering the freedom of publication
" as the natural right of his follow subjects, to be narrowed
" only by special and urgent cause assigned ;" and, further,
that " it was salutary for supreme authority, even when its
"intentions were most pure, to look to the control of
"public opinion." This heterodox doctrine gave mortal
offence at the India House, and a despatch was immediately
drafted, reprobating the abolition of the censorship, and
directing that it should be immediately reimposed, but
the despatch was suppressed by Mr. Canning.
In the year 1810 the peaceful province of Orissa became 1816
the scene of disturbances. On the acquisition of the
country in 1803, a s\\arm of Bengalee baboos _.
^ ,/..',., T r Disturb-
flocked into it, and obtained possession ot every ancesat
oilicial post of influence, and by their knowledge Cuttack-
of the mysteries of civil and fiscal legislation were enabled
to take ad \nntage of the simplicity of the people, and to
deprive them of their lands. The province was also over-
assessed, the zemindars were improvident, and half the
estates were brought to the hammer, and bought up by the
Bengalee officials in the courts, often at a nominal price.
To add to the wretchedness of the province, the salt
monopoly was introduced, and the cost of this necessary of
life was increased sixfold in a country where the sea
furnished it spontaneously. Under this accumulation of
misery, the people sold all they possessed, and then their
wives and children, and finally took to the jungle. The
country being thus ripe for revolt, one Jugbundoo, the
hereditary commander of the old Hindoo dynasty, raised
the standard of rebellion and collected about 3,000 men,
with whom ho plundered the civil station of Khoorda, and
repulsed two detachments of sepoys. This success aug-
mented Jiis force, and he took possession of the town of
Pooree, and burnt down the European residences, but the
• 2
340 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [Ciup. X
Collector escaped with his treasury to Cuttack. The
triumph of the insurgents was, however, short, and they
were dispersed by the troops winch poured into the pro-
vince. The people were assured that their grievances
would be redressed if they were peaceably represented to
Government, and they at once submitted to its authority.
A special Commissioner was appointed to the charge of the
province, the most notorious of the rapacious officials were
punished, and the assessment was reduced by 40 per cent.
Its tranquillity has never since been interrupted, and
another proof has been afforded that, with a moderate
assessment and congenial institutions, and an equitable
and speedy administration of justice, few countries are
more easy to govern than India, even under the sceptre of
foreigners.
The financial results of Lord Hastings's administration
were auspicious. Notwithstanding the war of eighteen
mouths' duration in the mountains of Nepaul, and
1822 amUerri- *nc employment in the field of eight armies dur-
toriaiin- incr the Pindaree and Mahratta campaign, the
crease , , • n • r r> >
treasury was at no period in so prosperous a con-
dition as at the close of his government. The state bonds,
which were at a discount, of 12 per cent, on his arrival,
were at 14 per cent, premium at his departure. The debt
had indeed increased four crores and a half, but the cash
balances in the various treasuries exceeded by five crores
the amount when he landed. The permanent revenue had
increased by six crores, and the permanent expenditure
by four, leaving a clear surplus of two crores of rupees ;
the year 1822 may therefore be considered the palmy
period of Indian finance. Lord Hastings entered upon the
Pindaree campaign with the confident expectation that tho
pacification of the continent would be effected without
adding a foot to the Company's territories, but " the irre-
" pressible tendency of our Indian power to enlarge its
" boundary," which Mr. Canning had lamented, was fatal
to this hope. The unprovoked aggression and complete
overthrow of the Mahratta powers placed their territories
at his disposal. He restored the larger portion of their
dominions to Holkar and to the raja of Nagporo, but he
considered that the annexation of the whole of Bajee Rao's
kingdom — the territory of Satara excepted — was forced on
him "by the imperious necessity of guarding against the
" speedy renewal of a treachery so rooted in its nature as
"to admit of no other prevention." It was annexed to
SECT. IV.] THE ANNUAL INDIA BUDGET 341
the Bombay Presidency, and the management of it en-
trusted to one of the ablest of the Company's statesmen,
Mr. Mount Stuart Elpliinstone. The utter indifference
manifested by Parliament to Indian affairs throughout
Lord Hastings's administration afforded a singular contrast
to the active and energetic movements of the Government
in India. Mr. Dundas had introduced the practice of an
annual budget, tl at Parliament might be reminded, at least
once a year, of the existence of the Indian empire. But
so utterly lukewarm had Parliament become to its affairs, A.D.
that Mr. Canning, the President of the Board, stated to the 1816
House that u the Indian budget was always considered a dull ^>
" and disagreeable subject, and the practice of making
" budget speeches had therefore been discontinued. The
"time and attention of the House was quite as much occu-
" pied without thrown g away a day in the discussion of a
" subject which was sure to drive gentlemen away from it."
During the five years of his tenuie of office, the only occa-
sion on which he touched on the subject of India in the
House, except when moving thanks to Lord Hastings, was
in reference to a bill for legalizing Scotch marriages there.
Yet it was in this period of neglect that the great revolu-
tion in Lord Hastings's administration was consummated,
that twenty-eight actions \\ere fought, and a hundred nd
twenty forts captured, and the sovereignty of Great Britain
proclaimed throughout the continent of India.
One of the la^t acts of Lord Hastings had reference to
Hyderabad. Mcer Alum, who had managed the affairs of
the state with consummate talent for thirty years, iTy(]erai)!Mj
died in 180H, when, after an irritating discussion and chun-
with Lord Minto, Moneer-ool-moolk, whom the dooLftll<
Resident described as both a coward and a fool, was
appointed minister, while all the substantial power in the
state was given to Chuudoo Lall, a Hindoo of great ability,
experience and energy. The Court of Directors interdicted
all interference with the internal administration of Hydera-
bad, and directed the Resident to confine his attention to
the reform of the contingent of 6,000 foot and 0,000 horse,
which the Nizam was obliged by the treaty of 1800 to
furnish in time* of war. These levies, which were a mere
rabble, were converted by the strenuous exertions of the
Resident into an efficient force, disciplined and commanded
by officers drawn from the Company's army, with which it
was soon able to vie in military spirit and qualifications.
As the force was entirely at the disposal of Chundoo Lall,
342 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X.
he was not disposed to check its profuse expenditure. It
was not only over- officered, but the officers were overpaid.
It became a source of valuable patronage to the Resident,
and, however beneficial in time of war, was, in a season of
peace, little more than a magnificent job.
A.D. The administration of Chundoo Lall was, with some
1809 intervals of repose, the scourge of the country for thirty-
|ftn°0 Administra. five years- Ii} was upheld by British power,
tionofChun- but not controlled by British honesty ; nothing
doo ail. flourished but corruption ; judicial decrees could
be obtained only for money ; the land was farmed out to
the highest bidder, and the farmer had the power of life
and death ; the utmost farthing was wrung from the
wretched peasant, hundreds of villages were deserted, and,
in the absence of cultivation, food rose to fam>ne prices.
The wealth thus obtained was expended by Chundoo Lall in
fortifying his position. He erected a noble palace for the
Resident and fitted it up with the most costly furniture
from Bond street ; he bribed the courtiers, and subsidized
the zenana, and secured the favour of the Nizam by
indulging his royal passion for hoarding. Mr. Metcalfe
was appointed Resident in November 1820, and, on sur-
veying the state of the country, resolved on a vigorous
reform. Some of his political assistants, and some of the
officers of the contingent were placed in charge of districts ;
* a lenient assessment was made, and the current of oppression
checked. Security was at once established ; villages were
repeopled, cultivation was resumed, and rents were col-
lected without a military force.
Mr. Metcalfe had not, however, been long at Hyderabad
without perceiving that every prospect of improvement was
Palmer endangered by the transactions of Palmer and
ana Co. ca with the state. Mr. William Palmer had
established a banking-house at Hyderabad in 1814, and
soon after became connected with Chundoo Lall, and began
to make advances to the Ni/am's treasury. The express
sanction of the Government of India to such transactions
was required by Act of Parliament ; and, with tLe con-
sent of the Council, and in accordance with the opinion
of the Advocate-General, Lord Hastings gave his assent to
them, and loans were acconlir.^h made from time to time,
but at twenty-five per cent, interest. In 1820, the firm was
joined by Sir W. Rumbold, who had married a ward of
Lord Hastings, whom he regarded with paternal fondness.
In an evil hour, he wrote to Sir William, " The partners
SECT. IV.] PALMER AND CO. OF HYDERABAD 343
" speculate that your being one of the firm will interest me
u in the welfare of the house. It is a fair and honest qon-
elusion. The amount of advantage which the countenance
" of Government may bestow must be uncertain, as I
" apprehend it would ilow principally from the opinion the
" natives would entertain of the respect likely to be paid
" by their own Government to an establishment known to
" stand well with the supreme Government." This com-
munication was widely circulated by Sir William, and
placed the house on a firm footing at Hyderabad, and there
was a constant stream of loans, at exorbitant interest, to the
Ni/am, and fresh ;i--i>.r!i'n< i.i* of territory as security for
them.
Mr. Metcalfe could not fail to observe that Palmer and
Co. were becoming a dangerous power in the state, that
the public revenues were passing into their hands, Mr Met
and that the government of the Nizam was caife's ropre-
prostrate before them. He ventured at length 8cntation3-
to communicate his views on the subject to Lord Hastings,
but found that his mind had been prepossessed, and his
feelings worked on hy the corresponvlence of the Rumbold
family; and his representations were resented. Chundoo Lall
had been put up by the firm to solicit the sanction of the
Governor-General in Council to a loan of sixty lacs, for the
professed object of paying up tho public establishments, of
repaying debts due to native brokers, and making advances
to the ryots. Lord Hastings considered these to be legiti-
mate objects, anil gave his casting vote to the proposal.
But Mr. Metcnlfe learnt on his arrival that only a fraction
of this loan had found its way to the Nizam's treasury;
that tho sum of eight Iocs was a bonus to the members of the
firm, and that the remainder consisted of sums advanced,
or said to have been advanced, to the Nizam's minister
without the consent of the Government in Calcutta, whose
sanction was thus surreptitiously obtained to these loans.
This transaction was too gross to admit of any palliation,
and it was severely censured both by Lord Hastings and
the members of Council. By compound interest at twenty-
five per cent , Palmer and Co. swelled their demand on the
Nizam to a crore of rupees, and the Government, anxious
to put a peremptory stop to these transactions, determined
that the whole debt should be at once "" .1 -with
the exception of tho clandestine bonus. By the dis-
graceful treaty of 1768, the Madras Government had
engaged to pay the Nizam an annual tribute of seven lacs
344 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [Ciur. X>
for the Northern Sircars, and the payment had been
Panc^ua^y made for half a century. It was now capitalized,
and the Nizam was released from the grasp of the firm,
which became insolvent within twelve months.
The antipathy of the Court of Directors which was
repeatedly manifested towards Lord Hastings by their
Thankaof captious criticisms, their reluctant praise, and
House*** their eager censure, became more violent after
he had given freedom to the press, and par-
ticularly so after Sir W. Rumbold had joined the Hyder-
abad firm, and they issued peremptory orders to revoke
the licence which Government had given to the firm.
Their despatch implied a mistrust of his motives in that
transaction, arid exhibited a determination to identify him
with all their obnoxious proceedings. Indignant at these
insinnations, and at the offensive tone of their despatches
he sent in his resignation, on the ground that he had lost
their confidence. They assured him that he was entirely
mistaken, and voted him their thanks for "the unremitting
" zeal and eminent ability with which, during a period of
" nine years, he had administered the government of British
" India with such high credit to himself and advantage to
" the interests of the Company." The Proprietors eagerly
concurred inthisopinion,and desired the Directors to convey
to him " the expression of their admiration, gratitude, and
" applause." He embarked for England on the 1st of
January, 1823.
In the grand work which Lord Hastings accomplished of
consolidating the British empire, and, as the natives
Estimate of exProsse(l it, "bringing all India under one
his admims- " umbrella,'' he exhibited talent of the highest
tration. order, though he may not stand on the same
level of political genius with Warren Hastings or Lord
Wellesley. His administration was made grateful to the
inhabitants of theMahomedan capital of India by restoring
the canal which had been dry for sixty years, and giving
them the blessing of pure water without a water cess. The
improvement of Calcutta, devised by Lord WeUesley but
which he was unable to complete in the last year of his
government, was accomplished by Lord Hastings. The
ventilation and the health of the town were promoted by
opening a street through the centre sixty feet wide, and lay-
ing out squares with reservoirs of water ; while the foreshore
of the river, which was a disgraceful cesspool, was adorned
with a noble embankment worthy of the " city of palaces."
SECT. IV.] DEBATE AT THE INDIA HOUSE 345
No Governor-General ever laboured more assiduously
in the performance of his duty. Though approaching the
age of seventy, he was at his desk at four in the morning ;
and in the fervid climate of Bengal, which is now con-
sidered insupport able since the means of escaping from it
ha,ve been multiplied, he worked for seven years at the
rate of seven and eight hours a day without a hill station
to resort to, or even a soa-going steamer at his command.
Within two years of his return to Europe, Mr. Douglas
Kinnaird brought forward a proposal in the Court of
Proprietors to make him a pecuniary gran < be- Polntoat
iitting the greatness of his services. It served the iiuiui
to disclose the strong current of rancour which Housc>
underlay the crust of ollicial compliment embodied in the
tribute of " admiration, gratitude, and applause," winch
that Court had recently voted. The motion was met by an
amendment, calling for all the papers connected with the
transactions at Hyderabad. They occupied a thousand
foolscap pages, and gave rise to a debate which, having all
the relish of personality, was prolonged for six days, at the
end of which time, Mr. Astell, the chairman of the Court
of Directors, moved as an amendment to the original
motion that, "while admitting that there was no ground
" for imputing corrupt motives to the late Governor-
" General, the Court of Proprietors records its approbation
** of all the despatches scut out by the Court of Directors."
These despatches, four in number, charged Lord TT:Mi t;>,
among other misdemeanours, with having lent the Com-
pany's credit to the transactions at Hyderabad for the
sole benefit of Messrs. Palmer and Co., with proc< ( dings
which were without a parallel in the history of the East
India Company, and with assuming to elude all check and
control. The approbation of these despatches was, neces-
sarily, the severest condemnation which could be passed
on him, but the vote was carried by a majority of 212.
Thus did the East India Company dismiss the man who
had raised them to tin; pinnacle of greatness with the
verdict that he was simply "not guilty of having acted
*' from corrupt motives." But the Company, princely
beyond all other rulers in their munificence, were not
superior to the influence of vulgar prejudices, and they
now added another name to the roll of illustrious men —
Clive, and Warren Hastings, and Lord Wellcsley — whom
they rewarded with ingratitude. Lord Hastings died at
Malta on the 24th August, 1827, and in the succeeding
346 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI,
year the India House endeavoured to make some atone-
ment for the vote of censure, and placed 20,OOOZ. at the
disposal of his family.
CHAPTER XL
SECTION T.
LORD AMHERST — BURMESE WAR — BUURTPORE — BARRACK PORE
MUTINY.
ON the receipt of Lord Hastings' s resignation, the post of
Governor- General was accepted by Mi1. Canning, the late
MX Cannin Pres^en^ °f the Board of Control, but, on the
Governor- GVQ of embarkation, the death of Lord London-
General, derry led to his appointment as foreign Secretary
of State. Two candidates then appeared for this splendid
office; Lord William Bentinck, who had been unjustly
removed from Madras by the Court of Directors in tho
height of tho Vellore panic, and who was pre-eminently
« qualified for it; and Lord Atnlierst, whose claim rested on
his embassy to Pekin, and the exemplary fortitude with
Lo . which he had borne the arrogance of the Court.
1823 Amher8fc The preference was given to him, and he landed
GeSS"" at Calcutta on the 1st August. During the
interregnum, the government devolved on Mr.
John Adam, the senior member of Council, a meritorious
Mr Ad m on<icer °f considerable ability and experience, but
totally disqualified for the highest post in tho
empire by the strength of his local partialities and preju-
dices. His brief administration of seven months is now
remembered only by his persecution of the press. Mr.
Buckingham had come out to Calcutta in 1818, and
established the " Calcutta Journal," the ablest newspaper
which had till then appeared in India. He availed himself
of the freedom granted to the press by Lord Hastings, and
commented on public measures with a degree of freedom
which was considered politically dangerous. But the great
offence of the journal consisted in the poignancy with which
a little knot of wits in the service ridiculed the weaknesses
SECT. I.] KISE OF THE BURMESE 347
and follies of some of tlie loading members of the Govern- A.D.
ment. They had been nursed in the lap of despotism, and 1823
resented the sarcasms of the press. Mr. Adam had sys-
tematically opposed Lord Hastings's liberality to the press,
and only waited for his departure to reverse it. Soon
after taking office, therefore, he passed a stringent regu-
lation which completely extinguished all freedom; and
as Mr. Buckingham, instead of bending to the storm,
which was too violent to last, continued to write with
uninitigai* d severity, he was banished from the country
and ruined.
Lord Amherst had no sooner assumed the government
than lie found himself:' invohed in hostile discussions
with the Burmese, which, in the course of five RISC of the
months, resulted in a declaration of war. The Burmese.
ultra-Gaugetic kingdom of Burmah lies to the east of
Bengal, from which it is separated by hills and forests,
inhabited by various tribes of barbarians. Four }ears 1761
after the battle of Plassy, Alompra, a man of obscure birth,
but cast in the same mould as Hjder AH and Runjeet
Sing, who had began his career vuth a hundred followers,
established a, new dynasty at Ava Aggression and con-
quest became an usual the element of this new power.
The province of Teuasserirn was wrested from the Siamese,
and the principality of Arraean, which was separated from
the Company's territories only by the Tcck Naaf, was
annexed. More than 30,000 of its inhabitants were driven
by the oppression of the Burmese officials to take refuge
in the neighbouring distiicts of Chittagoiig, where they
were settled on waste lands. The Burmese authorities
repeatedly demanded their extradition, but the Governor-
General steadily refused to deliver them up to a Govern-
ment proverbial for its cruelty. The king of Ava,
exasperated by our firmness, at length sent a rescript to
Lord Hastings, demanding tho surrender of the whole of
eastern Bengal. "Those districts," he said, "do not belong
" to India — they are ours; if you continue to retain them,
" we will come and destroy your country.' Lord Hastings
treated the letter as a forgery, and enclosed it to the king.
The course of aggression was continued without cessation,
and in 1822, Maha Bundoola, the national hero, reduced 1822
tho kingdom of Assam, which abutted on the Company's
district of Rnngpore, and then the principality of Munee-
pore, at no great distance from our eastern frontier. The
dynasty of Alompra had thus, in sixty years, established
348 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [Ciup. XI
its authority over territories 800 miles in extent, stretching
from the confines of Bengal to those of China. The uni-
form success of every enterprise had filled the Burmese
court with an overweening conceit of its strength, and the
evident indisposition of the English Government to engage
in war with them inspired the whole nation with a desire
to try conclusions with it in the field.
A.D. The immediate cause of the war was an arrogant demand
1823 made by the Burmese governor of Arracan for the sur-
Originof render of the little island of Shahpooree, lying
the war. afc tlie estuary of the Teek tfaaf, on which a
small guard had been posted. The Governor- General
proposed a joint commission to investigate the question of
right, to which the Burmese replied by sending 1,000 men
who put a portion of the feeble detachment to the sword,
and hoisted the Burmese flag. Lord Amh erst immediately
sent a force to dislodge them, and addressed a letter to
the king stating that, however desirous he might be of
remaining at peace, he must resort to force if such insults
were repeated. The court of Ava was now confirmed in
the conviction that the English dreaded an encounter with
their troops, and Maha Bundoola was despatched with a
large army to Arracan, with orders to expel them from
Bengal, and to send the Govern or- General to Ava bound
in the golden fetters which he took with him. Lord
* Amherst, finding that every effort to maintain peace? only
served to increase the arrogance of the Burmese, issued a
declaration of war in February.
The Burmese were the most contemptible enemy with
1824 whom the British arms had come in contact. Their army
Arrange- was a wretched half-armed rabble, without either
mentsof valour or discipline. Their weapons were simply
campaign, swords and pikes of an inferior description, with
a few muskets, and their chief defence lay in the, admirable
skill and rapidity with which they were able to construct
stockades. At the commencement of the war the
Government in Calcutta was profoundly ignorant of the
resources, the military force, or even the topography of
Burmah, and for the planning of the campaign depended on
the advice of Captain Canning, who had acquired some
knowledge of the country. He represented that the
occupation of "Rangoon, the great port of the Irrawaddy,
would paralyze the Burmese authorities, and ttufc pro-
visions and draft cattle, as well as the means of building a
flotilla to navigate the rivers, might be obtained in abun-
SHOT. I.] OCCUPATION OF RANGOON 349
dance. The expedition was assembled in the spacious
harbour of Port Cornwallis, in the largest of the Andaman
islands, and consisted of about 11,000 troops, European and
native, under the command of Sir Archibald Campbell,
who had served with distinction under the Duke in Spain.
The fleet of transports was convoyed by three vessels of
war, and by the Diana, a little steamer recently built in
Calcutta, the first ever floated in eastern waters. The
campaign opened inauspiciously. The defence of the
frontier at Cluttagong had been left to a small and inade-
quate force, and a weak detachment of 300 native infantry,
under Captain Noton, with some local levies, held a post
on the extreme boundary, a hundred miles from the
nearest support. Maha Bundoola came down upon this
little band with an army estimated at more than 10,000
men. The levies fled at the first onset, the sepoys main-
tained the conflict gallantly for three days with little food
or rest, and were then constrained to retreat, and of the
officers five were killed and three wounded.
The expedition arrived oil' Rangoon on the 12th of May, A.D.
to the inexpressible surprise of the Burmese, who had never 1824
dreamt that the English, whom Bundoola had TUP army at
been sent to expel from Bengal, wouli venture Nan^oon.
to attack them in their own territories. The only defence
of the town consisted of a teak stoekade, with a battery of
indifferent guns, which was silenced by the first broadside
from the ///$V//. The troops landed without opposition,
but found the town deserted. The Governor had ordered
the whole population, men, women, and children, to retire
into the jungles with their provisions and cattle, and the
order was implicitly obeyed. The British encampment was
isolated; all local supplies were cutoff, all hope of advanc-
ing to the capital, either by land or water, was extinguished,
and Sir Archibald was obliged to confine his attention to
the shelter of the troops during the rains. Within a week
after the occupation of the town, they set in with extreme
violence, the country around became a swamp, and malaria
brought disease1 and death into the camp. The want of
wholesome food rendered the condition of the troops still
more deplorable. There was no lack of cattle around the
town, which would have amply supplied their wants, but
the Government in Calcutta had forbidden the commander
to touch them, in deference to the Boodhist prejudices of the
Burmese, and the European soldiers were condemned to
starvation, that the cows might live. The army became
350 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. XL
dependent on supplies from Calcutta, then proverbial for
the dishonesty of its contractors ; the meat was putrescent,
and the maggoty biscuits crumbled under the touch.
The troops were left in this state of destitution for five
months, owing to the culpable neglect of the commissariat
department ; and it was only through the prompt and inde-
fatigable exertions of Sir Thomas Munro, the governor of
Madras, that the army was preserved from annihilation ;
but the unhealthiness of the climate and the want of whole-
some nourishment filled the hospitals, and of a body of
11,000 scarcely 3,000 remained fit for duty.
A.D. At the beginning of 1825, General Richards occupied the
1826 province of Assam without resistance. Under the advice
„ , , of the Communder-in- Chief, two expeditions were
Conquest of , , . . -r» i i i i , i
Assam and also organized to enter JJurmah by land, the one
Aracan. from the north through Cachar and Muneepore ;
the other, through Arracan, but both of them proved abor-
tive. The Cachar force under Colonel Shuldham, 7,000
strong, was enabled to advance by the road which the
pioneers had opened with infinite labour to a position
within ninety miles of Muneepore, but the country beyond
it consisted of an unbroken succession of abrupt hills
clothed to the summit with impenetrable forests, and dales
rendered impassable by .j1..1!--!! ':< The rains set in early,
and as it was deemed impossible to transport the stores and
artillery, and the appliances of civilized warfare through
these impediments, the expedition was given up. The
Arracan force was still more unfortunate. The commander,
Colonel Morrison, was a king's officer of good repute, but
he had a contempt for the officers of the Company's service
who were acquainted with the nature of the country, and
the peculiarities of Indian warfare, and rejected their advice.
The army \sas three months marching 250 miles along the
coast, and did not reach the capital of Arracan till it was
too late to make any further advance. One-fourth of the
force likewise fell victims to the climate, and two-thirds of
the remainder were in hospitals. As an • •.'/•! body,
indeed, the army had ceased to exist ; and on one occasion,
when a wing of a regiment was ordered on parade, only
one soldier appeared to answer to his name.
The king of Ava at length determined to collect the
strength of his kingdom for one vigorous effort to expel
Second ^ne invaders, and Mali a Bundoola was sent down
1824 campaign, with 60,000 men to Rangoon, and arrived in front
of the British encampment on the 1st December. Within
SBCT. l.J SECOND BURMESE CAMPAIGN 351
a few hours, it was enveloped by stockades, which appeared
to spring up one after another in rapid succession as if by
the wand of an enchanter. But the Burmese, though skilful
in fortifying their position, were unable to stand the shock of
the British battalions, and, after sustaining two defeats, re-
tired to Donabew, forty miles higher up the river. Sir
Archibald Campbell, after having been idly encamped for
nine months at Rangoon, and lost two months of the
second season of operations, at length moved up towards
the capital on the 13th February, in two columns, the one 1525
by land under his personal command ; the other by the
river under Brigadier Cotton. On coming abreast of
Donabew, the Brigadier found that all the resources of
the Burmese engineers had been employed in strengthening
the fortifications, which stretched a mile along the bank, and
were garrisoned by 12,000 men and 150 guns, such as they
were. In his assault on the place, he was vigorously re-
pulsed, and, as ho had unwisely left one of his regiments in
the rear, pronounced his force unequal to the capture of the
place. Sir Archibald, who was considerably in advance, felt
it necessary to retrace his stops to reinforce Brigadier
Cotton, and another montli was thus sacrificed. On the
1st April, a shower of shells and roekets was poured down
on the fortified town of Donabow, and the next morning 1825
the whole of the Burmese army was observed to be in full
retreat. On the preceding night Bundoola had been killed
by the bursting of a shell, and with him expired the courage
and spirit of the troops. No iurther resistance was offered to
the expedition, and Prome was occupied without firing a
shot; but as the rains were approaching, the campaign, which
had lasted only ten weeks, during which the army had
advanced 150 miles, was brought to a termination.
The general proposed to stop at Prome and act on the
defensive, though the extraordinary expenses of the war
amounted to a lac of rupees a day ; but Lord Negotiations
Amherst insisted on an immediate march to the for peace,
capital as soon as the season permitted. At the same time,
he urged the general to welcome any disposition the
Burmese might evince for peace, and, the more effectually
to secure it, associated the naval commander and Mr.
Robertson, a Bengal civilian, in a commission with him,
with Mr. Ross Mangles as secretary. The king, on being
informed that the general was authorised to treat, sent
envoys to ascertain the terms, who were informed that
their master would be required to abstain from all inter-
352 ABBID&MENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI.
^Dt ference with Cachar or Assam, to recognise the indepen-
1825 dence of Mnnipore, to cede the provinces of Arracan and
Tenasserim, to liberate all his prisoners, and pay two crores
as a war indemnity. These terms the king rejected with
great indignation, and a Burmese army of 40,000 men was
sent down to Prome, but it was signally defeated and
closely pursued. The negotiations were then resumed by
the Burmese envoys, who waived every objection to the
cession of territory, but withstood the pecuniary payment,
on the score of poverty, with such importunity that the
Commissioners were induced to curtail it by one ha-lf, and
the treaty was signed on this basis on the 3rd January,
and the ratification ot it promised on the 18th, but it never
came. The intermediate period had been employed in the
fortification of Melown, opposite the British encampment.
It was attacked on the 10th; all the guns, stores, and
ammunition were captured, the camp was delivered to the
flames, and the army resumed its march to the capital.
The king began now to tremble for his throne, and
released two of his European prisoners, whom he sent to
Final en- reopen the negotiations. They were informed
gagement that no severer terms would be exacted in cori-
and peace. sequence of their perfidious conduct at Melown,
but that a fourth of the indemnity must be paid clown at
once. While the envoys were, however, on their return to
Ava, the king determined to make one last effort to avert
this humiliation, though he could not muster more than
• 16,000 troops. Sir Archibald had only 1,300 left under
his command, but of these 900 were Europeans. The
Burmese force was completely routed, and fled in disorder
to the capital with the news of its own disgrace, ami the
English army advanced to Yandahoo, within forty miles of
Ava. The king lost no time in sending ihe two American
missionaries whom he had held for two years in cruel
captivity, together with two of his own ministers, to accept
whatever terms the Commissioners might dictate. They
brought with them the first instalment of the indemnity,
as well as the Europeaii captives, and the treaty was signed
1 826 on the 24th February on the terms which had been pre-
viously proposed, with the addition that a British repre-
sentative should reside at the court. Thus ended the first
war the Company had waged beyond the limits of India,
and it was also the most expensive in which they had as
yet been engaged, and the least recuperative. It absorbed
thirteen crores of rupees, and the return consisted of three
thinly inhabited and impoverished provinces.
SBCT. I.] BARRACKPORE MUTINY 353
The Burmese war gave rise to another sepoy mutiny. A.D
The native regiments from Bengal, owing to religious ob- 1821
jections to a voyage by sea were directed to march Mntin
down to Aracan along the coast. The disaster
at Ramoo had diffused through the army a dread of the
Burmese soldiers, who were represented as magicians, and
the service was regarded with great antipathy. The
Bengal sepoys had been accustomed to provide from
their own pay for the transport of their baggage, but the
public demand for draught cattle had exhausted the
supply and doubled the price. The 47th regiment at
Barrackpore, ono of those warned for service, presented a
respectful memorial setting forth the extreme difficulty of
procuring the means of conveyance. The military chiefs,
instead of I.M \i-iijjr r./ this just and reasonable represen-
tation, treated it as a token of contumacy, and the men
were told that they were to expect no assistance from
Government. Discontent ripened into insubordination;
excited meetings were' held in the cantonments; the
sepoys rose in their demands and pledged one another not
to march without a supply of cattle, and also an increase
of pay. The Coimnander-in-Chief resolved to crush the
spirit of mutiny by foree, and two regiments of Europeans,
the Governor-! leneral's body guard, and a detachment of
horse artillery \vt»re marched to Banackpore and drawn
up unperceived in the vicinity of the parade ground. The
47th was paraded and ordered to march forthwith, or to
ground arms. The men Mood still in a state of mute be-
wilderment, resolved not to yield, but making no attempt
at resistance. A volley was discharged on them by the
horse, artillery, when they flung down their arms with a
piercing shriek, and fled in dismay. 'The lOuropean troops
then tired on thorn, and the body-guard sabred the fugi-
tives. The slaughter on the ground and in the line of
pursuit was very severe. The rinn leaders \\ere tried by
court-martial and executed, and others were sent to work
on the roads in irons. A court of enquiry was held which
came to the decision that <% the mutiny was an ebullition
" of despair at being compelled to inarch without the means
" of doing so." When the corps had reached a state of
positive mutiny, there was no alternative but military
execution, hut the Commandcr-in-Chief incurred a heavy
responsibility by treating their legitimate representations
with scorn.
Runjeet Sing, the Jnnt chief of Bhurtpore, who had
A A
354 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI.
baffled Lord Lake in 1805, was succeeded by his son in
ore 1823 on whose death without issue the princi-
pality devolved on his brother. He applied to
Sir David Ochterlony, the Resident at Delhi to recognise
his son, a child of six years, as his successor, and he received
investiture under the express orders of the Government.
About a twelvemonth after, on the death of his father, he
was placed on the throne under the guardianship of his ma-
ternal uncle. Before a month had elapsed Doorjun Sal, the
nephew of the deceased raja, a wild and impetuous youth,
put the regent to death, placed his cousin in confinement,
and seized on the Government. Sir David, acting on his
own responsibility, issued a proclamation calling upon all
the Jauts to rally round their lawful sovereign, and
ordered a force of 10,000 men and 100 guns into the field
to support his rights and vindicate the authority of the
Company's Government. Lord Arnherst disapproved of
this proceeding and considered it imprudent while engaged
in a conflict witli the Burmese to embark in a new war,
and to incur the ribk of a second failure before Bhurtpore.
A.D. A disposition had for some time existed in high quarters in
1825 Calcutta to remove the veteran Resident from his post, and
in the hope of provoking his voluntary resignation the
views of Government commanding him to recall his pro-
clamation and to countermand the troops were communi-
cated to him in a very imperious tone. He replied with
great, and perhaps undue, warmth, and having given effect
to the orders of Government, tendered his resignation.
This ungenerous treatment broke his heart. He felt him-
self disgraced in the eyes of the native princes and of the
public service, and retiring to Meernt died within two
months, after an illustrious career of half a century. Ho
was one of the brightest ornaments of the Company's
service, equally eminent in the cabinet and in the tield, a
man born for high command and fitted to strengthen the
power and sustain the dignity of Great Britain in India.
While the army was assembling, Doorjun Sal mani-
fested a spirit of humble submission and professed to bo
Procee'iingu satisfied with the regency, but as soon as tlio
in Council, troops were countermanded, he assumed a
higher tone and claimed the throne for himself, and pre-
vailed on the chiefs of his tribe to support his pretensions.
The little success wo had obtained in the Burmese war,
had, as on all similar occasions, affected our prestige, and
the latent feeling of disaffection to the rule of foreigners
SKCT. I.] BARRACK PORE MUTINY 355
began again to manifest; itself in the native community. A.D.
The cause of Doorjun Sal became popular when it was '825
known that he intended to enter the lists with the
Company's Government. Rajpoots, Jauts, Mahrattas,
Afghans, and not a few of our native subjects crowded to
his standard, and an army of 25,000 men was speedily
collected for the defence of the place. All the members of
Council concurred in opinion that in these circumstances
we were bound in honour and policy to support the cause
of the youth we had invested with the purple against the
usurper, but Lord Amherst still continued to hesitate.
Happily Sir Charles Metcalfe arrived at Calcutta at this
juncture on his way to Delhi as the successor of Sir
David, and in a masterly minute pointed out that as the
paramount state in India, we could not be indifferent
spectators of anarchy therein without ultimately giving
up the country again to the pillage and confusion from
which wo had rescued it; that a vigorous exercise of our
power would be likely to brinu bark the minds of men to
a proper tone, and that the capture ofBhurtpore, if effected
in a glorious manner, would do us more honour by re-
moving the hitherto unfaded impression created by our
former failure than any other event that could be con-
ceived. Lord Amherst gracefully surrendered his opinion
to that of Sir Charles, and it was resolved, if remonstrance
with Doorjun failed, to resort to arms.
To the astonishment of the princes of India v\ho believed
that the Bmmc^e war had absorbed nil the resources of
Government, an army of *JO,000 men with 100 ouptureof
heavy ordnance and mortars suddenly sprung Wmrtpore.
up in the midst of them. Throughout India it was re-
membered that Hhurtporo was the only fortress which the
British Goveinment had besieged and failed to capture, and
the eyes of all India were fixed upon the second siege, not
perhaps, without a latent hope that it might be as unsuccess-
ful as the first. The head-quarters of Lord Combermerc,
the Comm an dor-in- Chief, were established before it on the
10th December. Thirty-six mortars and forty -eight pieces
of heavy ordnance played upon the mud walls for many
days without making any impression or creating a prac-
ticable breach. A great mine was at length completed,
and charged with 10,000 pounds of powder. The ex-
plosion took place on the 18th January, and seemed to
ahake the foundations of the earth, while enormous massett
of hardened earth and blocks of timber, mingled with
A A 2
356 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI.
^D. heads, legs and arms, were sent flying into the air, and
1826 the sky was darkened with volumes of smoke and dust.
Of the usurper's army, 6,000 were said to have fallen
during the siege and the casualties on the side of the English
were about 1,000. Doorjun Sal endeavoured to make
his escape, but was captured and sent to join the assem-
blage of disinherited princes at 13emires, where ho passed
twenty-five years on an allowance of 500 rupees a month.
The boy raja was then placed on the throne by Sir Charles
Metcalfe and Lord Comberrnere, but the laurels of Bhurt-
pore were tarnished by the rapacity of the military autho-
rities. The siege was undertaken to expel a usurper, and
restore the lawful prince to his rights, but the whole of
tho state jewels and treasure was seized by the victors to
the extent of forty-eight lacs of rupees, and divided among
themselves as prize-money, Lord Combermere appropriat-
ing six lacs to himself. The proud walls which had bid
defiance to the hero of Delhi and Laswareo were levelled
with the ground. Tho captuie of the fort produced a
profound sensation, as Sir Charles Metcalfe had predicted,
throughout India; and, combined with the submission o(
Burrnah, dissolved the sanguine hopes of the disaffected,
and restored the prestige of the Company Lord Amherst
was advanced to the dignity of an earl, not of Bhurtpore,
his brightest achievement, but of Aracan, the most disas-
trous of his expeditions.
1823 The financial result of his administration was calamitous,
to The wealth left in the treasury by Lord Hastings was
l^28 _. dissipated, the annual surplus turned into a
Finances. j n -, \ i r, • fl. ! .
deficit, and an addition of ten crores made to
the public debt. On his arrival, and while- new to the
country and the community, he was led by the superior
officers of Government to continue those truculent pro-
The ress ceedings against the press which they had origi-
nated ; but it was not long before ho adopted a
more generous policy, and on his departure wan compli-
mented by the journals in Calcutta " on the liberality and
" even Tnagn.mimiU with which ho had tolerated the free
u expression of public opinion on his own individual
" measures, when he had the power to silence them with a
44 stroke of his pen " He embarked for England in Feb-
ruary, and Mr. Buttcrvvorth Bay ley, the senior member of
Council, assumed charge of tho Government.
SBCT. II.] LORD WILLIAM HENTINCK 857
SECTION II.
LORD WILLIAM HENTlNCJv'S ADMINISTK \TION — MILITARY
OPERATIONS — NATIVE STATES — IUNJCKT SING.
THE stigma unjustly inflicted on Lord William Bcntinck's
character by his abrupt removal from the Government of
Madras in 1800, AMIS at length effaced by his Lord
appointment to the oilice of Governor-General. Wiiham
He was sworn in at the India House in July cntmc •
1827, while his relative, Mr. Canning, who had promoted
his nomination, was prime minister ; but his lamented *
death soon after brought into power those who had opposed
his elevation, and Lord William Bentinck suspended his
departure till lie was assured that the new ministry did
not object to his appointment ; hence lie did not reach
Calcutta before the 4th July, 182«. With his advent .
commenced a new and beneficent era in the history of the
Company, marked by a bold and energetic improvement
in the institutions of the state, although his administration
did not open under favourable circumstances Reduction of
The Burmese war had not only saddled the alliances.
treasury with an additional debt of ten crores, but created
an annual deficit of a crore of rupees, and Lord William 1828
Bentinck was constrained to enter upon the unpopular
duty of retrenchment. Two committees were appointed to
investigate the increase of expenditure, and to suggest the
means of curtailing it. The sweeping reductions which
the Court of Directors had already made in the strength of
the army, left little for the military committee to suggest,
except the diminution of individual allowances, though
they were in no case excessive, and, in many cases, in-
adequate. The civil deportment afforded a more legitimate
field for revision ; some offices were abolished, a few were
doubled up, and the income of others was curtailed; but the
total reductions did not affect the aggregate allowances of
the service to a greater extent than six per cent. It was
still the best paid service in the world, in the enjoyment of
an annual income of ninety lacs, which divided, as it was,
among 416 officers, gave each of the members an average
allowance of 20,000 rupees a year ; but even the moderate
contraction of allowances suggested by the committee and
adopted by Lord William Bentinck, subjected him to
indignities which severely taxed his habitual equanimity.
858 ABRIDGMENT OF THK HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XL
Of these economical measures, none excited so much
bitterness of feeling as the half batta order. Soon after
The half the beginning of the century the supplementary
batta order, allowance of full batta was granted to the officers
when in cantonments in the lower provinces. The Court
of Directors objected to the arrangement, and directed
Lord Hastings, and subsequently Lord Amherst, to reduce
the amount by one half, but they referred the order back
to England for reconsideration, Avhen it was repeated in a
more peremptory tone. The latest despatch reached Calcutta
soon after the arrival of Lord William, and iu obedience to
4.0. the Court's orders, he issued a notification in November,
1828 reducing the allowance one half at all stations within 400
miles of Calcutta. The order raised a flame in the army
which at one time created the apprehension of a fourth
European mutiny. One officer went so far as to assert
that if an enemy were to make his appearance in the field,
he did not believe there was a single officer who would
give the order to march, or a single regiment which would
obey it. The insults inflicted on the Governor- General by
the officers of the army rivalled those of the civil service,,
and were more severe than any of his predecessors had
ever experienced. Lord Comberniere, the Cornrnander-in-
Chief, prevented the organisation of representative com-
mittees, as in the mutiny of 1700, but he did not hesitate
to pronounce the order unjust ; and the Court of Directors
declared that they would have superseded him if he had
not resigned the service. Lord William Bentinck also
considered the order unnecessary, unjust, and impolitic,
but he felt +hat it was beyond his power to suspend the
execution of it after the Court of Directors had, for the
third time, insisted upon ifs being carried into e fleet, with-
out assuming that the Government in Calcutta was the
supreme power in the empire. The Court of Directors
denounced the tone of the memorials presented to them by
the officers as subversive of all military discipline1, nnd,
with the full concurrence of the Duke of Wellington,
signified their determination to enforce the order nt all
hazards; indeed, considering the pa^s at which matters
had arrived, they had no other alternative. But the
reduction was an egregious blunder; and it appears strange
that so astute a body as the Directors should have risked
the attachment and confidence of their army for a paltry
saving of less than two lacs a year; and it is still more
surprising that for the thirty years in which they continued
J<BCT. II.] BENT FREE TENURES 359
to administer the Government, they had not the magna-
nimity to rescind the order, even as a graceful acknowledg-
ment of the services subsequently performed by the army
in twenty hard-fought battles.
The native princes had always been in the habit of
making grants of land to individuals and to ecclesiastical
establishments free from the payment of rent. Rent free
Some of those religious endowments and grants tenures,
to charities were held sacred by superstitious chiefs, but in
numerous instances they were resumed, both in the Deccan
and in Hindustan, on each succession to the throne, and
sometimes during the same reign. Jn the contusion eieated
by the dissolution of the Mogul power, tins royal pre-
rogative was usurped by the governors of proMiices. On
assuming the management of the revenue the Government
in Calcutta announced that all grants made previous to
1705 should be deemed valid; but, as there was no register
of them, the rajas zemindais, farmeis, and revenue oflicers,
set to work to fabricate and antedate new deeds, and it was
subsequently asserted that a tenth of the land revenues had
thus been alienated from the state during the infancy of
our (lovernment. The revenue settlement of Lord Corn-
wallis reserved the right of resuming these tenures when
their validity had been investigated and disallowed. The
overworked collector to whom the duty of the im estimation
was committed, found himself thwarted nt every step by
his own mercenary officers, who were in the pay of the
occupant H, he became lukewarm in the woik, and it was
noeessarv either to abandon the pursuit of this lost revenue,
or to adopt more effectual measures to recover it. Three **D*
weeks before the arrival of Lord William Bentinck, a
regulation \\as passed, appointing commissioners selected
from the ablest men in the service, to hear and finally to
determine appeals regaiding these tenures from the
decisions of the collectors, who were thus stimulated into
groat or activity. Those energetic proceedings gave great
oif'cnoe to those affected by them, who pleaded, and not
without reason, that the difficulty of substantiating their
claims had increased with the lapse of time, that many
documents had disappeared by the ehYcfs of the climate
and the ravages of white ants, and that lands which might
have been fraudulently obtained several generations back,
had since been bought bond fdv at high prices. Though
the holders wexe in no coses dispossessed, but simply
required to pay rent to the state, the assessment of their
360 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI
lands brought great unpopularity on the Government.
The legal machinery of investigation cost about eighty laca
of rupees, and the increase of revenue amounted to about
thirty lacs a year.
The political and military events of Lord William
Bentinck's administration were of minor importance com-
ThpCoie Pare^ with those of previous and subsequent
insnrrec- periods, when thrones and dynasties were over-
tion. • thrown, and the map of India was reconstructed.
The Cole Jnsurrection however, involved operations of
some magnitude. The Coles, Dangars, Santals, and other
tribes in the south-west of Bengal who are believed to have
been the aborigines of the country, generally retained
their independence, except where it had been encroached
upon by Rajpoot zemindars, who endeavoured to improve
their receipts by substituting a more industrious class ol
cultivators for these lazy barbarians. The introduction of
these men created a strong feeling of discontent, which was
A.D. augmented by the insolence and rapacity of the Bengal
1832 officials who flocked into the province. In 1832, the Coles
rose in large numbers, laid waste the fields of the zemin-
dars, burnt down their villages, and put more than a
thousand of their men to death, before it was possible to
assemble troops. Armed as they were only with bows
and arrows and axes, they were easily overcome, and there
was much unnecessary slaughter. In the I'oijl-liouriii'jr
district it became necessary to send four rpjrimonU into the
field before the insurrection was trodden out. The rising
was not however without benefit to the people. It induced
Lord William Bentinck to relieve them from the incubus of
the Company's code and judicial institutions, and to turn
the district into a non-regulation province, and placo it
under the especial control of a commissioner.
Another insurrection occurred within fifteen miles of
Government House in Calcutta. Syud Ahmed, a Mahome-
insurrection ^an re^ormer and fanatic, whose name will come
of Teetoo np again hereafter, collected numerous followers
Meer. jn jower Bengal, and more particularly in the
suburban district of Baraset. Their bigoted intolerance to
those of their own creed, whom they deemed heterodox, and
their hostility to Hindoo heretics created a feeling of
general animosity, and some of the Hindoo zemindars
inflicted heavy penalties on them. They appealed to the
magistrates, but the dilatoriuoss of judicial forms exhausted
their patience; and, under the guidance of one Teetoo
BKCT. II.] CACHAR AN1> COORG 361
Meer, a Mahomedan mendicant, they proclaimed a jehad,
or religious war. They defiled a temple with the blood of
a cow, and forced its flesh down the throats of the brah-
mins, and then proceeded to burn down villages and facto-
ries, and to erect stockades. In the peaceful province of
Bengal, which had not seen the smoke of an enemy's
camp for more than severity years, it was found necessary
to call out two jvifi1 riii- of infantry and a body of horse,
and some guns. Their stockade, in which they defended
themselves for an hour, was captured, and the insurrection
was quenched in their blood.
The administration of the most pacific of Governors-
General could not escape the " inevitable tendency'1 of the
empire to enlarge its boundary, but the addition
, f, ,** °. , . . y 7 . . , n . . Annexation
to the Company s dominions during the adminis- Of Cacnar
tration of Lord William Bentinck was so and Coorp-
insignificant as to escape observation and censure. The AtD,
chief of the little principality of Cachar in the hills to the 1835
north-east of Bengal was murdered in 1832, and amidst
the anarchy which ensued the people implored the pro-
tectorate of the British Government which Lord William
Bentinck did not hesitate to extend to them. This un-
noticed nook in the great empire has since acquired a
commercial value by the expenditure of a crore of rupees
of private capital in tea plantations, for which its position
and soil are highly favourable. The principality of Coorg
lies on the Malabar coast between Mysore and the sea,
and comprises an area of about 1,500 square miles, no
portion of which is less than 3,000 feet above the level of
the sea. Its chivalrous raja had defended it with so
much gallantry against the overwhelming force of Tippoo
as to gain the applause of Lord Cornwallis, and also of Lord
Wellesley, from whom he received a splendid sword,
which was preserved with pride among the heir-looms of
the family. But his successor in 1820 exhibited an
example of tyranny and cruelty rarely exceeded by the
most atrocious of native princes. On coming to the throne
he put to death all who had thwarted his views, and to
prevent the possibility of being superseded directed all his
kinsmen to be taken into the jungles and decapitated. He
never scrupled to take the life of any who became ob-
noxious to him. He likewise manifested a peculiar hatred of
the British Government, and as he strictly interdicted the
entry of any Englishmen into the province, his atrocities
were concealed from observation. In 1832, however, his
862 ABBTDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. XL
sister and her husband escaped for their lives, and revealed
his barbarities to the Resident in Mysore, who proceeded
to his capital and endeavoured, but in vain, to bring him
to reason. He addressed letters of extraordinary insolence
to the governor of Madras, and even to the Governor-
General, while he organized his little force to resist the
British authorities. Lord William Bcntmck, finding him
deaf t@ every remonstrance, resolved to treat him as a
public enemy, and issued a proclamation recounting his
A..D. cruelties, and announcing that he had ceased to reign.
1834 A force of 6,000 men entered the country in four divisions,
in different directions, and after penetrating its intricate
and perilous defiles, planted the British standard oil
the ramparts of the capital, Mercara, in April 1832. The
country was at once annexed to the Company's territories,
and has now been covered with coffee plantations by British
enterprise.
The political policy of Lord William Bontinck was at
first regulated by that principle of non-intervention in the
Non-inter- internal affairs of native states which was still in
Teuc°n favour in Leadenhall Street. In his minute on
1)0 cy" the Bhurtpore crisis, in 182G, Sir Charles Metcalfb
had placed on record that " having become the paramount
" power in India we were the supreme guardians of general
" law, tranquillity and right." The Court of Directors
lost no time in repudiating this doctrine, and laid positive
and repeated injunctions on the Government of India to
* abstain from all interference with the native princes
boyond what was necessary to secure the punctual pay-
ment of their respective tributes. The Government was
thus placed in the invidious position of a strong and in-
exorable creditor instead of a beneficent guardian of peace.
Lord William, however, frequently found it impossible to
avoid interposing his imperial authority to frustrate the
projects of usurpation, to repress internal anarchy, and to
promote harmony between prince and people. His political
policy, therefore, presents the appearance of vacillation,
and is certainly the least satisfactory portion of his ad-
ministration.
On the construction of the kingdom of Mysore, the
administration was placed in the hands of the renowned
brahmin Poornea, the great minister of Hyder
AH and Tippoo, and his authority was supported
ment. j^ £ne invaluable assistance of some of the most
experienced of the Company's officers. The country
SBCT. II.J GOVERNMENT OF MYSORE ASSUMED 363
flourished, and, in the course of ten years, a surplus of two
crores was accumulated in the treasury ; but the raja,
under the influence of his minions and his flatterers pro-
claimed his majority, when he attained his sixteenth year,
dismissed Poornea, and took the administration into his own
hands. The Resident reported that he was utterly unfitted
for the government by the weakness of his character and
his entire subservience to the influence of favourites. The
administration steadily deteriorated for twenty years ; all
the accumulations of Poornea were dissipated ; the go-
vernment became venal and corrupt; the highest offices
were put up to salo ; crown lands were alienated, and the
subjects were crushed by new and grievous taxation. The A.D,
people at length took up arms, and in 1830 one half the 1831
kingdom was in a state of insurrection. Adventurers from
all parts joined the insurgents, and the peace of the Deccan,
not excepting the Company's territories, was placed in
extreme jeopardy. It became necessary to send a large
force into the field; but at the same iimo a friendly pro-
clamation was issued, inviting the people to come in peace-
ably and represent their grievances to the British officers,
with the assurance that they would be redressed if they
were found to be real. The natives had full confidence
in them, and the insurrection died out.
The Governor-General then informed the raja that, 1332
though tranquillity was for the present restored, he could
not allow the name and the influence of the M cmcnt
British Government to be identified with these of Mysore
acts of misrule ; and that, in order to prevent fcakcn over*
their recurrence, and to save the Mysore state from ruin,
he deemed it necessary to place the entire administration
of the country in the hands of British officers, paying over
to the raja, in accordance with the terms of the treaty,
about four lacs a year and a fifth of the net revenue, which,
under more honest •• ,v,:i.:i •• •» •. \'--;:ld be equal to about
a lac and a half inoM1 I. •:•: \V:' i nn Ben thick was soon
after led to believe from the report of the court of enquiry
he had appointed, that the grievances had been somewhat
overstated, and he proposed to retain in perpetuity only a
sufficient portion of the territory to meet the subsidy, and
to restore the remainder to the raja, on the simple condi-
tion that the Government should be at liberty to resume
this portion if it appeared necessary for the public benefit.
The Court of Directors, however, who had entirely ap-
proved of all his proceedings, refused to sanction this
884 ABRIDGEMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XL
proposal, and asserted that the assumption of the whole
country was justified by the treaty, and essential to the
welfare of the people.
The non-intervention policy was peculiarly unfortunate
for the two Rajpoot states of Joudpore and Jeypore,
_ , where the turbulent habits of the feudal nobility
Joudpore. 11, i • , • , • n ,
rendered the interposition of a paramount power
indispensable to the public tranquillity. Man Sing, the
raja of Joudpore, had been deposed by his chiefs before
the Pindaree war on the ground of his insanity, real or
feigned, but had recovered his power if not his reason in
1821, and began to wreak his vengeance on them. They
appealed to the Government in Calcutta, but without
success, and then brought an army of 7,000 men against
the capital. The raja appealed in his turn to Lord William
Bentinck, who felt the necessity of interposing his autho-
rity to prevent the kindling of war in Rajpootana, and the
Resident was ordered to restore concord between the
parties, which he e flee ted with a stroke of his pen.
But the insane violence of the raja broke out again ; he
AiDi not only oppressed his subjects, but gave encouragement
834 to the robber tribes of the desert, and refused to apprehend
Thugs, or to surrender malefactors. A large army was or-
dered to Joudpore to bring him to reason. The Rah tores,
the designation of the tribe, were accustomed to boast in
their ballads of " the hundred thousand swords " with
which they had supported the throne of Akbar ; but the
* Joudpore envoy now enquired what occasion there could
be for an army when a single messenger would have been
sufficient to convey the commands of the Governor- General.
Every demand was at once conceded.
During the minority of the raja of Jeypore, his mother
acted as regent, and resigned herself to the counsels of one
Je Jotaram, a banker. The haughty barons ex-
pelled him from the post of minister, and installed
one of their own body, Byree Sal ; but the regent ranee
obtained the permission of Sir David Ochterkmy to recall
him. The nobles resented this proceeding, and a civil
war appeared inevitable, when Sir C. Metcalfe, who had
succeeded Sir David, proceeded to Jeypore, and convened
a general meeting of the chiefs, and gathered from their
discussions that the majority of them were favourable to
the queen mother, when he confirmed her authority, with
leave to choose her owii minister. Jotaram became again
the head of the administration, but the revenues were
SECT. II ] AFFAIBS OF OUDE 365
misappropriated, the troops unpaid, and the nobles pur-
sued with vindictiveness. An appeal was made to Lord
William Bentinck to terminate the disorders of the state
by the supreme authority of the Company's Government,
but he declined to interfere. Soon after the ranee died,
and her death was speedily followed by that of her son,
not without suspicion of poison, and the general indigna-
tion against Jotaram became so intense that he retired
from the capital, and levied an army. Lord William Ben-
tint'k had by this time quitted the Government, and his
successor accepted the guardianship of the infant heir, A>D>
and despatched a political agent to the capital, who was 1835
just in time to prevent a battle between the party of the
exasperated nobles and of the banker. An attempt was
made to massacre the agent; he was attacked and wounded
as he left the durbar and barely escaped with his life, but
his assistant fell nnder the swords of the assassins. To
prevent the recurrence of this anarchy, a more stringent
control was established over the affairs of the court.
In 1818 Lord Hastings assumed the prerogative of con-
ferring the title of an independent king upon the nabob
Vizier of Oiule, which released him from the Affairs of
necessity of doing homage to any member of the Onde-
imperial family who happened to reside at Lucknow, even
in the most indigent circumstances. The king who was
seated on the throne during Lord William Bentinck's
administration, had been brought up in the zenana, and his
ideas were puerile and effeminate, and his life was devoted
to indulgence. The resident, Sir Herbert Maddock, repre-
sented the country to be in a state of abject wretchedness ;
there was no security for life and property, and scarcely a
day passed in which an attack was not made on the forts
of the zemindars, who seldom paid their rents without
compulsion. Lord William himself travelled through the
country, and saw nothing but desolation and decay. He
considered that, as we protected the king from the indig-
nation of his oppressed people, it was our boundcn duty to
protect the inhabitants from the abuses of the Government. 1831
In a communication to the king in 1831, he insisted on the
adoption of reforms, and distinctly assured him that if he
continued to withhold them the entire Uian:iurenu'ni of the
country would be taken out of his hands, and a sufficient
annuity assigned to him for the support of his royal family
and court.
In anticipation of this remonstrance, the king recalled
366 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI.
Hakim Menhdy, whom lie had dismissed, and reappointed
Hakim h*m prmie minister. This extraordinary man,
Menhdy. the son of a Persian gentleman at Shiraj, had
emigrated to India in search of political employment and
entered the service of Oude, in which ho rapidly rose to
distinction. He identified the prosperity of his adopted
country with his own happiness, and devoted his splendid
talents,to the improvement of the administration, though
thwarted at every step by the vices of his sovereign. Lord
William Bentinck pronounced him one of the ablest men
in India, and as a revenue administrator unsurpassed
by any officer, European or native. He had gradually
amassed a princely fortune, which he expended with more
than princely liberality ; and there was no portion of
Hindostan which had not experienced his generosity.
On assuming the Government he introduced important
reforms, and had the courage to retrench the profligate
expenditure of the zenana, and to curtail the allowances
of the parasites of the court. But he was too radical a
reformer for the meridian of Oude, and as Lord William
Bentinck hesitated to support his authority against the
wishes of the king, who was offended, he said, because he
had not spoken with sufficient respect of his mother, and
A.D. had insulted the portrait of his father, he resigned his
t#32 post and retired into the British territories. In refer-
ence to the condition of Oude, the Court of Directors had
justly remarked that, "it was the British Government
which, by a systematic suppression of all attempts at
resistance, had prolonged the misrule which became
permanent when the shori— •iyrhM»il!ui*i«« and rapacity of n
semi-barbarous Government was armed with the military
strength of a civilised one." In reply to Lord William's
representation of the miserable condition of the country,
the Court of Directors authorized him at once to assume
the government, if circumstances should appear to render
it necessary. Lord William, who was on the eve of leav-
ing India, communicated the substance of these instruc-
1834 tions to the king, intimating that the execution of them
would be suspended in the hope of his adopting the
necessary reforms. But the reforms never came, and the
orders were carried into execution twenty years after.
The 'interview of Lord William Bentinck with Runjeet
Sing is one of the most remarkable events in his adminis-
Progress of tration ; but, before alluding to it, it is necessary
^imjeet ^o continue the narrative of his progress after
SBCT. IL1 PROGRESS OF RUNJKET SING- 367
the check he received from Mr. Metcalfe in 1809. Con-
quest was the one object of his life, and his attention
was directed solely to the improvement of his army and the
accumulation of treasure, to the comparative neglect of
the civil administration. At the close of the rains his
army was assembled for some expedition with the regu-
larity of the seasons. This incessant warfare was exactly
suited to the martial character of the Sikh population,
whom it furnished with congenial occupation and with the
means of acquiring distinction and wealth. The prospect
of glory and plunder were the two chief elements of their
fidelity to their chief. He commenced the formation of
battalions on the model of the Company's army, and by
incessant attention to their drill, which he superintended
in person, eonverted his raw troops into an efficient force,
which he provided with an admirable artillery.
After the subjugation of all the independent Sikh chief-
tains in the Punjab, he entered into a convention with
Futteh Khan, the vizier of Cabul, for a joint n^ wn-
expedition to Cashmere; but the vizier antici- uuc<Jts.
pated his movements, and, having obtained possession of A D
the province by his o>vn unaided efforts, refused to resign 1817
any portion of it to llunjeet, who requited him by the
surreptitious seizure of Attock on the Indus, during his
absence. This led to a battle, in which Futteh Khan was
defeated, and the Sikh authority was permanently extended
to the banks of the river. In 181 H llunjeet Sing obtained pos-
session of the province of Mooltan, and taking advantage
of the murder of Futteh Khan, the vizier, whose talents igis
and energy had alone kept the Afghan monarchy from
dissolution, seized upon IVshawur, the capital of eastern
Afghanistan, but was speedily driven from it. This dis-
appointment was, however, compensated soon after by the
acquisition of Cashmere, and two years later of the Derajat, 1819
a strip of territory about 300 miles in length, lying on the
right bank of the Indus, and -• r1 i- : down to the confines
of Sinde.
In March 1822, Colonels Allard and Ventura, two 1822
of the French officers of the army of Napoleon who had
left Europe on the restoration of the Bourbons Arnvrtlof
and obtained employment in Persia, made their Fn-nch
way to Lahore and, after some hesitation, were offlt%cnj-
received into the service of Runjcet Sing. The Sikh
soldiery, previously distinguished by their courage, their
national enthusiasm, and their religious animation, received
368 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI.
from these officers and from Generals Court and Avitabile,
who followed them, the benefit of European tactics and
discipline, and became more effective and formidable than
the battalions which De Boigne had raised for Sindia, and
Raymond for the Nizam.
In March 1823 Runjeot Sing proceeded with an army of
23,000 men to establish his authority in Peshawar, but
A D Battle of * the Ensufzie Highlanders proclaimed a religious
1828 Noushera. war against the infidel Sikhs, and 5,000 of
them rushed down from their mountains and completely
defeated them. Fresh troops were brought up, and Run-
jeet eventually remained master of the field, and sacked
Peshawur. This battle is memorable from the fact that a
body of mountaineers, wild with religious enthusiasm,
succeeded in baffling the efforts of four times their number
of well trained and disciplined troops. The province was
left in the hands of Yar Mahomed, the hostile brother of
the ruler of Cabul, on condition of his paying tribute.
Four years after, the peace of the country was disturbed by
Syud Ahmed, a Mahomedan fanatic, who had been a petty
cavalry officer in the service of Ameer Khan, the Patan
freebooter, and on the dissolution of his army, turned
religious reformer, pretended to have visions from heaven,
and succeeded in raising a flame of fanaticism among his
co-religionists. Reference has already been made to 3iis
visit to Calcutta, from whence he proceeded to Mecca, the
fountain of Mahomedan enthusiasm, and returning to India
with more excited feelings, entered Afghanistan, where he
proclaimed a holy war against the infidels, and raised the
green flag of Islam, but was defeated by Ruujcet Sing's
1830 disciplined troops, and obliged to fly. He returned in
1880, and obtained possession of the province of Peshawur.
Elated with his success, he proclaimed himself Caliph, and
struck coin in the name of "Ahmed the first, the Defender
" of the Faith," but bis assumption and his arbitrary pro-
ceedings disgusted his followers, who expelled him from
the province, and he was overtaken by the Sikh troops and
put to death in May 1831.
In 1827 Lord Amherst took up his residence at the
sanitarium of Simla, which lies within 150 miles of Lahore,
. , 4 and Runieet Sing embraced the opportunity of
Lord Am- -,. Y • i • , .. .,?
hcrstand sending him a complimentary mission, with a
Runjeet. magnificent tent of shawls for the king of Eng-
land which he presented on his return. Runjeet Sing had
an extraordinary passion for horses, and Lord Ellen-
SKCT. II.] LIEUTENANT WTRNE8 AT LAHORE 369
borough, then President of the Board of Control, determined
to present him in return for the shawl tent with a team
of English dray-horses. The Indus was at the time not
much better known than in the days of Alexander the
Great ; and instead of despatching the cattle by the ordi-
nary route through Bengal and Hiiidostan, Lord Ellen-
borough resolved that they should be sent up the Indus,
with the view of exploring the river, and, if possible,
forming friendly relations with the chiefs on its banks.
On the arrival of the horses at Bombay, Sir John Malcolm,
the governor, selected Lieutenant — afterwards Sir Alex-
ander— Burnes to conduct the mission. At the mouth of
the Indus he entered the territory of Sinde, the Ameers of
which had always treated the English agents with hostility ;
and, as they considered his arrival an event of evil omen,
subjected him to great indignity, and twice constrained him
to retire from the country. They were induced at length to
grant him the means of transport, and he reached the
confines of the Punjab, through which he was escorted
with great pomp, and at the court was received with great
courtesy. When the letter from Lord Ellenborough was
presented to liunjcct Sing, a royal salute was fired from each
of sixty pieces of cannon, and Lieutenant Burnes was treated m
with distinguished honour as long as he remained at the jgjjj
court. He then proceeded to Simla where Lord William
Bentinck was residing, and submitted to him the result
of his researches regarding the commerce, politics, and
military resources of Smde and the other states on the
Indus. He was directed to return to Bombay through
Afghanistan, Balkh, and Bokhara.
The power of Runjeet Sing had been steadily increasing
for twenty years. Including tho contingents of his jageer-
dars, his arrny consisted of 80,000 men, animated _
.,,,, J » T ' . n . Resources of
with the success ot a dozen <•,•.•: j a .;n-. and in iiunjcet
part disciplined and commanded by European Smg<
officers. His artillery consisted of 376 guns and an equal
number of swivels. His annual revenue was estimated
at two crores and a half, and tho vaults of his treasury
contained ten crores. Though unable to read or write, he
fully comprehended the papers in Persian, Punjabee, and
Pushtoo, read to him by his able secretaries, who were in
attendance upon him day and night, and to whom he
dictated replies. But, though he had reached the summit
of power ho never arrogated the title of an independent
sovereign, but was content to be considered simply as the
B B
370 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI.
head of the Khalsa or Sikh commonwealth, a name
regarded with a feeling of superstitious devotion by the
chiefs and soldiers. He considered it a matter- of import-
ance to secure for his throne and dynasty the strength
which a close alliance with the British Government could
not fail to impart ; and Lord William Bentinck, on his side,
deemed it politic to demonstrate to the princes of India,
who 15egan to regard the progress of a native power under
Runjeet Sing with hope, that a feeling of cordiality
existed between the two states ; and a meeting was ac-
cordingly arranged to be hold at Roopur, on the banks of
the Sutlej.
This assembly was the most brilliant in which the repre-
sentative of the Company had ever taken a part. Lord
Meeting at William Bentinck, like Lord Cornwallis, was dis-
Raopur. tinguishcd for the simplicity of his habits, and
his dislike of the pageantry of power ; but he considered it
important to give eclat to this political meeting in the eyes
A D of India by tlie grandeur of its display. He descended
1831* from Simlah to Roopur on the 22nd October, and Runjeet
Sing arrived at the opposite bank of the river three days
after with a magnificent court, and 10,000 of his bestf horse
and 6,000 select infantry. The next day he crossed the
river on a bridge of boats, preceded and followed by his
chiefs mounted on elephants decked in gorgeous housings,
while a body of 4,000 horse whom he had brought with
him by way of caution, formed the wings of the procession.
Presents of every variety and of the most costly description
had been collected by the Governor-Gcnoral from all parts
of India, sufficient to efface the memory of the dray-horses.
Runjeet Sing scrutinized every article with the curiosity
of a child, and saw it carefully packed up and delivered to
his master of the jewel office. The following day the
Governor- General returned the visit ; the scene was one ot
extraordinary splendour ; the Sikh encampment exceeded
in magnificence anything which had been seen in India
since the days of Aurungzebe, and realised the highest
conceptions of oriental grandeur.
The frank manners of Runjeet Sing, his free enquiries and
lively conversation, gave an air of ease to ceremonials
which were usually stately and stiff. He called up and
paraded his favourite horses before Lord William Bentinck,
and recounted their names and virtues with much anima-
tion. In their company was also brought up one of the
dray-horses, as if to contrast his huge and shaggy legs
with their elegant limbs. A week was passed in displays,
SHOT. III.J ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS 871
entertainments, and reviews, recalling to mind the days of
Mogul magnificence, and the parties separated with a
mutual appreciation of each other* s power.
Runjeet Sing had long been eager to add Sinde to his
dominions, and to obtain possession of Shikarpore, a com-
mercial mart on the right bank of the Indus, of Treaty with
such magnitude and importance that the bills of Sinde.
its bankers passed current from Calcutta to Astrakhan. A.D.
During the meeting he sounded the secretaries on the 183i
subject of a joint expedition, hinting that, according to
Lieutenant Burncs, the treasury contained twenty crores,
and that the army was very feeble. But Lord William
Bentinck had already deputed Colonel Pottinger to en-
deavour to conclude a commercial treaty with the Ameers.
They were o\r •"•"1:: cr'y reluctant to form any connection at
all with the Company, lest the factory should, as elsewhere,
grow into a fortress. They yielded at length to the
importanity of the Colonel, but in the treaty of commerce
they signed caused it to be stipulated " that the contract-
" ing parties should never look with an eye of covetousness
" on the possessions of each other." Within eleven years
Sinde was a British province.
SECTION III.
LORD w. BENTINCK'S ADMINISTRATION — ADMINISTRATIVE
REFORMS — CHARTER OF 1833— SIR C. MRTCALF.
THE lustre of Lord William Bentinck's administration is
derived from his bold and enlightened reforms, his
intrepid philanthropy, and his efforts to pro- Administra-
mote material progress, in which he far sur- tiv° «*<>«&«•
passed all his predecessors. For thirty years the local
government had been engaged, with no encouragement
from England, in o-iulM'Oiinir British supremacy and con-
solidating the empire, and it remained to endow it with
improved and beneficial institutions. No substantial effort
had been made since the day of Lord Cornwallis to improve
them, and they had become in a great measure effete. For
the work of reformation Lord William Bentinck was
particularly qualified, by the clearness of his views, his
freedom from traditional prejudices, and his inflexible
resolution. His administration therefore forms one of the
great landmarks in the history of British India.
B B 2
872 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XL
The current of civil justice was blocked up by the
provincial courts, which Lord William Bentinck described
A.D. The pro- as " resting places for those members of the service
*831 ^nojfti " who were deemed fit for no higher responsi-
court!J' " bilities." "With some exceptions, the judicial
character of the judges was contemptible, while their dis-
cordant judgments in appeal only served to bewilder the
judges of the courts suboidinate to them. With regard to
criminal justice, their agency was a national grievance.
The judges went on circuit to hold sessions and gaol
delivery twice a year, and the accused were kept in con-
finement for months before they were brought to trial,
while the prosecutors and witnesses were detained through-
out this period at their own expense. Under such circum-
stances, it is of course no matter of surprise that the daroga
who came down to institute enquiries was considered by the
natives "the messenger of death," and that the conceal-
ment of crime became the one object of solicitude through-
out the country.
Lord William earned the gratitude of the country by
abolishing a class of tribunals which combined three of
the worst vices of law — delay, expense, and uncertainty.
The duties of the session were transferred to the judge of
the district, who was to hold a gaol delivery every month.
A separate Sudder, or chief court, was also established in
the North- West provinces, and the natives of Delhi were no
longer obliged to travel a thousand miles to Calcutta to pro-
secute an appeal. A corresponding boon was also conferred
on these provinces by the erection of a board of revenue at
Allahabad, which placed the control of the revenue of twenty-
three millions of people in the midst of them. The value
of these improvements was incalculably enhanced by con-
ferring on the natives the great blessing of the use of their
own vernacular tongue in all the courts, civil, fiscal, and
criminal, to which they were amenable, in lieu of the
Persian, which had been adopted from the Mahomedans to
whom it was familiar, whereas in the British courts it was
foreign equally to the parties, the witnesses, and the
judge.
One of the greatest transactions of Lord William
Bentinek's administration was the revenue settlement of
Revenue the North- West provinces. On the acquisition of
settlement the latest of these provinces by Lord Wellesley,
j£ *^ p in 1 804, he promised them a permanent settlement
at the end of ten years, if it was approved of by
8*cr. III.l SETTLEMENT IN NOKTH WKST PROVINCES 378
the Court of Directors. The Court repudiated the engage-
ment, and ordered it to be limited to five years ; but so brief
a term was fatal to all agricultural improvement. A
landholder considered it an act of folly to lay out money
in the improvement of his land when he knew that this would
only serve to increase his assessment in two or three years ;
and as the period of revision approached, wellswere filled up,
and cultivation was neglected. An effort was made to
grapple with this largo question in 1822, but the celebrated
regulation of that year was too complicated in its details to
be worked by the limited agency at the disposal of
Government, arid at the end of ten years the settlement
had scarcely begun. Lord William Bentinck was resolved
to remove the opprobrium of this neglect from the
administration, and made a tour through the provinces,
discussing the question in all its bearings with the revenue
officers in each district, and with the revenue board at
Allahabad; and on his return to the Presidency issued the
ri'LT-l .' ••! for the new settlement in 1833. It possessed
the great merit of simplicity, and dispensed with many of
the elaborate enquiries required by the former regulation.
The lands were minutely surveyed and classified accord-
ing to their quality, and an accurate measurement of
them wan placed on record, by which a prolific source of
discord and litigation was cut off, and the assessment was
then fixed for thirty years by the collector, after a free and
friendly communication with the people on the spot. The
general management of these large operations was entrusted
to Mr. Robert Bird, the ablest financial officer since the
days of Sir John Shore. His knowledge of the intricacies
of land tenure in the North- West provinces was greater than
that of any other man in the service, and he was moreover
endowed with that indomitable energy and that sternness
of purpose which enabled him to complete the settlement of
72,000 square miles, affecting the vital interests of twenty-
three millions of people, in the course of ten years. He was
allowed to select his own assistants, and the honour of
l.Jk1* '• .: • 'rved under him was considered as conferring a
<i «• :.<•• ..• for life.
The measure which above all others has endeared the
memory of Lord William Bentinck to the natives of India,
was the access he gave them to the public service. Employment
Their exclusion from every office except the lowest of natives,
and worst paid was the cardinal error of Lord Cornwallis's
administration. Such ostracism of a wholo people, who
374 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XL
A.D. had from time immemorial been accustomed to the manage-
1831 n-ent of public affairs in every department, was without a
parallel in history. The grandsons of the Gauls who
resisted Caesar became Roman senators ; the grandsons of
tbe Rajpoots who opposed Baber, and well-nigh nipped his
enterprise in the bud at Biana, were employed by his
illustrious grandson in the government of provinces and
the c'bmmand of armies, and shed their blood for him on
the shores of the Bay of Bengal and the banks of the Oxus,
and rewarded his confidence with unshaken loyalty to his
throne, even when it was shaken by the treachery of his
Mahomedan satraps. But wherever the Company's sove-
reignty was extended, every office of the least value was
bestowed exclusively on their own European and covenanted
servants ; and the natives of the country, however capable,
were at once excluded from all share in the government of
their own country, one of the most honourable aspirations
of humanity. Lord William Ben thick was deeply impressed
with the viciousness of this policy, and determined " to
" throw open the door of distinction to the natives, and to
u grant them a full participation in all the honours and
" emoluments of the state." This liberal policy was
ushered in by the regulations of 1831, which completely
reconstructed the legal establishments of the Bengal
Presidency, and entrusted the primary jurisdiction of all
suits, of whatever character or amount, not excluding those
instituted against Government, to native agency. They
were subsequently introduced into all other departmentn,
and have manifested such eagerness for state employ as, in
some measure, to impair the feeling of personal indepen-
dence. Another anomaly was likewise removed on this
occasion. The Company and their servants, from a morbid
dread of offending Hindoo prejudices, had debarred native
converts from holding any office, even that of a constable.
Lord William Bentinck ordained that in admitting natives
to the public service, there should be no distinction of caste,
creed, or nation.
The most benignant and memorable act of Lord William
Bentinck's administration was the abolition of suttee,
Abolition of which had been practised for twenty centuries
suttee. wherever Hindooism obtained a footing. The
1806 first effort to interfere with it was made by Mr. George
Udny, the member of Council, and Dr. Carey, who pre-
sented an address on the subject to Lord Wellesley. He
was then on the eve of leaving India, but recorded hia
SKCT. III.J ABOLITION OF SUTTEE 875
opinion iu favour of the abolition of it. Some attempts
were subsequently made to diminish the number of victims
by regulating the procedure, but the Court of Directors
justly observed that the practice was thereby rendered
more popular, inasmuch as, by prohibiting it in some cases,
the Government appeared to sanction it in all others. The
question was earnestly discussed for many years by some
of the most distinguished servants of the state, but they
all shrunk from the proposal of interdicting the practice.
In 1823 the Court of Directors sent a despatch to the
Government of India, in which all the arguments against
abolition were earnestly and honestly combated, and the
question was referred to the decision of the local autho-
rities ; but Lord Auckland found the opinions of the public
officers so discordant, as to be obliged to inform the
Court that he was not prepared to recommend the positive
prohibition of it; and they placed the question definitively
in the hands of Lord William Bentinck on his appointment.
Lord William Bentinck landed in Calcutta, feeling, as he
said, " the dreadful responsibility hanging over his head in
1 this world and the next, if, as the Governor- Iv0rdWlniam
* General of India, he was to consent to the Bcntmck'B
c continuance of this practice one moment longer, ei'quines>
4 not than our security, but than the real happiness and
' permanent welfare of the native population rendered
1 indispensable." He resolved "to come to as early a
' determination as a mature consideration would allow ;
1 and having made that determination, to stand by it, yea
or no, and set his conscience at rest." He immediately
circulated .a confidential communication among more than
fifty of the civil and military officers of Government, asking
their opinion as to the effect which the abolition would be
likely to produce in the country generally, and on the
minds of the sepoys in particular. The great majority of
the military officers asserted that the immediate and
peremptory abolition of the practice would create no alarm
among the native troops. Of the civil functionaries three-
fourths advocated its positive prohibition. Fortified by
these opinions, and secure of the support of the Court of A D
Directors, Loi\l William Bentinck, on the 4th December,
1829, promulgated that celebrated regulation which declared
" the practice of suttee illegal and punishable by the
" criminal courts as culpable homicide." Not the slightest
feeling of alarm or resentment was exhibited, except by a
few baboos in Calcutta, encouraged by Dr. Horace Hay man
876 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI
Wilson, the great orientalist, the idol of pundits and
brahmins. Within a twelvemonth Lord William Bentinck
was enabled to assure the Court of Directors that there
never was a greater bugbear than the fear of revolt on this
ground. The enlightened natives of the present day
regard it in the light of an extinct barbarism, just as we do
the human sacrifices of the T3ruicls.
It -fras during Lord William Bentinck's administration
that the first energetic measures were adopted to extirpate
A.D. Suppression the Thugs, a fraternity of hereditary assassins,
1830 of Thuggee. who subsisted by the plunder of the victims they
strangled. There were few districts without some resident
thugs, but they generally quitted their homes in small
bodies with the appearance of cultivators, leaving theii
families in the village. As they roamed through tho
country they attached themselves, as if by accident, to the
travellers they met, and entered into free and cheerful
conversation with them to obtain the information they
required ; and, on reaching some sequestered spot, suddenly
threw round the neck of the victim a strip of cloth or an
unfolded turban, the ends of which were drawn tight till
he ceased to breathe. His body was then rifled and
thrown into a pit hastily dug with pickaxes which had
been consecrated with religious ceremonials. The thugs were
bound to vsecrecy by solemn oaths, and recognised each
other by a slang vocabulary. They maintained a special
veneration for Doorga, the tutelary goddess of vagabonds,
* thieves, and murderers, observed her festivals with super-
stitious punctuality, and presented a portion of their plunder
at her most celebrated shrines. They endeavoured to
ascertain her wishes by signs and omens, and considered
themselves acting under divine authority when they were
favourable. They traversed the length and breadth of the
country, and their victims were counted by thousands.
Lord William Bentinck determined to spare no pains or
expense to deliver India from this scourge, and created a
special department for its suppression, which he placed
under the direction of Major — afterwards Sir William —
Sleeman, whose name is inseparably connected in the
annals of India with this mission of humanity. He organised
a comprehensive scheme of operations which embraced
every province, not exempting the native states, and by
means of approvers who turned king's evidence, obtained
a complete clue to the movements and operations of the
gangs. With the aid of an efficient staff of officers "whom
SECT. III.] STEAM COMMUNICATION 877
he bad himself selected, he took the field against them in
every direction, and within six years 2,000 of these garotters
were apprehended and convicted, and sentenced to death
or imprisonment, and the fraternity was broken up.
The attention of Lord William Bentinck was directed A.D.
immediately after his arrival to the establishment of steam 1831
communication on the Ganges. Under his direc- gfceam wm, to
tion, two vessels were built in Calcutta and fitted munication.
up with engines from England, and they performed the
voyage from Calcutta to Allahabad, which had usually
employed three months by water, in as many weeks. The
enterprise was .subsequently transferred to private com-
panies. A still more important object with him was the
abridgment of the voyage between India and England.
A considerable fund had been raised in Calcutta in 1823
to promote this object, and a premium was offered for any
steamer which should perform the voyage in seventy days.
The attempt was made in the Enterprise by Captain
Johnson, round the Cape, but he was 1 13 days accom-
plishing it. Lord William determined to try the experi-
ment through the Red Sea, and directed the Hugh Lindsay,
a small steamer of 400 tons, built at Bombay, to be sent
from that port to Suez, which she reached in a month.
Three other voyages were performed in succession, and it
was demonstrated that, with corresponding arrangements
in the Mediterranean, the voyage from Bombay to England
might be completed in fifty- five days. The Court of
Directors, however, raised an objection to these experi-
ments, and questioned whether the end in view would be
worth the expenditure, ami at length prohibited any farther
employment of the Jluah Lindsay in the conveyance of the
mails. The subject was tliCTi brought before the House of
Commons, who pasyed a resolution that ua regular and
" expeditious communication by steam between England
" and India was an object of national importance." The
Huf/h Lindsay was again put in requisition, but the Court
of Directors were lukewarm, and the enterprise was
performed in a perfunctory manner, and fell into abeyance.
It was reserved for the Peninsular and Oriental Company
to carry to a successful issue the large views of Lord
William Bentinck, and, with the aid of the Suez Canal,
to bring India within three weeks' distance of England.
The course of education received a fresh impulse, as
well as a more useful direction, from the efforts Education—
of Lord William Bentinck. The Parliamentary Orientalism.
378 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XL
vote of ten lacs of rupees for "the revival and promo-
" tion of literature, and the encouragement of learned
" natives," was interpreted in Leadenhall Street and in
Calcutta to apply to the revival of native literature, to
which it was exclusively applied. Mr. Adam distinguished
his brief tenure of office by appointing a Committee of
public instruction to suggest measures for the better
education of the people in useful knowledge, and the arts
and sciences of the West. This movement was strength-
ened by a despatch from the Court of Directors, drawn up
by Mr. James Mill, the historian of India, who had ob-
tained an important position at the India House, and
exercised a beneficial influence on its counsels, The edu-
cation department in Calcutta was under the control of Dr.
Horace Wilson, the great champion of Oriental literature
and institutions, and the Court was requested to sanction
the appropriation of funds from the Parliamentary grant
to improve the Hindoo college at Benares and the Maho-
medan college in Calcutta, and also to establish a Hindoo
college at the Presidency. In reply to this request, the
Court, at the suggestion of Mr. Mill, stated that, "in pro-
posing to establish seminaries for the purpose of teaching
mere Hindoo and mere Mahomedan literature, the
1 Government bound itself to teach a great deal of what
was frivolous, not a little of what was purely mischiev-
* ous, and a small remainder indeed in which utility was
* in any way concerned. The great end of Government
n ' should be, not to teach Hindoo or Mahomedan learning,
' but useful learning." But Orientalism was still in the
ascendent in Calcutta, and with some trifling exceptions to
save appearances, the funds continued to be appropriated
to the studies which the Court had condemned.
J833 Meanwhile a predilection for an English education was
gaming ground in and around the metropolis, and the
predomt- demand for it was pressed with increased earnest-
nance of ness on the education board. The board was
ng l8 ' divided into two hostile and irreconcilable parties —
the Orientalists and the Anglicists — the one anxious to devote
the education funds to the study of the Shastres and
the Koran, the other, to the object of unfolding the stores
of European science to the natives through the English
language ; and it became necessary to appeal to the
Government. It happened that Mr. Macaulay was not only a
member of the Supreme Council, but also president of the
board, and he denounced with irresistible force the con-
SHOT. III.] THE MEDICAL COLLEGE 379
tinned promotion of Orientalism as tending, not to support
the cause of truth, but to delay the death of error. " We
" are at present," he said, " a hoard for printing books
* which give artificial encouragement to absurd history,
" absurd metaphysics, absurd physics, and absurd theo-
u logy." The question was brought to an issue on the
7th March, 1835, by the resolution passed by Lord William
Bentinck, in which he most cordially concurred, that
the great object of the British Government ought to be
the promotion of European literature and science among
the natives of India ; and that the funds appropriated
to education would be best employed on English educa-
tion alone." The cause of English education triumphed,
and the language and literature of England have become
almost as familiar to the upper ten thousand in our Indian
empire as the language of Rome was to the same class
within the circle of her empire.
The last and crowning act of Lord William Bentinck's 1835
administration was the establishment of the medical
college to supersede native quackery, and to give The medical
a complete education to native students in every college,
branch of medical science, through the medium of English
treatises and English lectures. The most eminent medical
officers in the service were placed in the professor's chairs ;
a library and a museum were created ; and every appliance
necessary to place it on the same footing of efficiency as a
European college was supplied with a liberal hand. Sage men
of reputed wisdom predicted the failure of the experiment,
inasmuch as contact with a dead body had been considered
by the Hindoos a mortal pollution for twenty centuries ;
but their predictions have proved visionary ; the Hindoo
students resorted freely to the dissecting- room, and handled
the scalpel with European indifference ; and the college
has proved an incalculable blessing to the country. The
students have even crossed the " black water," and visited
England to complete their studies, and have successfully
competed with their European rivals.
With two trifling exceptions, Lord William Bentinck's
administration was a reign of peace, and it produced the
usual result on the finances. He found a deficit Financial
of a crore, and he left a surplus of a crore and a results.
half, which his successor wasted in the Afghan war, as his
predecessor had squandered the surplus left by Lord Hast-
ings on the Burmese war. He embarked for England in
March 1835, having held the government for nearly eight
380 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI
1828* vears' ^s Administration marks the most memorable
to period in the improvement of India between the days of
1835 Lord Oornwallis and Lord Dalhousie. He repudiated the
stagnant policy of the Government, and introduced an
enlightened and a progressive spirit into every department
of the state, the impulse of which still continues in vigorous
operation. He infused new blood into the sluggish veins
of the public instil tions, and imparted life and animation to
them. The originality of his plans of improvement was
not less remarkable than the boldness with which they
were executed. He earned the gratitude of the natives by
opening to them an honourable career in the government
of their own country, and the applause of Christendom by
the moral courage he displayed in putting down suttees.
The native and the European community vied with each other
in commemorating the blessings of his reign, and in raising
a subscription for the erection of his statue in Calcutta.
It was enriched by an inscription from the pen of Mr.
Macaulay : — " This statue is erected to William Cavendish
" Bentinck, who, during seven years, ruled India with
" eminent prudence, integrity, and benevolence ; who,
4 placed at the head of a great empire, never laid aside the
4 simplicity and moderation of a private citizen; who
1 infused into Oriental despotism the spirit of British free-
' dom ; who never forgot that the end of government is
„ * the welfare of the governed ; who abolished cruel rites ;
4 who effaced humiliating distinctions; who allowed liberty
* to the expression of public opinion ; whose constant study
* it was to elevate the moral and intellectual character of
4 the Government committed to his charge. This monu-
4 ment was erected by men who, differing from each other
" in race, in manners, in language, and in religion, cherish
" with equal veneration and gratitude the memory of his
" wise, upright, and paternal administration." On his
return to England, Lord William Bentinck was elected
member for Glasgow, the only retired Governor- General
who ever sat in the House of Commons ; and, with the ex-
cepfcion of Warren Hastings, he was also the only Governor-
General on whom no title of distinction was bestowed by
the Crown.
The period for which the commercial and political privi-
leges of the Company had been granted expired in 1838,
The charter an<^ ^ ^e^ ^o ^r- Charles Grant, the President of
of 1888. the Board of Control, to introduce the question
of the new charter to the notice of the House. The two
SECT. III.] THE CHARTER OF 1833 381
salient points which demanded its attention were those A.D.
which referred to the continuance of the monopoly of the
trade to China and to the government of India. It was
found impossible to resist the demands of the merchants
and manufacturers for a participation in the commerce of
China, and it was thrown open to the country, and the
commercial character of the Company ceased altogether,
after it had continued for 234 years. The government of
India was left in their hands for a further period of twenty
years. Several minor, bat not unimportant, ai MiitrcHiicnts
were also made in reference to the policy of the Govern-
ment in India. A fourth Presidency was created to embrace
the North- West provinces. The power of legislation was
now, for the first time, conferred on the Government, to
embrace the whole empire, including all persons — British,
foreign, or native — all places, and all things, as well as all
courts, whether created by local authority or established
by royal charter, but with certain necessary reservations
touching the royal prerogative and the privileges of Par-
liament. A fourth member was also added to the Supreme
Council who was to be an English jurist of reputation;
and the oilice was dignitied by the genius of Mr. Macaulay.
It was moreover enacted that no native of India, nor any
native-born subject of his Majesty, should be disabled from
holding any place, otlice, or employment, by reason of his
religion, place of birth, descent, or colour. Another clause,
which sanctioned the purchase of land by Europeans and
their free settlement in India, was opposed to the deep-seated
sentiments of the India House, and was not carried without
considerable opposition.
In communicating the arrangements of the charter to
the Governments in India, the Court of Directors expressed
their determination to strain every nerve "to Effect of the
accomplish the just and benevolent intentions charter.
of their country in deleirating to them the legislative as
well as the executive administration of the weightiest,
the most important, and the most interesting of its
transmarine possessions." They invited tho full and
cordial co-operation of their officers abroad in the discharge
of these heavy responsibilities. Released from the manage-
ment of a large mercantile concern, and the disturbing
influences inseparably connected with it, they were enabled
to devote their energies exclusively to their great political
trust. Their minds acquired a higher tone, and it may be
affirmed without the risk of controversy, that, with the
882 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI,
exception of an occasional ebullition of traditional prejudice
— the old cobwebs of the India House — the principles and
measures which they inculcated on their servants in India
during the remaining twenty-five years of their rule were
marked by a character of wisdom, moderation, and bene-
ficence, of which no other example can be found in the
history , of conquered dependencies.
On the arrival of Lord William Bentinck's resignation,
the Court of Directors offered the post to Mr. Mount-
Q ver Stuart Elphinstone, but the state of his health
A D. nor-Generai- obliged him to decline it. They then proceeded
1836 pute.in *** to Pass a resolution that, " i • -1 \ < : ' • i •/ to the public
" character and services of 6ir Charles Metcalfe "
— who succeeded temporarily to the office as the senior
member of Council — " it would be inexpedient at present
" to make any other arrangement for supplying the place
" of Govern or- General." But the ministry refused to con-
firm their choice, and took their stand upon the dictum of
Mr. Canning, when President of the Board of Control,
that "the case could hardly be conceived in which it would
* be expedient that the highest office in the Government
* of India should be filled otherwise than from England,
' and that this main link between the system of the Indian
' and the British Government ought, for the n-'lvnt tairo
' of both, to be invariably maintained." The Court of
Directors remonstrated with great warmth against the
•> adoption of a principle which involved the wholesale ex-
clusion of their servants from the highest prize in their
service. Soon after, the Whigs gave place to a Tory
cabinet, and Lord Ellenborough, the new President of the
Board of Control, offered the post a second time to Mr.
Elphinstone, who he knew must decline it, and then
nominated Lord Heytesbury, a diplomatist of European
reputation, to the office. No sooner, however, had he been
sworn in at the India House, and received the accustomed
allowance for his outfit, and the usual valedictory banquet
at the London Tavern, than the Whigs returned to power
and immediately cancelled the appointment. The Tory
Government which succeeded to power in 1807, had re-
frained from interfering with the appointment of Lord
Minto by their Whig predecessors, though he had not left
the shores of England ; but the Whig Government of
1837 had not the grace to follow the example. The Court
of Directors earnestly protested against a proceeding which
made the vital interests of the British empire in India
SECT. III.] THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS 383
subservient to the claims of political partisanship in Eng-
land ; but Lord Auckland, the Whig First Lord of the
Admiralty, was nevertheless sent out to Calcutta.
The Charter Act created a fourth Presidency at Agra,
and the eminent services of Sir Charles Metcalfe were re-
warded by the grant of the first appointment, and sir Charles
by the still more dignified position of provisional Metcalfe-
Governor- General. He had not, however, been long at
Agra before he was obliged to return to Calcutta, and
assume the government on the departure of Lord William
Bentinck. He occupied the office for a twelvemonth, and
distinguished his administration by the legal establishment
of the liberty of the press. The truculent law passed by
Mr. Adam in 1823, which still continued on the statute-
book, had been enforced on one or two occasions to the
ruin of the printers, but the odium of these arbitrary pro-
ceedings was found to damage the character of Government
During the latter period of Lord Amherst's govern-
ment the press was practically free. Lord William
Bentinck avowed his invincible aversion to any political
restrictions, and, moreover, had a profound contempt for
the animadversions of the press ; but the freedom it thus
enjoyed was only by sufferance. Sir Charles Metcalfe felt
that it was no longer possible to stop there. Parliament
had recently granted Europeans liberty to purchase land and
to make settlements in India, and Government lost the power
of deporting those who rendered themselves obnoxious by
their pens ; Europeans, moreover, expected to enjoy the
privilege they possessed in other British possessions of
giving expression to their opinions. Sir Charles Metcalfe
had always been a warm advocate of the freedom of the
press, and, availing himself of the legislative power recently
conferred on the Government, he lost no time in passing
an. Act repealing all the regulations by which it had been
gagged, and makiug it legally free. The Act was received
with feelings of enthusiasm by the European community in
India, and by the native gentry most distinguished in
society, and a subscription was raised to commemorate the
event by erecting a noble hall which bears his name.
In the meantime an important change was made in the
position of the Agra Presidency, which had been conferred
on Sir Charles. In deference to the earnest Reductlon
wishes of the Court of Directors, it was reduced of the
to the subordinate position of a lieutenant-
governorship. Sir Charles naturally felt a re-
384 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OP INDIA [CHAP. XI.
pugnance to descend to the inferior state of a lieutenant of
the Governor- General after having himself occupied that
supreme post, and he determined to retire from the service ;
but the chairman of the Court of Directors appealed to his
patriotic feelings to retain the office on its reduced scale,
and still to give the Company the benefit of his highly
valued, services. He was decorated with the grand cross
of the Bath, and a third time nominated provisional
Governor- General. He yielded to these solicitations, and
to the importunities of Lord Auckland, and proceeded to
Agra , but was not destined to remain there long. Soon
after his arrival ho heard that the press law had exas-
perated the India House, and created a complete revul-
sion of feeling regarding him and his claims. The Court
of Directors regarded the freedom of the press with the
same antipathy they had formerly felt to freedom of trade,
and they took an early opportunity of manifesting their
displeasure. The Government of Madras fell vacant, and
Sir Charles naturally expected that, after the sacrifice he
had made, it would have been conferred on him ; but the
Court of Directors would not condescend so much as to
include his name among the candidates. There was a
unanimous acknowledgment at the India House of his pre-
eminent qualifications for it, but it was candidly avowed
that his late proceeding regarding the press had cancelled
every claim on their consideration. To Mr. Melville, the
secretary at the India House, he wrote that reports were
in circulation of his having incurred the displeasure of the
Court of Directors and lost the governorship of Madras in
consequence of the press law. If that misfortune had
befallen him, it was his earnest entreaty that they would
intimate their pleasure that he might retire from their
service. After keeping the letter for four months, the
Court sent a curt and discourteous reply, on the receipt of
which he immediately sent in his resignation, and his con-
nection with the East India Company was brought to a
termination by treatment similar to that which had been
inflicted on some of the greatest of his predecessors. But
the services which the Company thought lit to discard
were fully appreciated by the ministry, and he was succes-
sively entrusted with the government of two of the most
important colonies of the Crown.
SECT. I.] LORD AUCKLAND'S ADMINISTRATION 885
CHAPTER XII.
SECTION I.
LORD AUCKLAND — COMMENCEMENT OF THE AFGHAN WAR.
LORD AUCKLAND was sworn in as Governor- General on the A-lx
20th March. At the valedictory entertainment given him
by the Court of Directors he assured them that LordAuck
he looked with exultation at the opportunity land
now afforded him of doing good to his
fellow- creatures, of promoting education, and
extending the blessings of good government to the
millions in India." Seldom have expectations been so
signally disappointed ; his melancholy administration is
comprised in one disastrous transaction, the Afghan war,
the origin of which may be dated in July, 1837, and the
catastrophe in which it closed occurred in January, 1841.
To form a correct idea of this momentous transaction, it is
necessary to trace the convergence of events in Afghanistan
and the Punjab, in Persia and Russia, to the period when this
ill-starred expedition was undertaken.
Shah Soojah, the exiled monarch of Cabul and the
British pensioner at Loodiana, made a second effort to re-
cover his throne in 1833. He crossed the Indus shah
without the least opposition, and in January de- S00^- 1334
ieated the Ameers of Sinde at Shikarpore, and constrained
them to make him an immediate payment of five lacs of
rupees. On his advance to Candahar he was met by Dost
Mahomed and completely routed, when he retraced his steps
to his old retreat and pension at Loodiana. While the troops
of the Dost were engaged in repelling him, Runjeet Sing
made an irruption across the Indus and took possession of
the province of Peshawur. At this juncture a wild and
predatory tribe on the right bank of the river made repeated
inroads into the Hazara district which Runjeet Bun-ect
Sing had also subjugated ; and as they were traced, sing's
whether with or without reason, to the instiga- gSfJ£8 on
tiou of the Ameers of Sinde, the Punjab army
took possession of two of their forts, and both parties stood
00
386 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA |"CHAP. XII,
ready for a conflict which would doubtless have ended in
the discomfiture of the Ameers and the extension of Uunjeet
Sing's authority throughout the course of the Indus down
to the sea, which it was the determination of the Govern-
ment of India to prevent. It was with difficulty Colonel
Pottinger restrained the rulers of Sinde from rushing into
war ; ,and Captain Wade, our representative with Runjeet
Sing, was obliged to allude forcibly to the risk he must incur
if he pursued designs which were opposed by the British
Government. On the other hand his gallant and ambitious
officers importuned him to resist at all hazards the restric-
tions thus imperiously placed on the extension of his terri-
tories ; but lie shook his venerable beard, and asked where
were now the 200,000 Mahratta swords which had once
bade defiance to the Company. He bowed to the majesty of
British power, and at once relinquished the expedition to
Sinde.
A.D. The loss of Peshawar rankled in the bosom of Dost
1835 Mahomed, and he assumed the character of a ghazee, or
_ . _r champion of the faith, and proclaimed a religious
Dost Ma- r . , • n -i i cri i mv n/r i j
homed at war against the mhdel biklis. Ihe Mahomcdun
Peshawur. world in Central Asia was immediately in com-
motion, and from the regions of the Hindoo Coosh, from
the wilds of Turkestan, and the farthest recesses of the
mountains thousands poured down to join the standard of
the Prophet. The spirit of Runjeet Sing appeared to quail
* before this host of infuriated fanatics ; and, while he advanced
with his army to the defence of Poshawur, ho sent one
Harland, an American adventurer, ostensibly on a mission to
Dost Mahomed, but in reality to sow dissensions in the
Afghan camp; and so successful was he in planting a feel-
ing of jealousy of the growing power of the Dost among
his brothers, that one of them abruptly withdrew with
10,000 men. The encampment was thrown into a state of
inextricable confusion and dismay. " At break of day," as
Harland reported, " not a vestige of the Afghan camp was
" to be seen, where, six hours before, 50,000 men and
" 10,000 horse were rife with the tumult of wild emotion."
Dost Mahomed retired with deep chagrin to Cabul.
1836 On hearing of Lord Auckland's arrival in Calcutta, the
Dost sent him a complimentary letter, and, in allusion to
Movements n*s unnaPPJ relations with Runjeet Sing, asked
of the him " to communicate whatever miu,ht suggest
Dost. << jtgejf to hjs mjnj for t|ie settlement of the
" affairs of the country." Lord Auckland returned a
SECT. I.J PROGRESS OF RUSSIA IN THE EAST 387
friendly reply, and stated his intention to send a gentleman
to Cabul shortly " to discuss questions of commerce ;" but,
with regard to the Sikh quarrel, said, " My friend, you are
" aware that it is not the practice of the British Government
" to interfere with the affairs of other independent states."
Despairing of any assistance from the British Government A D
the Dost, at the beginning of 1837, applied to the king of 1831
Persia, as to the " King of Islam," to relieve him from the
" misery caused by the detestable tribe of Sikhs." Im-
patient to wipe out the disgrace he had sustained, he sent
his son Akbar Khan with a large army into the province of
Peshawur, and the Sikhs were completely defeated. Rein-
forcements were pushed forward from the Punjab with a
degree of promptitude and speed which has seldom been ex-
ceeded, and the Afghans were in their turn obliged to with-
draw to Cabul. It was at this critical juncture that Captain
Burnes, Lord Auckland's envoy, made his appearance to
discourse of trade aud manufactures.
The Russians, like the Romans, have systematically
devoted their energies to the extension of their power and
dominion, and for more than a century have pro- T) ,
j. i i e T j. • TH i Progress of
secuted schemes ot aggrandisement in Europe and Russia in
Asia without intermission or failure. After hav- the Ea8fc*
ing succeeded in bringing the Khirgis Cossacks to sub-
ordination, they took up their position on the Jaxartes in
1830, and gradually advanced eastward with a steady pace,
fixing their grasp on Central Asia more firmly at every
step. On that river they erected a chain of forts extending
from its estuary in lake Ural to fort Vernoe, 700 miles
eastward. Meanwhile the ambitious diplomatists of Russia
had been pushing her influence in Persia, and through
Persia up to Afghanistan. On the death of the king
Putteh AH, who had always been favourable to an English
alliance, he was succeeded by his grandson Mahomed
Shah, who threw himself into the arms of Russia. Since
the first mission of Captain Malcolm, the British Govern-
ment had expended more than a civ-re of rupees in em-
bassies and subsidies to Persia in order to acquire a pre-
dominant influence at the court, which might serve as a
bulwark to the empire of India. The ministry had now the
mortification of finding this labour and expenditure thrown
away, and the British influence at Teheran completely
superseded by that of Russia.
The monarchs of Persia had long coveted the possession
of Herat, the key of Western Afghanistan, and Mahomed
c c 2
888 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII
Shah had resolved on a second expedition to it. The ruler.
Negotiations Shah Kamran, had made repeated inroads into
at Herat. fae Persian territory, and, according to official
A.D. report, had kidnapped 12,000 of the subjects of Persia and
1837 sold them into slavery. Mr. M'Neill, the British minister
at the court of Teheran, asserted that the expedition to
Herat was fully justified by the atrocities of its ruler, but
that, in the present state of the relations of Russia with
Persia, the entry of a Persian army into Afghanistan
would be tantamount to the advance of Russian influence
to the threshold of India, which would not fail to disturb
the tranquillity of the empire. He used every argument
to dissuade the Shah from the expedition, while on the
other hand the Russian minister at the court encouraged
him to persevere, and offered him every kind of assistance.
The ministry in London presented a remonstrance on the
subject at St. Petersburg, and the emperor replied that
Count Simonich, his envoy, had exceeded his instructions ;
but he was not recalled, and his proceedings were so com-
pletely in accordance with the national feeling that tho
"Moscow Gazette" threatened that the noxt treaty with
England should bo dictated in Calcutta.
The Shah set out for Herat in the month of July with
50,000 troops and fifty pieces of cannon, exulting in the
1837 The Herat prospect of overthrowing the Sikhs and following
expedition. ^ course of Nadir Shah to Delhi. The expedition
* was considered as betokening the triumph of Russian over
British influence in Persia, and created a profound sensa-
tion not only throughout Central Asia, but also in India,
where the native princes began to speculate on the humili-
ation of the Company. The Mahomedans looked for the
advent of a countless host of the faithful, backed by
200,000 " Russ." Exaggerated reports of great move-
ments in Central Asia, the cradle of Indian revolutions for
eight centuries, were spread far and wide, and in the re-
mote Deccan people began to bury their money and
jewels in the ground.
During this commotion Lord Auckland left Calcutta and
proceeded to Simla. The north-west provinces were at
Lord Auck- ^ne ^me visited with a desolating famine, which
land's move- Was calculated to have swept away 500,000 of
men s. ^.g inhabitants, and Lord Auckland, whoso camp
of 20,000 men served to aggravate the calamity, was en-
treated to retrace his steps to Calcutta. If he had lis-
tened to this advice and returned to the seat of Govern-
SHOT. I.] CAPTAIN BURNES AT CABUL 389
ment, and had thus been brought under the wholesome
influence of the members of Council, the Company would
have been spared the horrors of the Afghan war, but he
resolved to continue his progress. At Simla his cabinet
council consisted of Mr. Macnaghten, the foreign secretary,
Mr. Colvin, his private secretary, and Mr. Torrens, a young
civilian of great parts and great impetuosity ; but they
were all men of much greater strength of character and
resolution than Lord Auckland, and the war is to be attri-
buted to their influence. The home Government, seeing in
every direction the indication of a restless and aggressive
spirit on the part of Russia and • \'n** : i- directed against
the security of the British empire in India, had instructed
the Government to adopt vigorous measures for its protec-
tion ; and Mr. M'Ncil), the minister in Persia, strongly ad-
vised Lord Auckland to raise up a barrier in Afghanistan
by subsidising and strengthening- Dost Mahomed.
It was at this period of fermentation that Captain A.D.
Barnes appeared at Cabul. In the East, the importance of
a mission is measured by the value of the presents ; captain
and the magnificence of the gifts of Mr. Mount- Burnes nt
stuart Elphinstone in 1808 was not forgotten.
When, therefore, Captain Burnes opened his treasury, con-
sisting of a pistol and telescope for the Dost, and some
pins and needles for the zenana, he and his embassy sunk
at once into contempt. He found the influence of Persia para-
mount in Afghanistan. The Dost's brothers, the rulers of
Candahar, were negotiating an alliance offensive and defen-
sive with the Shah, and an envoy had arrived at their
court to complete the treaty, together with an ambassador
with robes and presents for the Dost. The passionate de-
sire of his heart was the recovery of Peshawur, and he
assured Captain Burnes that if lie were permitted to hope
for any assistance from the British Government, he would
break off all intercourse with Persia, and send back the
plenipotentiary from Candahar. But Lord Auckland had
a morbid dread of giving offence to Runjeet Sing, and re-
fused to listen to any proposal rognrdin^ Peshawur. Yet
the Sikh ruler had offered to restore it to Dost Mahomed if he
would pay tribute for it ; and the Dost was prepared to
hold it as a fief, sending the customary presents to Lahore ;
and there can be no doubt that if the cabinet Council at
Simla had boldly met the question, and entrusted the
settlement of it to Captain Burnes at Cabul, and to Cap-
tain Wade at Lahore, it would have been brought to an
390 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII.
early and satisfactory issue, and the Dost would have been
secured as an ally ; but from first to last a spirit of infa-
tuation pervaded the Afghan policy of the Government.
Captain Burnes had threatened the Candahar chiefs with
the severe displeasure of the British Government if they
persisted in cultivating the Persian alliance, and they dis-
missed .-the envoy without the usual ceremonies, on the assur-
ance of Captain Burnes that he would protect them from
the displeasure1 of the Persians, and, if necessary, subsidise
their troops. Lord Auckland severely reprimanded him
for having exceeded his instructions, and directed him to
inform the rulers that he had held out expectations which
his Government declined to sanction ; and they lost no
time in completing the treaty with Persia, which was rati-
fied by the Russian minister at Teheran, who engaged
to defend Candahar from every attack. The proposal of
Captain Burnes was, however, highly approved of by the
ministry in London.
After the receipt of Lord Auckland's unfavourable reply
in 1836, Dost Mahomed despatched an envoy to solicit the
The Russian emperor of Russia to protect him from the Sikhs,
envoy. Captain Viktevitch was thereupon sent to Cabul
with rich presents, and an autograph from the emperor,
the authenticity of which has been questioned, but never
A n. disproved. He arrived in Cabul on tho 10th December,
1837 and the Dost immediately visited Captain Burnes, and as-
* sur^d him that he desired no connection except with the
English Government, and was ready to dismiss the Russian
envoy summarily if any hopes were held out to him from
Simla. Captain Burnes, on the one hand, dissuaded him
from so imprudent a step, and, on the other, urged on
Lord Auckland tho importance of immediate and decided
action in this neck-to-neck struggle between Russia and
England at Cabul ; but Lord Auckland replied that he
must waive all hope of Peshawur, and be content with
whatever arrangement Runjeet Sing might think fit to
make. The Dost then stated that he should consider him-
self safe if the province were placed jointly in his hands
and those of his brother, who governed it on behalf of
RunjeetSing ; and Captain Burnes again importuned Lord
Auckland to give a favourable hearing to his representations,
assuring him that the Afghan ruler was so anxious to culti-
vate the friendship of England that tho Russian envoy had
not been acknowledged up to that time. This hope, how-
ever, was finally quenched by tho letter which tho cabinet
SECT. II.] EXPEDITION TO AFGHANISTAN 391
of secretaries at Simla persuaded the Governor- General
to address to Dost Mahomed. It was not only supercilious,
but arrogant ; every sentence in it was calculated to kindle
a flame of indignation in the breast of the Afghan nobility,
and Captain Burnes's mission became hopeless.
In the last resort, the Dost addressed a conciliatory letter
to the Governor- General, imploring him, in language border-
ing on humility, to remedy the grievances of the Retirement
Afghans, and give them a little i ;.<• "muri'i"1!-"1 ; of Captain
but he turned a deaf ear to every overture, and Burnes<
continued to require that he should reject the alluring
offers made by Russia and Persia, while he himself offered
nothing in return but good offices to prevent the farther
encroachment of the Sikhs. It could scarcely have been
unknown at Simla that Runjeet Sing had no more
idea of marching to Cabul than to Pekin, and that the
mere mention of the Khyber pass, as General Avitabile A.D.
affirmed, gave the Sikh soldiers the colic. When the last 1838
ray of hope vanished, the Russian envoy was conducted
with great parade through the streets, and received at the
durbar with much distinction. Captain Burnes returned
to Simla, and fouud a strong feeling of animosity against
the Dost in Lord Auckland's advisers, who were irritated to
perceive that, instead of meekly submitting to their dicta-
tion, he wavS sitting at the ^ate of India hesitating whether
to accept their terms or the oflbrs of their opponents,
and it was resolved to march across the Indus and depose
him, and to reinstate Shah Soojah on the throne. It was
at first contemplated that an expedition should be organised
to conduct him to Cabul, and that the British Government
should contribute all the necessary funds, as well as a body
of officers to discipline and command his troops, and a
representative to accompany him. But it was soon appa-
rent that, unless the Government of India engaged in the
war as principals, it must end in a deplorable failure. It
was accordingly determined to send a large British army
into the unexplored regions of Central Asia, where all con-
voys of provisions, stores, and ammunition must traverse the
states of doubtful allies, and thread long and dangerous
mountain defiles, beset with wild and plundering tribes, to
oblige the Persians to raise the siege of Herat, to drive
Dost Mahomed from Afghanistan, and to place Shah Soojah
in his seat. A tripartite treaty was negotiated and
concluded by Mr. Macnaghten between the Government of
India, Shah Soojah, and Runjeet Sing, who engaged to
892 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII
contribute the aid of a body of troops on condition that
the Shah should confirm his right to the possessions he had
acquired beyond the Indus, and divide with him whatever
sums he might be able to extort from the Ameers of Sinde.
The expedition was undertaken chiefly under the advice of
Mr. Colvin, though Sir John Hobhouse, the President of
the Board of Control, subsequently claimed to share the
resp&nsibility of it, inasmuch as his letter, authorising it on
the part of the ministry, crossed the letter from Simla an-
nouncing that it had been commanded. With the exception
of the ministerial circle in Downing Street and the secre-
taries at Simla this preposterous enterprise was universally
condemned. Mr. Elphinstone stated that " if 27,000 men
" could be sent through the Bolan Pass to Candahar, and
" we could feed them, we might tako Cabul and set up
" Shah Soojah ; but it was hopeless to maintain him in a
"poor, cold, strong, and remote country, among a turbulent
" people like the Afghans/' Lord William Bentinck con-
sidered the project an act of incredible folly. Lord Welles-
ley regarded " this wild expedition, 800 miles from our
'frontier and our resources, into one of the most difficult
' countries of the world, a land of rocks and deserts, of
' sands, and ice, and snow, as an act of infatuation." The
!Duke, with prophetic sagacity, affirmed that "the conse-
'quenee of once crossing the Indus to settle a Govern-
' ment in Afghanistan would be a perennial march into the
* country/* An attempt was made to justify the expedition
AmT) in a manifesto dated at Simla the 1st October, one
1838 of the most remarkable documents in tho Company's
archives, unique for its unscrupulous misstatements and
its audacious assertions. A single instance will suffice to
stamp its character : it affirmed that the orders for assem-
bling the army were issued in concurrence with the Supreme
Council, whereas the Council, when required to place tho
proclamation on record, remonstrated on the consum-
mation of a policy of such grave importance without their
having had any opportunity of expressing their opinion on
it. The immediate object was said to be to succour the
besieged garrison of Herat, and to that memorable siege we
now turn.
The province of Herat, tho acquisition of which had for
many years been the one object of desire to the sovereigns
The siege of °f Persia, is the only route through which a large
Herat. and wcll equipped army can advance from the
north-west towards India, and is considered the gate of
SECT. L] SIEOE OF HERAT 393
Afghanistan on the west, as Cabul is on the east. All the
materials for the equipment and maintenance of an army
are to be found in great abundance, and the fertility of
the soil has given it the title of the granary of Central Asia.
The king, Kamran, was one of the worst specimens of an
Oriental despot and voluptuary, and his minister, Yar
Mahomed, though not devoid of courage and abilities, was
justly described as " the greatest scoundrel in Afghanis-
" tan." The king of Persia sat down before it on the
23rd November; the fortification s were crumbling away, *
and the town might have been carried by a vigorous
assault on the first day. Its successful defence was owing
to the exertions of one man. A few days before the com-
mencement of the siege, a young officer of the Bombay
Artillery, Lieutenant Eldred Pottinger, who had been sent
to make researches in Central Asia, entered the town in
the garb of a si/ud, or descendant of Mahomed, and resolved
to remain and take part in the approaching struggle. His
services were readily accepted by the king and the vizier,
and the natural ascendancy of genius speedily gave him
the chief direction of operations. The garrison was ani-
mated with a spirit ot% great resolution, and under his
inspiration baffled all the assaults of the Persians for five
months, though assisted by a regiment of Russians, who
were styled deserters to save appearances. Mr. M*Neill,
the English minister at Teheran, joined the Persian camp on
the 6th April, and, finding both parties inclined to accept 1838
his mediation, proceeded into the city to negotiate with
Shah Kamran, and there was every prospect of an early
accommodation ; but, during his absence, the Russian
minister who followed him from the capital in all haste had
reached tho Shah's encampment, and urged the continu-
ance of tho siege, and advanced funds for the support of
the army. Tho aspect of affairs was immediately changed ;
the Shah gave a cold reception to the British minister on
his return from the city, rejected the amicable arrange-
ment he had made, and announced his resolution to renew
tho siege ; and Mr. M'Neill retired to the Turkish frontier.
The 24th June was fixed for a general assault. The
works were attacked under the personal direction of Count
Simonich, the Russian minister, and his engineer The siege
officers at five points ; the assailants were re- raised,
pulsed from four of them, but at tho fifth a practical breach
was made in the defences, and the courage of the Heratees
began to fail. Yar Mahomed withdrew from the carnage;
894 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII.
A,D. but Pottinger dragged him back to the breach, and urged
1838 on t;he defence with such irresistible energy that the
Persians, when on the point of gaining the city, recoiled
and fled, leaving 1,700 in killed and wounded. The
siege was then turned into a blockade, and the inhabitants
suffered the extremity of want. Meanwhile, two steamers
were,- sent by the Government of India to occupy the
island of Karrack, and they were magnified by rumour
into a portentous squadron. Mr. M'Neill took advantage
of the consternation created by this movement to send
Colonel Stoddart to the Persian camp to assure the king
that, if he did not relinquish his design, he would bring on
himself the hostility of the British Government who had
already sent an armament into the Persian G ulf. The king
wanted only a decent pretext to raise the siege, which
had cost him dear, and replied that to secure its friendship
he was prepared to abandon it. He broke up Ids encamp-
ment on the 9th September, and retired with the loss of
half his army and much treasure, and with the disgrace of
having failed in an expedition which had been the talk
of Central Asia for nine months. This memorable de-
fence of Herat against 40,000 Persians aided by European
engineers, stands side by side with the siege of Arcot,
and reflects no little renown on the Anglo-Saxon youth
by whose genius it was achieved, though he had never seen
service, and possessed no knowledge of the art of war
except what he had derived from books.
The grand projects of Persia and Russia which had for
two years agitated the public mind from the Caspian Sea
_ . . to Cape Comorin were now quenched. The
Persistence , r . . , i «i T> •?• i
in the dangers which menaced the British possessions
expedition. .[n jndia were at once dispelled. Russia was
nowhere in Central Asia, and it was expected that the
expedition to Cabul would be relinquished ; but the in-
fatuated Government at Simla determined to persevere.
1838 On the 9th November it was announced that, while the
raising of the siege of Herat was a just cause for congra-
tulation, the Government would still continue to prose-
cute the expedition with vigour. Of the reasons assigned,
one was that the treaty with Runjeet Sing and with
Shah Soojah bound us in honour to proceed with it ;
but, in the convention with the ruler of the Punjab there
was no allusion to the march of a British army across
the Indus, and the exiled monarch was particularly
anxious to avoid the unpopularity of being carried to
SECT. II.] THE AKMY OF THE INDUS 396
Cabul on the shoulders of infidels. All he wanted was the
Company's gold to enable him to secure the swords of the
mercenary Afghans.
SECTION II.
LORD AUCKLAND'S ADMINISTRATION— ri HE AFGHAN WAR — SUR-
RENDER OF THE DOST.
THE army of the Indus, as it was designated, was assem-
bled in November at Ferozepore, where there was a grand
meeting between the Governor-General and the Meeting of
lion of the Punjab, then tottering on the brink fcunjeet
of the grave, but still exhibiting in his coun- the^Gover-
tenance the calmness of design, while his single nor-Gencrai.
eye was still lighted up with the fire of enterprise. There
were showy pageants, and gay doings, and the manoeuvres
of mimic warfare. As the army was no longer destined
for Herat, its strength was reduced ; and the Commander-
in-Chief, who had consented to assume the command when
it was to march into Central Asia, declined to head a
diminished force simply to place Shah Soojah in the seat
of a better man. The Bengal column started from
Ferozeporo on the 10th December 9,500 strong, with 30,000
camels and 38,000 camp followers. The force raised for
Shah Soojah, and called his army, though commanded by
Company's officers and paid from the Company's treasury,
consisted of 6,000 men. The Bombay troops under Sir
John Keane numbered 5,600, and the whole force amounted
to 21,000. The political charge of the expedition was
entrusted to Mr. Macnaghten, and he was styled the
envoy. The direct route to Cabul lay through the
Punjab ; but Rnnjeet Sing, whom Lord Auckland styled our
" ancient and faithful ally," declined to grant a passage
through his dominions to a body of more than 50,000 men,
and it became necessary to take a circuitous route of 1,000
miles down the Indus, and then across it up to Candahar
and Cabul.
This devious course had an eye also to the determination
which had been formed to lay the Ameers of Sinde under
contribution. The province had formerly been Ooerclonof
a dependency of Cabal, and had paid tribute theAmeett
whenever the Afghan sovereign was able to
896 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA CCiiAp. XII
A.D. enforce it. No revenue, however, had been paid for more
1839 than forty years, and the Ameers were to all intents and
purposes independent ; but they were now required to give
twenty-five lacs of arrears to a sovereign who had been an
exile for thirty years. Colonel Pottingcr, the Resident,
presented the demand, but was confounded by the produc-
tion of two releases in full from all further claims of every
description which Shah Soojah had written in two Korans
and signed and sealed five years before, when he exacted
three lacs of rupees of them ; Lord Auckland, however, said
that he did not consider it incumbent on him to enter
into any investigation of this plea, and Mr. Maenaghten
affirmed that, rather than allow the grand enterprise they
were engaged in to be impeded by the opposition of the
Ameers, it would be better to let 20,000 Punjab troops loose
on their capital. It was likewise resolved to impose a sub-
sidiary treaty on them for which they were required to
pay three lacs a year ; and, as they demurred to these
demands, Mr. Macnaghten directed Colonel Pottinger to
inform them that "neither the ready power to crush and
"annihilate them nor the will to call it into action were
"wanting, if it appeared necessary." Sir John Keane
marched up with the Bombay army to the vicinity of
Hyderabad, and the Bengal column was sent down
to co-operate with him. Awed by these demonstrations, the
Ameers submitted to necessity, signed the treaty, and sent
in the first instalment.
The sepoys, notwithstanding their religious prejudices,
crossed the Indus without hesitation, and planted the flag
Advance of °f England on its right bank; but the disas-
theanny. ters of the arrny commenced as soon as it was
across. The Bengal column pushed on in advance through
the arid desert, 140 miles in length, of Catch Gun-
dava, which furnished little water and not a blade of
grass. The camels died by hundreds, and the mortality
among the draft cattle, on which the subsistence of the
army depended, was portentous. After traversing tin?
sterile waste the troops were six days getting through thfe
terrific defiles of the Bolan Pass, where a small band
might have brought the expedition to a deadlock. The
flint stones lamed the camels ; fatigue and the want of
pasture disabled the artillery horses ; the mountain paths
were strewed with tents, equipages, and stores ; and the
rivulet which flowed at the bottom of the ravines was
tainted with the carcases of animals. Emerging: from this
SECT. II.] CAPTURE OF GHUZNI 397
pass the army entered the beautiful valley of Shawl ; but
the provisions found there were scanty, and starvation
stared the array in the face. On the 6th April the Bombay A.D.
column and Shah Soojah's army joined the Bengal force at
Qwetta, and Sir John Keane assumed the chief command.
The troops were half mutinous for want of food, the loaf
of the European soldier was diminished in weight, the
native troops wore reduced to a pound of flour and the
camp followers to half that quantity, and the army was
obliged to push on to Candahar. In the intervening space
lay the Khojuk pass, scarcely less formidable than the
Bolan, though of more limited extent. The batteries and
field-pieces were dragged up and lowered down its tre-
mendous precipices by the European soldiers, pressed by
hunger, parched with thirst, and consumed by incessant
fatigue. As Shah Soojah approached Candahar, the
Barukzie chiefs, tho brothers of the Dost, betrayed by
their own officers who had been corrupted, fled to the west,
and he entered the city on the 25th April.
The army, still on reduced rations, was obliged to remain
inactive at Candahar for ten weeks to await the ripening
of the crops. At a distance of 230 milts from the Capture of
city and t)0 from Cabul lay the renowned fortress ahuzni-
of Ghuzni, from which Mahmood had marched eight
centuries before to plant the standard of the crescent on
the plains of India. Dost Mahomed's son, Hyder Khan,
had been sent to strengthen the garrison and the fortifi-
cations and to provision the fort for six months. The
parapet which rose sixty or seventy feet perpendicular
above the plain, combined with the wet ditch, presented an
insurmountable obstacle to any attack by mining or escalade.
Sir John Keane had imprudently left his siege guns behind
at Candahar, and the collapse of the expedition appeared
inevitable. Happily, one of the gates had not been built
up, and Captain Thomson, the chief engineer, convinced
the Commamler-in-Chief that the only mode of attack which
presented any chance of success was that of blowing up tho
gate and forcing his way into the fortress. Under his
direction, therefore, 900 Ibs. of powder were packed up in
bags and conveyed on a tempestuous night to the spot. The
powder exploded ; the barricade was shivered, and great
masses of masonry and wood came toppling down. Colonel
Donnie and the 13th Light Infantry rushed in with the
storming party, and, after a fearful struggle over the debris,
398 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII
the English ensign was floating at daybreak over the proud
citadel of Ghuzni.
The fall of Ghuzni, which left the road to Cabul open,
bewildered Dost Mahomed, and he called his officers
Arrival at together, and with the Koran in his hand
Cabul. implored them to make one bold stand like
brave men and true believers. " You have eaten my salt,"
he said, "for thirteen years; grant me one request.
" Stand by the brother of Futteh Khan while he makes
" one last charge on these infidel dogs ; he will fall; then
" make your own terms with Shah Soojah." But there
was neither spirit nor fidelity in them ; and the Dost,
seeing the struggle hopeless, parked his guns at Urgundeh
and turned with a few followers to the region of the Hindoo
Coosh. Captain Outram and nine other officers, animated
by the ardent spirit of adventure, started in pursuit of him
with a body of cavalry, and gave him no rest for six days
and nights ; but they were impeded at every step by the
treacherous chief Hajee Khan, who accompanied them with
several hundred Afghan horse, and on reaching Banieean
they found that the Dost had passed beyond the limits of
A.D Afghanistan. On the 7th August Shah Soojah, resplendent
1839 With jewels, was conducted with martial pomp through
the city of Cabul to the Bala llissar, the palace in the
citadel ; but there was no enthusiasm. The inhabitants
came to their thresholds to gaze not so much at the Shah
as at the infidel soldiers parading their streets, 011 whom
they poured a shower of maledictions. Three weeks later
the Shah was joined by his son Timur, who had advanced
on the direct route through the Punjab and Peshawur, with
4,000 raw recruits, paid by the Company, and under the
direction of Colonel Wade. This expedition was accom-
panied by a contingent of 6,000 of Runjeet Sing's soldiers,
to whom any movement into Afghanistan was odious, and
they were repeatedly engaged in flagrant mutiny. As the
force entered the Khyber, the Afreedies piopared, as usual,
to oppose its progress; but Colonel Wade crowned the heights
and turned their flanks, and by this masterly movement
these terrible defiles were opened, probably for the first time,
by steel instead of gold.
The object of the expedition — that of substituting a
friendly for a hostile power in Afghanistan — was now ac-
Retention complished, and the period had arrived when, ac-
of the cording to the Simla manifesto, the British troops
army. were to be withdrawn. Within a fortnight after
SHOT. II.] DEATH OF RUNJEET SING 399
the entrance of Shah Soojah, however, Lord Auckland placed
on record that " to leave him without the support of a
" British army would be followed by his expulsion, which
" would reflect disgrace on Government and become a
" source of danger.'* It was determined, therefore, to
leave a force of 10,000 men to maintain him on his throne ;
and, as the Duke had predicted, our difficulties began as
soon as our military success was complete. General Will-
shire, who commanded the Bombay army, was instructed
on his return to inflict a severe chastisement on Mehrab A.D.
Khan, the ruler of Belochistan, for luu ing \\ ithheld supplies 1839
as the army advanced through his country; but as our troops
had wantonly desolated the country in their march, and he
had none to give, the proecedint, was unjust and vin-
dictive. The IJelochces fought valiantly for their country
and their chief; but the capital, Khelat, was stormed, and
the Khan fell valiantly in its defence with eight of his prin-
cipal officers.
The expedition was as fertile in honours as it was barren
in military achievements. It was a ministerial measure,
condemned by the general voice of society in
England and in India, and it was deemed politic
to give as much eclat a,s possible to the first success. Lord
Auckland was created an rarl ; Sir John Kuine, who had
done less than nothing, a baron with an annuity of 2,OOOZ.
Mr. Maenaghten, Colonel Pot linger, and General Wiltshire
received baronetcies, and Colonel Wade a knighthood; but
Captain Thomson, \vho had saved the expedition from an
ignominious and fatal failure by blowing up the gate of
Ghuzni, obtained nothing but a brevet majority and the
lowest order of the Bath ; and he abandoned the service.
liunjeet Sing died as the expedition was leaving Canda-
har, on the 27th Juno, at the age of fifty-seven, the victim 1839
of excesses in which he had long been accus- Death of
tomed to indulge, lie possessed the same ere- R»njcet
ative genius as Sevajee and Hyder Ali. The mg*
edifice of Sikh greatness was exclusively his work, and he
would doubtless have established a great empire in Hindo-
stan if he had not been hemmed in by the Company's
power. He succeeded to the leadership of a single tribe
in the Punjab, when it was distracted with the contests of
a dozen chieftains, and to the command of a body of
matchlock horsemen. He bequeathed to his successor a
great kingdom enriched with the spoils of its neighbours,
together with an army 80,000 strong, with 300 pieces of
400 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII.
cannon, superior in discipline, in equipment, and in valour to
any force ever before assembled under a native chief. He
had the Oriental passion for hoarding, and left twelve
crores of rupees in his treasury, of which he bestowed half
a crore on the poor ; the Koh-i-noor, which now adorns the
diadem of England, he bequeathed to Jugernath. Ho was
the only man in his country favourable to the English
alliance, and during the expedition to Cabul placed the re-
sources of his country at the disposal of the Government.
The hostility of his ministers and officers broke out soon
after his death, and so greatly augmented the perils of
our position in Afghanistan, that Sir William Macnaghten
urged Lord Auckland " to curb the Sings," as the Sikh
chiefs were called, " and to macadamise the Punjab, and
" annex Peshawur to the dominions of Shah Soojah."
A.D. Soon after the occupation of Cabul, the Russophobia
L840 which distracted Sir William Macnaghten, Sir Alexander
Bussian Burnes, and other British officers in Afghanistan
Samst*1^ rose ^° fever heat, on the announcement that a
Khiva. great Russian expedition was about to proceed to
Khiva, the celebrated Kharism of early Mohamedan his-
tory. This country lies to the south of the sea of Aral
on the banks of the Oxus, but, with the exception of the
oasis of Merv, is a continuous waste, unrelieved by moun-
tains, rivers, lakes, or forests, and with scarcely more than
a million of inhabitants. Eor half a century the rulers
* had been in the habit of committing depredations on
Russian caravans, attacking Russian posts, and kidnapping
Russian subjects whom they held in slavery. The emperor
determined on a military expedition to fulfil " the irn-
" perial obligation of protecting the lives and liberties of his
" subjects ; " but there was likewise a second motive. In his
Simla manifesto Lord Auckland had stated that the object
of the expedition was also " to give the name and just iii-
" fluence of the British Government its proper footing
" among the nations of Central Asia." The ambitious
spirit of Sir William Macnaghten was disposed to carry
out this policy to an extent which startled even his own
Government. He sent a military force beyond Bameean to
depose an Oosbek chief and instal another, and alarm was
spread through Turkestan. Major Todd, who had been
sent as the representative of the Governor-General to Herat,
was strengthening its fortifications, and had despatched
one of his assistants to Khiva to offer the Khan the boon
of British friendship. The envoy exceeded his instruc-
SBCT. II.] RUSSIAN EXPEDITION TO KHIVA 401
tions, and proposed an alliance, offensive and defensive,
which Lord Auckland immediately disavowed. A mission
was also sent to Bokhara.
These simnltaneous movements, military and diplomatic,
aroused the jealousy of the cabinet of St. Petersburg, who
resented any intrusion of the English Govern- Russian ex-
rnent into the politics of Central Asia, and the gjjjjj"1 *°
emperor ordered the Khiva expedition to ad- Ta>
vance without any delay, five months earlier than was
originally intended. The manifesto which announced its
despatch, after enumerating the injuries the Russians had
sustained from the Khivans, adopted the language of Lord
Auckland's proclamation, and stated that the expedition
was also intended " to strengthen in that part of Asia the
* lawful influence to which Russia had a right." The
Russian journals affirmed without any disguise that the
object of it was " to establish the strong influence of Russia
" in Khiva, Bokhara, and Kokand, and to prevent the in-
" fluence uf the East India Company from taking root in
" Central Asia." The two European nations destined to
divide the predominant power in Asia between them, were
at this time jealous of each other's progress, and were re-
sorting to the fatal expedient of fitting out expeditions to
counteract it. " 11 we go on at this rate," said Baron
Brunow to Lord Palinerston, "the Cossack and the Sepoy
u will soon cross bayonets on the Oxus." The Russian ex-
pedition proved a total failure. It moved from Orenburg
in November on a march of 1,000 miles in the depth of
winter, when the snow lay several feet deep on the ground,
and not a blade of grass was to be found, and the general
was obliged to retrace his steps after the loss of half his
army. Subsequently Major Todd despatched Captain
Shakcspear to Khiva, who prevailed on the Khan to de-
liver up 400 Russian slaves, whom he conducted to Oren-
burg, but his interference was considered intrusive.
After the determination was formed to retain a British
army in Afghanistan, the most important of all questions
was the encampment of the troops at tho capital. The Baia
The Bala Hissar of Cabul stood on a hill, and Hlssar-
completely commanded the city. It afforded accommodation
for 5,000 troops, and, if well provisioned and supplied with
military stores, could bo held by 1,000 men against what-
ever force or skill the Afghans could bring against it. It
was the key of Cabul, and the security of our position de-
pended on our occupation of it. The Shah insisted ou
u D
402 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII,
excluding the soldiers from it, that the privacy of his
zenana might not be disturbed, and in an evil hour the
envoy, contrary to his own better judgment, yielded to his
importunity and the garrison was turned into cantonments
in the plain, erected in the most exposed position that
could be thought of. The whole of the Afghan policy
from •'first to last was a tissue of folly, but tho crowning act
of insanity was the resignation of the Bala Hissar to the
Shah's hundred and fifty women. The conviction daily
became more confirmed, that he had no hold on the
attachment of his subjects, and that it was the infidel aid
on which he rested for support that was tho chief element
of his unpopularity. Its presence was regarded like a
visitation of the plague. Many of the political officers
were men of high honour and conciliatory manners, but
there were others whose haughty and arrogant bearing
created disgust, and whose unblushing licentiousness, which
invaded the honour of the noblest families, raised a feel-
ing of burning indignation. During the twenty-seven
months of our occupation, tho Government was a Govern-
ment of sentry-boxes, sustained only by the sheen of
British bayonets. The country was garrisoned, not go-
verned, and we were reposing on a smouldering volcano.
Within a few weeks of the occupation of Cabul, the high-
landers in the Khyber massacred a large detachment of
troops and carried off their baggage. The whole province
of Belochistan rose in revolt and deposed the chief whom
General Willshire had imposed on the people, and General
Nott was obliged to march down from Caudahar to restore
our authority. But the chief cause of anxiety was con-
nected with the movements of Dost Mahomed.
A.D. After his flight from Cabul, he accepted the hospitality
of the Ameer of Bokhara, " the Commander of the Faithful,"
Movements but ^ne most atrocious tyrant in Central Asia, who
of Dost soon after subjected him to a grievous cap-
Mahomed, tivity. Meanwhile his brother, Jubber Khan,
after wandering from place to place with the females of his
family, placed them under the protection of the British
Government. The confidence thus shown in our honour and
generosity by a people proverbial for perfidy, was no ordi-
nary tribute to our national character. The Dost, having
at length made his escape from Bokhara, approached Cabul
and found himself at tho head of G,000 or 7,000 Oosbeks,
with whom he resolved to cross the Hindoo Coosh, raise the
war cry of the Prophet, and, gathering strength from the un-
SECT, II. j SURRENDER OF DOST MAHOMED 403
popularity of Shah Soojah and his supporters, march in
triumph to Cabul. But Brigadier Dennie encountered
him with a mere handful of troops, and obtained a decisive
victory over the host of Oosbeks. After this defeat Dost
Mahomed moved into the Kohistan, or highlands north of
Cabul, and the chiefs who bad recently sworn fidelity to
the Shah on the Koran, at once espoused his cause, but
Sir Robert Sale attacked him with great success. He
flitted about the hills for two or three weeks, and then
came down into the Nijrow district in the vicinity of
the capital, which was immediately thrown into a state of
general ferment. The English officials were filled with A%1>
consternation, and guns were mounted in all haste on the 1840
citadel. On the 2nd November, Sir Robert Sale, who had
been incessantly in pursuit of him, came upon him in the
valley of Purwandurra ; the heights were bristling with an
armed population, but the Dost had only 200 horsemen
with him. The 2nd Cavalry galloped down upon him, and
he resolved to meet the charge manfully. Raising himself
in his stirrups and uncovering his head, he called upon his
troops, in the name of God and the Prophet, to aid him in
driving " the accursed infidels " from the land. The cavalry
troopers fled from the field like a flock of sheep, the
European officers fought with the spirit of heroes, till three
were killed and two wounded. Sir Alexander Burnes, who
was on the field, sent a hasty note to the envoy to assure
him that there was nothing left but to fall back on Cabul,
and concentrate our force for its defence. The note was
delivered to him the next afternoon as he was taking a
ride, when to his surprise, Dost Mahomed suddenly pre-
sented himself, and dismounting, gave up his sword and
claimed his protection. He had felt, he said " even in the
" moment of victory thnt it would be impossible to con-
" tinuc the contest, and having met his foes in the open field
" and discomfited them he could claim their consideration
" without indignity." The Dost rode together with the
envoy into the cantonment, where his frank manners and
dignified bearing in the hour of adversity created a strong
feeling of sympathy and admiration, which was in no small
degree heightened by contempt for the puppet in the Bala
Hissar. He was sent on to Calcutta, where he was treated
by Lord Auckland with the greatest respect and considera-
tion, and two lacs of rupees a year v/cre assigned for his
support.
B D 2
404 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII
SECTION III.
LORD AUCKLAND'S ADMINISTRATION — THE AFGHAN WAR — DE-
STRUCTION OF THE ARMY.
,'
A.D. MAJOR TODD had been sent by Sir William Macnaghten to
1840 gerat to maintain the influence of the British Government
and to improve the fortifications. Money was sent in great
profusion from Cabul, but Yar Mahomed, the vi/ier, took
great offence at the efforts made by the Major to suppress
the execrable traffic in slaves, the curse of Central Asia,
in which he himself was deeply implicated, and he offered
to place the whole country under the control of the king of
Persia. Incensed at this act of ingratitude and perfidy,
Sir William Macnaghten urged the immediate annexation
of the province to the dominions of Shah Soojah, but
Lord Auckland was disposed fco condone the conduct of the
minister, and the supply of guns, muskets, ammunition, and
money was renewed with such prodigality as to alarm the
financial authorities in Calcutta. But this lavish expendi-
ture only led to more audacious intrigues, and Yar Mahomed
endeavoured to concert a plan with the Persian governor
of Meshed for the invasion of Candahar. This renewed act
of treachery exhausted Major Todd's patience, and he with-
held the monthly subsidy till the orders of the Governor-
General could be received. The minister then rose in his
demands, and on the 8th February insisted peremptorily on
the payment of two lacs for the discharge of his personal
debts, and a further advance for the improvement of the
fortifications, and an increase of the monthly stipend, or
the immediate departure of Major Todd. The Major at
1841 once withdrew the embassy to the great mortification of
Lord Auckland, who dismissed him from his political
employ and remanded him to his regiment.
The political charge of the province of Candahar was
entrusted to Major Bawlinsoii, and the military command
GeneraiNott ^° General Nott, an officer of sound judgment
and Major arid great decision of character. He was prompt
Bawimson. g^^ successful in dealing with the revolts which
were continually cropping up around him, but the freedom
of his remarks was displeasing to Lord Auckland and to Sir
William Macnaghten, and he was, unfortunately, re-
fused the promotion which he expected on Sir Willoughby
SECT. III.] NOTT AND KAWLINSON AT CANDAHAR 405
Cotton's retirement from the command at Cabul, and
which, if it had been granted to him, would, in all proba-
bility, have averted the tremendous catastrophe of the ensuing
November. The Dooranees who occupied the province
lying between Candahar and Herat, and who were of Shah
Soojah's own tribe, had hailed witli delight the restora-
tion of their own prince to the throne, but when their
expectation of sharing the sweets of power was disap-
pointed by the employment of European officers, they
manifested a more rancorous hostility to him than any
other tribe. Their chief, Akbar Khan, assembled 6,000 men
on the banks of the Hehnund in July, in six divisions, with
a priest at the head of each and a banner inscribed " We
"have been trusting in God ; may He guard and guide us."
He was vigorously attacked by Colonel Woodburn, and
defeated ; the confederacy was broken up, and all the chiefs
made their submission with the exception of Akram Khan,
whose indomitable spirit resisted every overture. In other
countries he might have been considered a patriot ; in
Ar 1 "i '•',, he was regarded as a traitor. His feelings
were well expressed in the Afghan remark, " We are con-
" tent with blood, but shall never be content with a master."
His retreat was betrayed for a bribe by one of his own
tribe, and he was blown away from a gun by express orders
from Cabul.
The province lying to the north-east of Candahar was A.D.
inhabited by the Ghiljies, a fine muscular lace, expert in 1841
the use of military weapons, and able to bring The Eastern
40,000 men into the field, but characterised by Ghiijies.
an intense ferocity of disposition. They were as jealous of
their own independence as they were eager to conquer that
of others. In time past they had carried their victorious
arms to the capital of Persia, and exhibited their prowess
on many a battle-field of India ; nor had they ever bowed the
neck to the rulers of Cabul or Candahar. Sir William had
prevailed on them for an annual subsidy to abstain from
infesting the highways and levying black mail, but their
deep-rooted antipathy to the intruding foreigners became
daily more apparent, and it was deemed necessary to
strengthen the fortifications of Khelat-i-Ghiljie, a fortress
lying in the heart of their territory. They determined to
oppose this measure arid advanced in great force to defeat
it, when they were encountered by Colonel Wymer, who
inflicted a signal defeat on them, after an obstinate conflict
of five hours continued beyond sunset. Every eweute had
406 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII,
now been put down, and Sir William Macnaghten was
beginning to congratulate himself on the termination of all
his difficulties, but Major Rawlinson assured him that
the whole country was pervaded by a spirit of implacable
hostility towards us, and that there would be a general
outburst on the first favourable opportunity.
That opportunity was not far distant. The expense of
garrisoning Afghanistan was beginning to tell on the
Resolution finfmces of India. The army of occupation fell
to hold little short of 25,000 men, and the annual
Afghanis- charge was computed at a crore and a half of
rupees. All the treasure accumulated by Lord
William Bentinck had been exhausted, the treasury was
drained and the Court of Directors were filled with alarm.
At the close of 1840 they communicated their views to the
Government at Simla, and stated that as it was evident
the restored monarchy could not be maintained without a
large force, it was necessary to make a large addition to
the army ; but they should advise the entire abandonment
of the country, with a frank avowal of the complete failure
of our object. The circumstances of the period appeared
to be more favourable to retirement than they had ever
been. The Persian court was on the most friendly terms
with us ; the Russian expedition to Khiva had totally
failed ; Dost Mahomed and his family were state prisoners
with us, and the revolt in Belochistan was completely
quelled. Sir William Macnaghten had, moreover, stated
that the noses of the Dooranee chiefs "had been brought
" to the grindstone, and that Afghanistan was as quiet as
" an Indian district, and its tranquillity was marvellous."
Nothing could be more reasonable and politic than this
advice, but the question of withdrawal was unfortunately
left to the judgment of the Government of India — that is,
j to the decision of those who had advised the war, and they
declared that to deprive the Shah of British support would
be an act of " unparalleled political atrocity." There was
no difficulty in persuading Lord Auckland that our troops
ought not to be withdrawn before the authority of the
Shah had been completely consolidated ; whereas it was pal-
pable to everyone but the envoy that his authority could
never be sufficiently established while the " accursed in-
" fidels," as we were universally termed, continued to
garrison the country. It was therefore determined to re-
main in Afghanistan, to make no increase to the army, but
to reduce the expenditure, and to open a new loan.
SECT. III.] FIRST INDICATIONS OF THE OUTBREAK 407
The retrenchments were to be made by reducing the A.n.
stipends of the chiefs, and, by that fatality which seemed to 1841
attend every measure connected with this un- Retrench.
fortunate expedition, those which ought to have mentand
come last were taken up first. The eastern Ghiljies revolt-
were the first to be summoned to Cabul, when they were in-
formed that the exigencies of the State rendered the
reduction of their allowances indispensable. The subsidies
paid by us had been paid from time immemorial by every
ruler of Afghanistan, and were regarded by the Highlanders
as a patrimonial inheritance. They were magnanimously
indifferent to the politics of Afghanistan, and cared not
who ruled as long as their franchise was riot invaded. The
stipends now reduced had, moreover, been guaranteed to
them when we took possession of the country, and they
had performed their part of the contract with exemplary
fidelity. They had not allowed a linger to be raised against
our posts, or couriers, or weak detachments, and convoys
of every description had passed through their terrific
defiles, the strongest mountain barriers in the world,
without interruption. They received the announcement
of the reduction in the beginning of October without any
remonstrance, made their salaam to the envoy, and, return-
ing to their fastnesses, plundered a caravan and blocked up
the passes. The 35th Native Infantry, commanded by
Colonel Montcith, which was under orders to return to
India, was directed by the envoy to proceed " to the passes
"arid chastise these rascals, and open the road to India;"
but he was attacked during the night and lost the greater
portion of his baggage. Sir Robert Sale, commanding the
brigade returning to India, who was directed to support the
35th, was vigorously assailed in the Khoord Cabul pass, and
on reaching Tezeen, ordered a detachment against the fort
of the Ghiljie lender, the capture of which would have in-
flicted a severe blow on the insurrection, but the wily
chiefs contrived to cozen the political agent, and he was
drawn into a treaty which conceded nearly all they desired.
Their stipends were restored, and 10,000 rupees paid down,
but the revolt, instead of being nipped in the bud, was
strengthened by this display ot weakness. While professing
submission, they sent emissaries to raise the tribes in ad-
vance, and Sir Robert Sale was obliged to fight every inch
of his way to Gundamuk, and on his arrival there, found
his communication with the capital closed, and the whole
Country in a blaze of rebellion.
408 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XI T
Sir William Macnaghten had been rewarded for his
services in Afghanistan with the governorship of Bombay,
Murder of and n^d arranged to leave Cabul in the beginning
Barnes. of November. Throughout the previous month,
while the surface of society presented the appearance of an
unruffled calm, a general confederacy, which embraced
every chief of every tribe, had been organised for our ex-
pulsion. The envoy was warned by the most intelligent
and experienced officers — Sir Alexander Burnes excepted —
of the storm which was gathering, but he persuaded him-
self that the country was in a state of unprecedented repose,
and that the rising of the Ghiljies was a local emeute. On
the evening of the 1st November, Sir Alexander visited
*.D. him to congratulate him on leaving the country in a state
1841 of such tranquillity. At that same hour, some of the con-
federates were assembled in a house in the city to arrange
the plan of the insurrection, and at dawn on the 2nd No-
vember, the insurgents surrounded Sir Alexander's house
in the city with loud yells. Ho instantly despatched a
messenger to Sir William Macnaghten in the cantonments
for aid, and 1'Hr,i:iir:uvl the mob from his balcony, offering
large sums for his own and his brother's life, but they were
thirsting for his blood. He was more obnoxious to the
Afghan chiefs than any of the other British officers, some
of whom had gained their esteem by their genial disposi-
tion and their high moral character. He was decoyed into
his garden by a treacherous Cashmerian, arid hacked to
pieces, together with his brother. The insurgents then
proceeded to assault the neighbouring house to which
Captain Johnston, the paymaster of Shah Sooj all's force,
had been unwisely allowed to transfer his treasure, and
plundered it of nearly two lacs of rupees, and burnt
down the houses of the other officers. The mob did not
originally consist of more than a hundred men, but the
rich booty which had been obtained speedily augmented
their number, and the whole city was soon in a state of
wild commotion. The confederate chiefs had so little expecta-
tion of success, that they had their horses saddled for flight
on the first appearance of British troops. They subsequently
acknowledged that the slightest exhibition of energy at the
commencement would have put down the insurrection at
once ; but no effort was made.
General Elphinstone who commanded the troops, was a
gallant old Queen's officer, but utterly disqualified for this
important and dangerous post by his bodily infirmities, and
SECT. Ill 1 MASSACRE OF BUBNES 409
not less by his mental weakness and want of decision. On
tbe retirement of Sir Willougbby Cotton, the Com- (jlJnerai
mander-in- Chief, Sir Jasper Nicolls, had recom- '"pJun-
mended Sir W. Nott as his successor, but he had,
as we have said, incurred the displeasure of the Governor-
General by the freedom of his remarks on the perils of our
position, and General Elphinstone was importuned to accept
the appointment, though his tremulous and gouty hand-
writing gave the clearest evidence that ho was wholly
unfit to be placed in the command of an army in a country
ripe for revolt. It is therefore impossible to exonerate
Lord Auckland from a largo share of the responsibility of
the overwhelming calamity which ensued, and which is to
be attributed solely to the incom potency of the officer
whom he had selected. The envoy made light of the
emvute, and said it would speedily subside, and the
General was too happy to be spared the necessity of
exertion not to acquiesce in this opinion. It was decided,
however, that Brigadier Shelton's brigade, which was en-
camped on the heights of Sea Sung, should be ordered to
the Bala Hissar, and that assistance should be sent, if
possible, to Sir Alexander Burnes. No effort was made
by either the political or military authorities to rescue him,
though it might have been effected with perfect ease by
a direct route only a mile and a half long, free from every
impediment. At a crisis when moments were of inestimable
value, hours were wasted in discussion with the Shah re-
garding tho admission of Brigadier Shelton's force into the
Bala Hissar, and when it was settled, he did nothing but
cover the retreat of Colonel Campbell and a regiment of the
Shah's Hindostanees, who had been sent to the rescue of
Sir Alexander, but were driven back.
On the evening of this first day of disaster General
Elphinstone, instead of forming a vigorous plan of opera-
tions for the morrow, wrote to the envov, " We . . .
.. , t , ,. ' , . ", ' . , Inactivity of
44 must see what the morning brings, and think the envoy
"what can be done." Nothing, however, was on<1 &ner*-
done except a feeble attempt to penetrate the city with
an inadequate force three hours after midday, but it was
driven back by the thousands of armed men whom the
success of tho rising had brought into the city. Within
thirty hours of the outbreak Sir William Macnaghten
began to despond — as well he might — and despatched letters
to General Nott and General Sale desiring them to come
up immediately to his relief. The fatal error of having
410 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII.
AJ>. given up the Bala Hissar and planted the cantonment
1841 in low ground on the plain, was now fully revealed.
The ramparts were so contemptible that a pony might
scale them, and they were so completely commanded by
the roitrhb, -,::•! i ir hills and forts that the troops could not
move out without being exposed to a heavy fire. The
commissariat stores, moreover, on which the existence of
the army depended, instead of being lodged within the
cantonment were deposited in a small fort, 400 yards
distant, and guarded by eighty men. The supine general,
instead of making a vigorous effort to secure them, allowed
the enemy to undermine the fort ; and the officer in charge
of it, seeing no effort made to support him, was obliged to
evacuate it, and men and officers looked over the walls of
the cantonment with burning indignation, while a rabble
of Afghans was employed unchecked, like a swarm of ants,
in carrying off the provisions on which their hope of sus-
taining life depended.
General Sale received Sir William's order to return to
Cabul at Gundamuk, but it was determined at a council
Generals °^ war that the force was in so crippled a state,
fcaieand ancl the intervening passes so completely blocked
Nott. , ., . 01, . , . l i,, ,
up by the insurgents, that any such attempt
would result in its complete destruction, and it was de-
termined therefore to push on to Jellalabad. General Nott
at Candahar argued that his troops could not reach Cabul
under five or six weeks ; that beyond Ghuzni they would
have to fight every inch of the way, and to wade through
the snow, and would eventually arrive in such a condition
as to be of little, if any, service. Three regiments were,
nevertheless, despatched, but they returned on the first
appearance of snow. Extraordinary efforts were now made
at Cabul to obtain provisions from the -^ --'/i-V --*--> ^ vil-
lages, and four days after the rising General Elphmstono
informed the envoy that they had got temporarily, and he
hoped permanently, over this difficulty, and, with 5,000
troops under his command, said, " Our case is not yet de-
" sperate ; but it must be borne in mind that it goes very
" fast." Sir William, seeing the honour and safety of the
force in such keeping, felt himself constrained to open ne-
gotiations with the insurgent chiefs, and, through the
moonshee, Mohun Lall, made them an offer of two, three, or
even five lacs of rupees • but, as might have been expected,
this fresh token of our weakness only served to increase
their arrogance.
Tbo utter incompetence of the general was hurrying the
SECT. TIL] INCOMPETENCE OF THE GENERALS 411
garrison to destruction, but there appeared some faint hope A,D.
of deliverance if Brigadier Shelton, who had re- Brigadier 1841
mained in the Bala Hissar since the 2nd No- Shelton.
vember, were associated with him in the command. He
was an officer of great energy, distinguished for his courage
and iron nerve, and his arrival on the 9th November raised
the drooping spirits of the garrison. But it was soon
apparent that his insupportable temper neutralised all his
military qualifications. He might have secured the salva-
tion of the force if he had cordially co-operated with the
general, but the state of things was only rendered more
desperate by the discord which his perversity created.
There was yet one course which would have rescued the
army from all its perils — an immediate retreat to the
impregnable position of the Bala Hissar Shah Soojah
did not cease to urge this movement — which was equally
Advocated by the envoy and the general — but Brigadier
Shelton pertinaciously resisted it on grounds positively
absurd, and on his memory rests the ignominy of having
sealed the doom of 15, 000 human beings.
There is little interest in dwelling on the long and
melancholy catalogue of errors which followed close on
each other, disgusting the officers, demoralising Lastenffoge-
the men, and hastening the ruin of the force. On mcnt-
the '23rd November, the Afghans took up a position on the
Behmaroo hills, which enabled them to inflict serious injury
on the cantonment, and, at the earnest entreaty of the
envoy, Brigadier Shelton went out with a considerable
force to dislodge them. The chief who commanded their
cavalry was killed, and the whole body was seized with a
panic, and fled in disorder to the city. The envoy was
standing by the side of the general on the ramparts, and
importuned him to hasten out a sufficient force to improve
the opportunity, but he languidly replied that it was a wild
scheme. The enemy had time to reeo\ cr their confidence
and rushed back with redoubled fury, when the whole
battalion of English soldiers abandoned the field and took
to fHghfc. The fugitives and pursuers were so mingled
in the race that the Afghans might with perfect case have
captured the cantonments, but the chiefs drew off their men
in the moment of victory. This defeat concluded all military
operations ; the disasters of these three weeks were justly
attributed to the jealousies and the mismanagement of
the two commanders, and all hope for the future was at
an end ; the army was demoralised, and a feeling of gloom
and dismay pervaded the encampment.
412 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII
SECTION IV.
LORD AUCKLAND'S ADMINISTRATION — THE AFGHAN WAR — ANNI-
HILATION OF THE ARMY.
*.D. THE ''day after the disaster of the 23rd November, Sb ah
1841 Soojah again entreated the envoy to retire to the Bala His-
Negotia- sar» ai*d. he pressed it with increasing impor-
tions. tunity on the military chiefs, but they persisted in
rejecting the proposal, and the general, moreover, informed
him in an official communication that it was no longer
possible to maintain our position in the country. Sir Wil-
liam was therefore constrained to submit to the ignominy of
holding a conference with the Afghan chiefs, but, finding
us reduced to extremity, they haughtily demanded that
the whole army should surrender at discretion with its
arms and ammunition, and the negotiation was necessarily
broken off. A week after, Akbar Khan, the
ablest of Dost Mahomed's sons, a young soldier of
great energy, but of a fiery and impetuous temper, arrived
in Cabul and was at once accepted as the leader of the
national confederacy. He was not slow to perceive that it
was only necessary to cut off its supplies to extinguish the
British force, and he immediately threatened with death all
who should venture to furnish any provisions. The envoy,
seeing the destruction of the force inevitable, renewed his
entreaty to withdraw to the Bala Hissar, but the general
again refused his concurrence. He then proposed that they
should endeavour to obtain provisions from the country by
their swords, but the imbecile commander replied that the
only alternative now left was to obtain a safe conduct out
of the country.
Starvation now stared the garrison in the face. On the
ilth December, there was food left only for the day's con-
at of sumption of the fighting men, and the envoy was
nth Decem- obliged to make another effort to myoiinie, and
ber' found himself constrained to submit to whatever
terms the Afghans chose to dictate. They were sufficiently
limmlin'.ii.ir; the troops at Jellalabad, Candahar, Cabul,
and G-huzni were to evacuate the country, receiving every
assistance of carriage and provisions; Dost Mahomed and his
family were to be liberated ; Shah Soojah was to be at
liberty to remain on a pension, or to retire with the
SECT. IV.] VIOLATIONS OF THE TREATY 413
British force ; the army was to quit Cabul within three A.T>,
days, and in the meantime to receive ample supplies of 1841
provisions, and four officers were to be given up as hostages.
This is the most disgraceful transaction in the annals of
British India. In extenuation of it, the envoy placed on
record, that " we had been fighting forty days against
" superior numbers, under the most disadvantageous cir-
" cumstances, with deplorable loss of life, and in a day or
" two must have perished of hunger. The terms I secured
" were the best obtainable, and the destruction of 15,000
" human beings would little have benefited our country."
But the position of the unhappy envoy is described still
more accurately by Kaye in his classic history of the war
in Afghanistan : " Environed and hemmed in by difficulties
c and dangers, overwhelmed with responsibilities there was
4 none to share — the lives of 15,000 resting on his decision
' — the honour of his country at stake — with a perfidious
' enemy at his back, he was driven to negotiate by the
4 imbecility of his companions." The entire responsibility
of this humiliating convention rests on General Elphinstone
and Brigadier Shelton, than whom it would not have
been easy to discover two men more disqualified for the posts
they occupied, the one by bodily infirmity and consti-
tutional imbecility, the other by almost incredible perversity
of disposition. The brilliant success of Sir .Robert Sale at
Jellalabad sjiows how easily the position of the army of
Cabul might have been rectified with the superior means
and appliances at command, if it had been under an able
commander.
It never, however, was the intention of the Afghans to
fulfil the treaty, or to permit any European to escape. The
Bala Hissar was evacuated on ihe 13th by the few violation of
troops in it ; the forts around the cantonment were the treaty,
surrendered, and Akbar Khan received letters to the com-
mandants at Jellalabad and other military stations ordering
them to retire. The chiefs, moreover, were allowed to go
into the magazines and help themselves to whatever stores
they liked, while officers and men looked on in silent in-
dignation. But the supplies furnished were so scanty as
scarcely to appease hunger, and Akbar Khan and his chiefs
not only continued to withhold supplies of carriage and
provisions for the inarch, but rose in their demands, and
insisted on the delivery of all the stores and ammuni-
tion of every description, and the surrender of all the
married families as additional hostages. In these cir-
414 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA LOnAP. XII.
I^D. cumstances, Sir William directed his moonahee to open
1841 negotiations with other tribes, and inform them that
if any portion of the Afghans declared to the Shah that
they wished him to remain, he would break with the
faithless Barukzies, the tribe of Akbar. It was at this
critical juncture, when bewildered by the appalling crisis
which was approaching, that Sir William Macnaghten
received an unexpected message from Akbar, with a fresh
proposal that the British force should remain till the spring ;
that Shah Soojah should retain the title of king, and that
Akbar Khan should be appointed vizier, receiving from the
British Government an immediate payment of thirty lacs,
and an annual allowance of four lacs, In an evil hour for
his reputation and safety, the envoy accepted these pro-
posals in writing, and agreed to attend a meeting which
was appointed for the next day.
General Elphinstone described the proposal as a plot, and
endeavoured to dissuade the envoy from proceeding to the
Assassina- conference, but he replied in a hurried tone, " Let
tion of the " me alone for that. Dangerous though it be — if
«nvoy. ({ .^ 8uccee^s^ ft jg ^ov^\} a]| j^k j had rather
" suffer a hundred deaths than live the last six weeks over
" again." At noon on the 23rd December ho proceeded
with three officers and about sixteen of his body-guard to
the fatal meeting, 600 yards from the cantonment, where
Akbar Khan had spread some horse cloths on the snow on
the slope of the hill. They were no sooner seated than the
officers were seized and placed each one on the saddle of an
Afghan horseman and hurried off to the city. One of them
fell off and was hacked to pieces ; ' the envoy was shot dead
by Akbar Khan, and the ghazees, or fanatics, rushed in and
mutilated his body. Thus perished Sir William Macnaghten,
the victim of an unwise and unjust poliey, but as noble and
brave an officer as ever fell in the service of his country.
Throughout sevon weeks of unparalleled difficulties, he ex-
hibited a spirit of courage and constancy of which there is not
another example in the annals of the Company. He was the
only civilian at Cabul, and one of the truest- hearted soldiers
in the garrison. He had served several years in the Madras
army, and there can be little doubt that if he could have
assumed the command of the force it would have escaped
the doom that befell it.
No effort was made from the cantonment to avenge the
murder of the envoy, or even to recover his mang'ed re«
SBCT. IV.] DISASTROUS RETREAT OF THE ARMY 415
mains, which were dragged in triumph through the city. A.D.
All eyes were now turned on Major Pottinger, 1841
who had come in wounded from Chareekar at p^nger
the hrifiiiir • LT of the insurrection, and had remained
ever since unnoticed in the cantonment. He assumed the
political post of envoy and called a council of war to consider
the new terms on which the Afghan chiefs now agreed to
grant the army a safe-conduct to Peshawur. They differed
from those to which Sir William had given his consent only
in the demand of larger gratuities to themselves. The hero
of Herat recoiled from these humiliating concessions, and
urged the officers to reject them with scorn and defiance.
His energy might yet have saved the army, but the council
would not fight, and the new treaty was accepted with-
out a word of remonstrance. The confederate chiefs, as
might have been expected, increased their demands, and
required that all the coin and the spare muskets and every
gun save six should be surrendered, and that all the married
officers and their families should be left in the country.
But letters were received at the same time from Jellalabad
and Peshawur stating that reinforcements were on their
way, and imploring the garrison to hold out. Dissensions
were also reported among the Afghan chiefs, and the major
seized the occasion of this gleam of sunshine to conjure the
commanders to make one bold and prompt effort either to
occupy the Bala Hissar, or to cut their way to Jellalabad;
but Brigadier Sheiton, the evil genius of the cantonment,
declared that both courses were equally impracticable. The
treaty was therefore completed, and small arms, guns, and
waggons were given up amidst the indignant exclamations
of the garrison. The ratification of tho treaty by the seals
of eighteen chiefs was received on tho 4th January. It was
dictated in a spirit of arrogance, and received in a spirit of
humility, and violated without a blush.
On the Gth January, 1842, the army, still 4,500 strong, with 1842
11,000 camp followers, began its ominous retreat. As tho
snow lay ankle-deep 011 the ground, its salvation Retreat
depended on tho rapidity of its movements. If of the
it had crossed the Cabul river before noon, and anny'
pushed on with promptitude, it might have escaped the
dangers before it; but, through the mismanagement of the
general the iv:ir-guard did not leave tho gate before the
shades of night came on. The Afghan fanatics then rushed
in and set the cantonments on fire, and lighted up this first
night of horrors with the blaze. In the morning the spirit
416 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII.
A.D. of discipline began to wane, and the force was no longer a
1842 retreating army, but a panic-stricken and disorganised
rabble. Safety was to be found only in speed, but by the
unaccountable folly of the military authorities the troops
were halted the second night at Bootkhak. The crowd of
men, women, and children, horses and camels, lying on
the snow in wild confusion, without food or fuel, or shelter,
presented a spectacle of unexampled misery. Akbar Khan
now made his appearance, and demanded fresh hostages
for the protection, as he said, of the force as far as Tezeen,
and they were surrendered. Between Bootkhak and
Tezeen lay the terrific gorge of the Khoord Cabul, five miles
in length, so narrow that the rays of the sun seldom pene-
trated its recesses. At the bottom of it ran an impetuous
torrent, which the road crossed and recrossed t\u»nt\ -eight
times, and it was through this tremendous defile that the dis-
ordered mass of human beings pressed on with one madden-
ing desire, to escape destruction. But the Ghiljies poured an
incessant fire upon the crowd from every height with their
unerring weapons that carried death to the distance of 800
yards, and 3,000 perished from their fire and the intensity
of the cold. It was in this scene of carnage that delicate
English ladies, some with infants in their arms, had to run
the gauntlet of Afghan bullets amidst a heavy fall of snow.
Akbar Khan again appeared in the morning and offered
a supply of provisions, and advised the general to halt.
Extinction The whole force exclaimed against this insane
of the army, proposal, but the general was deaf to all entrea-
ties, and the perishing troops were constrained to sit down
idle for a whole day in the snow. Akbar made an offer to
take charge of the ladies and children, and convey them to
Peshawur. They had scarcely tasted food since leaving
Cabul ; they were inadequately clad, and could obtain no
shelter from the snow. Major Pottinger, who was A k bar's
prisoner, felt that it would be impossible for them to sur-
vive these hardships, and, in accordance with his advice,
Lady Macnaghten, Lady Sale, and nine other ladies, with
fifteen children, and eight officers, were sent to Akbar's
camp and rescued from destruction. On the morning of
the 10th, the remainder of the army resumed its march,
but, before evening, the greater number of the sepoys had
disappeared. Panic-stricken and benumbed with cold, they
were slaughtered like sheep by the remorseless Ghiljies,
and a narrow defile between two hills was choked up with
the dying and the dead ; 450 European soldiers and a con-
BKCT. IV.l DBSTKUOTION OF THK ARM.Y 417
siderablo body of officers yet remained, but the enemy took ±.D,
post on every salient point, blocked up every pass, and 184!
dealt death among their ranks. On approaching Jnurdulluk
a conference was held with Akbar, who continued to hang
upon their rear, and he offered to supply them with provi-
sions, on condition that General Elphinstone, Brigadier
Shelton, and another officer, should bo transferred to him
as hostages for tho surrender of Jellalabad. But this con-
cession brought no respite from the ferocity of the Ghiljies,
in whom the thirst for blood had overcome even the love
of money, which was freely offered them. Akbar, having
obtained possession of the persons of the ladies and the
principal officers, abandoned the remnant of the army to
their A --"giMMc,' At Jugclnlluk, twelve of the bravest of
the officers met their doom ; and here the Cabul army may
be said to have ceased to exist. Twenty officers and forty-
five European soldiers contrived to reach Gundamuk, but
they gradually dropped under the weapons of their foes,
with the exception of one officer, Dr. Brydon, who was
descried from tho ramparts of Jellalabad, on the 13th
January, slowly wending his way to the fort, wounded and
exhausted, on his jaded pony, the sole survivor, with the
exception of 120 in captivity, of 15,000 men.
The entire annihilation of this army was the severest
blow which had been indicted on the British power in
India. Yet so strongly had its authority become Effects o{
consolidated that it did not produce any of those tho catas-
imrnediate demonstrations of hostility at the na- tr°Phe-
tivc courts, or any such fermentation in native society, as
were visible on the destruction of Colonel Monson's force
in 1804, or tho failure in the Nepaul campaign of 1814,
or even the sluggish progress of the army in Burmah
in 1825. Lord Auckland, although overwhelmed by the
magnitude of the calamity, was induced to issue a procla-
mation that " the Governor- General regarded the partial
"reverse which hail overtaken a body of British troops
in a country removed by distance arid difficulties of
season from the possibility of succour, as a new occa-
sion for displaying the vigour and stability of British
power, and the admirable spirit and vigour of the British
Indian army." But alter this spasm of energy he relapsed
into a spirit of dejection, and, instead of < 1-1 -i Vri1 ir how
most effectually to restore our military superiority, the sole
basis of our power in India, was prepared to leave it with-
out vindication, and considered only how he could withdraw
E E
418 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XII
4iD< General Sale from Afghanistan. Unfortunately, the Com-
1842 mander-in -chief was equally devoid of spirit ; but Mr.
— now Sir George — Clerk, the political agent in the
Punjab, on hearing of the siege of the cantonment, hurried
on the brigade which had been appointed 'to relieve the
regiments returning from Afghanistan, but they were
placed under the command of Colonel Wyld, and sent
without cavalry or cannon. He crept through the Punjab
at a slothful pace, and was thirty-five days in reaching
Peshawur, whereas one of Runjeet Sing's European officers
had accomplished the distance with his army in twelve
days. The sepoys were eager to advance to the lescue
of their fellow soldiers, but he lingered there until they
were thoroughly demoralised by intercourse with the Sikh
auxiliaries whom Runjeet Sing's successor had sent to co-
operate with them, and who, on reaching Jumrood, and
looking into the pass, turned round and marched back to
Peshawur. Colonel Wyld then entered the pass without
them, but the frail guns the Sikhs had lent him broke
down on the first discharge ; the sepoys lost heart, and
allowed themselves to be ignominiously chased back, leaving
their artillery in the hands of the Afreedies.
Lord Auckland was reluctant to send on a second
brigade to relieve the army besieged in Cabul, but Mr.
General Clerk's energy overcame all objections, and a
Pollock. force of 3,000 men, including a corps of Euro-
peans, crossed the Sutlej on the 4th January. It was
happily under the command of General Pollock, an old
artillery officer, who had raniprncrm'd with Lord Lake, and
fought at Bhurtpore, in Nepaul, arid in Burmah, and whose
sagacity, caution, and decision of character eminently
qualified him for the arduous task before him. The entire
destruction of the Cabul force was announced on the 22nd
January, and Mr. Clerk met the Commander-in-chief, Sir
Jasper Nicolls, to discuss the measures necessary to meet
the crisis. Sir Jasper stated that the only object now to
be pursued was to withdraw Sir Robert Sale's force safely
to India ; but Mr. Clerk, in a spirit more worthy of a Briton,
maintained tint the natioral reputation and the safety of
the empire imperatively required that the garrison at
Jellalabad should be reinforced to march simultaneously
with the Candahar force to the capital, and inflict a signal
retribution on the Afghans on the scene of our late disgrace,
and then withdraw from Afghanistan with dignity and
undiminished renown. The energy of this appeal could
SECT. IV/5 LORD ELLENBOROUGH 419
not be resisted, and a third brigade was ordered to be held
in readiness to join General Pollock ; but Lord Auckland's
last communication informed him that " his sole business
" was to secure the safe return of our people and troops
"detained beyond the Indus."
The arrival of Lord Ellenborough in Calcutta on the
28th February brought Lord Auckland's disastrous ad-
ministration to a close. He wrote a benevolent Close of
minute on education, and he endeavoured to pro- Lord Auck.
mote the interests of sciencoj for which he had a tmnistra"
natural turn ; but his rule was comprised in a tlon-
single series of transactions — the conquest, the occupation,
and the loss of Afghanistan. His administration com-
menced with a surplus revenue of a crore and a half, and it
closed with a deficit of two crores, and a largo addition to
the debt The Tories contributed one inefficient Governor-
General in Lord Amherst, and the Whigs another in Lord
Auckland. The one wasted thirteen crores in the Burmese
war ; the other squandered an equal sum in the Afghan
expedition.
CHAPTEll XIII.
SECTION I.
LORD ELLENBOROUQH'S ADMINISTRATION — ADVANCE OF IHE
ARMY ON CABUL.
LORD ELLENBOROUGH, who now assumed the charge of the
Government, was a statesman of high repute, and an elo-
quent speaker, and had for several years taken a i,or& Eiien-
special interest in the aftairs of India, more par- borough,
tlcularly during the discussion on the last charter. Like
Lord Wellesley and Lord Minto, he had served an appren-
ticeship at the Board of Control, where he had acquired an
ample knowledge of the principles and policy of the Indian
administration. He was known to possess great energy
and decision of character, and the community in India
augured a happy relief from the weak and vacillating policy
of his predecessor.
General Pollock arrived at Peshawuron the 5th February,
B » 2
420 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII.
A.D. and found the four regiments in a state of complete insub-
1842 ordination. Many of the sepoys had deserted their co-
Generai Pol- ^ours> au^ meetings were nightly held to encourage
lock's ad- each other in the determination not to enter the
vance. Khyber Pass. Efforts were also made to de-
bauch the regiments which the general had brought with
him, but he put down these machinations with promptitude
and Energy. The officers manifested scarcely less reluct .
ance to encounter the danger of the passes. Sir Robert
Sale was importuning the general to hasten to his relief,
but he felt that, with a force so completely demoralised,
he could not advance without the certain risk of fail-
ure. Obliged as he was to wait for reinforcements, he
devoted the months of February and March to the task
of restoring the discipline, recovering the health, and
reviving the confidence of his troops, which was strength-
ened in no small degree by the arrival of a regiment
of dragoons and some horse artillery. Raja Golab Sing
also came up and took the command of tho Sikh con-
tingent, and the masterly arrangements and resolute bear-
ing of General Pollock at length overcame the dread with
which the Sikhs regarded the Khyber, and secured the active
co-operation of the raja. The Khyberees demanded an exor-
bitant sum for a passage through their denies, and proceeded
to block up the entrance of the pass with stones and branches
of trees, while they covered the mountains on either side
with their troops ; but the plan adopted by General Pollock,
of crowning the heights baffled all their efforts. At three
in the morning of the 5th April the troops moved out of the
camp in perfect silence and climbed up tho rugged crags
with great enthusiasm, and the dawn revealed their pre-
sence to the thunderstruck Afghans on the summit of their
own hills. After a sharp conflict, they were seen to fly
precipitately in every direction ; the defence of the pass was
abandoned, and it was opened to the long string of bag-
gage which, including the military stores and the provisions
for General Sale's force, extended two miles. No further
obstacle was offered to the progress of the army, which
reached Jellalabad on the 15th April.
Sir Robert Sale, reached Jellalabad on the 13th November,
with provisions foi only two days. The fortifications were
General Sale m a state of complete dilapidation, and there were
atJenaiabad. paths over the ramparts into the country. Imme-
diately beyond the walls lay ruined forts and mosques,
which afforded cover for assailants at the distance of only
twenty or thirty yards, and the inhabitants, both in tho
SECT. I.] DEFENCE OF JELLALABAD 421
town and country, were animated with feelings of bitter A.D.
hostility. The day after the arrival of the force, 5,000 of 1841
the armed population of the neighbourhood advanced with
yell sand imprecations to the walls, but were completely dis-
persed by Colonel Monteath. Captain Broadfoot, an officer
of indomitable energy and fertile resources, who had ac-
companied the brigade with his sappers and miners, was
appointed garrison engineer, and commenced the task of
clearing and .xi.'VM'jr'1 ni1 ,r the fortifications. The whole
of the 13th Foot was turned into a working party, a spirit
of zeal and emulation was diffused through the garrison,
and an indefensible mass of ruins was, in a short time,
converted into a fortress, proof against anything but siege 1842
artillery. On the 9th January a horseman rode up to the
gate with the order to evacuate Jellalabad which General
Elphinstono had written under compulsion. The officers
replied that as Akbar Khan had sent a proclamation to the
chiefs in the valley to destroy the force, they would await
further communications from the general at Cabul. At
the close of January a letter was received from Shah
Soojah, as the ostensible head of the Afghan Government,
1 • .• !*•"»• the evacuation of the town. At a council of
war, the general and the political agent proposed to comply
with the request, and the latter supported his advice to
evacuate the place and return to Peshawur by the assertion
that the Government of India had evidently abandoned the
garrison to its fate, and that it was impossible for them to
hold out much longer ; to which Captain Broadfoot nobly
replied, that even if their own Government had deserted
them, they owed it to their country to uphold its honour at
this crisis, and it was a duty from which nothing could
absolve them. The majority of the council, however,
agreed to adopt the views of the political agent, but with
the understanding that if the next communication from the
Shah and the chiefs at Cabul was equivocal, they should be
at liberty to take their own course. The answer was
clogged with requisitions which wero deemed inadmissible ;
Captain Broadfoot reiterated his objection to a capitulation;
the officers had recovered the tone of their minds, and a
recent foray had supplied the garrison with 900 head of
cattle ; and, contrary to the advice of the general and the
political agent, the majority voted against the renewal of
negotiations.
On the 18th February a succession of earth quakes de-
stroyed in a few hours the labours of throe months. The
parapets were prostrated, the bastions seriously injured,
422 ABRIDGMENT OF THE BISTORT OF INDIA [Ciup.XIIL
A.D. and one of the gates was reduced to a heap of ruins.
1842 The damage was, however, repaired with such
*iJ2^ promptitude as to lead the Afghans to declare that
the earthquake could not have been felt there.
Soon after, Akbar Khan, who had been detained at Cabul
by differences with the chiefs, arrived in the valley to take
possession of the town, in accordance with the order of
evacuation he had extorted from the British authorities at
Cabul ; but he found that the defences had been completed,
and a store of provisions laid in ; that he had not to deal
with men like Elphinstone and Shelton, but with officers
and men buoyant with animation and confidence. On the
llth March he advanced to the attack of the town, but the
whole garrison sallied forth, and he was ignonnnion.^ly
driven from the field. He resolved, therefore, to turn the
siege into a blockade, in the hope of starving the garrison
into submission, as he had done at Cabul ; and its situation
began to be critical : the cattle were perishing for want of
fodder ; the men were on reduced rations of salt meat ; the
officers were on short commons ; and the ammunition was
running low. Akbar had been gradually drawing his camp
nearer to the town, and if. was now pitched within two
miles of it. The general at length yielded to the impor-
tunity of Captain Havelock and his brother officers to
relieve the force from its perilous position by a bold
attack on the encampment of the enemy. The plan of the
engagement provided that a simultaneous attack should be
made in three columns, and that his army should be driven
into the river, which was then an impetuous torrent. By
some mistake, one column had to bear the brunt of the
assault made by Akbar's splendid cavalry; but in the course
of an hour he was driven from every point, and pursued
to the river with the entire loss of his stores and equip-
ment, and his camp was delivered up to the flames. He
disappeared from the scene, and the u<Mtrhl>onnn<.: chiefs
hastened to make their submission and to pour in provisions.
General Pollock, on his arrival a week after, found the
garrison, which had achieved its own deliverance, in
exuberant spirits and robust health. One such day at Cabul
would have saved the army.
Immediately after the outbreak at Cabul the chiefs des-
patched emissaries to raise western Afghanistan, and General
ETott concentrated his force at Candahar, but the
at spirit of disaffection was irresistible. The Jaun-
baz, the Shah's cavalry, a« well as tho chiefs of
SECT, I.] AFFAIBS AT OANDAHAH 423
his own tribe, threw off the mask and openly joined the A.D,
insurgents, and even his own son placed himself at their 1842
head. After many weeks of preparation they moved down
to attack Caridahar, but were completely discomfited in an
engagement which did not last more than twenty minutes.
At length Mirza Ahmed, the ablest man in the country,
and who had enjoyed the entire confidence of Major Baw-
hrison, went over to the hostile camp, and gave strength and
organisation to the confederacy. The insurgents continued
to hover round the city, and it was considered necessary to
break up their camp. General Nott . ••"*•-' marched
out on the 10th March, and was inveigled to a distance
from the city, when Mirza Ahmed and the Shah's own. son
advanced at sunset to the Herat gate, where their emissaries
had been employed for some hours in heaping up brushwood
saturated with oil. As soon as it blazed up, the ghazees,
or fanatics, maddened with drugs, rushed forward with
hideous yells and imprecations. Amidst this scene of wild
confusion, which was rendered more appalling by the dark-
ness, Majors Rawlinson and Lane defended the gate with
the greatest energy for five hours. Towards midnight the
fury of the assailants was exhausted, and they retired, and
Caiidahar was saved.
This brilliant success was counterbalanced by disasters.
Ghuzni, after having stood a siege of tour months, was sur-
rendered to the Afghans, though under a different
commander it might easily have been held till the
garrison was relieved. General England, moreover, was
advancing up to Caiidahar from the south with a convoy of
provisions, ammunition, and money, and had reached
Uykulzye when a body of 500 of his troops was suddenly
assailed by a party of the enemy, who sprang up from
behind a breastwork, four foot high, erected on a slight eleva-
tion, and a considerable number were killed. They recoiled
at first from the shock, but soon recovered themselves, and
were eager to be led on ; but the panic-stricken general
retreated in dismay to Qwetta, and actually began to throw
up entrenchments.
On tho 15th March Lord Tiilc-! huro;,gh issued a procla-
mation, signed by himself and all tho members of Council,
stating that the course now to be pursued must
have reference "to the establishment of our
" military reputation by the infliction of some
" signal and decisive blow on tho Afghans which
" may make it appear to them and to our subjects and
424 ABRIDGMENT OP THE HISTORY OF INDIA |_CHAP, XIIL
A,D. " allies that we have the power of inflicting punishment
1842 '* upon those who commit atrocities, and that we withdraw
" ultimately from Afghanistan, not from any deficiency of
" means to maintain our position, but because we are satis-
u fied that the king we have set up has not, as we were
" erroneously led to imagine, the support of the nation."
These noble sentiments were welcomed with exultation
throughout India, but after a brief residence in Calcutta, he
left the Council board and proceeded to the north-west; and,
on hearing of the loss of Ghuzni and the repulse of General
England and his precipitate retreat to Qwetta, announced
to the Commander-in- Chief his determination to withdraw
the troops from Candahar and Jellalabad at the earliest
practicable period. He questioned whether " it would be
" justifiable to put our troops forward for no other object
" than that of avenging our losses and rr-r-l.'.bll-hinir our
" military character in all its original brillianc}7." General
Nott was therefore directed to retire from Candahar after
blowing up the gateways and demolishing the fortifications,
and General Pollock was ordered to return to the provinces,
except under certain contingencies.
To this communication General Pollock replied that the
withdrawal of the force at the present time would neces-
sarily be construed into a defeat, and compromise
Generals onr character as a powerful nation in Asia, and
Pollock and produce the most disastrous effect. The release
of the prisoners was also, he said, an object not
to be repudiated ; but the want of cattle would effectually
prevent his immediate retirement, and he might possibly
be detained several months. By this dexterous suggestion
he was enabled to evade the injunction to retire at once,
and to wait the chance of another and more auspicious
change in the versatile mind of Lord Ellenborough. General
Nott and Major Rawlinson had, with no small difficulty,
succeeded in maintaining anything like subordination in the
province amidst the seething elements of revolt and anarchy,
and any suspicion of retirement would have raised the
whole country and rendered it impossible to obtain cattle
or provisions without the employment of force. But
General Nott replied promptly that the evacuation of the
province should be effected in the best manner circum-
stances would admit, and thus gained a season of respite.
The order for the immediate evacuation of Afghanistan
excited a burst of indignation throughout India. It was
universally felt that to retire before our honour had been
BBCT. L] PERMISSION TO ADVANCE TO CABUL 425
vindicated, or the prisoners rescued, would inflict a deeper A.U.
stigma on the national character than the capitu- A 843
lation at Cabul, which might be considered one borough'^"
of the chances of war. With all the contempt change of
Lord Ellenborough professed for public opinion, p an*
he could scarcely be indifferent to this unanimous ex-
pression of feeling, and he changed his mind again. On
the 4th July, General Nott was assured, in an official com-
munication, that the resolution of the Governor- General to
withdraw the troops remained without alteration. On the
same day, Lord Ellenborough wrote himself to the general,
suggesting that it might possibly be feasible for him to
withdraw from Afghanistan by advancing to Ghuzni and
Cabul over the scenes of our late disasters ; that this would
have a grand effect upon the minds of our soldiers, of our
allies, of our enemies in Asia, and of our own countrymen,
and of foreign nations in Europe. It was an object of just
ambition, but the risk was unquestionably great. A copy
of this letter was sent to General Pollock, with the sugges-
tion that he might possibly feel disposed to advance to
Cabul and co-operate with General Nott. Both oflicers were
too happy to obtain permission to move up to the capital
and retrieve our honour, to think for a moment of the
responsibility thus thrust upon them, and which the
Governor- General, as the head of the state, should have had
the courage to take on himself.
After the retreat of the army from Cabul, Shah Soojah
was acknowledged as king, and allowed to reside in the
Bala Hissar, but the insurgent chiefs engrossed
all the power of the state. He sent repeated mes- ai Jfth*
N'ifro* <o Jollalabad declaring his unalterable attachment to
the Hrlii.sli Government, and asking for nothing but money,
although he had contrived to save twenty lacs of rupees
out of the sums lavished on him since he left Loodiana.
To the Afghan chiefs he protested his constant fidelity to
the national cause, and they desired him to demonstrate his
sincerity by placing himself at the head of the army about
to proceed to Jellalabad to expel General Sale. It was
rumoured that he would be murdered or blinded by the
Barukzies if he quitted the Bala Hissar, and he exacted
an oath for his safety on the Koran, and descended from
the citadel on the 5th April decked in all the insignia of
royalty. He was shot dead on the road, and his body was
rifled of the costly jewels he always carried about his person,
and thrown into a ditch. It was rescued by his son, and
426 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP XIII.
A.D. interred with royal honours. Dissensions then broke out
1842 among the different chiefs, which ended in the complete
ascendancy of Akbar Khan.
Of the British officers who were taken over as hostages,
the greater number were entrusted to Zeman Shah, the
Thehostages only Afghan chief who never wavered in his at-
and captives, tachment to the English during these scenes of
perfidy. On the murder of Shah Soojah, he was con-
strained to transfer them to the high priest of Cabul, who
sold them to Akbar Khan for 4,000 rupees. The captives,
on being made over to him during the retreat, were con-
ducted through the recent scenes of slaughter, amidst the
mangled corpses which emitted the sickening smell of
death, to a fort at Tezeen, and then over mountain paths,
all but impassable, to Budeeabad, forty miles from Jellala-
bad, and were enabled to correspond with their friends in
that town and to receive books and journals. On the ap-
proach of General Pollock they were conducted back for
safety to Tezeen, where General Elphinstone sunk into the
grave, a noble and brave soldier, endeared to all around him
for his urbanity, but utterly unqualified for the arduous
post which Lord Auckland had thrust upon him. On the
22nd May the captives were conveyed to a fort three miles
from Cabul, where they enjoyed comparative freedom and
comfort, and were permitted to interchange visits with
their friends in the Bala Hissar. Meanwhile, Akbar Khan
deputed one of the officers whom he held in captivity to
General Pollock to propose the release of the prisoners on
condition of his quitting the country without inarching on
the capital, threatening, in case of a refusal, to send them on
to Turkestan and distribute them among the Oosbek chiefs.
The proposal was peremptorily refused.
The permission to march on Cabul was received with a
shout of exultation at Jellalabad, but it was not before the
Advance of m^c^° of August that General Pollock was able
General to learn with certainty that General Nott had
Pollock. actually turned his face towards the capital. On
the 20th of that month, 8,000 men, animated with a feeling
of the highest enthusiasm, marched out of Jellalabad. At
Jugdulluk the Ghiljies again appeared under the ablest of
their chiefs, and with the flower of their tribes ; but they no
longer had a dispirited and fugitive soldiery to deal with,
and in the battle which ensued the victory over them was
in every way complete. The rout of the Ghiljies and the
bold advance of General Pollock spread dismay at Cabul,
SECT. I.] RECAPTUBE OF CABUL 427
and Akbar Khan, having put his threat in execution and A.D.
sent the prisoners into Turkestan, moved down with all the 1842
chiefs and their levies to make one last effort to protect
Cabul from the avenging foe. The two armies met in the
valley of Tezeen, which had been the scene of a great mas-
sacre in January, and every height again bristled with
matchlocks. The sepoy vied with his European comrade
in driving the enemy from crag to crag, and dispersing
them like a flock of sheep. Akbar fled from the field, leav-
ing his troops to shift for themselves, and the British
ensign was hoisted on the Bala Hissar on the 15th
September.
General Nott evacuated Candahar on the 7th August.
Owing to the admirable discipline maintained by the military
and political chiefs, there had been no licentious- A(^ance
ness on the part of the soldiery or officers to from Can-
irritate the inhabitants, and they crowded around dabar-
them and embraced them as they quitted the town. The
army encountered no opposition of any moment on the
route. The fortifications of Ghuzni were blown up, and the
woodwork set on tire ; and the flames of this ancient and
renowned citadel, the cradle of Mahomedan power, lighted
up the sky throughout the night. In it were deposited
the gates of sandal wood of which Mahmood had despoiled
the temple of Somnath eight centuries before, and Lord
Ellenborough resolved to attach to his administration what
he considered the merit of having restored them to India.
General Nott was also instructed to bring away from the
tomb of Mahmood " his club, which hung over it, and which,
" together with the gates, would be the just trophies of his
" successful march." The army reached Cabul the day
after the arrival of General Pollock.
The first attention of General Pollock on his arrival was
directed to the recovery of the prisoners whom Akbar
Khan, on the 25th August, had hurried over the j^^ of
barren wastes and steep ascents of the Hindoo the pri-
Coosh, many thousand feet above the level of t>oncr8-
the sea to Bameean, whore they arrived on the 3rd Sep-
tember. Sir Richmond Shakespcar, his military secretary,
was therefore despatched after them with GOO horsemen.
They were under the charge of Saleh Mahomed, who
had been a native commandant in a local Afghan regiment,
but deserted it in the previous year. On the llth Septem-
ber, he called Captain Johnson, Captain George Lawrence,
and Major Pottinger aside, and produced a letter from
428 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X1U
A.D. Akbar Khan, directing liim to convey the prisoners to the
1842 higher regions of the Hindoo Coosh, and deliver them to
the Oosbek chief of Kliooloom. At the same time, he
exhibited a letter from Mohun lall, the moonshee in the
service of the late envoy at Cabul, promising him, on the
part of General Pollock, a gratuity of 20,000 rupees and
an Annuity of 12,000 rupees if ho would restore the
captives. " I know nothing," he said, " of General Pollock,
" but if you three gentlemen will swear to me by your
" Saviour to make the offer good, I will deliver you over
" to your own people." The proposal was received with
rapture, and the officers and ladies united in making them-
selves responsible by a deed for the funds.
Major Pottingcr, by common consent, assumed the
direction of their movements, and the hero of Herat was
again in his element. He deposed the hostile
of Major governor of Bameean, hoisted another flag, and
Pottingor. j^ un(ier contribution a caravan of Lolianee
merchants passing through the country. He secured the
Afghan escort consisting of 250 monby the promise of four
months pay on reaching Cabul. He issued proclamations
to the neighbouring chiefs to como in and make their
obeisance, and granted them remissions of revenue. To
prepare for a siege ho repaired the fortifications, ring wells,
and laid in a supply of provisions. On the 15th September
a horseman galloped in with the cheering intelligence that
Akbar Khan had been completely defeated, that the Afghan
force was annihilated, and that General Pollock was in full
march to Cabul. Major Pottingcr and his fellow prisoners
determined to return to Cabul without any delay. They
bid adieu to the fort on the 10th, and slept that night on
the bare rock, unconscious of fatigue or suffering. The
next afternoon Sir Richmond Shakespear and his squadron
was in the midst of them, and the anxieties of eight months
were at an end. Two days after, the camp at Cabul was
ringing with acclamations as the captives entered it, many
of them wrapped in sheep skins. ISTever since the establish-
ment of British power in India had so intense a feeling of
anxiety pervaded the community as the fate of the prisoners
excited, and the thrill of delight which vibrated throughout
the country on the announcement of their safety may be
more easily conceived than described.
The scattered remnant of the Afghan army was assembling
in the Kohistan, the highlands of Cabul, under Ameonoolla,
the most inveterate of our enemies, and it was deemed
SECT, I.] LORD ELLENBOROUOH'S PROCLAMATION 429
necessary to break up the gathering. A force was despatched A.D.
against Istaliff, the chief town, which was con- 18*2
sidered the virgin fortress of Afghanistan, but it
was captured with little loss. Chareekar, where the Goorkha
regiment had been slaughtered, as well as several other
towns which had taken a prominent part in the insurrection,
were also destroyed. The object of the expedition had
now been accomplished ; Afyrhrm^tn^ had been reconquered,
our prisoners recovered, and our military reputation restored
to its former brilliancy ; but it was considered necessary to
leave some lasting mark of retribution on the capital. The
great bazaar, where the mutilated corpse of the envoy had
been exposed to the insults of the mob — the noblest building
of its kind in Central Asia — was accordingly undermined and
blown up. Notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of the
officers to guard the gates, the soldiers rushed in from the
camps of both generals, and for several days the city was
subjected to the wild and licentious passions of men
maddened by a remembrance of the indignities heaped on
their murdered fellow-countrymen. The English colours
were hauled clown from iho Bala Hissar on the 12th
October, and the two armies turned their backs on Afghan-
istan. The family of Sliah Soojah returned with the army
to their former retreat at Loodiana. General Pollock halted
at Jellalabad to blow up the fortifications, and the whole
army at length reached the banks of the Sutlej.
Lord Kllenborough received intelligence of the re-occu-
pation of Cabul while residing at Simla in the house in
which Lord Auckland had penned the dcclara- _. . En
tion of war four years before, and he issued a borough's
proclamation announcing the termination of it. {^slftma*
To give a dramatic effect to the proceeding, it
was dated on the same clay of the month with Lord Auck-
land's manifesto, though it was not issued till ten days later.
It was universally censured for the unseemly reflections
cast upon (he preceding Governor-General. " Disasters,"
Lord Ellenborough vsaid, " unparalleled in their extent,
except by the errors in which they originated, have in
one short campaign been avenged on every scene of past
misfortune." u The combined army of England and
India," he proceeded to say, "superior in equipment, in
discipline, and in valour, and in the officers by whom it
is commanded, to any force that can be opposed to it
in Asia, will stand in unassailable strength on its own
soil, and for ever, under the blessing of Providence,
480 ABBIDOMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAP, XIII
A.D. " preserve the glorious empire it has won in security and
1842 « honour."
Lord Ellenborough had been in such a state of excitement
ever since " 3 assumed the government, that these inflated
expressions excited little surprise, and the public only
regretted that, with all his fine talents, ho had so little
ballast. The proclamation of the Gates appeared next, but
it was ridiculed as a servile imitation of Bonaparte's pro-
clamation of the Pyramids. " My friends and brethren,"
said tho Governor- General in his address to the princes of
India, " our victorious army bears tho gates of tho temple
' of Somnath in triumph from Afghanistan, and the de-
* spoiled tomb of Mahmood looks on the ruins of Ghuzni.
' The insult of 800 years is avenged. To you, princes and
1 chiefs of Sirhind, of Rajwara, of Malwa, and of Guzerat,
' I shall commit this glorious trophy of successful warfare.
* You will yourselves, with all honour, transmit the gates
* of sandal wood to tho restored temple of Somnath."
This quixotic address was designated by the Duke of
Wellington a song of triumph, but by the community in
India, native as well as European, it was considered the
triumph of folly. The gates, which had been under the
charge of General Nott, were placed on a waggon, covered
with costly trappings, and brought in the train of the Gov-
ernor-General to Agra. As the encampment moved on,
hundreds of Hindoos prostrated themselves before the wag-
gon, and made poojah, and presented offerings to it as to a
deity. But the gates never moved beyond Agra, where they
were consigned to a lumber room in the fort.
Lord Ellenborough had assembled a large army at
Ferozepore, partly to overawe the Sikhs, and partly to get
up a grand ovation, and there " at tho foot of the bridge of
Meeting at " the Sutlej," amidst hundreds of elephants, which
Ferozepore. ne nad collected to do honour to the returning
heroes, and which had been painted and decorated under his
own immediate eye, he welcomed General Pollock with the
captives, and General Nott with the gates. The officers
were feasted in magnificent tents, decorated with nags
bearing the names of their several victories, and the sepoys
were regaled, as the Governor-General's notification ran,
with their "favourite metoys," or sweetmeats. T- •'•; li':ir
the regiments • ' • * - from Afghanistan, tho camp at
Ferozepore numbered 40,000 troops— an imposing and
judicious display of military power after our recent disasters
beyond the Indus. The Afghan prisoners in our hands
0 AFFAIBS OF SINDE 481
oBCT.
wer ^erated. On Baking leave of Dost Mahomed, Lord i.i>.
jgj]4%orough liad the curiosity to enquire his opinion of us
a^ all he had seen in India. " I have been struck," he
re led, " with the magnitude of your resources and your
it iwer, your armies, your ships, your arsenals ; but what I
n ;annot understand is why the rulers of so vast and flourish-
ing an empire should have gone across the Indus to
j deprive me of my poor and barren country." The surprise
Expressed by the Dost was equally shared by tho community
in England and in India ; and here the curtain drops on
the dark tragedy of Afghanistan.
On tho 1st October Lord Ellenborough announced in his
Simla proclamation that "the Government of India, con-
" tent with the limits which nature appears to n , . .
tt\ • i x -j. • i i j JL n -i Conduct of
" have assigned to its empire, would devote all its the Ameers
" efforts to the re-establishment and maintenance of Sinde'
" of peace/' and he ordered a medal to be struck with the
motto u Pax Asioa restituta." Within six months he issued
another proclamation, annexing the kingdom of Sinde to
the Company's dominions. That country was divided into
three principalities — upper, middle and lower Sinde, go-
verned respectively by the Ameers, who were independent
of each other. They had meekly submitted to the humilia-
tion of the treaties enforced on them by Sir William
Macnaghtcn in 1839, and, during the three years of the
occupation of Afghanistan, their conduct had been marked
by exemplary good faith. They permitted the free passage
of our troops and stores, and supplied the steamers with
fuel. After the Cabul force was annihilated, they still con-
tinued to furnish supplies and carriage, and it was solely
by means of the 3,000 camels provided by them that
General Nott was enabled to move on Cabul Some of
the chiefs, however, were emboldened by our reverses to
manifest a spirit of hostility, and Major Outram, the Resi-
dent, brought charges against them, and advised a revision
of the treaties. Lord Ellenborough replied that he was
determined to inflict signal chastisement on any chief or
Ameer who had exhibited hostile designs against us during
the late events on a presumption of our weakness, but
there must, he said, be the clearest proof of their faithless-
ness.
Sir Charlrs Napier arrived in Sinde on the 9th Septem-
ber, invested with full diplomatic and military power. He
was a soldier of distinguished reputation, and of sir Charles
nxtraordiriary energy, but he came to his post Napier.
432 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [
A.D. with a violent prejudice against tho Ameers. The in fa Jti-
1812 gation of the charges of disloyalty was referred to hifl^'by
tho Governor- General with the distinct injunction thaipxhe
should not proceed against them without the most c<?ni-
plete proof of their guilt. All the charges, except thr^e,
were at once dismissed, and the question of their doli\V-
quenfcy turned upon the authenticity of a letter, which th \
best scholars in India said was exceedingly doubtful, biAt
which Sir Charles, who was totally ignorant of the Ian-
guage, pronounced to bo genuine, without calling on the
Ameers for any explanation. The treaties of 1839, he
affirmed, had been violated.
Major Outram had submitted to Lord Ellenborough,
together with the charges he brought against some of the
The new chiefs, the draft of a new treaty intended to
treaties. substitute a cession of territory for the annual
tribute, and to punish the disloyal Ameers by <!MM«*f\MTi:ii:
a portion of their lands to the nabob of Bhawulpore. The
treaty was received from the Governor- General by Sir
Charles Napier on the 12th November, when Major Outram
discovered that it prescribed the confiscation of more terri-
tory than had been originally intended, and deprived the
Ameers of the cherished prerogative of coining money. He
attributed this alteration to inadvertence, and requested
Sir Charles to bring the subject to the notice of Lord
Ellenborough. Ho thought fit, however, to detain the docu-
ment ten weeks, and when it arrived at length with the
Governor- General's instruction that the error should be
rectified, the Ameers had been irretrievably ruined. Lord
Ellenborough had distinctly ordered Sir Charles Napier not
to act on the treaty till the Ameers had accepted and rati-
fied it ; but before they were allowed to discuss it, he
sequestered the whole of the lands stated in the first and
incorrect treaty, which belonged to the Boloch chiefs, the
feudatories of the Ameers, and they were at once deprived
of the means of subsistence.
These violent and unjustifiable proceedings were prompt-
ed by the consummate villany of Ali Morad. The office of
AliMorad's ^a^s was the highest dignity in Upper Sinde,
perfidy. and the turban was tho symbol of ifc. It had long
been enjoyed by Meer Hoostum, then in his eighty-fifth
year, who was venerated alike by the chiefs and the
people and the British officers. The succession to this
honour belonged by the usage of the country to his
brother Ali Morad, but lie was anxious to bestow it on his
SECT, i.j VILLANY OF ALT MOB AD 433
own son. To make sure of the turban All Morad insinu- A.D.
ated himself, on tho one hand, into the confidence of Sir
Charles Napier and succeeded in poisoning his mind against
Meer Roostum, and on the other, endeavoured to drive
Meer Roostum into some overt act of hostility towards
the British Government. Under his sinister influence, three
haughty and menacing messages wore sent by Sir Charles
to the Meer, and when he sought an interview to afford an
explanation, it was refused him and ho was ordered to
repair to his brother's fortress at Deejee. Soon after his
arrival there, Ali Morad transmitted to Sir Charles a
letter from his brother, stating that he had of his owr,
free will resigned the turban, and his army, his forts and
his country to him. Sir Charles was not without suspicion
that the cession had been obtained by force or fraud,
and he informed Ali Morad that it was his intention to see
his brother in person on tho subject. To present this
interview, which would have been fatal to his scheme, he
awoke his brother at midnight, and urged him to fly, as the
English general was earning the next morning to apprehend
him. TUe bewildered old chief rode off in haste to the
camp of his relatives twelve miles distant, and Sir Charles
immediately issued a proclamation to the Ameers and
people of Sindo •^.ITI *if 7 Moor Roostum with having
insulted and defied !i •• U-i's- . Government, and announc-
ing that he was resolved to maintain Ali Morad as the
ehieftain of tho Talpoora family. Meer Roostum immedi-
ately sent his minister to assure Sir Charles that ho had
been placed under restraint by Ali Morad, that his seal
was atllxed to the deed by force, and that he had been
prompted by him to fly. To this communication Sir
Charles sent an arrogant reply. Soon after, he started on
an expedition to I"!1., i" .: .••", in the desert, because it was
considered the " Gibraltar or' Upper Sinde," and he was de-
termined to show the chiefs that "neither their deserts nor
"their negotiations could intercept the progress of the
" British army." The army traversed the desert for four
days amidst great hardships, and finding the fort eva-
cuated, blew it up with the powder contained in it. The
Duke of Wellington pronounced it a great military exploit,
but as Meer Mahomed, to whom the fort belonged, had
never givon any cause of offence to the British Government
it was an act of wanton aggression.
After having confiscated the lands in Upper Sinde and
deprived Meet* Roostum of his power and dignity, Sir
iff
434 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII
Charles Napier ordered the Ameers of Upper and Lower
_ . Sinde to meet Major Outram at Khyrpore, to
Conference ... , . J , , D ±.1
with the discuss and sign the treaty, but as some of them
Ameers. fa^ no^ a^end, the conference was transferred
to Hyderabad. Two days after, the agents of the Ameers
of Lower Sinde arrived in the camp with their masters*
seals, which they were authorised to affix to the treaty ;
and there would have been a peaceful solution of all differ-
ences if they had been permitted to do so. Sir Charles,
however, refused them permission to execute the deed,
and ordered them back to Hyderabad, and thus brought the
combustible materials of the upper and lower divisions of
the country together in that city.
A D At the conference, the Ameers denied that they had in-
1843 fringed the treaty of 1839, and they repudiated the corres-
Oonference P°ndence on which they had been condemned,
at Hydera- and which they were not permitted to see. On
bad' the 12th February, they affixed their seals to the
treaty, but assured the Major that the Beloche troops
assembled at the capital were exasperated at the sight of
the chiefs of Upper Sindo whom Sir Charles had deprived
of their lands, and more especially of the venerable Meer
Roostum, whom he had deposed, and that it was impossible
to answer for their conduct. The confusion was increased
by the approacli of Sir Charles Napier and his army. As
the Major was leaving the fort after the signature of the
, treaty, he was surrounded by a crowd of citizens and
soldiers who poured curses on the British name, and he
would have fallen a victim to popular fury, if the Ameers
had not personally guarded him to the Residency. The
next day a deputation from the Ameers waited on him, and
stated that the Beloche troops were wrought up to such a
state of desperation that they had ceased to be amenable to
authority. For two days they continued to entreat him
to retire from the Residency to a position of greater safety,
but, with more chivalry than discretion, he refused to
move. On the morning of the 15th February, three days
after the signature of the treaties, masses of infantry came
down on the Residency house, and Major Outram, after a
gallant defence of three hours, withdrew to the armed
steamer anchored in the river at the distance of 500 yards.
An appeal to arms now became inevitable. The Beloche
troops flocked io the capital in rmgTWMHod numbers when
Tho battle ^ Wfis found that Sir Charles Napier persisted in
pfMceance. advancing upon it after the treaty had been
BBCT.I.] BATTLE OF MEEANEE 435
signed. On the morning of the 17th February he came in A..D.
front of the Beloche army which was posted at Meeanee, six 1
miles from Hyderabad, about 20,000 in number, while his
own force did not exceed 2,700. The Be loch es disputed
every inch of ground, and, after fighting for three hours
with desperate valour, retired gradually from the contest,
leaving their camp and their artillery in the hands of the
victor. Braver men never rushed on death, and never on
any Indian battle-field had the gallantry of British troops
and the generalship of a British commander been more
conspicuous. No quarter was asked or given, and the loss
of the enemy in killed and wounded was computed at
5,000, while on the side of the English the number
did not exceed 257, of whom, however, nineteen were
officers. A fresh body of 10,000 Beloche soldiers arrived
the next day, and a similar number was hovering about in
the neighbourhood, but the voluntary submission of the
Ameers and the surrender of the fort, relieved Sir Charles
from all anxiety. Ho entered Hyderabad on the 20th, and
obtained possession of the accumulated treasures of the
Talpoora dynasty, which, as usual, were at once distributed
among the troops as prize-money. Lord Ellenborough on
hearing of tho victory of Meance issued a proclamation,
annexing Sinde, " fertile as Egypt," to tho Company's
dominions. The gallant Shero Mahomed collected together
the scattered bauds of Bcloches to make another effort for
the independence1 of his country. Sir Charles Napier, who
had received reinforcements which raised his army to 6,000,
found the Ameer encamped with 20,000 men at Duppa.
The field was gallantly contested on both sides, but the
victory was as complete as thai of Meeanee, and the subjuga-
tion of the country was consummated.
The triumphs of the army in Sinde were contrasted with
tho pusillanimity exhibited at Cabul and created a feeling of
just exultation in India, but it was damped by the Remarkg<
conviction that the war was altogether indefen-
sible. Tho elaborate vindication which Lord Ellenborough
drew up of it only served to expose the weakness of his
cause. His error lay in tho overweening confidence he
placed in Sir Charles Napier, who was always more under
the influence of excitement than of reason, and who with-
held much information which ho was bound in honour to
give. Sir John Hobhouse, the President of the Board of
Control, justly observed that the conquest of Sinde would
never have taken place if tho Governor-General had been
F F 2
436 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP, XII
in full possession of the real facts, and cognisant of Ali
Morad's perfidy. But even before Sir Charles knew any-
thing of that caitiff he wrote, "We only want a pretext to
" coerce the Ameers . . . the more powerful Government
" will at no distant period swallow up the weaker;" and he
subsequently remarked, " We have no right to seize Sinde,
" yet we shall do so, and a very advantageous, useful, and
" humane piece of rascality it will be." The rascality is
more obvious than the advantage, except to the captors, to
whom it brought a rich harvest of prize-money, of which
seven lacs fell to the share of Sir Charles Napier. On the
finances of India it inflicted a loss of two crores and a half
of rupees, in the course of fifteen years.
SECTION II.
LORD ELLErUOROUGH's ADMINISTRATION— WAR WITH SINDIA —
HIS RECALL.
A.D. THE annexation of Sindo brought its own retribution. Tt
1843 led to a relaxation of the bonds of discipline and loyalty of
the native army, and afforded a premonition of
Mutiny of . ,. e *• -u- i, 4.1 • L tv
native regi- that climax or mutiny which thirteen years after
ments. swept away the whole army. Sinde having be-
* come a British province, the sepoys ceased to be entitled to
the extra allowance granted to them when on foreign
service in an enemy's country, but they could see no reason
why their pay should be curtailed because they had added
a new kingdom to the dominions of their masters. In
A..D. February, the 34th Native Infantry refused to march to
1844 Sinde without the same allowance which had been granted
to troops proceeding beyond the Indus. The 7th Bengal
Cavalry and some Bengal artillery followed the example,
and were marched back. The 60th and 4th, ordered in their
stead to the frontier, refused to embark on the boats at
Ferozeporo, and the 64th mutinied at Loodiana, at Mood-
kec, and at Shikarpore. On none of these occasions was
the authority of the state vindicated, or the spirit of disci-
pline maintained. Finding it impossible to garrison Sinde
with a Bengal force, the Government turned to the Madras
army, and a regiment was sent to Bombay ; but when the
men found that the usual extra allowance was not to be
granted, they also went into mutiny. The province was
SECT II.] TRANSACTIONS AT THE GWALIOR 437
then made over to the Bombay Presidency, and satisfactory
arrangements were made with regard to the pay of the
sepoys.
The next event in the course of Lord Ellenborough's A.n.
administration had reference to the affairs of Gwalior, 184J
Dowlut Rao Sindia died in 1827, and liis widow
Baeza bye adopted Junkojee, who died in 1843
without issue. In 1838 he bad taken for his second wife
Tara bye, who was thirteen years of age at the time of his
death, when she adopted a boy of eight years, bestowing on
him the title of Oyajee. The Gwalior cabinet was anxious
that the government should remain with the existing
ministry, but Lord Ellen borough, considering the extreme
youth of the raja and his adoptive mother, deemed it prudent
that the management of public affairs shonld be entrusted
to a smgle individual. Of the two candidates who were
presented to him he chose for regent the Mama Sahib, the
uncle of the late raja, \\hile the yonng queen and an in-
fluential party at court preferred Dada Khasjee, the here-
ditary chamberlain ; and, finding their wishes disappointed,
set every engine to work to thwart the measures of the
regent and to embarrass the administration. To strengthen
his authority, the regent betrothed the young raja to his own
niece. The palace confederacy assured the queen that this
alliance would undermine her influence, and ten days after
the nuptials she informed the Resident that she had deter-
mined lo dismiss t he regent from her service. The Resident
earnestly remonstrated with her on the folly of this proceed-
ing, but she turned a deaf ear to his expostulations, and
expelled him the country. The degradation of the minister
who had been nominated and supported by the Governor-
General placed the state in a position of antagonism to the
British Government, and the Resident was instructed to
retire from the court.
The great source of disquietude at Gwalior, however, was
the state of the army, about 30,000 infantry, and 10,000
cavalry, not composed of Mahratta soldiers, but state of
recruited chiefly from the martial population of the army.
Rajpootana, Oude, and other provinces, and commanded by
officers of European descent. It was out of proportion to
the necessities of the state, or to its revenues, of which it
absorbed more than two-thirds. The ministers had made re-
peated efforts to reduce the number, but the troops would not
permit a ••'• ;*.« •;.. to be disbanded. They were, moreover,
always in arrears, which increased their arrogance. The
438 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII.
A.D. state had lost all control of the army. One regiment had
1843 recently committed great excesses in Malvva, and npon a
strong remonstrance from the Resident the commandant
had been summoned to appear at Gwalior alone, but he
brought his whole corps with him, and overawed the court.
Lord Ellenborough had pressed on the regent the indispen-
sable necessity of dealing vigorously with the spirit of re-
bellion, but without any result.
On the expulsion of the regent the ranee assumed the
ostensible management of affairs, and held durbars daily,
Confusion at though only thirteen years of age, but all real
Gwalior. power was in the hands of the Dada, who had se-
cured the influence of the zenana by lavish gifts of land
and money. He was obnoxious to the most influential
nobles, who formed an opposition party, and he could not
venture to move about without the protection of a guard ;
to the British Government he manifested particular hos-
tility, and expelled from office all who were favourable to
it. The army, which was concentrated at the capital, was
courted by both parties, and became more overbearing than
ever, and the confusion in the state was rapidly approach-
ing a crisis.
The ranee importuned the Resident to return to the
court, but he informed her that until the Dada, the source
of these complications, was removed from the public
councils, there could be no restoration of friendly relations.
This communication was received by the Dada, but with-
held from her. Lord Ellenborough considered this a
serious offence, and insisted on his being delivered up to
the custody of the Resident, to which the ranee refused her
consent. Three of the most influential of the chiefs, how-
ever, gained over one of the brigades, besieged the palace
for three days and obtained possession of the person of the
Dada, but he contrived to make his escape, and resumed
the management of affairs, and began to make preparation
to resist any adverse movement of the British Government.
On the 1st November, Lord Ellenborough recorded a
masterly minute on the state of affairs at Gwalior. After
LordEiion- re^eiTing to our position in India as the para-
borough's mount and controlling power, and to the re-
minute, sponsibilities connected with it, he passed in
review the transactions of the year at Gwalior. The expul-
sion of the regent nominated with our concurrence, and
the elevation of his rival, were an affront of the gravest cha-
racter. An army of 40,000 men, with a numerous artillery,
SKCT. II.] MILITARY OPERATIONS- GWALIOR 439
lay within a few marches of the capital of the North- West A.D.
Provinces, under the management of one who had obtained 1843
his post, and could only maintain it, in despite of the British
Government. The events which had recently occurred at
Lahore would not permit acquiescence in a policy suited
only to a state of tranquillity. Within three marches of the
Sutlej, there was an army of 70,000 men, confident in its
own strength, proud of its various successes over its
neighbours, desirous of war and plunder, and under no
discipline or control. We were bound to take every pre-
caution against its hostility, and no precaution appeared
more necessary than that of rendering our rear and our
communications secure, by the establishment of a friendly
Government at Gwalior. Lord Ellenborough continued
for two months to press the surrender of the Dada on the
ranee, but still without success. He arrived at Agra on the
llth December, and finding that he had not left Gwalior,
wrote to the ranee that he could neither permit the exist-
ence of an unfriendly Government in the territories of
Sindia, nor permit it to remain without a Government able
and willing to preserve the relations of amity with its
neighbours. He had therefore ordered the British armies to
advance, and would not arrest •' '•;•••/••-• until he had full
security for the future tranquillity of the common frontier.
Sir Hugh Gough, the Commander-in-Chief, was directed
to commence his march to Gwalior, and the Dada was im-
mediately sent in to the encampment of the Resi- Coramnnica.
dent at Dholpore with a letter from the ranee, tions with
requesting that, as the wishes of the Governor- Gwahar-
General had been complied with, the advance of the army
might be countermanded. In his reply, Lord Ellonborouirh
repeated his former remarks on the necessity of a strong
Government at Gwalior to control its own subjects, and he
required that the Gwalior army, which was to all intents
and purposes master of the state it professed to serve,
should be reduced, and the strength of the British contin-
gent increased. The Cabinet, tinding that the British
army continued to move down to the Chumbul, the
boundary of the two States, sent a deputation of the most
influential chiefs to request that the ranee and the prince
should be allowed to wait on the Governor- General in his
present encampment. Lord Ellenborough replied that he
could not wait their arrival, but they represented withgreater
importunity that the house of Sindia would be for ever
disgraced, if, contrary to all precedent, the Governor*
440 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII,
A.J>. General should cross the frontier before the head of the
1843 State had waited on him on British territory. As Lord
Ellenborongh continued inflexible, it was arranged that the
meeting should take place twenty-three miles from the
capital. The troops, however, would not permit the royal
family to quit it, but marched out of Gwalior with accla-
mation, and informed the Resident that they were going to
drive the English back across the Chumbul.
After waiting in vain for two days at Hingona for the
royal party, Lord Ellenborough directed Sir Hugh Gough
Battle of ^° advance to Gwalior. Sindia's army had taken
Maharaj. up a strong position at Chounda, and Sir Hugh's
pore' jrT,!iLr 'I'l.1- were directed to this point; but
during the night seven battalions with twenty guns of
heavy calibre moved on unobserved to Maharaj pore, arid
entrenched themselves, with their formidable batteries in
front. The Commander-in- Chief and his staff considered
the enemy a contemptible rabble, ready to fly on the first
shot. The Adjutant- General said he should not have oc-
casion for anything but a horse- whip. The march was
described as a military promenade, and the Governor-
General and the ladies of the chief ofliccrs were in the field
on elephants. There had been no reconnaissance, and the
enemy's change of position was not known. The troops
advanced gaily to Maharaj pore, where it was intended to
breakfast, when a volley from the masked batteries gave
the first intimation of their position. Sir Hugh was re-
quired to change his dispositions in haste, and the battle
was justly characterised by the Governor- General as one in
which everybody and everything was out of place. The
British force numbered 12,000, that of the Main-atlas about
14,000. The siege train had been unaccountably left
behind on the surrender of the Dada, and the light field
pieces of the army were quickly silenced by tho heavy ord-
nance of the enemy, and the troops were, according (o the
usual tactics of Sir Hugh, launched on the batteries, which
were served with desperation as long as a gunner was left.
Dec. The victory was at length achieved by the irresistible
29. gallantry of our soldiers, of whom 1,000 fell killed and
wounded. On the same day, another battle was fought at
Punniar, of minor importance, which likewise ended in a
victory.
These victories placed the kingdom of Sindia at the dis-,
posal of the Governor-General, but he left it entire, and
aimply curtailed its independence. The young raneo was
SBCT. II.] RECALL OF LORD ELLENBOROUGH 441
deposed from the office of regent, and consigned to oblivion
on an allowance of three lacs a year, arid the Newtreat
administration was committed to a council oi
regency, who were required to act implicitly on the advice
of the Resident. The turbulent army of the state was
reduced to 9,000, and allowed only thirty- two guns. The
British contingent was raised to 10,000, and became, in
fact, a complete and compact little army of all arms, com-
manded by the officers of the Company, composed of high-
caste brahmins and Rajpoots, men of athletic frames and
high courage, and also of boundless presumption, as the
Government found to its cost during the mutiny.
Lord Ellcnburough returned to Calcutta m March, and
on the 15th June, India was astounded by the news that
the Court of Directors had revoked his appoint- _ .. .
•n , . i ,1 -r i. TT Recall of
ment. His correspondence with the India House ix.i.i Eiien-
had been marked by the absence cf that deference borou^h-
to the Directors which was due to the^r high position in the
empire, and it too much resembled his communications to
them when he was dictator at the Board of Control ; his
proceedings had too often exhibited a contumacious disdain
of their authority. He treated the civil service with un-
disguised contempt, and concentrated his sympathies on
the army. He had contracted a fondness for military glory,
and his administration presented only a succession of battles.
The vagary of the Gates proclamation had exposed the
Government of India to the ridicule of England and tho
contempt of Europe, and destroyed all confidence in the
sobriety and soundness of his judgment. He appeared to
the Directors to be without any definite principles of action,
and they were in constant dread of the new embarrassments
in which his eccentricities might involve them. They
ceased to consider the empire safe in his hands ; and in the
teeth of ministerial remonstrances, more especially from
the Duke, determined to exercise the power of recall which
they had refused to renounce at the renewal of the charter.
His removal was resented by the army he had caressed,
with expressions boidering on disloyalty. The com-
munity in general, while duly . • : r.-. ',• "• .: his many
noble qualities, the total absence of nepotism, the patriotic
distribution of his i-si-r • ,itrc», his indefatigable industry,
and his ••'•.. .' , gy, still regarded the resolution of
tho Cour . I ' • -as an act of unquestionable wisdom.
He embarked for England on the 1st August, and the
Sikh war was postponed for twelve months.
442 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII.
Lord Ellenborough's attention was so completely absorbed
in war and politics as to leave him little leisure or inclina-
im rove ^on ^or ^e mora^ intellectual, or material im-
mentsinhis provement of the country, but there were some
tfan.inistra~ measures which deserve notice. It was during
his administration that the police of the lower
provinces was rendered more efficient by the establishment
of the office of deputy ip.iiiji-irsilr. to which men of every
class, creed, and caste were eligible ; and also by an im-
provement of the pay of daroyds, who held the comfort of
the great body of the people in their hands. It was also
under his government that state lotteries, which had
become a prolific source of demoralisation, were abolished.
To him also belongs the merit of having, under the advice
of Mr. Wilberforce Bird, passed an Act for the total and
immediate extinction of slavery.
SECTION III.
LORD HAEDINGE'S ADMINISTRATION — THE PUNJAB — THK SIKH
WAR
A.D. ON the recall of Lord Ellenborough, the- Ministry and the
1844 Court of Directors concurred in nominating his relative, Sir
Lord Henry — subsequently Lord — Hardinge, to succeed
Hardinge. him. He had entered the army at an early ago,
and served in the Peninsula under the Duke of Wellington,
and acquired a high reputation, more especially at the battle
of Albuera, the success of which was ascribed to his skill
and gallantry, and procured him from a great historical
authority the commendation of being " the young soldier
" with the eye of a general, and the soul of a hero." At
Waterloo he was disabled by a severe wound. On his
return to England he entered Parliament and was twice
Secretary at War, and once Secretary for Ireland, and in these
positions acquired much experience in the management of
public affairs. It was his military qualifications, however,
which recommended him for the government of India at a
time when the right bank of the Sutlej was bristling with
hostile bayonets and the Sikh army had ceased to be
amenable to the control of the state. He was of the same
mature age — sixty — as the Marquis of Hastings, and he
entered upon his duties, as he said at the valedictory banquet,
SECT. III.] REVOLUTIONS IN THE PUNJAB 443
with an earnest desire to establish his fame as the friend of
peace, and not by means of conquest or the exhibition of
military skill. But as in the case of his two predecessors,
Lord Wellesley and Lord Ho stings, these pacific intentions
were destined to a speedy disappointment, and the most
memorable events of his administration consist of the four
battles fought within the period of fifty-four days.
Prom the period of his arrival the attention of Sir Henry
Hardin^e was anxiously fixed upon the storm then gather-
ing in the Punjab, where the death of Runjeet Kcvolutiong
Sing had been followed by unexampled anarchy and in the AJ>.
bloodshed. He was succeeded in July, 183i>, by Punjab' 1839
his imbecile son Khurruk Sing, whose young and gallant
son Nao Nihal Sing, equal to his grandfather in talent and
energy, managed the aiiair.^ of the State, but was obliged to
share his authority with Dhyaii Sing, theminister, a member
of the Jurnmoo, or Dogra family, then one of the most
influential in the Punjab. Golab Sing, the head of the
house, was originally a running footman, who had attracted
the notice of Runjeet Sing, and rapidly rose in his favour,
and was endowed with the district of Jummoo. He was a
Rajpoot and not a Sikh, and this circumstance, combined
with the extraordinary power to which the family had risen,
rendered them an object of envy and hatred. Khurruk
Sing died prematurely of excess, and Nao Nihal his son,
after performing his funeral obsequies, was killed by the
falling of a covered gateway as he was returning to the
city.
Shore Sing, the reputed son of Runjeet Sing, having
gained over a portion of the army, marched to Lahore and
seized on the government on the 14th January. Army of the 1841
He was shrewd and frank, but the slave of Punjab,
sensuality, and the vassal of the Jummoo family, whom he
was unable either to shake oil* or to control. He rewarded
the ti oops who had been the instruments of his elevation with
an increase of pay, which served to sharpen their avarice
and to increase their arrogance, and they proceeded to
wreak their vengeance on all who were obnoxious to them.
Shore Sing had made a request for British support, and BO
little idea had the Government of India of the strength of the
Khalsa army that a force of 10,000 men was held in readiness
to march to Lahore, to exterminate it. On receiving
notice of this wild proposal, he simply drew his finger
across his throat to signify the fate which would await him.
If this force had crossed the Sutlej, the whole Khalsa army
444 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIU
would have risen as one man, and hurled back the inva-
sion. That army, with the exception of a few Mahomedans,
consisted of a compact body of martial Sikhs, united by the
strongest national and religious sympathies, proud of their
past achievements, and haughty in the consciousness of their
own superiority. When the iron sceptre of R-unjeet Sing
was 'removed, these Praetorian bands speedily became
masters of the Punjab. The soldiers were individually
obedient to their own officers, though they did occasionally
tie the commandant up to a gun ; but as a body their move-
ments were regulated, not by the will of the . • '.-• or
of the minister, but by the dictation of the arm} committees
or pu/nches, the Council of Five, who consulted nothing
but the interests of the troops. Those who bestowed
on them the greatest largesses were most sure of their
support.
The year 1843 was marked by those convulsions to which
Lord Ellenborough alluded iu his minute of the 1st Novem-
Murderof her, when he dwelt on the necessity of securing
ShcroSmg. our rear by reducing the equally insubordinate
army of Gwalior. The minister Dhyaii Sing, finding his
power on the wane, persuaded Sliere Sing to recall Ajeet
Sing, the head of one of the most powerful clans, whom he
had banished. On his restoration to office, ho invited Shere
Sing to inspect sonic new levies which he had raised, and
shot him dead on the parade. Ajoet Sing then assassinated
Dhyaii Siug, when his youthful son Hecra Sing called on
the soldiers to revenge these foul murders, and they pro-
ceeded to the citadel and put Ajoet Sing to death. Duleop
Sing, then five years of age, the son of Bunjeet Sing by
the ranee Jhindun, was brought from the zenana and
installed maharaja by Hecra Sing, who took the post of
minister, and attached the troops to his interest by an
addition of two rupees and a half to their monthly pay.
From this time, the army may be considered absolute
master of the state.
The position of Heera Sing was unstable and perilous in
the extreme. One of his uncles marched clown to Lahore,
Murder of from Jummoo to supplant him, but was defeated
Heera Sing, and slain. The Klialsa army, which supported
his power, was also the great source of danger, which he
endeavoured to lessen by distributing the regiments and
raising levies in the highlands, but the punches would not
permit a single corps to leave the capital without their
concurrence. The success of his administration was due
. III.] INSUBOBDINATION OF THE KHAL8A 445
chiefly to the genius of his tutor, the pundit Jalla, tho
priest of the Jummoo family, who was considered a man of
such extraordinary ability that if he could have controlled
the troops he might have established a dynasty of Peshwas
at Lahore, but before his position was consolidated he
endeavoured to reduce the power of Golab Sing, who suc-
ceeded Dhyan Sing as tho ruler of Jummoo ; he also se-
questered the estates of some of the chiefs, and, more
particularly, offended the ranee Jhindun and her brother
by his supercilious deportment. She appealed to the army, A.D.
and Ifecra Sing and the pundit were obliged to fly, but ^44
were overtaken and killed, and their heads brought in
triumph to Lahore. On the dissolution of the Government
of Heera Sing the management of affairs fell into the
hands of Jowaher Sing, the brother of the ranee, and of her
favourite paramour, Lall Sing, a brahmin, who had nothing
to recommend him bat his comely person. Tho soldiers
received a fresh augmentation of pay, and became so in-
subordinate that it appeared necessary to find some employ-
ment for them to prevent the total overthrow of tho Govern-
ment. They were therefore instigated to march to Jummoo
and fleece raja Oolab Sing, whom they brought down to
Lahore and from whom they wrung more than a crore of
rupees. To keep them from mischief at the capital they were
then recommended to attack Moolraj, who had been allowed
to succeed his father in the government of Mooltan, and
from him they extorted eighteen lacs. Soon after, Peshora
Sing, another of tho sons of llunjeet, raised the standard of
revolt, but was defeated and basely murdered by Jowaher
Sing. He had always been popular with the people and the
army, and the contempt which was felt for tho wretched de-
bauchee who occupied the post of minister was turned into
indignation by this atrocity, and ho was led out into the
plain of Meean Meer and executed. After the loss of her
brother, the ranee sat daily in durbar, and in the hc-jfin>M:ig
of November appointed Lull Sing minister, and Tej Sing
commander-in-chief. But tho army, which had within the
year humbled the two great feudatories of Jummoo and
Mooltan, was now the solo power in the state.
The anarchy which reigned in the Punjab constrained 1845
tho Government of India to make energetic preparations
for the defence of tho frontier. The cantonment pre rationa
at Fcrozopore on the Sutloj which \vas inade- onthefron-
ijuatcly garrisoned had boon reinforced by Lord Uer*
17' '• - •./ . but Sir Henry TTird'ngo found that tho
446 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII
force assembled there, though amounting to 17,000 men,
was not sufficient for its defence, still less for extensive
operations if they should be forced upon us. Ho therefore
gradually massed 40,000 men on the frontier, and in the
stations below it, so imperceptibly as to attract no atten-
tion in our own provinces ; and he likewise brought up from
Sinde to Ferozepore the fifty-six large boats which Lord
EUenborough had wisely constructed to serve as a pontoon.
It has been surmised that it was the .;• .-nir • jf,. of this large
force on and near the frontier which roused the suspicions
of the Khalsa army, and led them to anticipate our designs
by the invasion of our territories. But since our dis-
comfiture in A" ' .I1 N1..11 had lowered our prostige, that
army had twice marched down to the banks of the Sutlcj
and threatened to cross it. Considering, moreover, the
distracted state of the Punjab Government, with the most
efficient army ever collected under the banner of any native
State, flushed with its past s accesses and panting for new
triumphs, and utterly beyond control, the Governor-
General would have been without excuse if he had not
made the most ample preparations to meet a crisis which
might turn up any day. The invasion was the work of the
ranee — justly termed by Sir Henry Uardingo the Messalina
of the north — and of Lai I Sing and Tcj Sing. They f bit that
the only chance of maintaining their authority in the
Punjab was to involve the army in a conflict with the
British Government ; and it was they who launched the Sikh
battalions on our provinces for their own security, and
endeavoured to avert the plunder of Lahore by sending
them across the Sutloj to plunder Delhi and Benares.
On the 17th November, the order was issued to cross
the Sutlej. Major Broad foot, the political agent on the
AD The Sikh frontier, urged the most prompt and • • ••rircMic
1845 army cross measures of defence, but Sir Henry I I:i •••!!• 0-c,
tUeSntiej. g^j clinging to the hope of peace, directed him
to send another remonstrance to the durbar, the only reply
to which, however, was an order to commence the march
without any further delay. Animated by a feeling of national
.'in 1 religion * enthusiasm, 60,000 Khalsa soldiers, with 40,000
well-armed camp followers, and 150 guns of largo calibre,
crossed the Suttej in four days, and by the 16th December,
were encamped within a short distance of the fort of
Ferozepore, which was held by Sir John Littler, one of the
oldest and best officers in the service, with about 1C, 000
men and 21 guns. On the llth December, preparations
SECT. III.J BATTLE OF MOODKEE 447
had been made for a grand ball in the state tents of the A.D,
Commander-in- Chief at Umballa, when information was 1841
received that the whole Sikh army had marched down to
the Sutlej and was on the eve of crossing it. The ball was
abandoned, and the night passed in preparing to march to
the relief of Sir John Littler, who was enveloped by a force
six times the number of his own. Hours were now in-
valuable, and the troops, heavily accoutred, performed a
march never before attempted in India, of 150 miles in six
days, through heavy sands, the most formidable of all
roads, with little time to cook their food, and scarcely an
hour for repose. On the 13th the Governor-General issued
a declaration of war, and confiscated the districts belonging
to the Sikh crown south of the Sutlej. The day after the
Sikh army had crossed the river, a large portion of it
pushed on to Eerozeshuhur and began to construct en-
trenchments of the most substantial character, leaving Tej
Sing to watch the movements of Sir John Littler.
T^all Sing's scouts brought him information that the
Governor- General and the Conmmnder-in-Chief were ad-
vancing with only a slender force, and he pushed Battle of
on with 20,000 men and 22 guns to Moodkec, Moodkee,
where he awaited their arrival under cover of the jungle.
On the 18th December, i he army had performed a fatiguing 1345
march of twenty-one miles over an arid plain; the troops
were suffering severely from thirst ; they had rot broken
their fast since the preceding night, and were preparing for
a meal, when a cloud of dust rose up in front, and the roar
of cannon announced the approach of Lall Sing's army.
Sir Hugh Gongh was taken by surprise, as at Maharaj-
pore ; and then came the first conflict between the sepoy of
Hindostanand the Klialsa battalions ot the Punjab, and the
superiority of tho Sikh, whom a high political authority had
declared to bo " a rabble demoralised by the absence of
" every principle of subordination, and by its wretched
" violence," became at once indisputable. One of our regi-
ments turned round and sought the rear, and it was with
difficulty the Commandcr-in-Chiof and his staff could drag
it to tho front. Even a European corps was for a time
staggered by tho precision and rapidity of the enemy's fire,
and in the confusion of the hour, one regiment fired into
another; but victory declared on our side, though not without
the loss of 900 in killed and wounded. For sixty years it
had been the practice of the home authorities to unite the
office of Commander-in- Chief with that of Governor- Gene-
448 ABK1DGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII.
ral, when he happened to be a military man, as in the case
of Lord Cornwallis, Lord Hastings, and Lord William Ben-
tinck. It was unfortunately omitted in the case of Sir
Henry Hardinge, but after the miserable tactics exhibited
at Moodkee, he placed his services at the disposal of Sir
Hugh Gough, and magnanimously took the post of second
in command, and thus restored in some degree the confi-
dence of the troops.
The army halted two days at Moodkee to take repose and
bury the dead, and was reinforced by tho arrival of two
Battle of European and two native regiments, brought up
Feroze- by forced marches, through tho indefatigable ex-
ahuhur. ertions of Sir Honry Hardinge. It started for
the entrenched camp of the Sikhs at Ferozeshuhur on the
morning of the 21st December, without provisions or tents
Sir John Littler was directed to join it at the computed
hour of its arrival, and he moved out early in the morning, and
evaded the notice of Tej Sing by leaving his camp pitched,
his bazaar flags flying, and his cavalry pickets standing,
and reached the main bcdy with 5,500 men and 22 guns a
few moments before noon. The Sikh entrenchment was in
the form of a parallelogram, a mile in length and half a
mile in breadth, with the village of Ferozeshuhur in the
centre. Tho number of troops within it, commanded by
Lall Sing, was estimated at 35,000, with. 100 guns and 250
camel swivels. Tho batteries were mounted, not with
ordinary field artillery, but with heavy siege guns, placed
in position ; the day was tho shortest in the year, and with
such an enemy to deal with as the Sikhs had proved them-
selves to be at Moodkee, every moment was of inestimable
value ; but three hours were strangely frittered away after
Sir John Littler's arrival, and it was nearly four in the
afternoon before the first shot was fired. Sir Charles
Napier in his comments on the strategy of tho day remarks
that the attack should have been made on the two sides
which were not protected by the tremendous guns immove-
ably fixed, but Sir Hugh Gough resolved to follow his
usual practice of charging at once right up to the muzzle
of the guns and carrying the batteries by " cold steel." He
took the command of the right, Sir Henry Hardinge of the
eontre, and Sir John Littler of the left. It fell to Sir John
to assault the strongest section of the enemy's position,
where they had gathered the strength of their heaviest
guns. His own field pieces were found to bo of little, if
any use, and his troops advanced gallantly up to the bat.
SECT* III.] BATTLE OF FEROZESHTJHUR 449
teries, but were at once arrested by the overwhelming fire A.D.
of the enemy. The 62nd Foot, mowed down by grape and ^845
round shot, was checked, and retired beaten, but not, in the 21 •Deo
eye of candour, dishonoured, The other divisions en-
countered an equally terrific resistance. To borrow the
language of the historian of the Sikhs, " guns were dis-
" mounted, and the ammunition blown into the air ;
" squadrons were checked in mid career ; battalion after
" battalion was hurled back with shattered ranks ; and it
" was not till after sunset that portions of the enemy's
" position were finally carried. Darkness and the obstinacy
" of the conflict threw the English into confusion ; men of
" all regiments and all ranks were mixed together.
u Generals were doubtful of the fact, or the extent of their
"own success, and colonels knew not what had become of
" the regiments they commanded, or of the army of which
" they formed a part." The Governor- General had five
aides-de-camp killed and four wounded. He himself passed
the night in moving from regiment to regiment, endeavour-
ing to sustain the spirits and to revive the ardour of the
men, and, instead of retiring to Perozepore as he was
advised to do, determined to renew the engagement the
next morning, although there was only one weak division
for the work which had baffled the whole army. At day-
dawn he and the Commandor-in- Chief collected the scat-
tered soldiers of General Gilbert's division, attacked the
batteries in reverse, and captured them after a feeble resis-
tance. In the Sikh encampment during the night there
had been stormy counsels and bitter recriminations ; the
military chest had likewise been plundered, and, through
the cowardice or the treachery of the commander, the
legions who had defended this Roman encampment with
Roman courage were in full flight to the Sutlej. The
British line halted as soon as it had cleared the works, and
the two commanders were received with acclamation as
they rode along the ranks. The cheers had scarcely died
out when a cloud of dust announced the approach of a new
enemy. This was Tej Sing, who, finding that Sir John
Littler had eluded his vigilance, marched down to Feroze-
shuhur on the morning of the 22nd, with 20,000 infantry,
5,000 cavalry, and seventy guns. He found that the en-
trenchment was lost, and the Sikh army in full retreat to
the river, and after a brief cannonade, which at once dis-
mounted our feeble artillery, withdrew to the Sutlej.
He did not know that the British army, or what remained
00
450 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII
A.D. of it, was drooping from hunger, not having tasted food fot
1845 thirty-six hours, and wholly without ammunition, and that,
if vigorously attacked, the most brilliant courage could not
have saved it from utter destruction. The British empire
in India was again saved by a miracle. Our loss was 2,415
killed and wounded, including 103 officers. The battle of
Ferdzeshuhur was the most severe and critical the British
army had ever fought in India. Never before had we en-
countered so resolute and so skilful an enemy ; but it was
the defect of our tactics and the deficiency of our ammuni-
tion, quite as much as the courage of the Sikhs, which
for a time gave a character of equality to the struggle.
The tide of invasion had now been stemmed, and of the
60,000 Khalsa soldiers who had poured down on the
Battle of Company's territories twelve days before, not one
Aiiiwai. remained in arms on the left bank of the Sutlej.
But the two engagements had cost the army a fifth of its
numbers and exhausted its ammunition, and it became neces-
sary to bring up a lar<?e supply of stores as well as siege
guns from the nearest dep6t, which was at Delhi, 200 miles
distant. The army was thus condemned to a season of
inactivity, which the Sikhs attributed to timidity or to
weakness, and Runjoor Sing crossed the river in force, and
threatened the station of Loodiana. Sir Harry Smith was
sent to cover it, but owing to his own obstinacy, ho received
a serious check at Buddewal which gave no little con-
fidence to the Sikh commander ; and it became necessary to
make a vigorous effort to clear the left bank of the Sutlej
of the enemy, and prevent an attack on tho long convoy
coming up from Delhi. General Smith's force was there-
fore raised to 11,000, and the two forces met at Aliwal, on
the banks of the river. The hill men who defended ifc
were speedily put to flight, but the Khalsa soldiers, men
of true Sikh blood and mettle, stood their ground with un-
flinching courage, and it was not before their ranks had
been thrice pierced by Colonel Cureton's cavalry, that they
retreated to the river, in which many found a watery grave,
leaving sixty -seven guns as trophies in the hands of the
victors. This serious reverse disheartened the cabinet at
Lahore. Lall Sing, the prime minister, was deposed for
his incapacity, and Golab Sing was invited from Jummoo
to open negotiations with Sir Henry Hardinge. He was
informed that the Govern or- General was prepared to
acknowledge a Sikh sovereignty at Lahore, but not till
the Khalsa army had been entirely disbanded. Golab Sing
SBCT.UI.] BATTLE OF SOBRAON 451
informed him that it was impossible to control the move- A.J>.
ment of the troops, who continued to domineer over the 184C
public authorities, and the negotiation was broken off.
While the Commander-in-Chief was awaiting the arrival
of the train from Delhi, the Sikhs were transporting their
forces across the Sutloj at the Hurrekee ford, Battle of
where they erected one of the strongest works Sobraon.
against which troops had ever been led in India. It con-
sisted of a series of semicircular entrenchments, with the
river for their base, the outer line being two miles and a half
in circumference, surrounded by a deep ditch. The ram-
parts were defended by sixty-seven pieces of heavy ordnance
and 35,000 Khalsa soldiers. A bridge of boats united the
entrenchment with the encampment across the river, where
heavy guns had also been planted to sweep the left bank. The
long train of ordnance and stores coming up from Delhi
marched into the camp on the 8th February, and raised the
drooping spirits of the men. General Smith's troops also
joined the army, and increased its strength to 15,000, of
whom 5,000 were Europeans. The heavy ordnance was
planted on commanding positions opposite the enemy's en-
trenchments, and opened upon them at seven in the morning
of the 10th February. The Sikhs answered flash for flash
from their powerful artillery, and at nine it was found that
the cannonade had made no impression on their position ;
the ammunition, moreover, began to fall short, and, after
having waited seven weeks for these guns, it was discovered
that they were of little avail, and that the issue of the con-
flict must bo left to the arbitrament of musketry and the
bayonet. The attack was made in three divisions on three
points, by Generals Dick, Gilbert, and Smith. Sir Robert
Dick's division was the lirst to move up to the attack, and,
charging home with the bayonet, cleared the ditch and
mounted the rampart. The Sikhs perceiving that this
was to be the principal point of attack, slackened the
defence of the entrenchments elsewhere, and concentrated
their guns on it. Fresh regiments were sent up to reinforce
General Dick, but they were staggered and checked by the
deadly fire of the Sikhs. The other two divisions were
therefore ordered to make a simultaneous attack, which the
enemy no sooner perceived than they immediately re-
turned to the posts they had quitted, and from every foot
of the entrenchment poured a withering fire of grape,
round shot, and musketry. The most remarkable occurrence
of the day was the charge of General Gilbert's division on the
o o 2
452 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIII
A.D. centre ; his troops were repeatedly driven back, but their
1846 indomitable courage mastered the entrenchment, though
not without the loss of 689 killed and wounded. The Sikh
defences were at length pierced in all three directions.
Tej Sing was among the first to fly, and either by accident
or design, broke down the bridge after he had crossed it.
The Khalsa soldiers, pressed on three sides into a confused
mass, still continued to dispute every inch of ground till
they were forced to the bridge, and, preferring death to
surrender, plunged wildly into the stream, which had risen
during the night and flooded the ford, and they perished by
hundreds in their attempt to cross. The confusion, dismay,
and carnage were such as had not been seen in India since
the battle of Paniput. The loss on the side of the Sikhs
was computed at 8,000, and the whole of their encampment,
with all their artillery, standards, and stores fell to the
victors. The loss on our side was 2,383 in killed and
wounded, but the victory was complete. The con-
querors, as they beheld the trenches filled with the bodies
of their iron-hearted defenders, and the fords of the Sutlej
choked up with thousands of corpses, and the river itself
exhibiting in every direction the wreck of a great army,
did not fail to pay a tribute of admiration to the gallantry
and devotedness of tlie noble Khalsa legions.
Major Abbot had been employed day and night in con-
structing a bridge of the boats which Sir Henry Hardinge
Th arm ^a^ Brought ^P fr°m Sinde to Ferozepore, and
entOTsthe it was completed the night before the battle. Sir
Punjab. Henry had been actively engaged in the field at
Sobraon, and was severely injured by a fall from his horse,
but as soon as the victory was assured, he rode twenty-
six miles to Ferozepore to hasten the passage of the troops,
and that night six regiments bivouacked in the Punjab.
Three days after the action, the whole force, which, includ-
ing camp followers, fell little short of 100,000 men, and
68,000 animals and forty pieces of artillery, crossed the
river without a single casualty. On the line of march to
the capital, a deputation from the Sikh cabinet, with Golab
Sing at their head, waited on the Govern or- General, but
they were received as the representatives of an offending
Government and their complimentary presents were declined.
Soon after, the maharaja Dhuleep Sing came into the camp,
and was dismissed with honour. On the 20th the citadel of
Lahore was occupied by a British garrison, and the army
was encamped on the plain of Meeanmeer.
SBcr.III.] SETTLEMENT OF THE PUNJAB 453
The issue of the war had placed the Punjab at the dis- A.D.
posal of the Governor- General, and he might have annexed
it to the Company's dominions, but he did not
consider it prudent to encumber the Government n^rding^s
with the charge of a new kingdom. The morale arrange-
of the army, moreover, was low, the season of
heat and prostration was approaching, arid the four battles
had reduced his European strength to 3,000 men, while the
remnant of the Sikh army still mustered 14,000, with forty
pieces of cannon. He determined, therefore, to punish the*
Sikh nation for its wanton aggression without suppressing
its political independence, and he simply deprived it of the
possessions held south of the Sutlej and the province of
Jullunder across it. The state was required to make good
the expenses of the campaign, computed at a crore and a
half of rupees, but the profligacy of the ministers and the
rapacity of the soldiery had reduced the twelve crores left
by Runjeet Sing to half a crore. Sir Henry Hardinge
determined, therefore, to take over the province of Cashmere
in lieu of the remaining crore, and Golab Sing, the powerful
raja of Jummoo, stepped forward and offered to pay this
sum on being constituted the independent monarch of
Cashmere and Jummoo. The two provinces were, in fact,
sold to him, but he merely received an indefeasible title to
that which was already in his possession, and which we
were not in a position to deprive him of.
Tho settlement of the Punjab was embodied in the treaty
of the 9th March, which provided that the Khalsa army
should be disbanded, that the military force of Settlement
the state should be limited to 20,000 infantry of the
and T2,000 cavalry, and that all the guns which FunJftb-
had been pointed against British troops should be given up.
Although the war had terminated in the total defeat of the
Khalsa army and the dismemberment of the Punjab, the
fact of our triumph was doubted in the native community,
more especially as it was unwelcome. The natives had
looked with a feeling of complacency on the growth of the
new kingdom in the Punjab, the cradle of Hindooism, as
the germ of a power destined to restore Hindoo supremacy
throughout India. Sir Henry TT,,--! ':.•/• considered it im-
portant to remove this feeling of incredulity, and to demon-
strate that the power of Bunjeet Sing was completely
prostrated. A grand procession was accordingly formed of
the 250 guns obtained from the Sikhs, which was conducted
from Lahore to Calcutta with every demonstration of
454 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP, XIII.
jj>. military pomp. It was received at the stations and canton -
1846 ments by the public functionaries with all honour, and its
arrival in Calcutta was celebrated by a magnificent cere-
monial, In England, the thanks of Parliament were moved
to Sir Henry Hardinge, Sir Hugh Gough, and their brave
companions by Sir Robert Peel and the Duke of Welling-
ton, in speeches which enhanced their value in no small
degree. Peerages were bestowed on the Governor- General
and the Commander-in- Chief, and a baron t toy on the victor
of Aliwal. To all the troops engaged in the campaign
Lord Hardinge granted twelve months' full batta, without
waiting for permission from home.
At the earnest entreaty of the durbar, Lord Hardinge
consented to leave a British force for the protection of the
maharaja arid the new government, but only to
rangemonts ^ne en<^ °^ ^ue vear ? an(^ Major Henry Lawrence,
in the of the Bengal Artillery, was selected as the
unja ' representative of the Government at the Lahore
court. Lall Sing, the paramour of the ranee, was ap-
pointed prime minister. He was a man of low extraction,
without any capacity for civil or military affairs, and his ad-
ministration, which was both venal and oppressive, rendered
him odious to the chiefs and the people. His treachery to
the British government soon brought his career to a close.
Cashmere had been made over to the raja Golab Sing, but
the governor, Sheik Imam-ood-deen, at first hesitated, and
then refused to surrender it. Major Lawrence considered
it indispensable to extinguish the first spark of resistance,
and at the risk of being blocked up by the snows of winter,
marched with the utmost promptitude with a large force,
consisting of 10,000 of the Sikh army which we had
recently conquered, and a small detachment of British
troops. The refractory chief was reduced to submission,
and, in his own defence, produced a written order from Lall
Sing to obstruct the transfer. A mixed commission of
European officers and Sikh chieftains assembled to investi-
gate the charge of treachery, which was fully substantiated,
and, in spite of the tears of the ranee, he was banished from
the Punjab and consigned to oblivion on a pension. At the
close of the year, the Sikh cabinet and the most influential
nobles assured Lord Hardinge that the withdrawal of the
British force would inevitably lead to the resuscitation of
the Khalsa army, and he yielded with great reluctance to
their importunity. A new treaty was drawn up to which
fifty-two chiefs affixed their seals, which provided that a
. III.] KEDUCTION OF THE ARMY 455
council of regency, consisting of eight chiefs, should be con- A.D.
stituted to act under the control and guidance of the 1846
Resident, that the various forts and cantonments should be
garrisoned by British troops, for whose maintenance a sum
of twenty-two lacs of rupees a year should be appropriated,
and that the arrangement should continue for eight years
during the minority of Dhuleep Sing. The government of
the Punjab was virtually vested in Major Lawrence, an
officer of artillery.
For eight years the government in India had been inces-
santly engaged in war, or in preparations for it, and the
armies of the three Presidencies had been aug- Reduction of
mented to the extent of 120,000 men. The pres- the army,
sure on the finances of the empire had been proportionately
severe, and at the close of the Sikh war the expenditure
was found to exceed the revenue by a crore and a half of
rupees. In the course of the preceding twenty-six months,
the three rcniiiinmi: independent armies — those of Gwalior,
Sinde, and the Punjab — numbering 120,000 soldiers, had
been extinguished, and their artillery, consisting of 500
pieces of cannon, had been transferred to our own arsenals.
There was no longer any native military organisation in
any province to oppose us, and the time appeared to have
arrived when the strength of our own armies could be
reduced without danger. Happily Lord Hardinge's long
military experience both in the field and, as secretary-at-
war, in the cabinet, enabled him to carry out this measure
without in any degree impairing our military strength. Leav-
ing the number of officers, European and native, without
diminution, he curtailed the rank and file of the army by
50,000 men, and disbanded the police battalions, but he
carefully avoided any mutilation of individual allowances.
These arrangements resulted in a saving of a crore and a
half a year, and the revenues of the two Sikh provinces
which he had annexed left him a small surplus. Notwith-
standing these material reductions, the security of the
north-west frontier, the only point of danger, was more
effectually provided for than ever, by allotting to Meerut
and the stations above it 54,000 men and 120 guns.
Equal wisdom and foresight were manifested in his arrange-
ments for the peace of the Punjab. He did not expect that
a country teeming with disbanded soldiers, the bravest and
most haughty in India, who had revelled for seven years in
military license, would be as free from disturbance as a
district in Bengal. To provide for the prompt repression
456 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIIL
A.D of any insurrectionary movement, he organised three rnov-
1845 able brigades, complete in carriage and equipment, con-
1848 s*stin£ °f infancy, cavalry, and artillery, to be held in
readiness at Lahore, Jullunder, and Ferozepore to take the
field at the shortest notice on the first appearance of an
outbreak.
Lord TT!iii<lii.ir<i>s attention during the forty-two months
of his administration had been chiefly occupied in reducing
other mca- ^e Khalsa armament, the construction of the
suresofim. Punjab administration, and the reorganisation of
provement. the ^^ . ^ ^ found ]eisure to attend to the
social and material improvement of the country. At the
suggestion of Lord Auckland, the Court of Directors had
given their sanction to the consi ruction of the great Ganges
Canal. The work was suspended under the pressure of
war by Lord Ellenborough, but was resumed and pushed
on with energy by his successor. It was during his in-
cumbency that the memorable resolution was passed which
held out the prospect of employment in the public service
to the successful students in the Government educational
institutions, and which thus gave the state the benefit of
the talent it had assisted to develope. Education was as
much a party question in India as in England, and this
liberal measure, which was not universally approved, was not
fully carried out for some years ; but the merit of it belongs
to Lord Hardinge's administration, and ho was recompensed
by a grateful address on the subject from the most influential
native gentlemen in Calcutta. He gave a powerful impulse
at an important crisis to the plan of Indian railways, then
struggling into existence, which Lord Ellenborough had
pronounced to be " all moonshine ;" he prohibited Sunday
labour in the public establishments, and gave our Hindoo
and Mahomedan subjects a proof of our respect for the
principles of our creed. Lord William Bentinck had
abolished suttees throughout the Company's dominions, but
they were still perpetrated in the native states, and on the
death of the raja of Mundee, a principality in the vicinity
of the Governor-General's residence at Simla, no fewor tlian
twelve of his widows were burnt on the funeral pile. Lord
Hardinge used all the influence of our paramount authority
to induce the independent native chiefs to abolish the
practice, and before his departure he had the satisfaction
of receiving written assurances from twenty-four native
princes and princesses that they were making strenuous
efforts to meet his wishes ; and a suttee is now as much
SKCT. III.] LORD DALHOUSIE'S ADMINISTBA1ION 457
oat of vogue on the continent of India as a duel is in
England. The distribution of his patronage was regulated
by an exclusive regard to the public interests, and he was
as free from the suspicion of nepotism as Lord Ellen-
borough. He secured the confidence of the community in
India by his sterling sense, and by the rare combination of
a kind and conciliatory disposition with decision of character
and vigour of discipline. He left Calcutta on the 15th
March, 1848, with the avowed conviction that it would not
be necessary to fire another shot in India for seven years ;
yet so impossible is it to forecast the future in that hot-bed
of revolutions, that before a twelvemonth had passed, the
Punjab had revolted, and had been re-conquered, and con-
verted into a British province.
CHAPTER XIV.
SECTION I.
LORD DALHOUSIK'S ADMINISTRATION — SECOND SIKH WAR.
LORD DALHOUBIE landed at Calcutta and took his seat in A.D.
council on the IMh January. He was in his thirty-sixth 1848
year, — the youngest of governors general. He Lord Dai-
had occupied a seat in the House of Commons kouaie.
before ho succeeded to the family title, and in Sir Robert
Peel's last cabinet enjoyed the post of president of the
Board of Trade at the most busy period of its existence,
when it was flooded with railway schemes. He entered
upon the government of India without any of that acquain-
tance with its institutions and policy which Lord Wellesley,
Lord Minto, and Lord William Bentinck had brought with
them, but his natural genius soon caught the spirit, and
mastered the details of the administration. The period of
his rule, which extended to eight years, was crowded with
transactions which will long continue to affect the happiness
of tho vast population of the empire, and may be con-
sidered one of the most memorable in its history. Waiving
the chronological order of events, we shall distribute them
under the three sections of military operations, annexations,
and social and material improvements.
468 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
A..D. Within four months of his arrival, the note of war was
again sounded in the Punjab. A small cloud appeared on
Mooiraj and the horizon over Mooltan, which in the course of
Mooitan. s{x months overspread the country and brought
on a conflict as arduous as that of 1845. Major — after-
wards Sir Henry — Lawrence was constrained to visit
England for the restoration of his health, and was succeeded
by a civilian, Sir Frederic Currie, who was unhappily
placed in circumstances which required the experience and
the authoritative counsels of a military man, and the
absence of which culminated in a general war. Mooiraj took
possession of the province of Mooltan, on the death of his
father the governor in 1844, but his subordination to the
authorities at Lahore was little more than nominal. Lall
Sing, the principal minister, knowing that a large treasure
had been accumulated by his father, demanded a crore of
rupees as a nuzzer, or succession fine. It was compromised
for a fifth of the sum, the payment of which, however, he
contrived to evade until the establishment of a strong
government at Lahore by Lord Hardinge, when it was
adjusted, and he offered io resign the government, on
the ground that it was intended to introduce new fiscal
regulations, which were unpalatable to him. The durbar
took him at his word, and sent Khan Sing to take
over the government, and Sir Frederick selected Mr.
Agnew, a civilian, and Lieutenant Anderson to accom-
pany him, with an escort of about 350 Sikhs and a few
guns. The party reached Mooltan 011 the 18th March.
The next morning Mooiraj waited on them to discuss the
terms of his resignation, and asked for a general deed of
Murder of acquittance, but Mr. Agnew insisted on the
the officers, production of all the accounts of the pre-
vious six years. After much recrimination, Mooiraj
yielded to the demand, but he felt that he had been dis-
honoured in the eyes of his people, and he left the confer-
ence with a scowl on his brow. On the 20th the two
officers proceeded to inspect the various establishments
which were to be transferred to the new governor, but as
they were leaving the fort they were struck down by
assassins, and conveyed by their attendants to a fortified
temple in the vicinity of the town in which they had taken
up their residence. They defended it manfully until their
Sikh escort proved treacherous, when the howling savages
rushed in and hacked them to pieces, and presented their
heads to Mooiraj who, instead of affording them any
.J OUTBREAK AT MOOLTAN 459
assistance when they were attacked, had galloped off to A.D.
his country residence. The next day he placed himself at
the head of the insurrection and issued a proclamation
summoning all the inhabitants of the province to rise and
wage a religious war against ihufeiingees, as the Christian
foreigners were contemptuously termed. The emergency
had now arisen for which Lord Hardinge had made pro-
vision by his movable columns, and there can be no doubt
that if Major Lawrence had been the Resident at Lahore
he would have marched down with promptitude and nipped
the revolt in the bud, as he had extinguished the insur-
rection of Imam-ood-deen two years before in Cashmere.
Sir Frederick, on hearing of the attack on the officers, or-
dered a large force to bo prepared to proceed forthwith to
Mooltan, but countermanded it when he learnt that they
had been murdered, and referred the matter to the con-
sideration of the Commander-in- Chief, who resolved to
postpone all operations until he could take the field in person
in the cold season.
The Resident and the Comnumder-in -Chief had scarcely
ceased to bandy uririimf>m<< when Lieutenant — the late Sir
Herbert — Edwardes, a young officer employed Lieutenant
in the revenue settlement of the district of Bunnoo, Edwardes.
across the Indus, animated with the spirit of Clive, deter-
mined to take the initiative in crushing the revolt. Without
waiting for instructions from Lahore, he crossed the Indus
with 1,200 infantry, 350 horsemen, and two guns ; but
having intercepted a letter, from which he learned that his
men had agreed to sell his head and their services to Mool-
raj for 24,000 rupees, recrossed the river and raised other
recruits free from the infection of treachery — " bold villains,"
he said, " ready to risk their own throats and cut those of
" anyone else." He was soon after joined by a regiment of
Musulmans, under Colonel Cortland, and by the troops of
the raja 01' Bhawulpore, and fought an engagement with
Moolraj and 8,000 Sikh troops at Kineyreoon the 18th June,
and defeated him. He importuned the Resident to support
him, and preparations were made to despatch an adequate
force, but Lord Gough again interposed his authority,
because the season was not favourable, and the siege' train
had not moved from Cawnpore. Ten days after, Lieutenant
Edwardes, who had received a reinforcement of 4,000 men,
under Imam-ood-deen, whose fidelity however was doubtful,
again attacked Moolraj at Suddoosain, but although his army
now consisted of 11,000 Sikh soldiers, supported by
460 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV,
A.D. eleven guns, he was completely defeated, and sought sheltei
1848 with his fugitive troops within the walls of the capital.
Sir Frederick Currie now determined to lose no time in fol*
lowing up the successes of Lieutenant Edwardes, and took
Des atch of on nimse^ ^ne responsibility of ordering Gene-
General ral Whish to proceed with 7,000 men and a bat-
Whish* ' tering train to Mooltan, and to this movement
Lord Gough offered no opposition. Meanwhile, Lieutenant
Edwardes was joined by a Sikh force, under Shere Sing,
which the Lahore durbar had despatched, ostensibly to co-
operate against Moolraj, but, in reality, to support him,
and it was no secret at Lahore that they were thoroughly
disaffected, The distance between Lahore and Mooltan is
only 220 miles, but though General Whish had the conveni-
ence of water communication, he was thirty-nine days
reaching his destination. During this procrastination
Moolraj augmented his force and improved the defences of
the fort, which was one of the strongest in the country.
The battering train reached Mooltan on the 3rd September,
but within a week after the batteries opened all operations
were brought to a close. Shere Sing, who had joined
General Whish's camp in conjunction with Lieutenant
Edwardes, yielded to the importunity of his officers and
men, and went over to the enemy with 5,000 troops on the
14th September. The general was obliged to relinquish
the siege, and retire to a safe position in the vicinity of the
town, adapted for the receipt of reinforcements, and there he
threw up entrenchments, and was, in fact, besieged in his
turn. Shere Sing immediately issued a proclamation, an-
nouncing a religious war, " under the auspices of the holy
" Gooroo," against "the cruel feringees," and called upon
all those who eat the salt of the maharaja to come forward
and destroy them.
During these proceedings events transpired at Lahore
and elsewhere which disclosed the mine upon which we
Spread of the na<l been sitting. It was discovered that the
revolt. maharanee, a woman of great ambition and inde-
fatigable intrigue, had for some time been engaged at
Cabul and Candahar, in Cashmere and in Rajpootana, in
plotting against the British government, and that all the
members of the Lahore cabinet, with the exception of two,
were confederated with her. Sir Frederick Currie had by
a skilful manoeuvre obtained possession of her person, and
transferred her to the Resident at Benares, the warder of
the disinherited princes and princesses of India. The spirit
.J GENERAL KEVOLT IN THE PUNJAB 461
of revolt now began more openly to develope itself. Chutter A.X>.
Sing, the father of Shere Sing, the governor of the province 1848
of Hazara, on the left bank of the Indus, threw off the mask,
and " devoted his head," as he said, " to God, and his arms to
" the Khalsa." He opened a negotiation with Dost
Mahomed and offered him tho province of Peshawur on
condition of his joining the crusade against the English.
The proposition was too tempting to be resisted, and he
readily agreed to join tho insurgents with his contingent.
Peshawur, which Chutter Sing thus sold to the Afghans,
was under the political charge of Major — now Sir George
— Lawrence, and was garrisoned by 8,000 Sikh troops,
upon whoso fidelity little dependence could be placed when
the whole atmosphere of the Punjab was charged with
treason. Owing to the influence the Major had obtained
over them, they steadily resisted the importunities of
Chutter Sing, but at length yielded lo the seductions of
Sultan Maliomed, the brother of Dost Mahomed, and the
personification of Afghan perfidy. He was under the
greatest obligations to Sir Henry Lawrence, who had
released him from gaol at Lahore and restored his jageer.
Under his instigation the troops assailed and sacked the
Residency, and Major Lawrence and other English officers
retired under the escort provided by him with the most
solemn assurances of protection, but no sooner were they
in his power than he sold them to Chutter Sing. The
whole of the Punjab was now in a state of revolt ; the
veterans of Runjeet Sing, scattered throughout the country,
were burning with impatience to meet the British bat-
talions once more in the field, and recover their lost honour
and restore the glory of their beloved Khalsa, The paltry
outbreak at Mooltan, fostered by delay, had grown into a
portentous war, and Lord Dalhousie had now to encounter
the bravest soldiers in India, animated by a spirit of
patriotic enthusiasm, but he was fully equal to the occasion.
Through the great exertions of Sir George Clerk, the
governor of Bombay, a body of 7,000 men was after much
delay sent up the Indus to reinforce General Whish, and
an addition was made of 17,000 to the strength of the
Bengal regiments. On the 10th October, Lord Dalhousie
proceeded to the scene of operations after having, at a fare-
well entertainment given him at Barrackpore, said, in the
course of his speech, " Unwarned by precedent, uninflu-
" enced by example, the Sikh nation has called for war, and,
" on my word, sir, they shall have it with a vengeance. "
462 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV
ij>. Shere Sing was received with great mistrust by Moolraj,
1848 -who wished him to desert the encampment of General
Shere Sin Whish, but not to encumber him with his troops
andthe" and his requisitions. Twenty-five days after his
grand army, royoi^ he left Mooltan and marched towards
Lahore with 5,000 men, whose number was increased at
every 'stage by the old soldiers of the Khalsa, and he had
the audacity to burn a bridge of boats 011 the Havee, the
flames of which were visible from the cantonments. Lahore
had been unaccountably left in a defenceless state for
weeks after it was known that Shere Sing and his father
were in the field with 15,000 troops, and he might have
obtained possession of it if this fact had been known to
him ; but he moved on to Ramnuggur, on the Chenab. The
grand army was at length assembled at Ferozepore early in
November, and Lord Gough assumed command of it on thf
16th. It consisted of four British and eleven native regi-
ments of infantry, three noble regiments of British horse,
with five iv 'i'-i'.l* of native cavalry, and five corps of
irregular horse. It was weak in infantry, but unusually
strong in artillery. Lord Gough opened the campaign on the
22nd by marching down to Ramnnggur, where the main body
of Shere Sing was encamped on the riglit bank, with his
front protected by batteries mounting twenty-eight guns.
He had boats on the river and the command of a ford, and
had pushed a detachment across the river, which was at
once driven back, when he opened an irresistible fire
from his batteries planted on the high ground on the opposite
bank, and the order was given to retire. One gun and two
waggons, however, could not be extricated from the sand ;
but instead of spiking the one and blowing up the others,
time was lost in endeavouring to rescue them. Several
thousands of the enemy then ruslied across the ford, while
the batteries played on the British retiring force. Here
the operations of the day should have terminated, but the
Commander-in- Chief gave permission to Colonel Havelock,
in command of the 14th Dragoons, an officer of Penin-
sular renown, to charge the Sikhs in the dry sandy bed of
a river two miles wide ; and in this contemptible cavalry
skirmish his own life and that of tho gallant Colonel
Cureton were sacrificed.
Any attempt to assail the position of Shere Sing in front
would have been an act of infatuation, and Sir Joseph
Battle of sa- Thackwell was therefore despatched, with 8,000
dooiiapore. horse, foot, and artillery, on the 1st December, to
SKCT. I.] SADOOLLAPORE— CHILIJANWALLA 463
WuZeerabad, thirty miles higher up the river, which he A.D.
crossed the next day, and marched down twelve miles to- 184$
wards Shero Sing's encampment. That general, on hearing
of this movement, at once withdrew his army from Ram-
nuggur, leaving Lord Gough to waste powder and shot on an
empty entrenchment. The two forces met at Sadoollapore,
where, after sustaining for two hours the incessant fire of
the enemy without returning a shot till they were fully
within range, General Thackwell's artillery opened on them
with great effect, and their cannon began to slacken and
then ceased. There remained only an hour of daylight,
and, with the example of Moodkcc and Ferozeshuhur before
him, he wisely determined to postpone the attack till the
morning. Under cover of the ni»ht Shore Sing retired
with his tents, guns, and ammunition, and when General
Thackwell put his army in motion in the morning to pursue
him, he was already beyond reach. He retired from
Sadoollapore with his artillery still entire, and the spirit of
his troops unbroken, and took up a position of singular
strength on the Jhelnm, with his rear resting on that
stream, his main body posted in ravines strengthened by
field works, and his front covered by a broad and dense
jungle. For six weeks our army remained in£ ctive between
the Chenab and the Jhelum, and, in the opinion of the first
military authorities of the day, it would have done well to
continue in this attitude till the capture of Mooltan had
brought up to its aid the large division of troops engaged
in the siego. This course was eventually taken, and
brought the war to a glorious termination ; but inter-
mediately occurred the disastrous engagement of Chillian-
walla.
On the 12th January the army advanced twelve miles to 1843
Dinjec, and on the following clay to Chillianwalla, when it
became evident that the Sikhs had quitted their chiiiian-
strong entrenchments on the heights of Russool, ^a"««
and were ready to combat without the usual support of
their bulwarks. Lord Gough had determined to defer the
assault till a careful reconnaissance had been made the next
day, and directions were given to mark out the ground for
an encampment, when a few shots from some fie Id- pieces
the Sikhs had pushed forward dropped upon him. The
spirit of defiance and antagonism at once overcame his sober
judgment, and he issued orders for immediate action. The
Sikhs began the » •• •• _pi • • : by a continuous peal of fire
from a jungle so thick that nothing was offered as a mark for
464 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV,
A.D. the British artillery but the flash and smoke of the enemy's
1849 guns. This cannonade lasted an hour or an hour and a
half, i: <r, »•,!'• JT to different reports, and it was three in the
afternoon with only an hour or two of daylight left,
when the divisions were ordered to advance,
Of .the two brigades of the infantry division of General
Campbell — subsequently Lord Clyde — that of General
Pennycuick was subject to a fearful repulse. The 24th
Foot, which formed a portion of it, composed chiefly of
young soldiers, advanced with such ardour that Shere Sing,
to whom they were opposed, was on the point of retiring
when he perceived them rushing breathless and panting, as
he described it, like dogs in a chase, upon his guns. He
poured a shower of grape into them, and, while shattered
by its deadly effect, they were torn to pieces by a musketry
fire from Sikh troops masked by a screen of jungle. The
whole brigade was thrown into a state of confusion,
and the most desperate efforts of the officers were of no
avail to restore order. The colours of the regiment fell
into the hands of the enemy, but not until 23 officers and
459 non-commissioned officers and men had been killed and
wounded. General Campbell, who had been victorious in
his front, came rapidly to the rescue, and snatched the
victory from the Sikhs. General Gilbert's division suc-
ceeded by the most heroic efforts in putting the Sikhs to
flight, but pursuit in a forest, where the men could not see
twenty yards before them, was impossible. While they
halted to collect their wounded, a body of Sikhs, who had
turned their flank unperceived, opened fire on them, and
they were rescued from destruction only by the field
battery of Major Dawes. The struggle was terrific, and, to
use the language of an eye-witness, it seemed as if the very
air teemed with balls and bullets.
The adventures of the cavalry were most disastrous and
humiliating. Lord Gough had brought four regiments into
Movements the first line, and they were thus opposed to an
ofcavniry. unapproachable artillery fire, and to entangle-
ments in the recesses of the forest. The troops of artillery at-
tached to the brigade were planted in the rear, and could not
open fire from a single gun. The brigade was commanded
by a superannuated general, who could not mount his
horse without assistance, and who was irascible and wedded
to ancient notions of cavalry manoeuvres. As the line ad-
vanced it was broken up by clumps of trees and brushwood
into numerous series of small sections doubled behind each
SBCT.L] BATTLE OF CHILLIANWALLA 465
other. In this state a small body of Sikh horsemen, intoxi- A.D.
cated with drugs, rushed on the centre in a mass, and 1849
caused a sensation of terror among the native cavalry which
nothing could counteract. Just at this crisis some one in
the 14th Dragoons uttered the words " Threes about ! " The
regiment afc once turned to the rear and moved off in con-
fus'ion, and as the Sikh horse pressed on, it galloped head-
long in disgraceful panic through the cannon and waggons
posted in the rear. The Sikh horse entered the line of
artillery Avith the dragoons and captured four guns. The
shades of evening put an end to the conflict. The troops
were half dead with fatigue and parched with thirst, but
no water could be procured except at Chillianwalla, two
miles distant, to which the Commander-in- Chief was
obliged to withdraw the force. During the night, parties
of Sikh troops and of the armed peasantry traversed the
forest which had been the scene of combat, mutilating the
slain and murdering the wounded, and rifling both. All
the guns which had been secured during the ••• .*:i T1; nl
were carried off, with the exception of twelve, which had
been brought into the camp.
Such was the battle of Chillianwalla, the nearest approxi-
mation to a defeat of any of our great conflicts in India.
The Sikh army was not overthrown, but retired Results of
to another position three miles from the field. the battle*
Four British guns were captured, the colours of three regi-
ments were lost, the reputation of the British cavalry
deplorably tarnished, while the character of Sikh prowess
was proportionately elevated. The number of killed and
wounded, including eighty-nine officers, was 2,446. Tho
Governor-General officially pronounced it a victory, and it
was announced by salutes at all the Presidencies; but he was
anticipated by Shere Sing, who nrtd a salute the same
evening in honour of his triumph. By the community in
India it was considered a great and lamentable calamity.
The ':.Ji "i'j> i. <v of the combat was received in England
with a feeling of indignation and alarm. British standards
had been lost ; British cannon had been captured ; British
cavalry had fled before the enemy, and a British regiment
had been annihilated. These disasters were traced, and
justly, to the wretched tactics of Lord Gough, and he was
recalled, with the full approval of the Duke of Wellington,
and Sir Charles Napier was sent out to supersede him*
H B
466 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [Cu\p. XIV,
SECTION II.
LORD DALHOUSIE'S ADMINISTRATION — SECOND SIKH WAR —
ADMINISTRATION OF THE PUNJAB — THE BURMESE WAB —
THE SANTALC.
THE conflict at Chillian walla had so seriously crippled the
infantry as to constrain Lord Gougli to await the capture
siege of °f Mooltan and the arrival of General Whish's
Mooitan. force before he undertook any further operations.
At Mooltan the advantages gained by the spirited exertions
of Lieutenant Edwardes had been lost by the defection of
Shere Sing. Moolraj regained possession of the province
and of its resources, and was enabled to provision the fort
and to improve its fortifications. General Whish, who had
retired to a fortified position in the neighbourhood, was
doomed to three months of inaction by the dilatoriness of
the Bombay military authorities in forwarding reinforce-
A.D. ments. The Bombay troops on their arrival raised his army
1848 to 17,000, with sixty four heavy guns, and he recommenced
the siege on the 27th December. After Henri rig the suburbs,
which was not effected without the loss of 300 men and seven-
teen officers, the batteries opened on the town, and for five
days and nights the (IK char go from howitzers, cannon, and
mortars never ceased. On the third day the fury of the
combatants was for a few moments arrested by the explosion
of a magazine in the town containing 400,000 Ibs. of gun-
powder, which shook the earth for miles and darkened the
sky with smoke. After a brief pause the firing was re-
newed, the Bombay and Bengal artillery vying with each
other and the enemy vying with both. On the 2nd
January the city was stormed, and presented a melancholy
picture of desolation ; the buildings had crumbled under
the storm of shot and shell, which had never been suspended
for 120 hours, and the streets were strewed with the dead
and dying. Moolraj continued to hold the citadel with
about 3,000 troops for another fortnight, and he and his
brave soldiers sustained the most terrific fire of ordnance,
direct and vertical, which had ever been di -charged in
India within the same narrow limits. At length, when
every roof but one had been demolished, and the incessant
1849 vo^eys became insupportable, the valiant chief surrendered
at discretion, and on the 22nd January rode into the English
camp, his chiefs and soldiers prostrating themselves before
him in passionate devotion as he passed.
SHOT. II. J BATTLE OF GUZEKAT 467
After the battle of Chillianwalla the Sikli and British A.B.
troops lay encamped within a few miles of each other for 1849
twenty-five days ; the one at E/ussool and the
other at Chillianwalla. On the 6th February ^ffSf the
Shere Sing evaded Lord Gough and marched battle of
uriperceived round the Britisli entrenchments, uzera '
and established his headquarters at Guzerat. The last
brigade of General Whish's army having joined Lord Gough
on the 20th February, the army moved up to that town.
General Cheape, of the Bengal engineers, who had directed
the siege of Mooltan with that professional skill and per-
sonal energy to which its success is to be attributed, joined
the camp a week before the battle and assumed charge of
the engineering department. With unwearied industry he
applied himself to the duty of obtaining the most accurate
information of the position of the enemy, the absence of
which had produced the lamentable results of Maharajpore,
Moodkee, and Chillianwalla. The army of Shere Sing,
estimated at 50,000 men, with sixty pieces of cannon, was
posted in front of the walled town of Guzerat, with the left
supported on a streamlet, while the right was protected by
the deep dry bed of the Dwara. Between them was a
space of about three miles with two villages, loopholed and
filled with troops. In all Lord Cough's battles he had
trusted more to the bayonet than to his cannon, and the
carnage had been severe. In the present case the principle
was reversed. On the day preceding the engagement it
was determined by the able engineer officers with the force
that the artillery, in which no army in India had been so
strong, should be brought into full piny, and that the charge
of the infantry should be reserved till the consistency of
the Sikh army had been broken by the guns.
The infantry divisions and brigades advanced in parallel
lines with eighty- four pieces of cannon in front, and the
cavalry on the flanks. The army, invigorated by The battle of
rest arid food, broke ground at half past seven. Quzerat.
The morning was clear and cloudless, and the sun shone
brightly on the extended lines of bayonets and sabres. The
Sikhs, ever ready with their batteries, opened them at a
long range. The British infantry was halted beyond their
reach, and the artillery pushed boldly to the front and com-
menced a cannonade, of which the oldest and most ex-
perienced soldiers had never witnessed a parallel for mag-
nificonce and effect. The Sikhs fired with great rapidity,
but it was manifest that neither human fortitude nor the
H H 2
468 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
A.D. best materials could withstand the storm which for two
1849 hours and a half beat on their devoted artillery ; not a
single musket was discharged before the fire of their for-
midable line had been subdued. The infantry then deployed
and commenced a steady advance supported by their field
batteries. The Sikhs fought with desperation, but the two
villages were at length carried by the ardent courage of
the British troops, and the whole Sikh line gave way and
was pursued round the town by all the brigades of infantry.
The cavalry, which had hitherto been kept in reserve, was
then let loose, and onward they rushed, riding over and
trampling down the flying and scattered infantry of the
Sikhs, and converting the discomfited enemy into a shape-
less mass of fugitives. It was not till half-past four, after
they had advanced fifteen miles beyond Guzerat, that the
cavalry drew rein, and by that timn the army of Shere
Sing was a wreck, deprived of its cauip, its standards, and
fifty- three pieces of cannon. The battle of Guzerat was one
of the noblest achievements of the British army in India,
and as it was gained by the judicious use of the arm in
which the force had a preponderating power, it has justly
been designated the " battle of the guns." The happy
contrivance by which the Commandcr-in- Chief was re-
strained from interfering with the order of battle, and
hurling the infantry, as usual, on the enemy's batteries,
is well known.
The day after the battle Sir Walter Gilbert left the camp
with 12,000 infantry, cavalry, and horse artillery, and
. . pursued the relic of the Sikh army, now reduced
the Sikhs to about 16,000 men, along the great high road
andAfghans. of ^ jn(iu8j with such rapidity as to allow them
no breathing time, and they sent Major George Lawrence,
who had been their prisoner since he left Peshawur, to
make terms with the general. On the 12th March Shere
Sing and Chutter Sing delivered up their swords to him afc
the celebrated monument of Manikyla, once considered a
trophy of Alexander the Great ; thirty-five subordinate
chiefs laid their swords at his feet, and the Khalsa soldiers
advanced one by one, and, after clasping their weapons,
cast them upon the growing pile with a heavy sigh. It only
remained to dispose of the Afghans whom Dost Mahomed
had sent to co-operate with the Sikhs. The veteran G ilbert
followed them across the Indus, with the buoyancy of
youth, and chased them up to the portals of the Khyber,
and, as the natives sarcastically remarked, "those who had
SHOT, II.] ANNEXATION OF THE PUNJAB 469
" rode down the hills like lions ran back into them like A.D.
" dogs." 134S
The battle of Guzerat decided the fate of the Punjab and
finally quenched the hopes of the Khalsa soldiers. It was
no ordinary distinction for that noble army to . ..
, i » T , . 'ix -A^^exation
nave met the conquerors of India successively at of the
Moodkee, at Ferozeshuhur, at Aliwal, at Sob- runJab-
raon, at Chillianwalla, and at Guzerat ; but after six such
conflicts they resigned themselves with a feeling of proud
submission to the power which had proved stronger than
themselves, and there has never since been the slightest
attempt at disturbance. The Punjab was now, by the in-
defeasible right of a double conquest, after unprovoked
aggression, at the disposal of the British Government, and
as there was not lime for any reference to the Court of
Directors, Lord Dalhousie annexed it to the Company's
dominions, in a proclamation which stated that, '• as the only
' sure mode of protecting the Government of India from
* the perpetual recurrence of unprovoked and wasting wars,
' he was compelled to resolve on the entire subjugation of a
people whom their own government had long been unable
to control, whom no punishment could deter from violence,
and no acts of friendship could conciliate to peace."
On the 29th of March the youthful maharaja Duleep Sing
took his seat for the last time on the throne of his father,
and in the presence of the high British functionaries and
the nobles of his court, heard Lord Dalhousie's proclama-
tion read, and then affixed his initials to the deed which
transferred the kingdom of the five waters to the Company,
and secured to himself an annuity of five lacs a year. The
British colours were hoisted on the ramparts, and a
royal salute announced the fulfilment of Runjeet Sing's
prediction that " the Punjab also would become red," — in
allusion to the colour which distinguishes the British pos-
sessions on the map of India. The jageers of the leaders of
the rebellion were confiscated, and they retired into oblivion
on small stipends. Moolraj, after a fair trial before a special
court, was sentenced to imprisonment for life, but died
within a short time. Lord Dalhousie was elevated to the
dignity of a Marquis, the fourth mar qui sate bestowed on
the Governors- General who had enlarged the Company's
territories. The reproach of Chillianwalla was forgotten
in the triumph of Guzerat, and Lord Gough received a
step in the peerage.
Lord Dalhousie, having thus annexed the Punjab to the
470 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
A.D. Company's dominions, was determined to spare no pains to
*849 . , ... render our government a real blessing to the
fft Administra- _ . °. 11011 ,i/> ,1
tionof the population. A noble field was presented for the
Punjab. construction of an administration free from the
errors committed in other provinces in the infancy of our
rule, and it was not neglected. A board was constituted
with ample powers, at the head of which was placed Sir
Henry Lawrence, one of the Company's great statesmen, a
fit successor of Ochterlony, and Munro, and Blphinstone,
and Metcalfe. With him was associated his brother Mr.
John Lawrence, who was subsequently rewarded with the
Governor- Generalship, and Mr. Robert Montgomery. A
more efficient board it would have been difficult to con-
struct even in India. The administration was formed on
a new system, and entrusted to fifty-six officers, half of whom
were military men and the other half civilians, the flower
of the service, men of mature experience, or of noble as-
pirations for distinction. The system of government was
well suited by its simplicity and vigour to the requirements
of the country. For the voluminous regulations which lay
like an incubus on the older provinces, a clear and concise
manual adapted to the habits of a people who courted
justice but dreaded law, was compiled by Mr. Montgomery,
and comprised in a few sheets of foolscap.
The north-west boundary of the empire was now re-
moved to the mountain range beyond the Indus, inhabited
mv u ^ by tribes of highlanders. whose vocation, from
The border / . > p , .. , ' , 111 •! rn
tribes and time immemorial, had been to levy black mail, lo
merit?"1 protect the lowlanders from their raids, a chain
of fortifications was established on the line, fully
provisioned, and connected with each other by a series of
roads. Nine regiments were especially raised for duty on
these marches. Within six months of the conquest Lord
Dalhousie disarmed the Punjab, and 120,000 weapons of
every variety of form and character were surrendered. A
military police, consisting of six regiments of foot and
twenty-seven troops of horse, was organised. The ancient
institution of the village watch, paid by the people and
acting under local magnates, was revived in a more efficient
form. As the result of these admirable arrangements, it
was reported within three years that no province in India
was more free from crime than the Punjab.
The vital question of the land assessment, on which the
happiness, and, to a great extent, the loyalty, of the people
in the East depends, was dealt with in a spirit of wisdom
SHOT. II.] IMPKOVEMENTS IN THE PUNJAB 471
and liberality, and the egregious blunders committed in the A.D.
older provinces were carefully avoided. The set- 1848
tlement was formed on a minute and accurate Therevenue<
investigation ; the land-tax was reduced in amount, and
leases were granted, which in some cases extended to thirty
years. The security of tenure and the moderation of the
rent gave such encouragement to agriculture that more
than 30,000 of the Khalsa soldiers exchanged the sword
for the plough. Lord Dalhousie was likewise resolved to
avoid the boundless irritation inflicted on the Gangetic
provinces for half a century by dallying with the question
of rent-free tenures ; every case was carefully examined
and satisfactorily and finally disposed of. The duties on
the transit of merchandise from district to district and
town to town — the great impediments of trade — were
swept away, and the loss was compensated by the scientific
selection of new taxes, four of which yielded a larger
return than forty-eight of Runjeet Sing's clumsy imposts.
The Board of Administration likewise put down the sale
of children, which was all but universal, and thus ex-
tinguished domestic slavery. Dacoity was rife 01
1 xi r> • i L • i -L Slavery,
when the Punjab came into our possession, but dacoity, and
the Board took tlio field against the criminals thuggee'
with that exceptional energy for which the administration
of this province has always been distinguished, and in the
course of five years the country was more free from the
crime than Bengal after eighty-live years of our rule. The
thugs who had resorted to the Punjab, when driven out of
Hindostan and the Deccan by Colonel Sleeman, were
extirpated. Active measures were likewise adopted to
eradicate the practice of female infanticide.
Lord Dalhousie did not consider the conquest of the
Punjab complete till it was intersected with military roads,
and in the course of five years 2,200 miles were R0ftds an(j
either completed or under construction. Of these canals.
the most important was that which united Lahore with
Peshawur, a distance of 275 miles. It passed over more
than 100 great bridges and 450 of smaller dimensions, and
it penetrated six mountain chains ; all these obstacles
were overcome by Colonel lS"apier, since created Lord
Napier of Magdala, to whose skill and energy the Punjab
was indebted for those material improvements which gave
it the appearance of a Roman province. Lord Dalhousio,
moreover, considered that " of all works of improvement
" which could be applied to an Indian province, works of
472 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV,
A..D. " '' ' ' ••' • A ere the happiest in their effects on the physi-
1849 " •!.' c • ; •' • of the people," and he directed all the canals
*? excavated by former rulers, Mahommedaii and Sikh, to be
repaired, and others to be constructed with a liberal hand.
The greatest of Colonel Napier's works of irrigation was
the Baree Daoab canal, which with its branches extended
to the length of 465 miles, equal, if not superior to, the
longest European canal. Lord Dalhousie made the boou
the more acceptable to the people by refusing to levy any
water-rate, as he considered that the state was fully repaid
by the increase of cultivation.
The government established in the Punjab was emphati-
cally Lord Dalhousie's own creation. The administrative
Result of an(^ executive talent employed in the improve-
these merit of it had never been equalled in any other
measures. province, but it was his genius which gave ani-
mation to the whole system. He traversed the country in
every direction, and placed himself in constant and un-
restrained communication with the public functionaries,
who were thus enabled to prosecute their labours without
official encumbrances. The administration embodied the
maturity of our experience in the science of Eastern govern-
ment, and rendered the Punjab the model province of India.
By these wise and beneficent measures the nation which
had recently been the great object of political anxiety
became one of the chief elements of our strength. The
brave soldiers who had shaken our power to its foundation
at Ferozeshubur and Chillian walla enlisted under our
banners, assisted in reconquering Delhi from the rebel
sepoys, marched up the Irrawaddy to fight the Burmese,
and aided in planting the English colours on the battle-
ments of Pekin.
.... There was peace for three years after the conquest of
the Punjab, and then came the unexpected and unwelcome
The second war w^ ^e Burmese, who had been at peace
Burmese with us for twenty-six years. In September the
war* European merchants at Rangoon transmitted a
memorial to the Government of India, complaining of
various acts of oppression, sometimes accompanied with
torture, which had been inflicted on them by the Burmese
authorities, and stating that, unless they could obtain pro-
tection, they must quit the country and sacrifice their
property. The Council in Calcutta — Lord Dalhousie being
up the country — came to the conclusion that British subjects
were entitled to British protection. Commodore Lambert,
fttecr. II.] SECOND BUKMESE WAR 473
rom- ..:• V1 • H.M. ship " Fox/' who bad recently arrived
in Calcutta, was sent to Rangoon to investigate the com-
plaints, and if they were substantiated, to forward a
communication from the Government of India to the king
demanding redress. The Ava cabinet replied that the
offending governor should be removed, and that due enquiry
should be made into the complaints of the merchants. The
governor, however, left Rangoon with ostentatious parade,
and his successor treated the British representative with
studied insolence, and refused to appoint any day for an
official audience. Captain Fishbourne therefore sent to AD,
inform him that the deputation from the Government of 1852
India would wait on him at midday on the 6th January.
He proceeded at the appointed time with his suite to
Government House, but they were not permitted to
enter it and were detained in the sun by the menials who
declared that the governor was asleep and must not be dis-
turbed, whereas he was all the time looking at them through
the Venetian windows, and enjoying their mortification.
After waiting a quarter of an hour Captain Fishbourne re-
turned and reported the treatment he had received to the
Commodore. The mission had been entrusted to one of
Cromwell's ambassadors, " a sixty-four gun frigate, which
" spoke all languages and never took a refusal." The
Commodore immediately proceeded down the river to
establish a blockade, as he had been instructed to do, taking
away with him a merchant vessel lulonginir to the king.
On his way down a heavy fire was opened on him from the
stockades below Rangoon on both sides the river, which
the guns of the " Fox " demolished in a few minutes.
Lord Dalhousie was at the time in the north-west pro-
vinces, and apprehending from the aspect of the negotia-
tion that the Government was drifting into a -
, , , , , ... , .,b , Proceedings
war, hastened down to prevent it, and it was only of Lord
till the third application for redress had been Dalhoufiie-
treated with contempt that he came to the determination
to seek it by force of arms. " The Government of India,"
he said in his minute, " cannot consistently with its own
" safety appear for one day in an attitude of inferiority, or
" hope to maintain peace and submission among the num-
" berless princes and people embraced within the vast
" circuit of the empire, if for one day it give countenance
" to a doubt of the absolute superiority of its arms and of
" its continued resolution to maintain it." The Commander-
in-Chief was in Sinde, and Lord Dalhousie was obliged to
474 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
4.i>. become his own war minister, and he astonished India by
the singular genius he displayed for military organisation.
The task before him was one of no ordinary difficulty. It
was the 10th February before the declaration of war was
issued and the preparations for the campaign commenced, and
it was of vital importance that Rangoon should be occupied
before the rains came on in the beginning of May. He had
two expeditions to despatch, one from Bengal and the other
from Madras ; the steamers were lying in the harbour of
Bombay, and there was no telegraph ; but his forethought
anticipated, and his energy supplied, every requirement.
He superintended every arrangement himself, and his
aides-de-camp were incessantly employed in Calcutta in
moving about from place to place to ensure promptitude
and efficiency in every branch of preparation. The Tenas-
serim provinces were drained of cattle and provisions ;
bakehouses were erected on the coast, and steamers sta-
tioned to convey bread and meat to the camp. The frame-
work of houses was constructed at Moulrnein to afford
shelter to the troops when the monsoon set in, and a con-
valescent depot was established at Amherst, thirty miles
below Rangoon.
The land army amounted to 5,800 men, under the com-
mand of General Godwin, who had served in the first
Theexpedi- Burmese war, and it was strengthened by nine-
tionary teen steamers carrying 159 guns and manned by
orce. 2,200 sailors and marines. On the arrival of the
force in the Rangoon river, a flag of truce was sent up by a
steamer to receive the reply of the king to the latest letter
of the Governor- General, but it was fired upon, and the last
hope of a peaceful solution of the difficulty vanished. The
whole force took up a position in front of Rangoon on the
llth April. The great pagoda, the key of the enemy's
position, had been fortified with great skill, and it was do-
fended with more gallantry than the Burmese had exhibited
in the former war ; but nothing could withstand the fiery
valour of our soldiers, and the British colours were planted
on that noble temple after a short struggle. This was the
first, and almost the only military operation of the cam-
paign, Tho Burmese army was dispersed, and the people
returned to their houses and resumed their occupations.
The town was well supplied with provisions, and carpenters
from Pegu hastened to erect the wooden houses. Tho health
of the camp was little affected by the season ; the river was
crowded with shipping, and the port became a busy mart
SHOT. Ifl.] AN:NEXATION OF PEGU 475
of commerce. But although General Godwin had a mag- A.D.
nificent flotilla of steamers, and the complete command of
the river, nothing could induce him to advance to Pro me,
and Lord Dalhousie was obliged to proceed to Rangoon in
person, and insist on his moving up to occupy that im-
portant position ; it was captured with the loss of only one
man.
The king refused to hold any communication with Lord
Dalhousie, and he had now to consider the course he was
to pursue. The inhabitants of Pegu were Annexation
impatient to ho released from the iron yoke of of Pegu,
the Burmese, who had treated them with more than ordi-
nary cruelty since they were conquered. They entreated
to bo taken under British protection, arid Lord Dalhousie
determined at once to accede to their wishes and to annex
the piovince. In his minute on the subject he said, " In
" the earliest stage of the present dispute I avowed my
opinion that conquest in Burmah would be a calamity
second only to the calamity of war ; but I have been
drawn most reluctantly to the conclusion that no measure
will adequately meet the object which, in my judgment,
it is absolutely necessary to secure — the establishment of
our security now and its maintenance hereafter — except
the seizure and occupation of a portion of the territories
of <he Burnmh kingdom." The Court of Directors and
the Ministry concurred in this opinion, and on the 20th
December a proclamation was issued declaring that Pegu
was henceforth to be considered a portion of the British
dominions. No province has ever gained so much in so
short a period by annexation. The export and import traffic
has increased from a few lacs to nine crores ; the people are
happy and contented, and would consider a change of
masters the greatest of calamities. The first Burmese war
had entailed an expenditure of thirteen crores ; the second
cost a little over one crore.
SECTION III.
LORD DALIIOUSIE'S ADMINISTRATION — ANNEXATIONS.
THE confiscation of the Punjab and Pegu, like the annexa-
tions made during fifty years to the dominions of the
Company from the territories of Mysore, Sindia, Annexation
Nagpore, Holkar, and the Peshwa, followed the p°iioy.
476 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV,
A.D. fortune of war, and were tlie natural consequence of un-
1848 provoked hostilities ; but the absorption of Satara, Nag-
pore, and Jhansi was based on the failure of heirs, and the
assumed prerogative of the paramount power in India.
They constitute what has been termed the " annexation
" policy " of Lord Dalhousie, which has been compared to
" the' acts of brigands counting out their spoil in a wood,
" rather than the .acts of British statesmanship," and he
has been stigmatised as "the worst and basest of rulers."
To trace this policy to its origin, it is to be observed that,
seven years before his arrival, the Governor- General and
Council in 1841 recorded their unanimous opinion that
" our policy should be 1o persevere in the one clear and
" direct course of abandoning no just or honourable acces-
" sion of territory or revenue while all existing claims of
" right are scrupulously respected." Lord Dalhousie, soon
after assuming the government, recorded his entire con-
currence in the views of his predecessors, and said that
we were bound not to put aside or neglect such rightful
opportunities of acquiring territory or revenue as may
from time to time present themselves, by the failure of all
heirs of every description whatever, or from the failure of
heirs natural ; but wherever a shadow of doubt can be
shown the claim should be at once abandoned."
The principality of Satara, the first to which this prin-
ciple was applied, was created by Lord Hastings in favour
of the descendant of Sevajee on the absorption
a ara. ^ ^e Pesliwa's dominions in 1819, and endowed
with a revenue of fifteen lacs a year. The raja died on the
5th April, 1848, without issue. He had repeatedly applied
to the Resident for permission to adopt an heir, but had
been informed that it was not in his power to grant it. Two
hours before his death, a boy, previously unknown to him,
was brought in by hap-hazard ; the ceremony of adoption
was performed with the usual rites, and a royal salute was
fired. The adopted lad succeeded, as a matter of course, to
the personal property of the raja, but the question arose
whether he could succeed to the sovereignty without the
sanction of the British Government. Sir George Clerk,
the governor of Bombay, while admitting that the consent
of the paramount power was required by custom, main-
tained that the Government could not object to it without
injustice. His successor, Lord Falkland, concurred with
the other members of government in taking an opposite
view of the case. Mr. Willoughby, the ablest member of
SECT. III.'] ANNEXATION OF SATARA AND NAGPORE 477
the Council, affirmed that the confirmation of the para- A.I>
mount authority in India was essential to the validity of * 8 48
an adoption, ii<ri>r<l:r,<r to custom so ancient and so uni-
versal as to have all the effect of law, and he would not
allow states which, like Satara, had lapsed to us, to be per-
petuated by adoption. These conflicting opinions were
submitted to Lord Dalhousie, and after a diligent examina-
tion of precedents and documents, he recorded his entire
agreement with Mr. ^ •! -J' '!v'b viewo, both on the
general principle and on the policy to be adopted in this
particular instance. The question was then referred to the
decision of the Court of Directors, together with all the
minutes recorded at Bombay and Calcutta. The Court,
with the concurrence of the Board of Control, communi-
cated for the guidance of the Government of India the
principle on which they were to act : " By the general law
u and custom of India, a dependent principality, like that
" of Satara, cannot pass to an adopted heir without the
" consent of the paramount power . . . and the general
" interests committed to our charge are best consulted by
" withholding it."
About five years later a similar case turned up at Nagpore. 1853
it has been already stated that, in consequence of the
treacherous attack of Appa Sahib on the Resi-
dency in 1817, the kingdom was forfeited, but
Lord Hastings generously restored it to the royal family.
The raja, who was childless, repeatedly resisted the earnest
advice of the Resident to adopt a son, and died in 1853
without any heir or successor, lineal, collateral, or adopted.
Lord Dalhousie recorded an elaborate minute on the subject,
remarking, " We have not now to decide any question which
" turns on the right of a paramount powet to refuse con-
" firmatiou to an adoption by an inferior. The raja has
" died, and deliberately abstained from adopting an heir.
" The state of Nagpore, conferred on the raja and his heirs
" in 1818 by the British Go\ernment, has reverted to it on
" the death of the raja without an heir. The Government
" is wholly unfettered to decide as it may think fit ; " aud
he came to the conclusion that " the gratuitous alienation
" of the state of Nagpore in favour of a Mahratta youth was
" called for by no obligation of justice or equity, and was
" forbidden by every consideration of sound policy." The
Court of Directors signified their entire concurrence in the
annexation, and stated as the ground of their decision that
Nagpore was a principality granted after conquest by the
478 ABBIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV
favour of the British Government to the late raja on here-
ditary tenure. He had left no heir of his body ; there was
no male heir who by family or hereditary right could claim
to succeed him ; he had adopted no son ; there was not in
existence any person descended in the male line from the
founder of the dynasty, and they had no doubt of their
right .to resume the grant.
A.D. The principality of Jhansi in Bundlecund was held by a
1854 chief as a tributary of the Peshwa, whose rights in the
Jhansi province were ceded to the Company in 1817, and
Lord Hastings, to reward him for his fidelity,
declared the fief to be hereditary in his family. He died
in 1835, after having adopted a son, but Sir Charles Mct-
calfe, then governor of Agra, declared that in the case of
chiefs who merely held lands or enjoyed revenues under
grants such as are issued by sovereigns to subjects, the
power which made the grant had a right to resume it on
failure of heirs male. He therefore refused to acknowledge
any right to bequeath the sovereignty by adoption, and
bestowed it on a descendant of the first chief. He died in
1853, having adopted a son on his death-bed, and his widow,
a woman of high spirit and great talent, demanded the
succession for the lad. Colonel Low, one of the members
of Council who had opposed the annexation of Nagpore,
recorded in his minute " the native rulers of Jhansi were
" never sovereigns; they were only subjects of a sovereign,
" first of the Peshwa, and latterly of the Company ; the
" Government of India has now a full right to annex the
" lands of Jhansi to the British dominions." Lord Dalhousie
stated that, as the last raja had left no heir of his body, and
there was no male heir of any chief or raja who had ruled
the principality for half a century, the right of the British
Government to refuse to acknowledge the present adoption
was unquestionable. The Court of Directors took the same
view of the case, and Jhansi was incorporated in their
territories. During the mutiny the ranee took a fearful
revenge by putting eighty-three Europeans, men, women,
and children, to death in cold blood. To these three cases
of annexation, that of Oudo has been added to swell the
condemnation pronounced on Lord Dalhousie's proceedings,
though it was effected contrary to his advice, by the direct
orders of the Cabinet and the Court of Directors. On these
questions we leave the reader to form his own judgment
from the facts which we have thus placed before him.
It was during the administration of Lord Dalhousie, and
SHCT.IIL1 NABOBS OF THE CABNATIC 479
with his full concurrence, that the dignity and privileges A.B.
of the nabob of the Carnatic were suppressed by Nabobs of 185*
the Government of Madras. The Carnatic was tbeOamatic.
annexed to the Company's territories in 1801 by Lord
Wellesley, who allotted a sum of about seven lacs of rupees
a year for the support of the nabob and his household ;
but he distinctly excluded all allusion to heirs and succes-
sors. It was a personal settlement with a mediatized prince ;
the nabob enjoyed a titular dignity, received royal salutes,
and was placed above law. Two nabobs in succession had
left heirs at their death in 1819 and 1825, and the Govern-
ment had allowed them to succeed to the title and the
ad\{iniMLr< - attached to it. The last nabob died childless
in 1853, and his uncle, Axim Jah, claimed the dignity and
immunities and allowances attached to the nabobship.
Lord Harris, the governor of Madras, pointed out in an
elaborate minute that the Government was not bound to
recognise a hereditary succession to this dignity, even of
direct heirs, still less of those who were only collateral.
He objected to the perpetuation of the nabobship, because
it was prejudicial to the public interests that there should
exist a separate authority in the town not amenable to law,
which, combined with the vicious habits of the palace, en-
couraged the accumulation of an idle and dissolute popula-
tion in the capital of the Presidency. The nabob's palace
was mortgaged, and his debts amounted to half a crore of
rupees. Lord Hams proposed that the annuities of the
Arcot family should cease, that the Government should
undertake to settle its debts and make a moderate allow-
ance to the uncle. Lord Dalhousie fully concurred in these
views, and the Court of Directors asserted that the rights
of the family were restricted to the prince who signed the
treaty in 1801.
The vexatious question of the Hyderabad contingent was 1868
brought to a satisfactory conclusion by the tact and resolu-
tion of Lord Dalhousie and the firmness and The Nizam
judgment of Colonel Low, the Resident at the andBerar.
Nizam's court. The origin of this force has been explained
in a former chapter. It was over-officered and over- paid,
and formed a severe tax on the revenues of the state, but
the Nizam would not hear of its being reduced. Its allow-
ances had repeatedly fallen into arrears, when it became
necessary for the Resident to make advances from his
treasury, which the Nizam acknowledged as a debt bearing
interest. The territory of Hyderabad waa sufficiently pro-
480 ABKIDttMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
A.D. dilative to provide for all the demands of the administration,
1853 but it was impossible to prevail on the Nizam to attend to
business ; his debts amounted to three crores, and the ex-
orbitant interest he was obliged to pay, combined with the
cost of a horde of 40,000 foreign mercenaries he persisted
in maintaining, devoured his resources. The Nizam had
from time to time made some payments towards the liquida-
tion of the debt incurred for the contingent, but by 1853 it
had again accumulated to half a crore of rupees. Lord
Dalhousie's patience was exhausted by four years of evasion,
and he determined to bring the question to an issue. He
proposed the draft of a treaty placing the coniiiiLreiii on a
definite and permanent footing, providing for its punctual
payment, and effecting an equitable settlement of arrears
by the transfer of territory yielding about thirty-six lacs a
year, which was less than the annual claim on the Nizam
by about six lacs. By this arrangement he was relieved
from a debt of half a crore; but, however beneficial it might
be to his interests, he manifested a strong reluctance to
agree to it, and it was only on the importunity of his
ministers, and more particularly through the influence of a
favourite valet whom the ministers had bribed, that he was
induced to give his consent to it. The districts which he
ceded were those in West Berar, which Lord Wellesley had
generously given his ancestor for tho very equivocal assist-
ance he had rendered in the war with the Mahrattas in
1803.
SECTION IV.
LORD DALHOUSIE'S ADMINISTRATION — OUDE — SOCIAL AND
MATERIAL IMPROVEMENTS.
No province in India had suffered the affliction of misrule
for so long a period as Oude, and it was to be traced to the
„. . presence of the British army, which effectually
Chrome r J\ J
misrule in protected the ruler from the indignation of his
Oude. subjects. The expostulations of Warren Hastings,
of Lord Cornwallis, of Sir John Shore, and of Lord Hastings
had been totally unheeded. In 1831 Lord William Bentinck
assured the king, that unless prompt measures were adopted
to reform abuses and to give the people tho benefit of good
government, the Company would assume the administration,
and reduce him to the same condition as the nabob of
SECT. IV.] CONDITION OF OUBE 481
Moorshedabad. This remonstrance produced a slight re-
formation, but it was transient. Twelve years after Lord
Hardingo visited Lucknow arid earnestly renewed the
remonstrance, assuring the king that, unless these reforma-
tions were carried out within two years, the government of
the whole country would bo taken out of his han Is.
Colonel Slccman, who was soon after appointed Resident, A.D.
was desired to make a tour through the country and ascer- 185J
tain whether any reform had been made in the n , .
,...,. J rj. , , , , Colonel
administration. His report presented a dark sieeman's
record of crime and misery. The king mam- ^v0***
tained a superfluous army of 70,000 men, who received
scanty and uncertain pay, and were driven to prey upon
the people. Their foraging parties indiscriminately plun-
dered the villagers of provisions, and brought away the
roofs and doors of the houses for fuel. It was impossible
to conceive a greater curse to a country than such a body
of disorganised and licentious soldiery. There were 246
forts or strongholds in the country, with 470 guns, held by
the higher class of landholders, chiefly Rajpoots. They
had converted large tracts of the most fertile land into
jungle, which became the haunts of lawless characters, who
levied heavy imposts on all traders and travellers. Within
sixteen miles of the capital one landholder had thus turned
thirty miles of rich land into jungle, and erected four forti-
fications within the circle. The king, immured in his
palace, was invisible except to his women, musicians, and
buffoons. The favourite tiddler had been appointed chief
justice ; the chief singer was de, facto king. Every officer
on his appointment was required to pay heavy douceurs
to the king, to the heir- apparent, to the minister, in
fact, to whomever was supposed to have interest at court,
and he reimbursed liiniselt by extortions from the people.
Colonel Sleernaii — who was an impassioned foe to annex-
ation— stated in his report that, i»,.' \\iili-iar-liisir his
earnest desire to maintain the throne of Oude in its in-
tegrity, fifty years of experience had destroyed every hope
that the king would carry out a system of administration
calculated to secure life and property and to promote the
happiness of the people. "He did not think that, with a
" due regard to its own character as the paramount power
" in India, arid the particular obligations by which it was
" bound by solemn treaties to the suffering people of this
" distracted country, the Government could any longer
c< forbear to take over the administration,11 in perpetuity •
1 1
482 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
A.D. making suitable provision for the dignity and comfort of
1855 the king. General Outram, who was equally desirous of
maintaining, if possible, the few remaining states in India,
was appointed Resident by Lord Dalhousie, and directed to
make a thorough inquiry into the condition of the people.
He stated that, not only was there no improvement, but no
prospect of any, and that the duty imposed on the Govern-
ment by treaty could no longer admit of its honestly in-
dulging the reluctance hitherto felt of having recourse to
the decisive measure of assuming the administration. He
asserted that it was at the cost of 5,000,000 people, for
whom we were bound to secure good government, that we
were upholding the sovereign power of this effete and in-
capable dynasty.
Lord Dalhousie drew up a comprehensive minute on the
subject, in which he analysed the evidence which had been
given during a long series of years of the gross
LonUM- and inveterate abuse of power in Oude, and the
housie and opinions which had been recorded, without excep-
the Council. ./• « , ,. .. . /*» i i« /» , ,-f
tion, of our obligation to afford relief to the
people. Were it not for the presence of our troops, he
said, the people would long since have worked their own
deliverance ; inaction on our part could no longer be justi-
fied. But, he added, the rulers of Oude, however unfaithful
to the trust conferred on them, have yet ever been faithful
and true in their allegiance to the British power, and they
have aided us as best they could in the hour of our utmost
need. Justice and gratitude require that, in ameliorating the
lot of the people, we should lower the dignity and authority
of the sovereign as little as possible, The prospects of the
people may be improved without resorting to so extreme a
measure as the annexation of the territory and the abolition
of the throne. " I do not therefore advise that Oude be
" declared a British province." He proposed that the king
should retain the sovereignty, that he should vest the whole
of the civil and military administration in the hands of the
Company, and receive an annual stipend for the support of
his honour and dignity. Of the members of Council, Mr.
— now Sir Barnes — Peacock coincided with Lord Dalhousie;
Mr. — now Sir John — Grant, and goVernW of Jamaica,
recommended the incorporation of Ottde with the British
territories ; and General Low, who had opposed the annexa-
tion of Nagpore, and who had, moreover, been Resident at
Lucknow, asserted that the disorders in the country were
of such long standing, and so inveterate, that there was no
SECT. IV.] ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS 483
mode of maintaining a just government but by placing the A.D.
whole of its territory exclusively and permanently under the ' 854
direct management of the East India Company.
Lord Dalhousie transmitted all these minutes, together
with the reports of Colonel Slceman and General Outram,
to the Court of Directors, with whom, and with Annexation
the Ministry, rested the decision of this great ofOude.
question. After earnest deliberation for two months, they
came to the determination to overrule the advice of Lord
Dalhousie, and to adopt what he had endeavoured to dis-
suade them from — the annexation of the territory and the
abolition of the throne ; and thus ended the sovereignty of 1856
the king of Oude, on whom an annuity of twelve lacs of
rupees a year was settled.
Lord Dalhousie's administration was rendered not less
memorable by his administrative reforms and by material
progress than by its political results. There was Admmistra-
no branch of the public service which his keen eye tive reforms,
did not penetrate, and into which he did not introduce im-
provements, the value of which has been gracefully acknow-
ledged even by his onemies. He had an insuperable aversion
to what he described as the cumbersome and obstructive
agency of boards, and he abolished them as far as possible,
and invigorated each department by unity of control and
responsibility. Though a civilian, there was no portion of
the public service in which his reforms were more radical
and more beneficial than the army. He abolished the 1850
military board, and placed the multifarious duties which
had been thrust upon it, and which it was never able to
perform with efficiency, under the charge of single officers
of large experience. The board had been weighted with
the superintendence of all public works, and in no division
had its failure been more palpable. Lord Dalhousie
organised a public works department, with a separate
secretary, not only to the Government of India, but to each I8ii
Presidency. The responsibility of management was vested
in a chief engineer, assisted by a body of executive officers
and subordinates. To secure the uninterrupted progress of
public works, which had previously been prosecuted by
spasmodic efforts, a schedule of those which were to be
executed during each year was to be submitted to Govern-
ment at the commencement of it.
The revenues of India were increased during Lord
Dalhousie's administration from twenty-six to thirty crores.
484 ABRIDGMENT Otf THIS JHHTOJtST OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
LD. The wars in which the Government of India had been en-
1848 Rased with little intermission for ten years, had
f- Eevenues. o. & , , , . , ., , ^ » ,
10 absorbed thirty crores, and entailed an annual
185 deficit, which, however, ceased with the canse of it, and
there was for a time the bright gleam of a surplus, but
it was extinguished two years after by the mutiny.
During the period of eight years now under review, the
commerce of Bombay was developed to an extraordinary
degree, and that of Calcutta was doubled, while the coast-
ing trade was liberated from every obstruction, and ren-
dered more safe by the erection of lii/lit liossM1-. along the
coast.
1853 The importance of conferring on the comparatively poor
population of India the boon of cheap and uiii-
ge' form postage which had long been enjoyed in
England, had been frequently discussed in a perfunctory
manner. Lord JDalhousie took up the question with his
accustomed energy, and transmitted to Leadenhall Street
the proposal of establishing a uniform rate of half an anna,
or three-farthings, for every letter of a defined weight,
irrespective of distance, though in some cases it even ex-
ceeded two thousand miles. The Court gave the same ready
and liberal sanction to this plan as they had, indeed done to
all his other great schemes of improvement. Ho likewise
procured a reduction of the rate of postage between
England and India, and took a national pride in an
arrangement which he said " would enable the Scotch
" recruit at Peshawur to write to his mother at John
" O'Groat's house for sixpence."
The Ganges Canal was commenced long before Lord
Dalhousie's arrival, but it was advancing at so sluggish a
The Ganges p&ce, that the sum expended on it from the begin-
Canai. ning had not exceeded seventeen lacs of rupees.
He pressed it forward with unabated ardour, allowing no
financial pressure and no exigencies of war to interrupt
its progress ; and the sum appropriated lo it in six years
exceeded a crore and a half of rupees. The main stream
1854 was opened by Mr. Colvin, the lieutenant-governor of
Agra, in March 1854. This gigantic undertaking which
was designed and completed by the late Sir Proby Cautley,
stands among the noblest efforts of civilisation. It nearly
equals the aggregate length of all the lines of the four
greatest canals of France, and is five times longer than all
the main lines in Lombardy.
The system of railroads which is working a greater and
more beneficial change in the social, political, and com*
SECT. IV.] RAILROADS 485
mercial interests of India than has been known at any
former period, is due to the exertions of Lord
Dalhousie. The first railway was projected by
Sir Macdonald Stephenson in 1843, and received great en-
<•""••,. u •••••' from Mr. NYilhorforcc; Bird, when • "Vi.'ilin^
as governor-general, and subsequently from Lord Hardmge,
but the commercial disasters of 1846 and 1847, and the
reluctance of English capitalists to embark in an unexplored
field of enterprise in India, baffled the undertaking. The
indefatigable zeal of Sir Macdonald succeeded at length
in forming the East India Railway Company, and Sir A D.
James Hogg, a member of the Court of Directors, prevailed 1848
on his c- IN :.:;<1-. though not without great difficulty, to
guarantee a rate of interest sufficient to raise the capital.
Two short and experimental lines at Calcutta and at
Bombay were sanctioned, but as numerous applications for
similar concessions poured in upon the India House, the
Court had the wisdom to refer them to the consideration
of Lord Dalhousie, with the intimation of their wish " that
" India should, without unnecessary loss of time, possess
" the immense advantage of a regular and well-devised
" system of railway communications.'*
The question could nob have been placed in the hands of
one bettor qualified to do justice to it. Ho had presided at
tho Board of Trade for several years during the Ix)nl
most active period of railway enterprise, and Paihousie's
had become complete master of the principles m
and details of railway economy. To this pre-eminent ad-
vantage he added large and comprehensive views of policy.
In the elaborate minute he transmitted to the Directors on
the 20th April, 1853, which became the basis of the rail- 1863
way system of India, he expressed his hope that the limited
section of experimental line hitherto sanctioned would no
longer form the standard for railway works in India. A
glance at the map, he said, would suffice to show how im-
measurable would be tho political advantages of a system
of internal communication by which intelligence of every
event should be transmitted to tho Government at a speed
fivefold its present rate, and enable the Government to
bring the main bulk of its military strength to bear upon
any given point, in as many days as it now requires months.
Tho commercial and social advantages of the rail were
beyond all calculation. " A system of railways judiciously
" selected and formed would surely and rapidly give rise in
"this empire to the saino encouragement of enterprise, the
" same multiplication of produce, the same discovery of
486 ABBIDaMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV,
A.D. ' latent forces, and the same increase of national wealth that
L863 'have marked the introduction of improved and extended
* communications in the various kingdoms of the Western
' world. With the aid of a railway carried up to the
' Indus, the risk involved in the extension of our
' frontier to a distance of 1,500 miles from the capital
* would be infinitely diminished. Peshawur would, in fact,
* be reached in less time and with greater facility than
' Moorshedabad, though only seventy miles distant trom
* Calcutta, in the days of Olive." He then proceeded to
lay down a system of railways for the whole continent
which should connect the Presidencies with each other
and form the great trunk lines. He advocated the construc-
tion of the lines by public companies, sustained by a State
guarantee and controlled, directly but not vexatiously, by
the Government of the country, acting in the interests ot
the public on the principle for which he had contended,
though in vain, when at the Board of Trade.
1862 Another boon conferred on India by Lord Dalhousie
was the electric telegraph, created by the enterprising
The Electric spirit of Mr. — now Sir William — O'Shaugh-
Teiegraph. nessy. After a series of experiments he succeeded
in laying down a line from Calcutta to the sea at Kedgeree,
which, by expediting the communication of intelligence,
was found to be of eminent service during the Burmese
war, when hours were invaluable. Lord Dalhousie lost no
time in sending Mr. O'Shaughnessy to England with a
letter to the Court of Directors, stating that the success of
this experiment had added intensity to his desire to bring
the various sections of the empire into communication with
each other by telegraphic wires, and he made it his earnest
personal solicitation that they would authorise the imme-
diate construction of them. "Everything," he added,
" moves faster nowadays all the world over, except the
" transaction of Indian business." Happily Sir James
Hogg occupied the chair at the India House, and he took
the same interest in the promotion of the telegraph as he
had done of the rail. The proposal was carried through the
various official stages with such promptitude that, within a
week of the arrival of Lord Dalhousio's communication,
the despatch sanctioning the establishment of the telegraph
was on its way to India, The wires have now been spread
over the country, and have fully answered the hopes of the
Governor- General, by increasing the security of the
empire, and augmenting the facilities for governing it ten-
SECT. IV.] LORD DALEOUSIE'S ADMINISTRATION 487
fold. Even his most ambitions expectations have been rea-
lised by the progress of science. " It may yet be hoped/'
he wrote, " that the system, of electric telegraphs in India
" may one day be linked with those which envelope Europe
" and which already seek to stretch across the Atlantic."
Not only is the Government of India in daily communica-
tion with the home authorities, but on a recent occasion a
complimentary message from the Governor-General at
Simla to the President of the United States reached Wash-
ington and was acknowledged in three hours. It cannot,
however, but be considered a fortunate, not to say a provi-
dential, circumstance that the submarine telegraph was not
in existence before the conquest of India had been com-
pleted, and Peshawur had become the frontier station of
the empire. Considering the inveterate repugnance of the
Court of Directors and of the Board of Control to any
increase of territory whatever, it is manifest that, if such
facilities of communication had existed at a more early
period, there would have been no Indian empire to govern.
Lord Dalhousie embarked for England on the 6th
March, 185G. The population of the metropolis, moved by
a feeling of admiration of the great ruler who had _
i 5 v 3 A i j • 3Ai- • Character of
enlarged, consolidated, and improved the empire, Lord r>aj-
crowded the plain to testify their regret at his ^Iti-alton
departure. Eight years of incessant toil had ex-
hausted his constitution, and, after a lingering illness of
four years, he sank into the grave, on the 19th December,
1860, at the premature age of fori \-iMirht. His adminis-
tration forms one of the most important eras in the history
of British India. His plans were always broad and com-
prehensive, and bore the stamp of solid improvement, and
not of mere sensational innovation. With a clear intellect
and a sound and independent judgment, he combined great
firmness of purpose and decision of character. If he
exacted the rigid performance of duty from those under
him, he set them the example by his own intense application
to public business, to which, by a noble devotion, he sacri-
ficed leisure, ease, comfort, and even health. Every
question that came before him was investigated with
patience and diligence, and with a scrupulous desire .to
arrive at a right decision. He marshalled with great im-
partiality all the arguments on both sides of any subject,
and adduced weighty reasons whatever the decision he
formed, the soundness of which was rarely questioned by
his colleagues or the public. Among the governors-genera)
488 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XIV.
he stands on the same pedestal with Warren Hastings and
Lord Wellesley, and his public character, like theirs, has had
to pass through the ordeal of obloquy. It was twenty-seven
years after the House of Commons had impeached Warren
Hastings that the members rose in a body to pay sponta-
neou^ homage to his merits as he entered their chamber in
1813. It was thirty years before the Court of Directors,
who had treated Lord Wellesley as a criminal, assured him
that he " had been animated by an ardent zeal to promote
" the welfare of India, and to uphold the interests and
" honour of the British empire, and that they looked back
" to the eventful and brilliant period of his government
"with feelings common to their countrymen." Lord Dal-
housie's acquittal may perhaps be longer delayed, but it is
not the less certain. The only indictment against him is
his annexation policy, as it is called, which was hastily pro-
nounced to have been the cause of the mutiny ; and it was
inevitable that the feelings of indignation which its atro-
cities created should be in some measure transferred to
the individual who was charged with having occasioned it.
The great merits of his administration cannot, therefore, be
fully appreciated till the voice of posterity has removed this
reproach from it.
A.D. The Charter of 1833 expired in 1853, and a strenuous
1863 effort was made to wrest the government of India from the
The Charter East India Company, but the Whig Ministry de-
ofi863. termined to continue it in their hands, not,
however, as formerly, for any definite period, but until
Parliament should otherwise ordain. The India Bill was
introduced by Sir Charles Wood, the President of the
Board of Control, in a lucid speech of five hours ; which,
considering that he came into office only five months before,
a stranger to Indian affairs, exhibited no ordinary talent,
and held out the prospect of an enlightened and vigorous ad-
ministration, which was subsequently realised to the fullest
extent. The chief modifications were three. The number
of the Court of Directors was reduced from thirty to eigh-
teen, and the elimination was effected by a most ingenious
process of balloting, devised by the secretary, Sir Jarnes
Melvill. Of the reduced number a certain proportion was
to bo nominated by the Crown. Under the old system,
many of the most eminent of the public servants in India
were excluded from the Direction on their return to Eng-
land, owing to their invincible repugnance to a laborious and
humiliating course of canvassing ; but the Minister was now
S»CT. IV.] THE CHARTER OF 1853 489
enabled at once to avail himself of their invaluable assist- A.D
ance. The government of Bengal and Behar, moreover, 1853
was entrusted to a separate Lieutenant-governor. The
administration of these provinces, containing a population
of more than fifty millions, and contributing one-third of
the revenues of the empire, had dpvvii to this period been
imposed on the Governor-general , and, whenever he was
absent, which was generally one-half his time, it devolved
on the senior member of Council, who sometimes happened
to be a military officer rewarded for sei vices in the field,
and, in one instance, for reforming the Madras Commis-
sariat. Under this anomalous system there had been no
fewer than ten governors and deputy-governors of Bengal
in the course of eleven 3 oars. Throughout this period of
perpetual change and inevitable weakness the post of
secretary was occupied by Mr. — now Sir Frederick —
Halliday, and it was owing to his great local knowledge and
experience, and to his sound judgment and diligence, that
the administration exhibited any degree of energy or con-
sistency. His eminent services were rewarded by the first
appointment to the Lieutenant-governorship. By a third
provision of the Charier, the patronage of the Civil Service
was withdrawn from the Court of Directors to make way
for the principle of unreserved competition.
CHAPTER XV.
SECTION T.
LORD CANNING'S ADMINISTRATION — THE MUTINT — MEERUT —
DELHI — THE PUNJAB.
LOUD DALTIOUSIE was succeeded by Lord Canning, the 1856
thirteenth and last of the d'-\» r:.i • - -:\ • • \-.\\ of the .East
India Company, and the first viceroy of the Lord Can-
Queen. His father, George Cunning, was ap- ninggover.
• - i i • i «rt^ 11 TT * nor-general.
pointed governor-general in 1822, but did not
embark. He himself had sat in the House of Lords for
twenty years, and filled several offices of state, and had thus
acquired a good store of official experience. At the vale-
dictory banquet given to him by the Court of Directors
490 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV
he uttered these memorable expressions : — " I wish for a
" peaceful time of office ; but I cannot forget that in the sky
" of India, serene as it is, a small cloud may arise no larger
"than a man's hand, but which, growing larger and larger,
"may at last threaten to burst, and overwhelm us with
"ruin.'' The succeeding narrative will show how pro-
phetic this enunciation proved to be. His administration
was marked by a series of events of unexampled magnitude
— the mutiny and extinction of an army of 150,000 sepoys,
—the wholesale massacre of Europeans, men, women and
children — the loss and recovery of the North -West pro-
vinces— the dissolution of the East India Company, and the
annexation of the empire of India to the Crown.
A.D. Lord Canning landed in Calcutta on the last day of
1856 February 1856, and for a fortnight enjoyed the benefit of
A arances in*ercourse w^n Lord Dalhousie, who believed
of disaffec- that India was in a state of profound tranquillity,
tion.— Oude. ^g ^e vear wore on, however, the elements of
disquietude, though not of immediate danger, began to
make their appearance. The deposed king of Oude was
allowed to take up his residence in the suburbs of Calcutta,
and his emissaries were actively employed in diffusing a feel-
ing of hostility to the British Government in and around the
metropolis. The chief commissionership of Oude had un-
fortunately been given to a civilian, Mr. Coverley Jackson,
who was utterly unfit for such a post. Instead of labour-
ing to reconcile the chiefs and people to a foreign rule, as
On tram and Sleeman would have laboured to do, his time
was passed in unseemly squabbles with his subordinates,
and in sowing the dragon's teeth of rebellion among the
proud aristocracy of the country by a wanton and disas-
trous interference with the tenures of their estates.
In the old Mahomedan capital of India, in which the
royal family had been injudiciously permitted to keep up a
Discontent mimic court, the proceedings of Government
at Delhi. aroused a strong feeling of animosity. Contrary
to the advice of some of the venerable members of the
Court of Directors, the Board of Control had determined to
remove the family from Delhi ; and, on the death of the
king Bahadoor Shah, to discontinue the royal title and
immunities. From a feeling of deference to the strong re-
monstrances of the Directors who had opposed this
measure, Lord Dalhousie had postponed taking action upon
it, and it was left to the consideration of Lord Canning,
who at once adopted the conclusion that the palace of
SECT. I.] DISCONTENT AT DELHI 491
Delhi, which waa a mile in circumference and the citadel of A.D.
a fortified town, and which was urgently required for mili-
tary purposes, should be in the hands of the Government
of the country. A communication to this effect was made
to the king, who was likewise informed that his son
Mahomed Korash would be recognised as his successor, but
without the title of king. His young and favourite wife,
Zeenut Mehal, was anxious to secure the succession for her
own son, and resented his exclusion, and not less the loss
of the regal dignity and privileges of the family. She set
every engine at work to create a hostile excitement against
the British Government in the Mahornedan community, not
only of Hindostan, but also of the Deccan, and extended
her intrigues to Persia, then at war with England.
Rumours were at the same time disseminated that Lord
Canning had arrived with orders from the Queen of
England to enforce the profession of Christianity on the
natives of India. There was likewise a prophecy abroad at
the time that the Company's raj, or rule, was to last only
a hundred years, and 1857 was the centenary of Plassy.
This prediction was industriously propagated, and tended,
as in other cases, to promote its own fulfilment, by creating
an impression that the fate of the British Government was
subject to the inevitable law of destiny. There can be
little doubt that towards the close of 185G the public mind
had become unsettled, and that a vague apprehension of
some portentous event was generally diffused through the
community.
The native soldiery of India, whether under their native
princes or under our own flag, had never been exempt from
a spirit of insubordination. Sindia, Holkar, and The native
the other Mahratta rulers had been repeatedly army,
subject to coercion by their mutinous soldiers. Runjeet
Sing declared that he dreaded his own victorious troops
more than he feared his enemies. In the Company's army,
from the first mutiny in 1764 at Buxar to the latest in 1850
at Shikarpore, there had been a constant succession of out-
breaks more or less formidable. In 1856 there were two
especial causes of annoyance calculated to disquiet the minds
of men whom we had been accustomed to pamper. More
than forty thousand of the sepoys were recruited from Oude,
and with the view of attaching them to our service, they
had enjoyed the privilege of having their lawsuits decided
before ot.heir, on the production of a rescript from their com-
manding officers. This exclusive privilege, which gave
492 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
A.I>. them importance in their native villages, was lost on the
1856 annexation of the country, and it created a feeling of dis-
content. Moreover, only six of the Bengal regiments were
enlisted for foreign service, and in 1856 Government pro-
mulgated an order that in future the services of no recruit
would be accepted who did not engage to embark when
required. The order was as reasonable as it was necessary,
but it produced a deep feeling of dissatisfaction in every
regiment. The Company's military service was considered
both anhonoiirable and an hereditary profession ; but under
the new rule the sons and nephews of the high-caste sepoys
who were waiting for vacancies must either forego the
service altogether, or defile their caste by crossing the
" black water.'*
It is questionable, however, whether the disaffection ex-
cited by the two royal families of Oude and Delhi, or even
The greased the discontent of the sepoys, would have culmi-
c&rtridges. nated in the revolt of the whole army, and the
barbarities which accompanied it, but for the unexpected
incident of the greased cartridges, which proved a god-send
to the enemies of Government. It had been determined to
supersede the old infantry musket by an improved descrip-
tion of fire-arm with a grooved bore, which could not be
loaded without lubricating the cartridge. Dumdum, in the
neighbourhood of Calcutta, was one of the schools of mus-
ketry for instruction in the use of the Enfield rifle. Early
f857 in January 1857 a low-caste man employed in the magazine
meeting a brahmin sepoy, asked him for a drink of water
from his brass water-flask, and was refused on the ground
of his caste ; upon which he remarked that " high caste and
" low caste would soon be on an equality, as cartridges
" smeared with beef fat and hog's lard were being made up
" at the magazine which all the sepoys would be compelled
" to use." The alarm spread like wild fire among the
sepoys at Dumdum and through the four regiments at
Barrackpore. The emissaries of the king of Oude in-
dustriously circulated a report that, in prosecution of a long
cherished design, the Government, under special instruc-
tions from England, had caused th- • • ' * "! .to be greased
with ingredients which would , ' : Hindoos and
Mahomedans, as a preliminary to their forcible conversion
to Christianity. A frantic feeling of terror and indignation
spread through the regiments, which was evinced by the
incendiary fires which from night to night destroyed the
officers' bungalows and the public buildings.
As soon as the excitement created by the rumour of the
SECT. L] PAUCITY OF EUKOPEAN TROOPS 493
greased cartridges became known to the Government in A.D.
Calcutta active measures were taken to allay it. Endeavourg
Telegraphic messages were despatched to all the to allay
stations up the country to issue the cartridges excltement'
free from grease. At Barrackpore the sepoys were assured
by General Hearsay, who had acquired great influence over
them, that there was no cause for alarm, that the Govern-
ment never had any design on their caste, that no greased
cartridges had been issued, and that they might lubricate
their own cartridges with bees' wax. T3ut they were beyond
the reach of reason, and it was found impossible to dis-
abuse them. When it was demonstrated to them that
there was no grease in the cartridges, they affirmed that the
paper itself which had a glossy appearance, was polluted.
The public post was laden with their letters, and in a
few days every regiment throughout Hindostan was in-
fected with the same feeling of alarm and passion. The
little cloud was " growing larger and larger," and threa-
tening to " burst and overwhelm the Government with
ruin."
At the time when the peril of the empire was thus in
the extreme, the usual means of confronting it were
wanting. India had been in a great measure Pftucit of
stripped of the European force which was now European
urgently required to control an infatuated and in- tro°P!j-
furiate native army. Regiment after regiment had been
withdrawn from the country in spite of the remonstrances
of Lord Dalhousie, who was constrained at length to in-
form Lord Pahnerston that he could not be responsible for
the safety of the empire if any moro European troops were
withdrawn ; yet four more were sent to Persia after he had
retired from the country. Instead of the safe proportion
of one European to throe native regiments, which the tra-
dition of half a century had established, there was at this
time, little more than a single regiment to ten native corps
between Calcutta and A«;ra. Lord Lawrence indeed
affirmed that, " if there had been 5,000 more Europeans, it
"is certain that the mutiny would not have happened;
" but the natives thought the country was quite denuded
" of troops." When the crisis appeared imminent Lord
Canning sent round to Rangoon for the 84th, and, on its
arrival, ventured to bring down and disband the 19th,
which had mutinied at Berhampore.
The month of April passed with little disturbance, but
in great disquietude. It afterwards transpired that a
general conspiracy had been organised throughout the
494 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV,
A.D. sepoy army, for the simultaneous revolt of every regiment
1857 at every station in Hindostan, on the evening
mutiny at of the last Sunday in May, at the hour of
Meerut. church service, when all the Europeans were to be
massacred without regard to sex or age ; but an unexpected
transaction at Meerut led to a premature outbreak. It was
the largest and most important military station in the
North- West provinces, and also the head-quarters of the
artillery, and any movement in it was sure to exercise a
powerful influence at other stations. There the ordnance
department had been employed in making up the greased
cartridges under the eyes of the sepoys. The general ex-
citement which pervaded the cantonment and the sur-
rounding country was constantly fomented by fresh and
more alarming rumours. It was asserted that the flour
in the bazaars had been mixed up with ground bones, and
that even the salt had been polluted. No lie was too absurd
to be believed. It was manifest that the enemies of
Government had taken advantage of the existing agitation
to inflame the minds of the sepoys, and to convulse the
country. Foremost among these conspirators in the North-
West was Doondhoo Punt, commonly known as Nana
Sahib, the adopted son of the ex-Peshwa Bajee Rao, who,
during his residence at Bithoor, had received through his
annuity an JIT •", .:,v sum of two crores and a half of
rupees, the greater portion of which ho had bequeathed to
the Nana. He had the effrontery to demand a continuance
*of the pension of eight lacs of rupees a year, which was
necessarily refused him, arid he vowed vengeance on the
Government, and during the early part of the year was
found travelling about in Oude and other districts sowing
the seeds of revolt.
The troopers of the 3rd Cavalry at Meerut, chiefly
Mahomedans, were the first to break out into open mutiny.
The 3rd It was explained to them on parade that they
Cavaky. were not required to bite the cartridges, but
simply to pinch off the end ; but of the ninety men to whom
the cartridges were offered on the 24th April, eighty- five
refused to touch them, and were ordered to be brought to
a court-martial. The court was composed of fifteen native
officers of artillery, cavalry, and infantry, arid by the vote of
fourteen the troopers were found guilty of disobedience of
orders, and sentenced to hard labour for ten years. On
the morning of the 9th May, in the presence of their fellow-
soldiers drawn up on parade, their uniform was stripped
SKCT. IJ OUTBREAK AT MEERUT 10TH MAY 495
off their backs, and shackles affixed to their ankles. Some A.O,
of them were the flower of the regiment, and had served 1857
the state in many campaigns, and they implored the
general to have mercy on them, and not subject them to
so ignominious a doom. To the feeling of alarm for their
caste in the minds of the sepoys was now added a feeling
of burning wrath as they saw their comrades marched off
to gaol like the meanest felons. The whole transaction
exhibited a spirit of incomprehensible infatuation on the
part of the military authorities of the station as well as of
the commander-in-chief.
The next day, Sunday, the 10th May, as the Europeans
were proceeding to church in the evening, the native troops
broke out. The troopers of the 3rd Cavalry hast- The outburst
ened to the gaol, which was guarded only by oftheioth
sepoys, and liberated their companions. The in- ay"
fantry and the cavalry, the Hindoos and the Mahomedans,
made common cause, and massacred all the Europeans
without distinction of age or sex whom they could find.
Half a century before Colonel Qillespie, with a regiment of
dragoons and some galloper guns, had at once quelled the
Vellore mutiny and saved the Deccan. The European force
at Meerut consisted of a battalion of riflemen, a regiment of
dragoons, and a large force of European artillery ; and the
exercise of similar promptitude would have saved Meerut •
at once, and checked the principle of revolt in its infancy.
But the commander of the division, General Hewitt, was a
superannuated officer, inert and imbecile, of unwieldy bulk,
and the last man who ought to have been entrusted with
the charge of so important a station at such a crisis. The
night was passed in burning down the residences of the
officers and Europeans, and the massacre of the Christians,
without any attempt to check it. The women and children
who sought refuge in the gardens were tracked out and
shot amidst the yells of the mutineers. " The sweepings
" of the gaols and the scum of the bazaars, all the rogues
" and ruffians of Meerut and the robber-tribes of the
" lUMirlibouriiiijr villages, were let loose, plundering and
" destroying wherever an English 1 • .; • was to be
" gutted and burnt."
In the morning it was found that the mutineers had
started on the road to Delhi. Had the carabineers and
the horse artillery been instantly despatched after Atrocities at
them, they might have reached the city, only ^"^
forty miles distant, in time to save the lives of the Euio-
496 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOEY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
A.D. peans there, and to hold the mutiny in check, even if they
1857 had not overtaken and cut up the mutinous regiments
on the route ; but the wretched Hewitt simply sent his
cavalry out to reconnoitre. The 3rd Cavalry was speedily
folio wed by the infantry, and being joined by the 38th, on
duty in the city, began the work of destruction and murder.
The commissioner, the chaplain and his daughter, and the
European officers in the city were massacred. The Delhi
bank was gutted and all its inmates slaughtered. The
magazine, the largest in the North- West, with its vast
supplies of gunpowder, was defended by only nine Euro-
pean officers and a few treacherous natives. The mutineers
applied scaling ladders to the walls, and were warning
over them, when Lieut. A\ ' • , ; :•* applied the torch to
the train he had laid, and blew it up to prevent its falling
into the hands of the enemy, and with it hundreds of the
mutineers. None of these bravo officers expected to sur-
vive the explosion, and the sacrifice of their own lives in
the service of their country was an act of JiV i- in i-1 • -1 hero-
ism ; but four of them happily survived the catastrophe.
The city was now completely in the hands of the in-
surgents. The Europeans who had taken refuge at the
main guard were shot down by volleys from the
tionofthe 38th. The cantonment which was immediately
^king. beyond the walls contained two sepoy regiments,
who rose upon the officers, set fire to their houses, and
turned the guns upon them. Some of them and their wives
'succeeded in making their escape, and many a tale is re-
corded of the heroic bearing of delicate ladies, some of
them with children in their arms, as, under the burning
sun of May, they sought refuge in the jungles or waded
through streams with scanty clothing and little food.
Meanwhile the European and East India women and
children in the city, about fifty in number, were seized, and
after five days of barbarous treatment, taken into a court-
yard of the palace, when a rope was thrown round them to
prevent their escape, and they were one arid all murdered.
Not a European was now left in Delhi. The sepoys then
proceeded to offer the sovereignty to the king, which he
formally accepted. An old silver throne was brought
into the hall of audience, on which he took his seat, under a
§ali3*te of twenty-one guns, and received public homage, and
began to issue royal mandates.
The wire flashed down to Calcutta the portentous intel-
ligence of the mutiny at Meerut, the loss of Delhi, and the
SJBCT. I>J ENERGY OF OFFICEES IN THE PUNJAB 497
establishment of a Mogul dynasty. Lord Canning immedi- A.D.
ately sent to Madras, to Ceylon, and to Bombay for Movemente 186'
every available European regiment. A steamer of Lord can-
was despatched to intercept Lord Elgin on his nmg*
mission to China, and entreat him to forward to Calcutta
the European force which accompanied him, and orders
were issued to despatch the troops returning from the
Persian expedition to Calcutta as fast as they arrived.
The telegraph gave immediate notice of the crisis at
Mecrut to the officers in the Punjab. The number of
European troops in the province was about 10,000,
and of Sikhs 13,000, but they were outnumbered
by the Hindostanee sepoys, all ripe for revolt. unJa'
The strength of the Punjab consisted, however, not so much
in the large collection of European soldiers, as in the body
of able men in charge of the government. It was con-
sidered Lord Dalhonsie's "pet province," and he had
drained the older provinces of their best officers to enrich
its establishments Never since the introduction of British
power into India had so large a number of statesmen and
generals of the first order been collected together in the
administration of any province. At the head of this galaxy
of talent stood Sir John Lawrence, a tower of strength,
with a genius for military organization, although a civilian,
second only to Lord Wellesley and Lord Dalhousie ; while
among the foremost of his assistants were Robert Mont-
gomery, Donald Macleod, Herbert Edwardes, Neville Cham-
berlain, and above all John Nicholson. But it is not easy
to select any names without doing injustice to other dis-
tinguished men, civil and military, whose zeal, devotion,
and energy achieved the success of which their country is
justly proud. For the detail of their exploits the reader is
referred to Kayo's standard "History of the Sepoy War."
Cut off from all communication with the Government of
India in the capital, they were constrained to act on their
own judgment and responsihility ; and when the vigour of
their proceedings is contrasted with the official feebleness
too visible in Calcutta, this isolation eaimot but be con-
sidered a fortunate circumstance.
In the cantonment of Lahore there were throe regiments
of native infantry and one of cavalry waiting only for the
post to bring them information of the hostile _ _.
movement at Meerut to follow the example. They armed* at
were counterpoised by only one European regi- Lahore*
ment and two troops of European horse-artillery. Sir John
K K
498 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV,
A.D. Lawrence was absent at Rowul Pindee, recruiting his
1857 health, and Mr. Robert Montgomery was at the head of
affairs at the station when intelligence was received by
wire on the llth May of the revolt at Meerut, and on the
12th that Delhi was in the hands of the rebels, and it was
resolved to deprive the regiments of their arms the very
next morning. A ball had been fixed for the night of the
12th, and it was deemed advisable not to abandon it, lest a
feeling of suspicion should be created in the minds of the
sepoys. The officers moved from the ball-room to the
parade, where the unsuspecting troops were drawn up as
on ordinary occasions. The European regiments and the
guns were suddenly wheeled into a commanding position,
and the disaffected regiments, seeing that any attempt at
resistance must be fatal to them, obeyed the order to pile
arms, and Lahore was saved by the energy of Mr Mont-
gomery and Brigadier Corbett and Colonel Renney.
In the same spirit of promptitude the important fortress
of Govindgurh which commanded Umritsir, the ecclesiastical
_ ., capital of the Puniab, was secured. The great
Proceedings r r» -n i -ro -n •
at other magazines of 1 erozeporo and Pmllour, were in
stations. jjke manner saved from the mutineers, though
not without difficulty. In the valley of Peshawur, across
the Indus, there were about 2,000 European troops, and
four times that number of native sepoys. The possession
of it was considered essential to the security of the Punjab ;
and the officers in charge of it, Edwardes, Sydney Cotton,
Chamberlain, and Nicholson, were equal to any emergency.
At the first council which they held, Colonel Edwardes de-
clared that " whatever gave rise to the mutiny, it had
" settled down into a struggle for empire under Mahomedan
" guidance, with the Mogul capital for its centre," and it
was resolved to form a movable column of reliable troops,
under a competent commander, to act wherever there was
danger. On the 22nd, the four regiments of native infantry
stationed there were taken by surprise as they were on the
point of mutiny, and disarmed. This master stroke of
policy produced a magical effect on the people and chiefs in
the valley, which was enhanced soon after when a number
of the.fugitives of the mutinous 55th, which had been dis-
persed and cut up by Colonel Nicholson, were blown away
from the guns on the Peshawur parade. At other stations,
however, there was not the same prudence and success.
Brigadier Johnson, another imbecile like Hewitt, allowed
Loodiana to be plundered, and three regiments from Jullim-
SHOT. I.] SEPOYS DISABMED IN THE PUNJAB 499
der and PhiUonr to escape with their arms to Delhi. The A.D.
14th at Jhelum was found to be ready for revolt, and a 1867
force was sent by Sir John Lawrence to disarm them, but
the commandant disobeyed his instructions, and a fierce
engagement ensued, in which the sepoys had the advantage
and made their escape. The news of this transaction em-
boldened the disaffected regiments at Sealkoto to rise on
their officers, and, as usual, they threw open the gaol,
plundered the treasury, gutted the houses of the European
inhabitants, and marched on to Delhi, but retribution was
not far off. Colonel Nicholson who had taken the command
of the movable column, after having by his energy and
skill disarmed three more regiments, marched with the
utmost speed on the insurgents regardless of the insuffer-
able heat, and completely routed them. All their baggage,
and their ammunition, together with the spoils of Sealkote,
fell into his hands and they fled, leaving 400 dead and
wounded on the field. These energetic measures gave
security for the time to the Punjab.
Within a month of the outbreak at Meerut there was
scarcely a regiment bet ween the Sutlej and Allahabad which
had not revolted. The sepoys gravitated to Delhi pro aj ^
as the seat of the new government, and the re- abandon
capture of it became the more urgent as it became Peshawnr-
more arduous. Sir John and his associates directed their
whole attention to the despatch of men and materials to the
siege, but, with the means at his disposal and the local
demands on them, the task appeared so difficult that he
proposed to place Peshawur and the province lying beyond
the Indus in the hands of Dost Mahomed, and thus obtain
the valuable services of the European troops stationed
there. The measure was strenuously opposed by Colonel
Edwardes and his gallant companions, and referred to
Lord Canning on the 10th Jnne. His reply, " hold on at
" Peshawur to the last," was dated the 15th July, but so
completely had the communication between the Punjab and
Calcutta been cut off that it was despatched by a steamer
to Lord Harris at Madras to be telegraphed to Lord Elphin-
stone at Bombay, and sent on by him as best he could.
« K 2
500 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
SECTION II.
LORD CANNING'S ADMINISTRATION — THE MUTINY — LUCKNOW —
CAWNPORE — ALLAHABAD.
A.D. THE post of Resident at Lucknow had been accepted by the
1857 great Sir Henry Lawrence in March 1857. The measures
Brents at °f n*s predecessor had fatally alienated the landed
Lucknow. aristocracy, who were found to possess greater
influence over the people than had been supposed, and
whose opposition was therefore the more formidable. The
city was filled with thousands of the starving soldiers and
retainers of the old court seething with disloyalty, while
the whole country was pervaded by the families of the
40,000 sepoys who, were in a state of mutiny. There were
nine native regiments of infantry and cavalry in the capital
and its environs, containing about 7,000 men, and only
700 Europeans to hold them in check. The 7th cavalry
was in a state of violent excitement, and had invited the
48th native infantry to join them in iirinlc-iric: their officers.
On the 3rd May, on a bright moonlight night, Sir Henry
Lawrence moved down unexpectedly with his Europeans
to their lines, when they threw down their arms and fled.
He then distributed his small force in such positions as to
overawe the city and the native regiments, and laid in a
store of provisions in a stronghold called the Mutchie
Bhawan. On the night of the 30th May, however, five
of the regiments broke out, and set fire to the cantonments
and murdered their officers, in some cases with exceptional
General treachery. This became the signal for a general
revolt of revolt at all the stations throughout the country,
the army. an(j ^y ^e mi^^ie Of June every regiment in the
province, as well as every police battalion, was in a state
of mutiny. Sir Henry still held command of the city and
the neighbourhood, but on the last day of the month he
marched out to Chmhut to meet several thousand mutineers
who were marching on it, when his native gunners cut the
traces of their horses, threw the guns into a ditch, and rode
away, and his little force was constrained to retreat with
the loss of a sixth of its number, and, what was more disas-
trous, of the reputation which had hitherto held the city in
awe. After this reverse he was obliged to contract his
lines of defence within the Residency grounds. On the
SHOT. II.] PEKILS OF THE CAWNPORE GARRISON 501
4th of July he expired of a wound he received from a shell A.D.
which burst into his room two days before, and Deathof
the state was deprived, at its greatest need, of the Sir Henry
invaluable services of one of the most illustrious Lawrenoe*
of its servants, beloved by the natives for his genial
benevolence, and by his brother officers for his pre-eminent
talent. On his death the command devolved on Brigadier
Inglis, and he continued to sustain a close siege with un-
flinching energy for twelve weeks till he was relieved by
Outram and Havelock.
The large and important station df Cawnpore was garri-
soned by three regiments of native infantry and one of
cavalry under the command of General Wheeler, gtateof the
but unhappily he had only 200 European soldiers. Cawnpore
With a mutinous feeling around him in every £arnBon-
quarter, the month of May was passed in fear and anxiety,
and he entrenched a spot about 200 yards square, and
stored it with provisions sufficient to last 1,000 men for a
month. Doondhoo Punt, the Nana Sahib, living at
Bithoor, had been assiduous in fomenting the spirit of re-
bellion among the regiments, and on the 5th June they rose
in mutiny, and after courteously dismissing their officers,
plundered the treasury, opened the gaols, and marched off
to Delhi. The Nana, whose object was to raise a Mahratta
throne for himself and not to revive a Mogul dynasty,
hastened after them and prevailed on them to return and
clear the entrenchment of the fer /» gees. The whole of the
European population was crowded into the enclosure ; the
revolted sepoys laid close siege to it, and planted eleven
guns of large calibre against it, which poured in an incessant
shower of shot and shell. The miseries of the besieged
have seldom, if ever, been exceeded in the history of the
world, and the dauntless courage and the spirit of endurance
they displayed have perhaps never been surpassed. The
23rd of June, the anniversary of Plassy, the day fixed by
the prophets for the extinction of the Company's roy, was
here, as elsewhere, marked by extraordinary exertions
which, however, ended in so signal a defeat that the sepoys
begged permission to remove their dead.
Three weeks had now elapsed since the investment of
this slender fortification, and still this heroic band con-
tinued to repel every assault, and to inflict an ^ rate
almost incredible amount of slaughter on the Ptateofthe
insurgents, but their guns were becoming un- £arrl80n'
serviceable, their ammunition was running low, and starv«
502 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOBY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
A.». vation was staring them in the face ; a stray dog was
1867 turned into soup, an old horse was considered a delicacy,
and the well was nearly exhausted. It was impossible for
human nature to hold out much longer, and General
Wheeler at length agreed to the offer of the Nana to supply
them with provisions and conveyances to Allahabad, on
condition of his surrendering the entrenchment together
with the guns and treasure. Little did the General
dream that the incarnate fiend to whom he was entrusting
his charge had on the 4th June massacred 130 men, women,
and children who had escaped from the mutineers at
Futtygurh in boats, and had been induced to land at Cawn-
pore. On the morning of the 27th June, the remnant of
the garrison, together with the women and children, moved
down, some on foot and some in vehicles, to the river which
they found lined with the ferocious sepoys ; and there was
perpetrated one of the most diabolical acts of treachery
and murder that the darkest page of human annals
records.
No sooner had they embarked in the boats than Tantia
Topee, acting for the Nana, took his seat on a platform,
Massacre at an(l ordered the massacre to commence. On the
the ghaut, sound of a bugle a murderous fire of grape shot
and musketry was opened on the boats from both sides of
the river ; the thatch of ma,ny of them was ignited by hot
cinders, and the sick, the wounded, and the helpless women
were burnt to death. The stronger women, many with
children in their arms, took to the river, and were shot^
down one by one, or sabred by the troopers who dashed into
the stream. A number of both sexes escaped to the shore,
and the Nana issued his orders that not a man should be
allowed to live, but that the women and children should be
taken to the house which he occupied. There they were
added to the captives he had previously made, and huddled
together in one small room, fed on the coarsest food, sub-
jected to every indignity, and taken out in couples to grind
corn for his household. Of the entire garrison and the
male European population of Cawnpore only four suc-
ceeded in making their escape in a boat which drifted down
the river, and, after many hair-breadth escapes, were taken
under the protection of a loyal Oude zemindar. On the
1st July the Nana was publicly proclaimed Peshwa with
the ceremonies usual on such occasions. He then took his
seat on the throne under a royal salute, and at night the
town was brilliantly illuminated. But his triumph was
SBCT. II.] COLONEL NEILL AT BENARES 503
of short duration ; the avenging sword of Havelock was A.D.
advancing to extinguish his career. 1857
The perilous condition of the garrisons of Lucknow and
Cawnpore was the chief cause of anxiety to Lord Canning,
and as the British troops entered the Hooghly Colonol
they were pushed forward daily in such detach- Nciu at
ments as the scanty means of conveyance at his Benarea-
command would allow. Benares, the head- quarters of
Hindooism, and always the most turbulent city in Hindos-
tan, was likewise a source of disquietude, as the only
European troops in the cantonment consisted of thirty
gunners opposed to 2,000 native sepoys. It was owing to
the cool courage and composure, and the skilful dispositions
of Mr. Henry Tucker, the commissioner, and his associates,
that an insurrectionary movement was warded off while
small reinforcements came up from Dinapore. The first
driblet from Calcutta, consisting of sixty Madras Fusileers
under their gallant commander Colonel Neill arrived at
Benares, then under the command of Brigadier Ponsonby,
on the 4th June, and raised the European force to 250.
Immediately before the arrival of the Colonel, the native
regiment at Azimgurh, sixty miles distant, had mutinied,
and obtained possession of seven lacs of rupees. The 37th
at Benares was prepared to follow the example, and it was
resolved in haste to disarm it, but the affair was grossly mis-
managed, and presented a melancholy contrast to the
masterly movements at Lahore and Peshawur, where the
regiments were deprived of their arms without the loss of a
single life. The sepoys fired upon the Europeans ; Captain
Olpherts's battery mowed down the sepoys and they fled
towards the city. The work, however, was complete,
though with an unnecessary sacrifice of life, and all further
apprehension at Benares ceased.
Colonel Neill, after having made a terrific example of all
who were suspected of disaffection, and placed Colonel
Gordon in command, moved up with all speed to u^ftbad
Allahabad to save the fort, one of the largest and
most important in the North West Provinces, which had
been, unaccountably, left without a European garrison, and
was at this time defended only by sixty invalids from
Chunar, and by a portion of Brazier's Sikh corps. The
6th Native Infantry had offered to march to Delhi and
fight the mutineers, and was drawn up on parade on the
6th June to receive the thanks of Lord Canning for its
loyalty. The men sent up three cheers, and the European
504 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV
A.D. and native officers shook hands with each other. That
Massacre of same night, as the officers were seated at their
the officers, mess, the perfidious sepoys rushed in and put
them to death. In the number of the slain were eight un-
posted boy ensigns, fresh from Addiscombe, who had
recently, joined the regiment, and found a bloody grave on
the threshold of their career. The prisoners in the gaol
were then let loose, the houses of the Europeans pillaged and
burnt, and the Europeans, men, women, and children, out-
side the fort butchered with every r .-•»-•-.- Of cruelty.
The telegraphic wires were cut, the rails torn up, and the
engines, of which the sepoys had a superstitious dread,
battered with cannon. The doors of the treasury, con-
taining thirty lacs of rupees, were thrown open, and each
sepoy is said to have carried off three or four bags of a
thousand rupees each. The town with all its wealth was
given up to plunder, and the king of Delhi proclaimed. The
fort had been besieged for four days, when it was happily re-
lieved by the arrival on the llth of Colonel Neill, who had
been directed by a telegram from Lord Canning to take
the command at Allahabad. The handful of Europeans he
brought with him was augmented by other detachments in
succession, and he was soon enabled to re-establish the
authority of Government in the city and surrounding
districts, and to inflict a fearful retribution on the wretches
who had been revelling in plunder and bloodshed, of which
Ma.or the gibbets in every direction bore ample testimony.
Renaud'B On the last day of June he sent on a detachment
column. ^Q succolir Cawnpore, ror-.-i-liiiir of 400 Euro-
peans, 300 Sikhs, 100 irregular cavalry; and two guns,
under Major Renaud, who was ordered to inflict summary
vengeance on all who were in any degree suspected of dis-
loyalty, and who marched on for three days, leaving
behind him traces of retribution in. desolated villages and
corpses dangling from the branches of trees.
Colonel Havelock, the adjutant- general of the army, who
had been the second in command in the Persian expedition,
Colonel returned to Bengal on the conclusion of peace
Haveiock's by way of Madras, and came up to Calcutta in
progress. tne samc steamer with Sir Patrick Grant, tho
Commander-in- Chief at Madras, who succeeded provision-
ally to the chief command in India on the death of General
Anson. On the voyage Havelock had mapped out a plan
of operations, and recommended the formation of a movable
column, to proceed upwards from the lower provinces to
SECT. IL] HAVELOCK'S VICTOEIOUS CAREER 505
the scenes of revolt. This column was placed under his A.C-
command as Brigadier- G en oral, with orders, after sup- 1857
pressing disorders at Allahabad, to lose no time in pro-
ceeding to the support of Sir Hugh Wheeler at Cawnpore,
and Sir Henry Lawrence at Lucknow. He reached Alla-
habad on the 30th Juno, and soon after received unequivocal
evidence that Cawnpore had fallen, and that the Nana was
marching down with a large force and many guns on
Allahabad. He clearly foresaw that if Major Renaud's
little band had come in contact with the rebel sepoys, not
a soul could have survived to tell the tale ; and, contrary to
the remonstrances of Colonel Noill, he ordered the Major
to halt. Havelock could only muster 1,000 Europeans,
130 of Brazier's Sikhs, 18 volunteer cavalry, and 6 guns
which he had improvised, and with this force he hasted to
the support of Rcnaud, and overtook him at Futtehpore,
and there he commenced his victorious career. The enemy,
4,000 strong, rushed down upon his army, but was soon
seen to fly in dismay, leaving eleven guns with the victors.
This was the first check the mutinous sepoys had received
below Delhi, and it produced a most salutary impression.
Three days after ho again defeated them at Onao, and
without a halt hastened on to the Pandoo river, where he
again routed them, and was enabled to save the bridge,
which they were preparing to blow up, and the loss of
which would have fatally crippled his movements. The
Nairn's brother, who was in the field, galloped back in
haste io Cawnpore, and gave him the alarming intelligence
that the British commander had forced the bridge, and
was in full march on the town. The monster determined
to avenge himself on the helpless women and children, two
hundred in number, who had been crowded together for
many days in three narrow rooms. Among the captives
there were four or five men, and they were brought out
and despatched under the eyes of the Nana. A party of
sepoys was then told off, and they poured volley after
volley on the helpless victims through the Venetian
windows, but as the work of death did not proceed fast
enough, Mahomedan butchers and other ruffians were sent
in with swords and knives and other weapons to hack
them to pieces. There the bodies lay through the night,
and the next morning the dead and the dying were brought
out, 1- .:( i1!'. •• v.-ul •] -Ildrcn alive and almost unhurt, and
tosse,! r «ii*i'! ::•,:: !!•• !\ into an adjoining well.
After this act of unparalleled viilany, the Nairn marched
506 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
A.D, out of Cawnpore with about 5,000 men to dispute Have-
Battle of lock's advance. The sepoys fought with the
uawnpore. valour of desperation ; but the admirable strategy
of the commander, and the indomitable courage of the
British soldiers, more especially the 73rd Highlanders, gave
him a brilliant victory. The next morning the troops
marched into Cawnpore, when the sight of the well choked
with human victims told them that they were too late, but
it inspired them with an unquenchable resolution to avenge
this foul massacre. The rebel sepoys blew up the magazine
and dispersed. The Nana fled to Bithoor, and then es-
caped with his females across the Ganges into Oude, when
his palace was despoiled and destroyed.
Meanwhile Colonel Neill had arrived at Cawnpore with
the recruits which Lord Canning had been pushing up, and
Havelock confided the protection of the town
advances to ^° ^^m> and moved on to the relief of Lucknow.
the relief of The task before him was one of no ordinary
ow. difficulty. The whole of Oude was in revolt ;
the landed aristocracy was universally opposed to us, and
an army of sepoys whom we had taught to fight was ready
to dispute every inch of ground, while Havelock' s force did
not exceed 1,400 men. By the 25th July his troops had
crossed the river by a bridge which had been erected under
every disadvantage, and on the 29th he came up with the
enemy at Aong, 12,000 in number, and thoroughly defeated
them, capturing fifteen guns. He then pushed on to
Busseerut-gunge, a walled village, from which the sepoys
were driven with the loss of more guns, but as he had lost
150 men by cholera, wounds, and sunstroke, he was obliged
to fall back to Mi,n«:]pv.;i'-. The sick arid wounded were
sent to Cawnpore and reinforcements were received from
thence, which raised his force to 1,300, and on the 4th
August he advanced a second time to Busseerut-gunge, now
held by 20,000 Sepoys, whom he again defeated with heavy
slaughter. But the cholera broke out afresh in his camp
and his position became critical. A body of 4,000 sepoys
had collected at Bithoor and threatened Colonel Neill ; the
famous Gwalior contingent, the finest native force in India,
complete in every arm, had broken out into mutiny, and
was said to have arrived at Culpee on the banks of the
Jumna, forty-five miles from Cawnpore. The three native
regiments at Dinapore had at length mutinied, and were
reported to be advancing into Oude, and he felt that to
move on to Lucknow with his slender force would not only
BBCT. II.] RELIEF OF LUCKNOW 507
risk its destruction, but also the loss of Cawnpore and A.D.
of the whole of the Dcoab. He determined wisely, to 1867
return to Cawnpore and await the arrival of reinforcements ;
but on reaching Munglewar he was informed by his scouts
that a large force of the enemy was advancing against him
which would not only have interrupted the passage of the
river, but enabled them to report that they had chased him
out of the country. He therefore turned back and inflicted
a crushing defeat on them, and then crossed the river with-
out molestation. On the 16th August he attacked the en-
campment of the rebels at Bithoor and put them to flight ;
and then the heroes of ten successful fights within five
weeks rested on their oars, till they were reinforced from
Calcutta.
Through the month of August fresh troops poured into
Calcutta by sea, and were rapidly drafted to Allahabad and
Cawnpore. Sir James Out ram, on his return from Relief of
the Persian expedition, had arrived in Calcutta Lucknow-
and was nominated chief commissioner in Oude, and ap-
pointed to the command of the Dinapore and Cawnpore
divisions. Captain Peel had formed a naval brigade of 500
men from the sailors of his own frigate, the ' Shannon/ and
of vessels in Calcutta, and the blue-jackets were for the
first time sent into tho interior of India. Sir James Outram
reached Cawnpore with 1,400 men on the 16th September,
and with the chivalrous generosity of his character deter-
mined to leave to lfa\ clock tho honour of <V"r,p]i-hi!.Lr the
relief of Lucknow, tor which he had so nobly toiled, and to
accompany him as a volunteer. Since the death of Sir Henry
Lawrence, Brigadier Inglis had been incessantly engaged
in repelling the assaults of the enemy, but the force at the
Residency was now reduced to 350 Europeans, and 300
natives, whose loyalty was beginning to waver under the
fatigues and tho casualties of the siege. The brigadier in-
formed ETavelock that it was not possible for him to hold
out much longer, and it became necessary to push on with-
out delay. The relieving force, roii-MiiiLr of 2,500 men,
nearly all British, met with little impediment till it reached
the Alum-baug in the vicinity of Lucknow, which was
mastered on tho 23rd September. On the morning of the
25th the bugles sounded the advance into Lucknow, and
the army, instead of advancing through two miles of streets
of loophole! houses filled with sepoys, skirted the city canal,
till it reached the Kaiser-baug, a royal palace strongly forti-
fied and garrisoned, and here the most severe struggle of
508 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
A.J>. the day occurred. The troops had been fighting without
intermission since the morning, and the shades of evening
were coming on, but under the impression that the garrison
was in extremity, Havelock deemed it advisable to penetrate
to the Residency that night, and pushed on through streets
where, as he said, every house formed a fortress. The toils
of the dayi however, were forgotten when the garrison sent
up a shout of gratulation as they entered the gate and
brought the anxieties of three months to a close. The loss
in killed, wounded and missing was very severe, amount-
ing to 464, among whom, to the great regret of the army,
was numbered Colonel Neill, who fell in the arms of victory
before he had enjoyed the opportunity of adding to his
richly-deserved renown as a gallant soldier, the higher
reputation of a general,
SECTION in.
LOED CANNING'S ADMINISTRATION — THE MUTINY — DELHI —
LUCKNOW — CENTRAL INDIA.
To TURN now to the siege and recovery of Delhi. General
Anson, the Commander- in Chief, was at Simla when intelli-
The siege of gence of the mutiny at Meerut and the occupation
Delhi. of Delhi by the insurgent troops reached him, and
*he immediately ordered the three European regiments in
the hills to proceed to Umballa, where he joined them, but
was seized with cholera and expired on the 27th May.
The command of the column then devolved on Sir Harry
Barnard and he proceeded towards Delhi. In obedience
to the reiterated orders of General Alison, General Hewitt
had at length sent a detachment from Meerut to join it, and
the united force met the rebels posted on the Hindun and
twice defeated them, and a week after encountered them
at Budlee-ka-serai, about six miles from Delhi, and obtained
a still more complete victory, capturing all their guns,
stores, and baggage. The army then took up a command-
ing position on the ridge overlooking Delhi, the wite of tho
old encampment. The fortifications of the city had been
greatly improved and strengthened, and it was now held
by a large force of well- trained soldiers, fighting with a halter
round their necks, who had the command of an almost un-
limited supply of guns and military stores from our own
arsenal. The impossibility of wresting from them a city
SBCT. III.] SIEGE OF DELHI 509
seven miles in circumference by the weak force under A.D.
General Barnard was self-evident, and it was suggested to 1857
relinquish the siege for the present and employ the Euro-
pean force assembled before it in :•:>•;<•• lir.i: other stations,
and restoring the authority of Government ; but Lord
Canning would not listen to the proposal. He felt that
Delhi had become the rallying point of revolt, the capital
of a Mogul dynasty, and that it was impossible to restore
confidence in oar power while it continued in the hands of
the enemy. The retirement of the army would, in his
opinion, give an irresistible impulse to the spirit of rebellion,
and render its suppression all but impossible.
On the 5th July Sir Harry Barnard was carried off by
cholera, and the command devolved on General Wilson.
The British force was established on the ridge on Pogltionof
the 10th June, but during the fourteen succeed- the forces
ing weeks, though Delhi was considered to be in atDelhl'
a state of siege, it was in reality the cantonment which was
besieged by the enemy. The force was too weak in men
and guns to do more than defend its own position, and for
eveiy shot fired from our batteries the sepoys responded
four- fold. Few days passed without an asbault on the
cantonment, and that on the 23rd June, the anniversary
of Plassy, was marked by extraordinary vigour, as the day
iixed for the dissolution of the Company's raj ; but in this,
as in every other encounter but one — and they numbered
more than thirty — the sepoys were driven back into the
city with ignominy. Their loss was indeed always heavier
than that of the British force, but their numbers were con-
stantly swelled by the accession of fresh resrimeiits of rebels
which gravitated to Delhi as to the common centre of the
revolt, while the reinforcements from the Punjab were, for
a time, few and far between. While, moreover, they had
no lack of guns and stores, the ammunition in the British
camp required to be husbanded with great care.
Meanwhile, Sir John Lawrence was actively engaged in
raising additional regiments of Sikhs, who were loyal to the
core. There was an old Khalsa prophecy that _, . .
,, , ,, j . ,, , r, * „ J ,, . Reinforce-
they should one day enjoy the plunder of Delhi, menta from
and they now hailed with passionate ardour the thel>un3ab-
prospect of realising it, and enlisted under our banner by
thousands. The disbandment of the regiments and the
extinction of the Sealkote mutineers by Brigadier Nicholson,
enabled Sir John to redouble his efforts to reinforce General
Wilson. Nothing could exceed the skill and energy with
510 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV
A.T>. which he organised and despatched the detachments in sue-
1857 cession. It was at length found possible to dispense with
the services of the Brigadier's movable column, 2,500 strong,
in the Punjab, and it was sent down to Delhi and reached
the cantonment on the 14th August, and imparted fresh
courage to the exhausted troops. The Brigadier had pre-
ceded it by a week, and was welcomed in the camp with
a feeling of homage as if he had been the very god of war.
The great siege train, which occupied a line of thirteen
miles, was wending its way from Ferozepore, and the revolted
Assault and Neemuch brigade, always considered the flower
capture of of the sepoy army, which was now in Delhi, was
DeUu* sent out with eighteen guns to intercept it, as it
was feebly guarded by the last detachment which Sir John
could spare. Brigadier Nicholson marched out to encounter
this force, and obtained a complete victory. The train
entered the camp on the 3rd September, and the erection
of batteries within breaching distance was pushed on with
vigour. For a week fifty guns and mortars poured an in-
cessant stream of shot and shell upon the walls and bastions,
and on the 13th the breaches were reported practicable.
At three on the morning of the 14th the assault was
delivered on four points. Brigadier Nicholson, who led
the attack, drove the enemy before him, but, to the infinite
regret of the whole army was mortally wounded in the arms
of victory. The other columns, with one exception, were
* equally successful, but the resistance of the enemy was
desperate, and the operations of this the first day entailed
a loss in killed and wounded of sixty-six officers and 1,104
men. The troops had made a lodgment within the walls,
but the sepoys continued to dispute every inch of ground,
and it was six days before all the important and defensible
posts within the vast circle of the city were captured. For
several days an uninterrupted fire had been kept up on the
well-fortified palace. On the 20th the gates were blown
up and the troops rushed into it, but the king had fled to
the tomb of Humayoon, a few miles to the south of the
city. The next day Captain Hodson proceeded to the tomb
and dragged him, together with his favourite wife, who had
been one of the chief instruments in stirring up the revolt,
and her son, to tho palace, where they were lodged as pri-
soners. The following day he went in search of the two
sons and the grandson of the king, and as an attempt was
about to be made to rescue them shot them dead on the spot
with his own hand. Several months after the kir«g was
SECT. III.J CAPTUUE OF DELHI— THE KING BANISHED 511
tried by a military commission in the imperial palace and A.D.
found guilty of having ordered the murder of forty-nine 1857
Christians at Delhi, of having waged war upon the English
Government, and urged the people by proclamation to sub-
vert it. Lord Canning determined to spare his life, but
sentenced him to be transported to Burmah ; and thus ended
the royal house of Baber three hundred and thirty- two years
after he had ascended the Mogul throne.
The total number of killed and wounded during the
siege was 3,537, a heavy return of casualties, but ihe re-
duction of the city broke the neck of the rebellion. ^ . . ..
^ -i T T-» i -i i ,-n • i, ,1 Kesultofthe
Oude and Kohilcund were still in revolt; the capture of
Gwalior contingent, 10,000 strong, was still in Dclhu
open arms, and Central India was in possession of the
mutineers, but so completely had the revolt been identified
with the possession of the ancient capital that the capture
of it satisfied the country that the star of Britain was again
in the ascendant, and that the final extinction of the mutiny
was only a question of time. All the machinations in the
Punjab, which the protraction of the siege had fostered,
were dispelled. The rebel army was deprived of its orga-
nization by the loss of its citadel, while the British Govern-
ment was daily gaming strength by the arrival of the regi-
ments brought by sea. The liberation of the force engaged
in the siege of Delhi likewise proved the salvation of the
neighbouring city of Agra. It was attacked by the Neemuch
and other mutineers on the Cth Jul}', but owing to the in-
competence of HrLMilirr Polwhele, the European troops
sent against them were foiled, and retreated to the fort,
where for nearly throe months between 5,000 and 6,000
people of all rank, ages, and colours were shut up. At the
beginning of October a large body of rebels came down and
threatened it, when the young Brigadier Greathead, who had
been sent from Delhi to clear the Dooab of the mutineers
with his flying column, received an express from tho fort,
and after a forced inarch of forty miles in twenty-eight
hours, drove off the enemy, with the loss of their guns,
stores, camp and 500 in killed and wounded.
The garrison of Lucknow had been relieved by Outram
and Havelock, but their force was too weak to escort the
women and children to Cawnpore, still less to re- 01 _, „
., . j v i 11 ^ Colin
cover a city garrisoned by a large rebel army Campbell's
with an abundance of military stores. The Resi- Luckncw
dency was again in a state of close blockade but
well supplied with provisions and able to await the arrival
512 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
A.D. of reinforcements with little risk or inconvenience. The
1857 attention of the enemy was chiefly devoted to the construc-
tion of mines, which they carried on to an extent which
Sir James Outram affirmed had no parallel in modern war-
fare. Sir Colin Campbell, who had been appointed Com-
mander-in- Chief in succession to General Anson, hastened
to Gawnpore with the reinforcements which had reached
Calcutta, accompanied by Captain Peel of the " Shannon."
He started on the 9th November with a body of 5,000 men
and 30 guns, and on the 14th advanced against the enemy's
entrenchments, but so determined was the opposition he
encountered at the various strong positions they had forti-
fied, that he was three days forcing his way to the Resi-
dency. The Secunder-baug, indeed, a large enclosure, was
breached and stormed by the Highlanders, when every soul
within it perished and 2,000 bodies were carried out and
buried. By the masterly arrangements of Sir Colin the
relieved garrison, together with the women and children,
were withdrawn with such skill as not to attract the at-
tention and the assaults of the enemy, but Havelock, worn
out with toil and exposure, was attacked by diarrhoea and
sunk under the disease, a Christian hero and general of
the highest stamp.
General Outram was left at the Alum-baug with a suffi-
cient force to keep open the communication with Caw n pore
Disaste f anc^ ^° mainkain our footing in Oude, and Sir
» General Colin Campbell hastened back to Ca wnpore, the
Windham. defence of which had been entrusted to General
Windham, with more than 2,000 men, and was just in time
to save him from a fatal calamity. The Gwalior con-
tingent, which had finally broken into open mutiny in the
middle of October, crossed the Jumna and marched down,
20,000 strong, to Cawnpore to join the Nana. General
Windham moved out to meet them, without suspecting
their numbers, and was at first successful, but his force
was handled without any skill, and, finding himself out-
flanked by the enemy, he re treated in hot haste to the entrench-
ment, with the loss of his equipage. The sepoys obtained
possession of the town, and for two days he had to sustain '
an unequal contest with a body of the ablest of the nmtineers
ten times his own number, flushed with recent success,
animated by the presence of the Nana, and commanded by
Tantia Topee, the only native general created by the mutiny.
General Windham must have suffered the fate of General
Wheeler, if he had not received timely succour by the
SRCT IH ] CAMPAIGN IN CENTRAL IXDIA 513
arrival of Sir Colin, who reached the Ganges in time to A,D.
save the bridge of boats, tho destruction of which would 1858
have been irreparable. After having safely despatched tlie
sick and tho wounded, the women and the children to Alla-
habad, he marched out against the rebel force, now swelled
to 25,000 men with 40 guns. Captain Peel's sailors, hand-
ling their 21<-pounders like plat iliiii«r*( did fearful execution,
and the skilful dispositions of Sir Colin, and the valour of
his troops, inflicted a crushing defeat on the rebels, who
were pursued for fourteen miles and loss of all their guns —
the arm in which they were strongest. The total loss on
the side of the British army amounted only to 99.
We turn now to the pursuit, of the rebels in Central
India. While the task of extinguishing the mutiny at
Delhi fell to Sir John Lawrence, and that of re- „
/-i i r i i T -i /** Campaign in
covering Oawnporo ana Ijiicknow to L/ora Uan- central
riing, the work of stamping out the revolt in India-
Central India was undertaken by the Madras and Bombay
Presidencies. A column of Madras troops was assembled
at Nagpore and moved on to Jiibbulpore, and a Bombay
column advanced to Kotah. They constituted the Central
India Field Force, and comprised about 6,000 troops, of
whom 2,500 were Europeans. General Stuart, command-
ing one brigade, proceeded to relieve Mhow, which had been
Besieged since the commencement of the mutiny, and then
captured Dhar, and defeated a body of 5,000 mutineers at
Mundisore. Having thus cleared the southern districts
of the rebels, he advanced to In dore. There Sir Hugh
Hose, on the 15th December, assumed the command of the
whole force, and started for Schorc, where ho inflicted
summary vengeance on the insurgents, and moved on to
Sangor, and relieved a body of Europeans who had been
cooped up for several months. On tho 2Ist March he pro-
ceeded to Jhansi, the little principality in Bundlecund
which Lord Dalhousio had annexed live years before, as
stated in a former chapter.
Tho ranee, a woman of extraordinary energy but of un-
matched vindictivcncss, took advantage of the mutiny to re-
cover the independence of her principality and to capture of
satiate her revenge. The sepoys stationed there Jhanst.
rose in mutiny on tho 4th June and assailed the Europeans,
who took refuge in the fort, but wore induced to surrender
upon a promise of protection niado under the most solemn
oaths ; but the whole body, seventy-five in number, were
immediately bound together, the men in one row, and their
Ti L
514 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
AD. wives and children in another, and butchered under the
1858 immediate direction of the ranee. She assembled 10,000
men for the defence of the town, which was surrounded by
a wall of solid masonry from six to twelve feet thick and
from eighteen to thirty feet in height. After Sir Hugh had
invested it for nine days, a body of 20,000 men, including
that portion of the Gwalior contingent which had escaped
from the sword of Sir Colin at Cawnpore, advanced under
the command of loJitia Topee to the relief of the ranee.
Without slackening fire on the town, Sir Hugh moved out
to meet them on the 1st April with 1,200 men, of whom
only 500 were British, and drove them in dismay across the
Betwa, which gives its name to the engagement, with the
loss of 1,500 men and all their guns. The assault on the
town was renewed with redoubled vigour ; every street
was fiercely contested ; no quarter was asked or given ;
and the palace was stormed and sacked.
The rauee, after making her last stand in the fort, fled to
Calpee, the head-quarters of the Gwalior contingent, and
Capture of ^ne rallying point of the mutineers west of tho
Caipee. Jumna, where they had established foundries
for casting cannon, and collected military stores of every
description. Sir Hugh advanced towards it, when the
martial ranee who took her share in the command, riding
in male attire at the head of her own body guard, came out
with Tantia Topee and 20,000 men to meet him at Koonch,
but they were signally defeated. The general then marched
on to Golowlee within five miles of Calpee where he was
again attacked by the entire force of the enemy, but was
again victorious and became master of Calpeo, with the
vast military stores the rebels had accumulated from the
plunder of various cantonments. He considered the revolt
in Central India extinguished by the capture of their cita-
del, and resolved to break up the army, which was pros-
trated by insupportable heat, and issued a valedictory
order to the troops, congratulating them on " having
* marched more than 1,000 miles and taken more than 100
* guns, on having forced their way through mountain
' passes and intricate jungles and over rivers, and cap-
* tured the strongest forts, and beat the enemy, no matter
'what the odds, wherever they had met him, without a
1 single check, and restored peace and order to tho
1 country."
But there was still work for his exhausted troops.
Nothing appeared more remarkable during the course of
SECT. III.] THE MUTINEERS CAPTURE GWALIOR 515
this revolt than the rapidity with which the insurgent A.D
sepoys rallied after a defeat, and presented a Cft tnreof
new and more formidable array. Tantia Topee, GwoUorby
after his defeat at Koonch, proceeded to Gwalior tbfi rebel8-
to organise a conspiracy against Sindia. The troops driven
from Calpeo hastened to join him, and within a week a force
of 18, 000 mutineers was embodied in the cantonment at the
capital. Sindia's able minister, Dinkur Rao, advised him to
await the arrival of the troops which were marching down
from Agra, but his ardent spirit led him to attack them
with his household troops, about 8,000 in number, who
either joined the rebels or withdrew from the field, and on
the 1st of June he fled to Agra. The rebels then took
possession of the capital, and supplied themselves with
stores and ammunition from the royal arsenal, and, with
the far-famed Gwalior artillery, plundered the treasury of
half a crore of rupees, distributed six months' pay to each
sepoy, and then proclaimed Nana Sahib, Peshwa.
Sir Hugh, on receiving intelligence of this astounding
event, resumed the command he had laid down, and
hastened onto Gwalior without a moment's delay, Recovery of
though the heat was 130° in the shade ; and on Gwalior.
the morning of the IGth June, though the troops were ex-
hausted with marching all night, attacked the sepoys at
once, and chased them with heavy loss from the canton-
ment. The next day, Brigadier's Smith's column came up
from the westward, driving the rebels before him, and it
was in his last charge that the valiant ranee, who had taken
a share in every engagement since she left Jhansi, was
killed by a hussar who was ignorant of her sex. On the
18th, the whole of the enemy's entrenchments and positions
were stormed and fifty guns captured, and they sought
refuge in flight ; but a compact body ot 6,000 with a
splendid field artillery retired in good order from the
field, when Brigadier Napier hastened after them with 600
cavalry and six field guns, and, dashing into the midst of
their ranks, put them to utter rout. With this brilliant
action the campaign was brought to a close, and Sindia
remounted his throne amidst the acclamations of his
subjects.
L L 'A
516 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XT.
SECTION IV.
LORD CANNING'S ADMINISTRATION — THE MUTINY EXTINGUISHED.
A.D. DURING these operations, which completely crushed the
1868 mutiny; in Central India, Sir Colin Campbell was employed
The Dooab m extinguishing it on the east of the Jumna,
cleared of His first object was to clear the Dooab, lying be-
rebeis. tween that river and the Ganges. Towards the
end of November, Colonel Seaton left Delhi with a movable
column and marched downwards, while General Walpole
moved upwards. The sepoys were beaten in every en-
counter, and the power of the nabob of Futtyghur, who had
assumed independence early in the mutiny, was annihilated.
By the end of December the authority of the Company
was re-established throughout these districts, and Sir Colin
Campbell found himself at the head of 10,000 troops at
Futtygurh. The mutiny was now confined to the two
provinces of Rohilcund and Oude, but Sir Colin, whose
movements would have been more successful and satis-
factory if they had been less tardy, wasted two months idly
in this neighbourhood.
Meanwhile, General Franks was organising a force at
Benares, which eventually amounted to 6,000 men, to clear
March into ^ne lower portion of Oudc of the rebel bands, and
Oude. in his triumphant progress defeated them at
every stage. Jung Bahadoor, the regent, but in reality
the ruler, of Nepaul, marched down with a body of 9,000
hardy Goorkhas to assist the British Government in the
reconquest of Oude, and on two occasions defeated the
insurgents with great slaughter. Sir James Outram, who
had been left in command at the Alum-baug, had been
twice assailed by the rebel army and population of
Lucknow, and had dispersed them though six times his
number At length, on the last day of February, Sir
Colin Campbell saw his force, consisting of 18,277 horse,
foot, and artillery, Europeans and Sikhs, across the Ganges,
and on the 5th March was encamped at the Dilkoosha
outside the fortifications of the city, where he was joined
by the array of General Franks and Jung Bahadoor. The
siege opened on the 6th. The defence was the most
obstinate our arms had ever encountered in India, not ex~
cepting even that of Delhi. The rebels were animated by
SECT. IV.] EECONQUEST OF OUDE 517
the presence of the begum of Oude, a woman of indomitable A.D
energy, who had been the soul of the insurrection and had 1868
prevailed on the chiefs and sepoys to recognise her son as
king. During the time lost at Futtygurh, the mutineers
had availed themselves of the opportunity of improving the
defences of the city, and the extraordinary industry dis-
played by them had seldom been equalled, and never sur-
passed, in India. Every outlet had been covered with a work,
and barricades and loopholed parapets had been constructed
in every direction. The various buildings formed a range
of massive palaces and walled courts of vast, extent, and
they had been fortified with great skill. It was not till
after ten days of incessant fighting that the recovery of the
city was complete ; but by some mismanagement on the
part of one of the British commanders, Sir Colin was
deprived of the full fruit of victory by the escape of the
greater part of the mutineers, together with their leaders.
The number of killed and wounded throughout the siege
did not exceed 900. It was impossible to restrain the vic-
torious soldiers from the rich plunder of the city, of which,
however, the largest share fell to the Goorkhas, who
returned to Nepaul with some thousand cartloads of spoil.
On the capture of Lueknow, Lord Canning, on the 31st
of March, directed Sir James Outran), the chief commis-
sioner, to issue a proclamation confiscating the ~ „ ,.
• I • i i <i , , • /-\ i -ji Confiscation
proprietary right of every estate in Oude, with of the land
the exception of six zemindarees. Sir James fn°ude-
earnestly remonstrated against the injustice, as well as the
impolicy, of a measure which confounded the innocent
with the guilty, and could not fail to retard the peaceful
settlement of the kingdom. The proclamation was re-
pudiated in England by a spiteful and sarcastic despatch
from Lord Ellenborough, then President of the Board of
Control, but Lord Canning was, in the meanwhile, induced
to mitigate the severity of the order, and to entrust large
discretionary powers to Mr. — now Sir Robert — Mont-
gomery, the successor of Sir James Outran), who had been
raised to Council. He concluded a fresh settlement with
the Talookdars, the proudest aristocracy in India, upon a
moderate rental, and gave them the advantage of a new
and Parliamentary title to their estates, and, moreover,
endeavoured to attach them to the interests of the G-overn-
ment by appointing them honorary magistrates.
Bareilly the capital of Rohilcund was held by Khan:
Bahadoor Khan, a descendant of Hafiz Rnhmut, of the days
518 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
of Hastings, who had proclaimed his independence in the
Operations earty stages of tho mutiny, and put two judges
in Eohii- to death under the mimic forms of European jus-
cund< tice. In the town were collected the begum of
Oude, the Nana, Prince Feroze, and the other chiefs and
rebels who had escaped from Lucknow, and three columns
were sent against it. One column, 6,000 strong, with light
and heavy artillery under Brigadier Walpole came upon a
petty fortification, fifty miles from Lucknow, consisting of
nothing but a high loop-holed wall and a ditch, held by
about 400 men. Instead of shelling them out, the com-
mander, contrary to the express injunctions of Sir Colin
Campbell, determined to carry it by assault, but tho assail-
ants were driven back with the loss of 100 men, among
whom was Brigadier the Hon. Adrian Hope, " tho most
" gallant and best beloved soldier in the army," the idol of
his own Highlanders, who invoked malisons on the Com-
mander. By the beginning of May, the columns under the
personal command of Sir Colin closed upon Bareilly, which
was speedily captured with all its stores and ammunition ;
but the prize was again lost ; the rebel chiefs, with the bulk
of their armed followers, made their escape. They were
followed up by Sir Hope Grant, and a body of 16,000
posted in a jungle at Nabob- gun go was attacked and de-
feated, but the indefatigable begum rallied her forces anew
on the Gogra, where she was again assailed and routed. She
was hunted from post to post down to the Rap tec, where,
although hemmed in on every side, she made her escape
across the river, together with the remaining leaders and
their followers, and got away safe into the Nepaul territory.
Jung Bahadoor did not refuse permission to Lord Canning
to pursue the fugitives, and thousands perished under British
weapons and from the malaria of the teraee. The mutiny
was virtually at an end, though in some districts bands of
rebels continued for several months to maintain a show of
resistance. The Nana and his brother died in the jungles
of Nepaul during 1859 ; the begum found a peaceful
asylum at Katmandhoo ; Prince Feroze made his way
through Oude and joined Tantia Topee in Central India,
•where he was moving about with the remainder of his
troops and a large amount of treasure, baffling the various
columns which were in pursuit of him. He was at length
betrayed by his most trusty companion, and was seized on
the 7th April while asleep in the jungle, and tried and
executed at Sepree. With- the exception of the ranee of
SBCT, JV.] CAUSE OF THE MUTINY 519
Jhansi and the begum of Oude, he was the only great leader A.D.
whom the rebellion produced, and the extraordinary energy 1859
and valour he displayed might have entitled him to a more
lenient penalty ; but, for the monster who had taken his
seat on a stage and directed the diabolic massacre at the
ghaut of Cawnpore, there could be no compassion. On the
8th July 1859, peace was proclaimed by Lord Canning
throughout India ; and on the 12th October he made a
royal progress through the provinces, receiving the homage
of chiefs and nobles. On the 3rd November he held a dur-
bar at Cawnpore, with & display of magnificence well suited
to captivate the native mind, and to demonstrate the resto-
ration of British power. All the loyal chiefs were collected
at that brilliant assembly, and as the representative of the
Queen who had assumed the sovereignty of India, he deco-
rated them with dresses of honour and titles of distinction.
The mutiny has been attributed by different writers to
a variety of causes — to the annexations during Lord Dal-
housie's administration; to the rapid introduction can«eof the
of improvements, such as the rail and the tele- nmtmy.
graph, which bewildered the native mind ; to the spread
of English education and European science, which were
undermining Hindooism and disquieting the orthodox; and
to a national revolt against British authority. On the
other hand, Sir John Lawrence asserted, "The mutiny had
44 its origin in the army itself; it is not attributable to any
44 external or antecedent conspiracy whatever, although it
44 was taken advantage of by disaffected persons to compass
44 their own ends; the approximate cause was the cartridge
44 affair, and nothing else." But we live too near this stu-
pendous event, and the excitement it created is as yet too
fervid, to admit of a calm judgment of its origin, which
must be left to the unruffled determination of posterity
when it has ceased to be a party question. To assist that
decision, it may be remarked that the conduct of the people,
even in the most disturbed districts in the north-west, was
eminently neutral. The agricultural, the mercantile, and
the industrial population, made no demonstration in favour
of the revolt. There was 110 insurrection where there were
no sepoys ; the Sikhs, and more particularly the rajas in the
Cis Sutlej states, rendered the most essential service in
quelling the insurrection ; the princes in Rajpootana were
perfectly loyal ; Sindia, Holkar, the begum of Bhopal, and
the nabob of Bampoora, sided with the British Government;
the Nepaul cabinet sent down 9,000 troops to its aid. In
520 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA ['CHAP. XV.
A.D. the south, the Gaikwar, the inhabitants of the annexed
1858 provinces of Satara and Nagpore, the Nizam and his great
minister Salar Jung, the great Mahratta feudatories and
the nobles of Mysore, were faithful in fcheir allegiance to
the British Government. These princes do not appear to
have ever entertained a doubt of its triumph even when,
before the reduction of Delhi and Lucknow, its fortunes
appeared desperate. They were not ignorant that for
twenty-five centuries from the period of the great war
celebrated in the Muhabharut downwards, India had been
the constant theatre of revolutions, and the insurrection
which now threatened the existence of the British Govern-
ment appeared to come in the usual order of events. The
confusion, moreover, which ensued on the temporary eclipse
of its authority, in the rapid rise of various aspirants for
power in Hindostan — the king of Delhi, the Nana, the
begum of Oude, the nabob of Futtygurh, the nabob of
Bareilly, who would have proceeded to fall upon each other
and revive the anarchy of former days when the British
power was extinct, rendered these princes the more anxious
to maintain it as the guardian of peace and order.
The mutiny was the death-warrant of the East India
Company. England was astounded by the announcement
w .. .. of a revolt which threatened the dissolution of
Extinction .. . _ . . . ,
of the East the empire, and of the atrocious massacres which
j£ny. Com" accompanied it. The responsibility of the out-
break was at once cast on the Company, though
for more than seventy years no political or administrative
measure had been executed without the full concurrence of
the Ministry. During this period the President of the
Board of Control had carried more weight in the government
of India than the Chairman of tho Court of Directors ; but
the one was before the public, the other behind the scenes.
The argument on which the Court of Directors had endea-
voured, half a century before, to justify the precipitate dis-
missal of Lord William Bentinck after the Vellore mutiny,
was now applied with fatal effect to themselves on the
occasion of a larger mutiny — " As the misfortunes which
" happened under your ad ministration placed your fate under
" the government of public events and opinions which the
" Court could not control, so it was not in thoir power to
" alter the effect of them." In December 1857 Lord
Palmerston informed the Court of Directors that a Bill for
placing India under the direct authority of the Crown
would shortly be laid before Parliament. Mr. John Stuari
SBCT. IV.] EXTINCTION OF THE E. I. COMPANY 521
Mill was instructed by the Directors to draw up a petition to A.D.
Parliament pleading their services, denying that the mutiny 1858
was owing to their mismanagement, and deprecating so
fundamental a change in the government while the mutiny
was still raging. It was one of the ablest state papers in
the language, but nothing could withstand the popular
outcry. Mr. Baring, on presenting the petition to the
House of Commons, moved as an amendment to Lord Pal-
merston's Bill, that " it is not at present expedient to legis-
" late for the government of India," but it was rejected by
318 to 173, whereas the continuance of the government of
India in the hands of the Company was voted without a
division only five years before. While Lord Palmerston'a
Bill was passing through Parliament, the Conservatives
came into power, and it fell to the lot of Lord Stanley to
carry through the Bill which extinguished the Company.
On the 1st September 1858, the Court of Directors met for
the last time in their council chamber in Leadenhall Street,
and, as their last act of administration, graceful!}' voted an
annuity of 2000Z. a year to Sir John Lawrence, who had
been the instrument of saving the empire now transferred
to the Crown.
The East India Company was incorporated by Queen
Elizabeth in the year 1GOO, but its political existence is to
be dated only from the battle of Plassy in 1757, character
and closed, after the lapse of a hundred years, ot the com-
with the revolt of the army. During this cen- pany*
tury it created an empire greater than that of Rome, and
at the period of its dissolution transferred the government
of 150,000,000 of subjects to its sovereign. There is no
record in history of so brilliant a career, nor is there any
instance of power so extensive and so rapidly acquired,
with so few causes of regret on the score of political mo-
rality. Notwithstanding its errors and its shortcomings,
it may be safely aifirmed that no foreign dependency has
ever been administered in a spirit of higher energy, or
greater benevolence, or by a longer succession of great
men. But its mission was accomplished, and the anomaly
of continuing the government of so vast a domain with
such an agency was daily becoming more obvious; and even
without the crisis of the mutiny, the termination of its
trust could not have been far distant.
On the 1st November 1858, the Queen's proclamation,
translated into the various languages of India, was pro-
mulgated throughout the continent with every demonstra-
522 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV,
A.D. tion of official pomp. It announced that Her Majesty had
mu ^ , at length assumed the government of India,
The Queen's i • i T i i «n - i T ,11 i ,
irociama- which had hitherto been conducted by her trus-
tion< tees, the Honourable the East India Company ;
that all treaties, dignities, rights and usages should be
faithfully upheld, that the public service should be
open to all her subjects without distinction of caste or
creed, ,-and that while the Government was a Christian
Government no one should be molested or benefitted on
account of his religion. The proclamation was cordially
welcomed by the princes and people of India. The ikbal,
or good fortune, of the Company to which they had paid
homage for a century expired with the mutiny which ex-
posed its weakness. Its name was associated with one of
the greatest calamities which had befallen India. British
authority had been re-established by the armaments sent
by the Queen, and it was expedient that she should assume
the sceptre of India. The introduction of an entirely
new policy after such a convulsion was eminently calcu-
lated to tranquillize and reassure the public mind. The
natives of India, moreover, have from the earliest ages
paid deference to the principle of royalty, and a feeling of
pride and satisfaction was diffused through the country
in being considered the subjects of a sovereign, and not of
a farmer, in which light the Company was now viewed.
SECTION V.
EPITOME OF EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO 1858.
THE century occupied in the conquest of India termi-
nated with the suppression of the mutiny and the annexa-
tion of the empire to the Crown of Great Britain. The
record of subsequent events belongs to a new epoch in the
history of British India, upon which it is not advisable to
enter in the remainder of the- space necessarily prescribed
for this compendium, and we therefore bring it to a close
with a brief reference to the chief transactions of the period
extending to the death of Lord Mayo.
1869 At the renewal of the charter in 1853, the Supreme
Council, which had been invested with the power of im-
perial legislation, was enlarged by the addition of one
member from each Presidency and lieutenant-governorship,
and two of the judges of the Supreme Court. A more
SECT. V.j EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 523
important alteration was made upon the transfer of the
government to the Crown; the two judges of the Supreme
Court were excluded, and the Governor- General was in-
structed to summon additional members, not exceeding
twelve, to the Council when engaged in making laws. One
flalf the number was to consist of non-official members, who
might be either Europeans or natives, and the natives thus
for the first time obtained a voice in the deliberations of the
state. The earliest members of Council were the raja of
Putteala, the raja Dinkur Rao, and the raja of Benares,
all of whom had been exemplary in their alleiniiiiro to the
Government during the mutiny. Similar Councils were
attached to the Governments of Bengal, Madras, and
Bombay, with the same admixture of the native element.
The suppression of the mutiny was mainly due to the .A'j?'
assistance derived from the annexation of the Punjab, but
the full value of this reservoir of soldicTS of exemplary
courage, and untainted with the high-caste prejudices of
the sepoys, was not fully developed till the war in China
came on. The merit of having ventured to enlist their
services only three years after they had shaken the empire
at Ferozeshuhur belongs to Lord Dalhousie, who called
down a regiment from the Punjab to supply the place of
the sepoy regiment which had refused to embark for Ran-
goon. The example was Crowed by Lord Canning, and a
large contingent of Punjabee troops was sent on the expedi-
tion to China, who assisted in planting the British standard
on the battlemenfs of Pekin.
The transfer of the establishments of the East India 1869
Company to the Crown carried with it the transfer of their
European troops, in number about 24,000. But though this
made no change in the position or prospects of the men,
they protested against being handed over from one service
to another without being allowed a voice in the matter,
and a feeling of dissatisfaction was manifested by a large
number, and a spirit of insubordination in one corps. Lord
Canning offered their discharge and a passage to England
to all who objected to the exchange. The soldiers felt no
objection to the royal service, but they looked for a small
bounty, similar to that which the royal troops were ac-
customed to receive when, upon the expiration of their
time, they enlisted into other regiments. The expectation
was perfectly reasonable, but it was imperiously and in-
judiciously denied them, and 10,000 demanded their dis-
charge. The state was thus not only subjected to a heavier
524 ABRIDGEMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV,
payment for their passage than the small bounty would
have amounted to, but lost the invaluable services of a body
of seasoned and veteran European soldiers. Contrary,
moreover, to the advice of some of the most eminent Indian
statesmen, it was resolved to abolish the local European
army, the value of which had been insisted on by Lord
Cornwallis and by all his successors. The Indian navy, as
it was^ termed, a small squadron of armed schooners belong-
ing to the Company, and which was employed in maintain-
ing the police of the Indian seas, was at the same time
abolished, and the duty entrusted exclusively to the royal
navy.
A.D. During the year 1859 the indigo districts in Bengal were
1859 disturbed by the refusal of the ryots to cultivate indigo for
the planters. The cultivation had never been remunera-
tive, but they were bound to it by advance forced on
them, and by contracts to which they were often obliged to
affix their mark without knowing their contents. Having
once received advances, they found they could never be
released from the planter's books. The lieutenant-governor
of Bengal, on his return from Dacca, was assailed by
thousands of men and women, who lined the banks for a
whole day's journey, crying to him for justice. To meet
the difficulty, the Government passed an Act, inflicting a
penalty for a breach of the contracts of the year, and
appointing a commission to investigate the complaints of
the ryots. They were fully substantiated, and Sir Charles
Wood refused to sanction the proposal which had been
made to consider the non-performance of a civil contract by
a ryot the ground of a criminal prosecution.
1860 The mutiny had augmented the debt by fifty crores, and
the annual expenditure, owing to the increase of the mili-
tary charges, had risen from thirty- three to fifty crores, while
the annual deficit amounted to ten crores. The financial
department had always been the weakest point of the
Government. India had produced eminent statesmen, and
diplomatists, and generals, and administrators, but not one
Chancellor of the Exchequer. Sir Charles Wood resolved
to supply this deficiency by adding a financial member to
the Executive Council, and selected for this post Mr. James
Wilson, one of the secretaries of the treasury in London,
who had an especial genius for finance. He revised the
customs on scientific principles, and laid on an income-tax
for five years as an exceptional impost to meet the
charges entailed by the mutiny, and he imposed a license
SECT. V.J EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 525
duty ; at the same time he remodelled the currency, and
withdrew the privilege of issuing bank notes which had
been granted in their charters to the banks of Bengal,
Madras, and Bombay, and established a State paper cur-
rency. By the taxes thus imposed, and the retrenchments
which were effected, the deficit was extinguished in less
than three years. Mr. Wilson's career was unhappily cut
short by death before his financial reforms wero completed.
Mr. Macaulay had drawn up a penal code in 1837, which A>D.
was bandied about for twenty years from one commission 1860
to another, and, having at length received its final modifica-
tion, became law in I860. At the same time, the Legisla-
tive Council passed an .admirable code of civil and criminal
procedure, which substituted simplicity and expedition for
the complicated and tardy forms of pleading, which had
previously impeded the course of justice. Lord Elphin-
stone, the governor of Bombay, who had rendered great
service to the state during the insurrection, by repressing
every hostile tendency at that Presidency, and by organis-
ing the force which quelled the mutiny in Central India,
returned to England in this year with his constitution
seriously impaired by the labours and anxieties of his post,
and sunk into a premature grave.
The Nizam who had remained firm in his loyalty to 1860
Government during the mutiny was rewarded with honours,
•and with the more substantial boon of three of the pro-
vinces which he had assigned to meet the payment of the
contingent and to satisfy other obligations, as well as with
the remission of the balance of his debt to tho extent of
half a crore of rupees. The principality of Shorapore,
which had been confiscated for the treason of the raja, was
likewise transferred to him.
The whole machinery of judicature was remodelled 1861
throughout the country during the latter period of Lord
Canning's administration. The Supreme and Sudder
Courts were amalgamated, and a High Court established
at each Presidency, consisting partly of English barristers,
and partly of the Company's judges. A native lawyer of
eminence was likewise placed on the bench, with no little
honour to himself and great gratification to the country ;
and thus was tho baneful ostracism of Lord Cornwallis
abolished by the admission of natives to the distinction of
making and administering the law, upon a footing of per-
fect equality with Europeans. At tho same time Small
Came Courts, with a simple procedure, were established in
526 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV
the provinces, and the recovery of small debts and demandi
rendered more easy.
A.T>. The death of Lady Canning hastened the departure of
1862 Lor<l Canning, whose health had been greatly affected
by six years of unexampled care and toil. He embarked
in March 1862, but did not survive his arrival in England
more than three months. His administration forms the most
memorable period in the history of British India. No go-
vernor-general ever had to pass through a season of such
profound anxiety, or to encounter so momentous a crisis.
If he was slow and dilatory in his movements in circum-
stances in which Lord Dalhousie's foresight, promptitude,
and energy would have been invaluable, yet he never lost
heart or confidence, and his equanimity in the most ap-
palling circumstances has never been exceeded and rarely
equalled.
1863 Lord Elgin, who had brought affairs in China to a suc-
cessful issue, was appointed to succeed him, and reached
Calcutta on the 12th March, but died at Dhurmsala, in the
Himalayas, on the 20th November in the ensuing year.
His brief tenure of office afforded no opportunity for the
display of his talents. It was, however, marked by a Ma-
homedan conspiracy against the British Government, fo-
mented by Wahabee fanatics, which burst forth at Sitaria,
across the Indus, on the Afghan frontier. A large force,
under the command of Brigadier Chamberlain, consisting of
two European and six native regiments, was pushed forward
into the fastnesses in which the whole army of Akbar had
been exterminated two centuries before ; but it was not
only held in check but vigorously assailed by the irrecon-
cilable Highlanders. The Brigadier was disabled by wounds,
and the position of the army became so critical that the
Council in Calcutta, contrary to the remonstrance of the
Commander-in- Chief, was on the point of withdrawing the
troops from what appeared to them a bootless warfare in
the mountains, a step which would have brought all the
wild tribes down upon the Punjab. Happily Sir W. Deni-
son, the governor of Madras, arrived in Calcutta at this
juncture to officiate as governor-general, and ordered the
campaign to be prosecuted with vigour, and it was brought
to a satisfactory close by the end of 1863.
1864 The Ministry in England were filled with alarm at the
prospect of a new Mahomedan outburst, and of the risk
associated with it, arid they at once offered the governor-
generalship to the man to whom the salvation of the empire
during the mutiny was mainly due, and who was, moreover,
SKCT. V.] EPITOME OF .SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 527
personally acquainted with the condition of that turbulent
frontier. Sir John Lawrence arrived in Calcutta on the
12th January 1864, and found the " Umbeyla campaign,"
as it was called, terminated. Four years after, there
was another of the chronic outbreaks of these untameable
barbarians, but it was at once suppressed by the timely
march of a brigade.
The civil war in America interrupted the supply of cotton ^
with which the looms of England had been fed, and it
became necessary to look to India for a substitute. The
price accordingly rose to a rare amount, and the exports
increased two and three hundred per cent., but as they greatly
exceeded the imports from England, the article was paid for
in coin. During the continuance of the American war the
imports of the precious metals into India amounted to more
than seventy-five crores of rupees arid poured riches into the
lap of the cultivators, such as neither they nor their ancestors
had ever dreamt of. The influx of wealth was poetically
described by the metaphor that the ryots made the tyres of
their cart-wheels of silver.
The unexpected increase of prosperity at Bombay arising 1865
from the export of cotton, created a perfect mania of specu-
lation. The most preposterous schemes were brought
forward, and met with ready acceptance, and the shares of
the companies rose fifteen and twenty- fold. The Bank of
Bombay lent itself to these wild projects without scruple,
and when the bubble burst was driven into the bank-
ruptcy Court, the first bank associated with Government
which had ever been subject to such disgrace.
Sir John Lawrence found the Government of Bengal 1864
involved in disputes with the wild tribes of Bootan. On
the conquest of Assam, I he tract of cultivated land lying at
the foot of the hills, called the Dooars, was annexed, but
a trifling annuity was paid to the chief by way of compen-
sation and to keep the tribes quiet, but it did not restrain
them from making inroads into the plains, plundering the
villages, and kidnapping its inhabitants. The subsidy was
accordingly withheld, and the inroads were multiplied, and
the Hon. Ashley Eden was sent as an envoy to the Bootan
capital by the Government of Bengal. It was an imprudent
act, and met with its reward. Mr. Eden was subject to
every indignity from the barbarians, and signed an igno-
minious treaty under compulsion, resigning the Dooars to
the chief The consequence was a declaration of war ; the
foe was contemptible, yet one forfc was retaken • the country
was unhealthy, and the force was found to be inadequate.
528 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. X\.
A second campaign was undertaken the next year, with a
larger force, and though the troops suffered to a fearful
extent from the climate, the Bootanees were obliged to
succumb. The treaty made with them, however, assigned
them an annuity of 25,000 rupees for the Dooars. The
A.D. whole transaction, from first to last, was unfortunate, arid
1865 proved that the existing Government of Bengal was equally
as incompetent in war as in diplomacy.
1866 The year 1866 was marked by a desolating famine in
Orissa. The total failure of the rains in the preceding year
had given a premonition of its approach, but the Govern-
ment of Bengal took no precautionary measure, and con-
tinued indifferent until the visitation arrived, and it was
too late in the season to send succour by sea. The calamity
was mitigated by the exertions of Lord Harris, the governor
of Madras, but the number of victims was moderately esti-
mated at three quarters of a million, and the event ha^ loft
a deep stain on the reputation of the Bengal authorities.
1865 One °f ^ne most important legislative measures of Sir
John Lawrence's administration had reference to the
tenancy question in the Punjab and in Oude. He was
anxious to protect the rights of the hereditary cultivators
against the encroachments of the landholders, whether
zemindars or talookdars. A great outcry was raised
against the Acts which were of his creation, as being calcu-
lated to unsettle the engagements which had been made
with the talookdars, and to revive disaffection. It was
found, on enquiry, that the ryots in Oude for whose benefit
the Government had incurred the greatest risk, had joined
their old talookdars during the mutiny, in spite of the
oppression under which they had groaned, and that there
was in fact no class to whom the term of hereditary culti-
vators could be applied. The question was discussed with
great earnestness, and no little acrimony, and it was
silenced rather than settled by Sir Charles Wood's despatch,
desiring the local authorities " to take especial care, with-
" out sacrificing the just rights of others, to maintain the
" talookdars of Oude in that position*of consideration and
" dignity which Lord Canning's Government contemplated
" conferring on them."
1867 The affairs of Mysore were brought to an issue during
the administration of Sir John Lawrence. Lord William
Bentinck, as already stated, was constrained, by the insuf-
ferable misrule of the raja to assume the government of
the country, and grant the raja a suitable pension. The
SHOT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 529
administration was placed in the hands of General Cubbon,
one of the Company's great statesmen, under whom Mysore
reached a state of unexampled prosperity. The raja
petitioned Lord Hardinge to restore the government to him.
The question was referred to General Cubbon, who reported
that every improvement which had been made had en-
countered the strenuous opposition of the raja, and that the
transfer of the government to him would be fatal to the
prosperity of the people ; the request was therefore declined.
A similar application was made to Lord Dalhousio, to Lord
Canning, to Lord Elgin, and to Sir John Lawrence, and
it was emphatically refused. Sir Charles Wood uphold
the decision of the five Governors-General. Tha raja then
proceeded to adopt a son, and demanded that he should be
acknowledged the heir to the throne. In the creation of
the principality in 1801, Lord Wellesley had expressly ex-
cluded all reference to heirs and successors, arid limited the
enjoyment of the crown to the raja, on whom he had
bestowed it as a personal gift. But in 1867, the Conserva-
tive Secretary of State for India reversed the decisions of all
the public authorities in India, and recognised the adopted
ROTI as tin1 future heir of the throno. to whom the administra-
tion of the country is to be consigned on his coming of age.*
Dost Mahomed, who had faithfully maintained his en- AD
gagernonts with the British Government, died in 1863, and 1868
a struggle for the crown immediately commenced in his
family. His son, Shore AH, whom he had nominated his
successor, mounted the throne and was soon driven from it,
but at length succeeded in recovering it. During these
intestine struggles, Sir John Lawrence maintained a strict
neutrality, and avoided any intei'ference in the contests,
which were desolating the country. His policy was by
some applauded as masterly inactivity, and it might
possibly for a time have been a prudent course, but the
rapid development of events in Central Asia, and the pro-
gress of Russian influence have rendered the maintenance of
it impracticable.
Sir John's administration was marked by great attention
to works of irrigation, and immediately before the expira-
tion of his term of office he drew up a minute detailing
those which had been completed and planned for all the
Presidencies. These works would have required an expendi-
ture of many crores of rupees, but as the finances exhibited
an annual deficit, the complete canalization of India was
necessarily postponed to a more auspicious period.
* He docs not attain his majority until February
M M
530 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OP INDIA [CHAP. XV.
A.D. Sir John Lawrence on his return to England was re
1868 warded for his pre-eminent services to India by his eleva-
tion to the peerage.
Lord Mayo was appointed his successor, and landed in
India in the beginning of 1868 ; and one of his first acts
was to modify Sir John Lawrence's policy of non-interfer-
ence in the affairs of Afghanistan. The Ameer Shere AH
was invited to an interview, and, on the 29th March, was
received with great distinction and pomp at Umballa,
when not only was his position as the ruler of the nation
recognised, but he was gratified with a subsidy of twelve
lacs a -year, arid a supply of arms. Lord Mayo rendered
himself popular with the native chiefs by his graciousness,
and with the European community by his princely hospi-
tality. The most noted feature of his administration was
the projection of a system of railways, embracing 10,000
miles, to be constructed by the State, and not by the agency
of guaranteed companies. He fell by the dagger of an as-
sassin, in January 1872, at Port Blair, on the Andamans,
to which he was paying an official visit.
1872 On the death of Lord Mayo, Lord Napier, the Governor
of Madras, succeeded by law to the supreme adminis-
tration, until the appointm2nt, early in 1872, of Lord
Northbrook. The new Viceroy possessed a large official
experience, having been Under -Secretary in various de-
partments at home, and his qualities as a statesman were
soon tested by the alarming progress of Russia in Central
Asia. To a demand by the Khivans for assistance, Lord
Northbrook replied that, where just claims were made by a
great European power like Russia, a less civilized nation was
bound to comply with them, and that he could not guarantee
any aid from England. As the Russian Government had
specifically stated that their only object was the redress of
grievances, and that there was no intention on their part
to retain any Khivan territory, it was difficult to see why
England should interfere.
1873 The threatened expedition against Khiva took place in the
spring of 1873, and resulted in the complete success of the
Russians. Their army, under General Kauffmann, marched
almost unmolested through the country, and occupied
the capital without serious resistance. The Khan surren-
dered, and agreed to all the demands which were forced
upon him by the Russian General, including a complete sub-
mission to the Czar's authority, which virtually deprived
Jum of independence. After this fresh advance, an agree
SECT V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 531
ment was concluded between the English and Russian
Governments, that the latter should abstain from interference
with the boundaries of Afghanistan as fixed by England;
and subsequent events showed the wisdom of this arrange-
ment.
In India itself the dread of famine caused great anxiety.
The fcii lure of the autumn rains in Bengal and Behar had so
materially injured the rice crops, that scarcity was imminent
unless precautionary measures were taken. Determined to
avoid the miseries of Orissa in 1866, Sir George Campbell,
the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, an active and vigorous
administrator, had purchased large quantities of grain, and
organized relief works in anticipation of the impending
dearth ; while in all his efforts to surmount the difficulties he
foresaw, he received the approval and support of the Viceroy
and home authorities.
The year 1874 opened with gloomy prospects, and the A.D.
distress soon assumed large proportions. Not only the late
crop of 1873, but the April crop which followed, proved
failures, and the Government found it necessary to supply
far larger quantities of rice than they had calculated upon,
and to face transport difficulties which impeded the distribu-
tion of food. All obstacles were, however, overcome by Sir
Richard Temple, the successor of Sir George Campbell, who
displayed rare administrative ability, and, by his energy and
the skilful use of the means at his disposal, battled with the
famine till the plentiful rains in June put an end to all
anxiety, and enabled those who had been relieved by Gov-
ernment during the scarcity, to return to their occupations.
Some idea may be gathered of the gigantic nature of the
task of <••>' \< xi1,, food to the famine districts, when it was
found to require 100,000 carts and 200,000 bullocks to carry
the grain from the railway to the depots; and in addition to
these, 2000 camels and 9000 horses were needed to take sup-
plies into the more inaccessible parts of the interior; while
over 2300 boats and 10 steamers transported the grain by
water, on the Ganges and other rivers. Lord Northbrook,
moreover, determined to utilize the public distress by em-
ploying the sufferers on two great public works — the exten-
sion of the Soane Irntr'^inn Canal, and the construction of
the Noithern Bengal Kuilway. The number of people
engaged in these and local relief works \\l\en the distress
was at its height, was estimated at 1,770,000 ; and the cost
to the Government of the relief operations alone, was nearly
£7,000,000.
532 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTOKY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
In Afghanistan affairs had assumed an unsatisfactory
position. The Ameer, Shere Ali, having banished his eldest
son, Yakoob Khan, induced him to return to Cabul, and
then imprisoned him. The ostensible cause of this act of
treachery was the report that Yakoob was intriguing for the
surrender of Herat to Persia ; the real reason was the
desire of the Ameer to secure the succession for a younger
and faVourite son, Abdullah. This son died before the
question was settled, and by the recent accession of Yakoob
to the throne vacated by Ms father, it would appear that he
had retained his hereditary position, in spite of the deceit
practised on him.
The corrupt and vicious administration of Mulhar Rao,
the Gaikwar of Baroda, had repeatedly called forth the
remonstrances of those in authority, and the hesitation
of the Government to recognise a son he affirmed to be
legitimate, had increased his irritation against them.
Colonel Phayre was the British Resident at Baroda, and
while these disputes were at their height, an attempt was
undoubtedly made to take his life by poison. It was
alleged that this act was instigated by the Gaikwar, and a
1876 Royal Commission was therefore formed to inquire into the
matter. This Commission was composed of three native
princes — the Maharajahs of Gwalior and Jeypore, and Rajah
Sir Dinkur Rao — and three English officials — Sir Richard
Couch, the President, Sir Richard Meade, and Mr Philip
Melville. Although the proceeding was simply an inquiry
for the information of Government, it was conducted in the
same manner as an English trial, and the Gaikwar was de-
fended by an advocate — Mr Serjeant Ballantine — specially
sent out from London on his behalf. Tn the result the
Court was divided in opinion, the native princes expressing
doubts as to the guilt of the accused, the English entertain-
ing none. The practical decision, therefore, rested with the
Viceroy, who, with the sanction of the home authorities,
declared the Gaikwar to have forfeited his throne, — though
the measure was afterwards stated to be more an act of
political necessity than a judicial sentence. A young prince
of the Kandeish branch was chosen to succeed him, and edu-
cated for his post by one of the most able of native states-
men under British supervision ; but no alterations have
been made in any of the existing treaty arrangements.
The Governor of Madras, Lord Hobart, died on the 27th
April 1875. He was an able and conscientious administrator,
who did much to promote the welfare and prosperity of the
SKCT. V. ] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 533
community, and initiated during his tenure of office the con-
struction of an artificial harbour for Madras, and a scheme
for draining the town. He was succeeded by the Duke of
Buckingham and Chandos.
An event of national importance — the visit of the Prince A.D.
of Wales to India — took place towards the close of this year. 1875
Leaving England on the llth October, the Prince, after
stopping a few days at Athens, proceeded to Cairo, where he
invested the Viceroy's eldest son, Prince Tewfik, with the
Order of the Star of India, and landed at Bombay on the
8th November. The reception that greeted him was most
enthusiastic; and throughout his tour everything tended to
show the gratification of the natives at the royal visit. At
Madras, where he was magnificently entertained by the
Governor, he exchanged visits with the Maharajahs of the
Presidency; and on New-Year's Day 1876, he presided over 1876
an investiture of the Star of India, which was held at Cal-
cutta on a sumptuous scale. He then proceeded up the
country, entered Delhi in state, through five miles of soldiery,
and received an address from the native municipality of
that ancient capital of Hindostan. Opportunities were
afforded him of studying the native principalities, by his
visits to Nepaul, to the Maharajahs of Puttiala and of
Gwalior, and to Holknr at Indore; and when he embarked at
Bombay, on the 13th March, he expressed, in a letter to Lord
Northbrook, the sincere pleasure as well as instruction which
he had derived from his first visit to India.
Some difficulties had meanwhile arisen between the Viceroy
and the Secretary of State. The Government of India passed,
on the 5th August 1875, an edict known as the Tariff Act.
It revised the whole system of customs in India, and abol-
ished export duties, but confirmed the import tax on manu-
factured cotton goods, and imposed an additional tax on raw
cotton of the finer sort. Lord Salisbury at once not only
expressed his dissent from, and desired the repeal of, these
two provisions of the Act, but he also strongly censured the
Indian authorities for passing so important a measure with-
out reference to the Home Government. Lord Northbrook
defended his position with skill and dignity, and on his
retirement from office, on the 4-th January 1875, his services
were rewarded with an earldom. His successor, Lord Lytton,
although he had distinguish^! himself in literature and diplo-
macy, had not hitherto held any important administrative
trust. The obnoxious cotton duties were repealed by degrees ;
but, on the other hand, the new Viceroy adopted a concilia-
534 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
tory tone towards the natives of India, and endeavoured to
diffuse the same through Anglo-Indian society.
A.D. A year had not elapsed since the Prince of Wales's visit to
1877 Delhi, when it again became the scene of a grand ceremonial.
Parliament having decided that her Majesty the Queen should
assume the imperial title of Empress of India, an assemblage
of native chiefs and princes took place at Delhi on the let
January 1877, when the new dignity was proclaimed by the
Viceroy, amidst the most enthusiastic demonstrations of loyalty.
The presence of so many native and British officials afforded an
opportunity of holding a conference on the important legisla-
tive and fiscal matters which pressed at this time; while many
concessions were made, rewards for past services granted,
and pensions augmented. One most important act was the
release of some 16,000 prisoners, whose cases had been care-
fully inquired into by Sir Edward Bayley ; and to him must
be attributed the beneficial influence this salutary measure
exercised upon the minds of the natives of India.
Still, this splendid ceremony did not produce the entire
political effect that might have been expected. Men's minds
were too full of the prospects of the famine, which threatened
to devastate the presidencies of Bombay and Madras, and
even to penetrate into some of the i.- './. b-'iiriiiL' states.
These fears were only too soon fulfilled : tlie raintall of the
previous year had more or less failed, while the spring and
summer rains of 1877 were poor and irregular, and the dearth
could no longer be averted. But Indian authorities had
grown wise by sad experience, and the means previously
used in Bengal to distribute supplies, and di^ani/i1 relief
works, were everywhere adopted. In spite of all rilnris, how-
ever, it was afterwards stated in the House of Commons that
no less than 1,350,000 lives had been lost; and it was not until
autumn was well advanced that the officials in the famine
districts ceased to require help. England had liberally as-
sisted their efforts by sending them nearly half a million of
money; and the generous and noble manner in which she
took up the cause of her impoverished subjects in Asia, did
much to unite the two nations, and to frustrate any evils
arising from supposed Russian designs. In view, however,
of the terrible frequency of famines in India, the Finance
Minister, Sir John Strachey, brought forward a proposal,
advocating an additional tax, the proceeds of which were
to be set aside to form a sinking fund for future emergen-
cies ; and the measure in due course received the sanction of
Government.
SECT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 535
Jung Bahadoor, the virtual sovereign of Nepaul, whose ser-
vices during the Mutiny are elsewhere noticed (see p. 516),
died this year. Although he strictly excluded Europeans
from his territory, he invariably maintained an amicable
policy towards the Indian Government, and the loss of so
steady a friend on the frontier was severely felt.
The tribes on our north-west boundary, always turbulent,
now showed signs of aggression, and it was evident that
strong measures were required to repress them, one of them,
the Jowakis, having, within the short space of a week,
made no less than four incursions into British territory. In
their last expedition, they attacked a body of the 22d Regi-
ment, and killed and wounded some of the soldiers. A small
fiejd-force, however, was sent against them, which soon put
down all resistance, and quiet was again restored along the
border.
In April 1878 the Government received orders from home A.D.
to despatch a force of 7000 native soldiers to Malta. Such 1878
an event as the employment of sepoys in Europe was with-
out precedent in our annals; but the disturbed state of
affairs in the East, which originally caused the movement,
becoming by diplomatic arrangements more tranquil, the
troops were recalled after a few months' absence.
Our relations with Cabul had meanwhile become most
precarious. The Ameer, Shere Ali, was offended by our
occupation of Quettah ; this, and various other alleged griev-
ances, caused the failure of a conference at Peshawur between
his agent and our representative, Sir Louis Felly, and were
doubtless among the motives which induced linn to receive
a Russian embassy at Cabul. A counter -embassy, under
General Chamberlain, was promptly despatched by Lord
Lytton; but on the 21st September 1878, it was turned
back at Ali Mnsjid, the first Afghan fortress in the Khyber
Pass, by the commandant, who, acting under orders from
Shere Ali, refused to allow the Mission to proceed. A native
envoy, Gholam Hassan Khan, who had previously been sent
to sound the Ameer on the subject of the embassy, returned
with an unsatisfactory answer ; and the Viceroy thereupon
despatched an ultimatum to Shere Ali, with the assurance
that hostilities would be commenced, if he did not accede to
the English demands before the 20th November. An evasive
reply was received, and war was at once declared.
General Sir Samuel Browne was directed to move upon the
capital with a *large body of troops by the Khyber Pass. His
forces advanced on the 21st November, but their march was
536 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
checked at All Musjid. The capture, however, of that im-
portant fortress, and the evacuation of Jellalabad by the
Afghans, followed in quick succession ; and our troops soon
afterwards encamped outside the town for the winter, with-
out encountering any serious opposition.
General Koberts, who commanded the 2d brigade, ad-
vanced into Afghanistan by the Klmrum Valley, and met
with a sharp resistance at the Peiwar Pass, the occupation
of which the enemy valiantly but unsuccessfully opposed ;
while General Stewart — in charge of the other battalion —
after an unprecedented march of nearly 400 miles over most
difficult country, joined the forces of General Biddulph at
Takht-i-pul, the junction of the Khojak and Gwaja passes ;
and, with the exception of a slight encounter with the native
cavalry outside Candahar, they took possession of that city
unmolested. Desultory f ,' '*• . f " wed in the neighbour-
hood, as well as in the l\ •: \ :j with General lloberts.
The hill-tribes also were unceasingly active ; but a further
advance of the army into the country was riot deemed
necessary.
At the first approach of the British troops, Shere AH had
fled from Cabul to Mazar-i-Sharif in Balldi, where he en-
deavoured to obtain assistance against us ; but his death
A.D. there on 21st Februar}7 1879 prevented his schemes from
1879 being carried out, and closed his checkered career. His
son, Yakoob Khan, succeeded in making good his title to
the throne, and was acknowledged by the Indian Govern-
ment ; but he at first refused to negotiate with them, until
threatened with an advance of the army on Cabul. He
then agreed to meet our emissary, Major Cavagnari, at Gan-
damuk, half-way to the capital, where, after some diplomatic
delays, a treaty of peace, offensive and defensive, was con-
cluded on the 25th May 1879, one of the principal articles of
which was the permanent residence of an English Minister at
Cabul.
Major Cavagnari, who had been knighted for his services in
the late campaign, was appointed our Envoy — a post which
he was eminently fitted to fill, from his long experience and
great tact in dealing with the half-civilized nations on our
north-west frontier. But he and his mission had hardly
entered Cabul, when Yakoob Khan warned him that his life
was in danger ; to which he replied, " that if he were killed,
there were many more in India ready to act as his suc-
cessors." A few weeks, however, passed quietly, and con-
fidence seemed to be fairly established, when the massacre o£
SBOT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 537
the gallant Cavagnari arid his brave associates, and the
burning of the Embassy on the 3d of September, rudely
destroyed all hopes of peace. The Afghans had a third time
broken faith with us, and avenged their wrongs, fancied or
real, on our representatives ; and a British army once more
advanced, burning with indignation, to exact retribution
for the murder of their countrymen. General, now Sir
Frederick, Roberts lost no time in marching on Cabul, which
he occupied on October 12th, after a struggle at Char-Asiab.
Yakoob Khan, who had previously fled to the British camp,
was declared to have forfeited the throne, and made a
prisoner of State ; and it was announced that the future
government of the country would be decided after the
advice of the Sirdars had been taken, and order restored.
A fresh rising of some of the hill-tribes and mutinous soldiers
in November caused great alarm, which was increased by the
cessation of communications with General Roberts, and he
was compelled to evacuate his post arid establish his troops
at Sherpur, a high cantonment outside and commanding the
capital. But he succeeded in holding his own, in spite of
the failure of General Massy to keep open the communica-
tions with Ghuzni. General Gough advanced to support
him, and the close of the year saw the British again in
victorious possession of Cabul. The masses of insurgents
who had endeavoured to hem in and annihilate the troops at
Sherpur, were dispersed at the beginning of 1880.
Peace being thus restored for a time, a grand durbar was
held by General, afterwards Lord, Roberts at> Cabul, to
inaugurate the policy of reconciliation. Wali Mohammed,
a half-brother of Shere Ali, was appointed military governor
of the capital, in the hope that he would ultimately be able
to assume the whole authority. But it soon appeared that
there was still a strong feeling in favour of the deposed
Ameer, Yakoob Khan, whose restoration the Imperial Govern-
ment was resolved not to permit. As there was no intention
to annex any part of Upper Afghanistan, the English were
anxious to open negotiations for the evacuation, and to make
over the government of the country to any claimant who
could show a valid title to the throne, and prove himself
strong enough to coerce the Afghans into submission. The
two prominent candidates were Ayoob Khan, son of Shere
Ali, at Herat, and Abdul Rahman, his nephew and former
rival, who had long been a Russian pensioner in Turkistan
Meanwhile, although the cost of occupation was heavy, the
English troops continued to hold the country, and in March
538 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
1880, Mr, afterwards Sir Lepel Griffin was sent to Cabul
to take over the political authority from General Roberts.
He was empowered to propose that Afghanistan should be
divided into provinces, under separate independent native
rulers. The first step in this direction was taken by declar-
ing Shere Ali, a cousin of the former Ameer, ruler of the
kingdom of Candahar, with the assistance of a British
Resident and a contingent of British troops.
Disaffection having been shown by the Bengal soldiers
in Candahar at their long absence from India, a force from
Bombay was sent to relieve them, and the Bengal column,
under the command of General Stewart, marched back to
India by way of Ghuzni and Cabul. At Ahmed Khel,
23 miles from Ghuzni, a determined stand was made against
them by 16,000 of the insurgents. Our troops, though
ably handled, were only 6000 strong, and the Afghans
fought with a stubborn valour never hitherto displayed ; but
they were successfully opposed, and finally repulsed. The
attack having failed, the enemy fled precipitately, leaving
a large number of dead on the field, and the British force
entered Ghuzni the next day without further opposition.
In April 1880, a change of Ministry took place in Eng-
land, and resulted in a corresponding change in our Afghan
policy. Lord Lytton resigned, and was succeeded by Lord
Ripon, with Lord Hartington at the India Office. The
intention of the Imperial Government had hitherto been
to establish our supremacy at Candahar, to occupy that
city, for a time at least, with British troops, and to connect
it by a railway with India. The evacuation of the rest
of Afghanistan was to be carried out as soon as, but not
until, a strong and friendly native government had been
established. In the policy now adopted our withdrawal was
made the main object, to which the condition of the country
after our departure was subordinated. The decision as to
the retention or abandonment of Candahar was left by
the Home Government to the Indian authorities ; but the
expenses of the war were already so serious that there
was certainly a distinct tendency of opinion towards our
withdrawal from Candahar also.
During this period of hesitation Abdul Rahman left his
seclusion in Turkistan, and advanced with an armed force
to Balkh, aided it was said by Russian promises and gold.
In default of any other ruler with whom to treat on the
approaching evacuation by the British troops, communi-
cations were opened with him, and the offer made that
SECT V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 539
he should take over the authority in Northern Afghanistan.
After some delay, caused partly by the reservation from
his jurisdiction of Candahar and the districts assigned to
England by the Treaty of Gandarnak, the Khurram, Pishin,
and Sibi Valleys, he was formally proclaimed Ameer of
Northern Afghanistan by Mr Griffin on the 22d July. The
Imperial Government undertook to give him every assist-
ance, to furnish him with money, and to put him in posses-
sion of all the fortifications, on condition that he prevented
any molestation of the British troops during their retreat.
A fresh disturbance now threatened to impede our with-
drawal from the country. Ayoob Khan, since his establish-
ment at Herat, on the flight of Shere Ali, had been in-
cessantly intriguing against the English, and in June he
advanced towards Candahar with a large body of troops.
For a time it appeared doubtful whether his demonstration
were against the British troops under General Primrose,
or Shore Ali, the Wali as he was called. General Bur-
roughs, in concert with the Wall's troops, was despatched
to guard the passage of the Helmund, but the Afghan army
mutinied and deserted to Ayoob, and General Burroughs,
in pursuit of the rebels, crossed the river. Retiring to
Khushk-i-Nakhud, about if) miles from Candahar, he took
up a position near the village of Maiwand, intended to
cover both Candahar and Ghuzni. Unfortunately he was
ignorant of the real strength of the enemy, and on the
27th July he found himself confronted by the whole of
Ayoob's army, estimated at about 20,000 men. A battle
ensued, in which the British troops were defeated, and
forced to retreat in disorder to Candahar ; and had not
General Primrose, on the first news of the disaster, sent
out a party of troops to bring in the fugitives, few would
have reached Candahar in safety. A young artillery officer,
Lieutenant Machine, fell into the hands of the enemy,
and was afterwards barbarously murdered. On the news
of the British reverse, the whole country rose, and the
troops had to fight their way back. Communication with
Quetta was cut off, and the British force at Candahar was
practically isolated. After some delay Ayoob Khan ad-
vanced, and on the 8th August opened the siege.
Upon the news of the defeat at Mai wand, the evacuation
at Cabul was suspended. General Koberts, at the head
of most of the effective troops, started at once to raise
the siege of Candahar. General Stewart retired two days
later, by way of Jellalabad, with the remainder of the
540 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
army, and all the camp-followers and baggage, after
making over the government of Cabul to Abdul Rahman.
Contrary to general expectation, the retreat of the bulk
of the English army was effected without difficulty, and
the whole force reached India in safety. General Roberta's
celebrated march on Candahar was one of the most striking
events .of the war. The picked troops under him consisted
of 2800 Europeans, 7000 natives, and 8QOO camp-followers.
The distance between Cabul and Candahar, 318 miles,
was covered in twenty-three days, including two halts at
Ghuzni and Khelat-i-Ghilzai. The troops started on the
9th August, and reached Candahar on the 31st; and not-
withstanding the disturbed state of the country, the march
was completed without a contest. The siege of Candahar
had already been abandoned on the 23d, on the news of
the British advance, and Ayoob, after an ineffectual attempt
to open negotiations with General Roberts, retired to the
village of Pir Paiinal, which he strongly fortified. On
the 1st September our artillery opened fire on the snemy's
position, and soon after the whole of the British force,
including the Candahar garrison, 4500 strong, were drawn
out for the attack. The fighting was severe, the enemy
contesting every inch of ground with obstinate courage,
but they were finally dislodged, and completely routed.
The whole force was broken up and scattered, Ayoob fled
to Herat, and the movement in his favour was crushed.
The war being thus at an end, the question of the aban-
donment or retention of Candahar, which had been in
abeyance, was again brought forward. It was finally
decided, by an order from the Home Government to Lord
Ripon to withdraw on the earliest opportunity. The
country was still in a disturbed condition. The Wali's
government had been overthrown by Ayoob Khan, who had
himself suffered too severe a defeat to attempt to assert his
claims again. It was difficult, under these circumstances, to
place the authority relinquished by the English in other
hands, but it was eventually secured by Abdul Rahman.
During the course of the following year the British troops
were withdrawn from the Khurram Valley and Khyber Pass,
and the railway already partly constructed towards Quetta
was stopped. Candahar and the surrounding country were
evacuated in April 1881, and the fortified posts made over
to Abdul Rahman.
One serious result of the war was the heavy strain in-
volved on the finances of the country. Unfortunately a
SECT. V.) EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 541
grave deficit was discovered in the military estimates. The
Financial Member of Council, Sir J. Strachey had, when
presenting his Budget, shown a considerable surplus for the
three years ending 1880-81. The existence of this surplus
was questioned, and closer inquiry by Lord Ripon's Govern-
ment elicited the fact that the war expenditure had been
much underestimated, and that, instead of a balance on the
right side, there was a large deficit to be covered. The
discrepancy arose from the practice in military accounts of
showing no item of expenditure, until it had been duly
audited. Thus the Treasury disbursements and the Budget
statements were at variance, and instead of an account being
presented of all sums paid by the Treasury for military
purposes, only the classified and audited expenditure was
shown. The error was not discovered until after the publi-
cation of the Budget, and caused much financial discussion.
Sir J. Strachey resigned, and his successor, Major, afterwards
Sir Evelyn, Baring, succeeded in i« • ^ *•.!-!: _* the finances,
and restoring public confidence. Much discontent, however,
was felt in India at saddling the country with the heavy cost
of the war, and eventually a contribution towards military
expenses was made l»y the Home Government.
To return to events in India during the Afghan war. On
the 31st December 1879, the East Indian Railway ceased to
be an independent body. The English Government, by
virtue of an Act of Parliament, took it into their own hands,
this being the first instance of the exercise of the Imperial
powers to purchase Indian railways.
The question of admitting natives of India to the higher
administrative posts of Government had attracted attention
since 1867, The appointments to the Indian Civil Service
being made in London, it was argued, with some justice, that
this system did not give a fair chance to natives. In July
1879 it was therefore enacted, that natives might be appointed
to the covenanted Civil Service by the Government in India,
in the proportion of one -fifth the number of European
civilians. The measure was favorably received, but the
agitation continued through the year 1880.
On the frontier the usual raids had been increased by the
depredations of the Nagas, a tribe on the Assam border. In
1879 they laid siege to Kohima, the headquarters of our
political agent ; and the place was only relieved with much
difficulty, after great exertions. Desultory fighting continued
for the next two years, and the Nagas were not finally
conquered till after the Afghan war. It was also found
542 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA. [CHAP. XV
necessary, on the conclusion of peace, to chastise the Waziris,
a frontier tribe who had given much trouble during the war.
Five out of the six ringleaders were seized, the other was
shortly after surrendered, and no further difficulty was ex-
perienced from the hostile dispositions of the mountaineers.
The year 1881 was marked by the first Imperial census
ever taken for the whole of India, except Nepaul and Cash-
mere. The population was returned at 254 millions, of
whom more than 204 millions were direct subjects of the
British Crown.
In Upper Burmah difficulties had already arisen from the
vicious character of the young King Theebaw. On his
accession to the throne he murdered eighty-six of his rela-
tions, and soon after gave himself up to almost continual
drinking. Anxious to continue our friendly relations with
the country, the Imperial Government adopted a firm tone,
insisted on the removal of trade grievances, and a proper
treatment of our envoy ; but no representations availed to
effect an improvement in the state of the country. Upper
Burmah soon became a scene of anarchy arid misgovern-
ment, owing to the fierce and uncertain temper of the king.
Trade with India was hampered by the vexatious monopolies
he had established, and negotiations for a commercial treaty
were undertaken at Simla, but proved abortive.
Emboldened by the departure of the British army, Ayoob
Khan again collected troops at Herat, and, though greatly
hindered by want of money and dissensions among his
followers, advanced once more towards Candahar. His
troops were at first defeated on several occasions by the
Ameer's governor; but when Ayoob marched in person to
the Helmund he succeeded, on the anniversary of his victory
at Maiwand, in defeating the Ameer's forces, and again
occupied Candahar. Putting himself at the head of a fresh
army, Abdul Rahman marched rapidly against him. On the
20th September the two forces met outside the walls of
Candahar, and Ayoob was once more totally overthrown,
and forced to take refuge in Persia. This victory over his
rival consolidated the power of the new Ameer. Abdul
Eahman proved himself a firm though despotic ruler, and
gradually established his authority over the whole country,
including the outlying provinces of Candahar and Herat.
Although the allegiance of the new Governor of Herat, his
nephew, Abdul Kudus, was at first doubtful, the Ameer
contrived eventually to attach him firmly to his interests.
The country, however, was still disturbed by the rival pre-
SECT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 543
tensions of Ayoob Khan on one side of the frontier, and
Yakoob Khan and his son, Musa Jan, on the other. The
appointment of a native envoy to represent Imperial inter-
ests at the court of Cabul, Mohammed Afzul Khan, enabled
the British authorities to obtain better information of the
progress of events.
The administration of Lord Ripon was signalized by the
inauguration of the new policy of decentralization or "self-
help," by which much of the power hitherto exercised by
the head Government was transferred to the local authorities.
A network of corporations was gradually formed to admin-
ister the local funds, and to decide questions relating to
education, public works, and other matters. For the most
part the scheme was received with enthusiasm, especially
that portion which related to the raising and expenditure
of local funds. The subject of education received special
attention, and a Commission was appointed, under the
presidency of Sir W. Hunter, to assist the Government in
collecting information.
During the year 1882 the declared insanity of the Rajah
of Kolapur rendered it necessary to place the government in
the hands of a regent, under the supervision of the British
authorities. On the death of the king, a son adopted by his
widow was allowed to succeed him. A memorable incident
of the year was the despatch (if an Indian contingent, under
the command of Sir H. M'Pherson, to take part in Lord
Wolseley's expedition to Egypt, The force consisted of one
British and six native regiments, besides artillery, £c., and
was highly commended by Lord Wolseley for efficiency and
excellent discipline. On their return to Bombay, the troops
were accorded a splendid reception.
In February 18815, the native State of Hyderabad and the
Imperial Government sustained a great loss by the death of
Sir Salar Jung, who for many years had ably administered
the country during the minority of the young Nizam. He
was replaced by a Council of Regency, and in 1884, the
young Nizam having attained his majority, he was installed
in the g<n eminent by the Viceroy. During the course of
the year H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught arrived in India as
Divisional Commander at Mecrut, with the reversion to the
post of Bombay Commander-in-Chief, to which he afterwards
succeeded.
But the most noticeable event of the year was the intro-
duction by Mr Courtenay llbert, Lrgi*liti\o Member of
Council, of a bill known as the llbert Bill, which created
544 ABKIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
much agitation. It had for its object to invest native
magistrates in the interior of the country with judicial
powers over European British subjects. Up to this period
none but Europeans could be appointed justices of the peace
outside the Presidency towns. Natives, although admitted
to the covenanted Civil Service, and therefore possessing in
many cases, by virtue of their office, high judicial functions,
were not allowed to exercise jurisdiction over Europeans.
In the opinion of the Supreme Government the time had
now arrived " to remove from the code " (of Criminal
Procedure) " at once and completely every judicial disquali-
fication based merely on race distinctions." The anomaly
of the situation lay in the fact that native magistrates in
the Presidency towns had hitherto had authority to try
Europeans, which they lost on removal to higher posts in
the country districts. The acquiescence of -Europeans in
the system was attributed to the influence of the English
press in these towns, and the presence of the High Courts
of Justice. It was now proposed to extend this jurisdiction
to covenanted civilians, either district magistrates or sessions
judges, to members of the native Civil Service, and assist-
ant commissioners in non-regulation provinces. The measure
specially affected the Bengal European population and the
planters, who were scattered over the outlying districts,
but it aroused the most violent opposition in non- official
classes throughout the country. A counter - agitation was
set on foot among the educated natives, and produced a
deplorable outbreak of race feeling and animosity, such as
had not been excited since the Mutiny of 1857. To diminish
the agitation, the opinions of the Indian local governments
were taken. These were on the whole unfavorable, and no
proposed modifications appeared to allay the hostility the
measure had originally provoked. Under these circumstances
the Government were compelled to withdraw the bill.
Border raids on the North- West Frontier were of continual
occurrence, specially in the Zhob valley, but they were effec-
tively repressed by the able frontier Commissioner, Sir
Robert Sandeman. In the Public Works Department an
important feature was the completion of the bridge over the
Indus at Attock.
The steady progress of Russia eastwards in Asia had for
some time aroused the serious attention of the Imperial
authorities. In 1881 the Panslavist General Skobeloff, one
of the most ardent opposers of England, captured the strong
position of Geok Tepe in Turkistan. The apprehensions
SECT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 545
caused in India by this movement were somewhat allayed
by his death in 1882, but Russia still continued her advance
towards the Sarakhs Oasis, on the borders of Persia and
Afghanistan. Each step of her conquests in Central Asia
was marked by the construction of a railway. It had al-
ready been completed to Kizil-Arvat, 144 miles east of the
Caspian, but the whole line to Herat, 520 miles, had been
surveyed. In the beginning of 1884 the Russians occupied
the important district of Merv. By a secret treaty with
Persia, they also obtained possession of Sarakhs, and the
Russian outposts were pushed forwards from the north and
east towards Herat. The Ameer placed a strong garrison
in Penjdeh, where Russian troops had already appeared,
although the district was known to be within the Afghan
frontier. From Merv, which was immediately used as a
basis of operations, a road towards Herat was planned, and
a scheme was submit! oil to the Russian Government for the
future invasion of India. A similar project had been drawn
up by General Skobeloif in 1877. The Government of
Persia was notoriously \\eak, and that country was agitated
by continual disturbances, said to be fomented by Russian
agents. To counteract these various encroachments a joint
Anglo-Russian Frontier Commission was appointed to mark
the Afghan boundary towards the north. The command of
the English Commission was given to Sir Peter Lumsden,
who proceeded to Afghanistan by way of Teheran ; the
Indian section, under Colonel, afterwards Sir, Joseph Ridg-
way, started from Quotta, and both divisions met near the
northern frontier in the neighbourhood of Penjdeh. No
Russian Commission was forthcoming to meet them, nor did
the latter appear until the end of the following year. The
delay arose from the desire of the Russians to settle the
boundary question diplomatically in London, instead of on
the spot; and for this purpose M. Lessar, a well-known
Russian politician, was despatched to conduct the negotiations
for the demarcation of the Afghan frontier with the English
Cabinet.
Meanwhile the Russians vigorously pushed forward the
fortifications of Merv and Sarakhs, and extended their rail-
way to Askabad, and their telegraphic communications con-
necting the two divisions of the Central Asian army. While
the British members of the Commission were awaiting the
result of the negotiations in London, the Russian military
authorities continued to mass troops at Askabad and Sarakhs,
and finally advanced into Afghan territory. Under the
NN
546 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
direction of Colonel Alikanoff, the Kussianised Moham-
medan Governor of Merv, they occupied the Zulfikar Pass
on the Heri Rud, and Pul-i-Khisti on the Khush, within
a few furlongs of the Afghan lines. A conflict now became
inevitable. A force of 2000 men was marched to Ak Tepe,
within the boundary, and on the 29th March 1885 the Russian
commander, General Komaroff, sent an ultimatum to the
Afghans ordering them to withdraw, although they claimed
to be within their own territory. Upon their refusal an
action was fought on the 30th March, in which the Afghans
were totally defeated, and the Russians announced the
annexation of Penjdeh. For this act General Komaroff
and the chief of his staff received swords of honour from
the Tzar.
The Penjdeh incident and the seizure of the Zulfikar
Pass created great excitement in India and England. Active
preparations for war were at once made, and Sir Peter
Lumsden was ordered back to England, leaving Colonel
Ridgway in command of the Commission. Under the
supervision of English officers the fortifications and garrison
of Herat were greatly strengthened, and the Ameer received
supplies of money and ammunition from the Indian Govern-
ment. The warlike attitude of England, and the firmness
with which the Ameer prepared to resist the invasion of his
territories, caused the Russian authorities to assume a more
pacific tone. The negotiations for the delimitation of the
Afghan frontier were renewed, and it was announced that
the two Imperial Governments were in substantial agree-
ment upon the boundary-line. The actual negotiations were
practically concluded in London, but in November a Russian
Commissioner, Colonel Kuhlberg, was deputed to meet Sir
J. Ridgway, who had remained on the frontier, and to settle
minor difficulties on the spot. The Zulfikar Pass was
restored to the Afghans, and they were left in possession of
Maruchak, but the Russians retained the district of Penjdeh.
The labours of the Commission were not concluded till
November 1886. Difficulties in defining the boundary
arose from the Russian claim to the head waters of the
canals and rivers fertilising the frontier districts. These
pretensions were resisted by the Afghans, who endeavoured,
in most cases successfully, to establish the river boundaries
of the Murghab and Oxus ; but the Russians were able to
secure a continuous chain of habitable outposts. In spite of
incessant delays and occasional obstructions, the main objects
of the expedition were attained, and the Commissioners, on
SECT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 547
their return to India, received the thanks of the Governor-
General in Council.
In December 1884 Lord Ripon resigned, and was suc-
ceeded by Lord Dufferin. Before the development of these
untoward events on the frontier a meeting had been arranged,
and took place in April 1885, between Abdul Rahman and
the new Viceroy. The Ameer obtained substantial support
in arms and ammunition, to resist the Russian aggressions,
and his annual subsidy of £120,000 a-year was confirmed.
On his return to Cabul he publicly announced his alliance
with the British Government.
The most notable occurrence of the year 1885 was the
annexation of Upper Burmah to the British dominions in
India. The misgovernment of King Theebaw had reached
a crisis, and to it were added financial difficulties of a serious
kind. To free himself from these the king advanced a
claim upon the Bombay and Burmah Trading Company for
a large sum of money. The company appealed to the Chief
Commissioner of British Burmah, but a remonstrance from
him was ineffectual, and the king is said to have ordered
the arrest of all the employes of the company within Burmese
territory. The Viceroy despatched an ultimatum, requiring
an explanation of this hostile conduct towards British sub-
jects, but no reply was vouchsafed. On the 14th November,
therefore, a British force under General Prendergast, with
Colonel Sladen as political officer, crossed the frontier, and
advanced into the country up the Irawaddy. A slight
resistance was offered at one or two fortified posts, but not
sufficient to delay the advance of the English flotilla, and
on the 27th November the British troops anchored off Ava.
King Theebaw surrendered, and General Prendergast entered
Mandalay in triumph, and took possession of the defences of
the capital. The king and his family were immediately
sent to Rangoon, and thence to Madras, and a proclamation
was issued for the general disarmament of the country.
This measure was afterwards found to be ill advised. Every
district immediately swarmed with the disbanded soldiers of
the Burmese army. A general outbreak of dacoity was the
result, and the authorities found more difficulty in coping
with these disturbances than in the iirst conquest of the
country. The annexation to the British Empire of King
Theebaw's dominions was formally notified by a procla-
mation issued on the 1st January 1886, by the Viceroy in
Council.
Upper Burmah continued for a considerable time in a
548 ABEIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
disturbed state. At the beginning of this year there were
three pretenders to the throne, each exercising a nominal
authority over certain districts. Several British officers
were killed by the bands of dacoits who infested the prov-
inces, and an incessant desultory warfare was waged against
them. The difficult nature of the country, the dense forests
with which it was covered, and the unhealthy climate, ren-
dered these operations a long and arduous task. At one
time 30,000 regular troops were under arms, and it was
found necessary to establish large garrisons in several of
the chief towns.
One of the important political acts of this year was the
restoration, by Lord Dufferin, to Sinclia of the fortress of
Gwalior, which the British had held since the Mutiny. The
continued fall in the value of the rupee began seriously to
affect the Budget, in spite of the skill and judgment with
which the finances were administered by Sir Evelyn Baring.
A bill was brought in and passed to meet the deficiency by
direct taxation, — a measure which touched specially the in-
comes of the rich. During the last few years, while the
trade and commercial prosperity of the country have steadily
increased, the financial prospects have been persistently
overcast by the depreciation of silver. Since 1885 its value
has, with one transient exception in 1890, continually
declined, and there are no indications at present that the
farthest limit has been reached. It is to this lowering of
the money standard, and to the expensive frontier defence
works necessitated by the Russian advance, that the em-
barrassed state of the finances of India must of late years
be attributed. In the following year a Commission of
inquiry recommended financial reforms producing a saving
of a million and a quarter sterling. But it was found
difficult to reduce one of the chief items of expenditure,
the Public Works Department, which has for its chief
object the welfare of the country. The amount expended
on railways is regulated, not only by the return of in-
terest on capital, but by the advantage of opening out the
country, and preventing famine, by improving the means
of communication.
The year 1887 was marked by peaceful progress. One of
the chief sources of disquietude in Afghanistan was removed
by the surrender of Ayoob Khan to the British. Our hold
over the country was strengthened by the resumption of the
railway works to Quetta, from whence it is proposed to ex-
tend them to within 100 miles of Candahar. The Jubilee of
SECT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 549
the Queen's accession was celebrated on the 16th February,
and called forth extraordinary manifestations of loyalty and
devotion to the throne. Lord Dufferin ably presided over
the festivities commemorating the occasion, and several
native princes, including Sindia, afterwards came to Eng-
land, to be present at the celebration of the same event in
June. At the beginning of the year the "National Con-
gress," a meeting of native delegates from different parts of
India, held its first meeting in Calcutta, and was attended
by 350 representatives. The subjects discussed were mostly
political, but at a later meeting in Madras social reforms
were also considered. In Burmah there was a marked im-
provement in the condition of the country since it had come
under British rule, owing to the vigorous measures adopted
for the suppression of dacoity. Trade revived, roads to open
up the different districts were made, the construction of
which afforded occupation to many of the restless spirits
among the population, and the railway towards Mandalay
was pushed on vigorously. Steps were also taken to establish
communications with the little known Shan States, lying to
the east of Burmah, with the object of bringing them event-
ually under a British protectorate.
The year 1888 was signalized in Afghanistan by the defeat
and overthrow at Tashkargan of the Ameer's cousin, Ishak
Khan, who had attempted to seize the government of the
province over which he had been appointed deputy. In this
and other campaigns Abdul Rahman showed himself a strong
and skilful ruler, able to maintain his authority against all
who ventured to dispute it. He has gradually consolidated
his power, and made himself undisputed master of Afghan-
istan as far as Badakhshan.
Disputes had long been in progress between the Imperial
Government and the secluded country of Tibet, respecting
the territory of Sikkim. The dominions of the Rajah of
Sikkim lay partly in Tibet, partly in British India, but the
Tibetans laid claim to the sovereignty of the whole, and took
possession of passes which were undoubtedly on British
ground. In March 1888 an Imperial force advanced into the
country to compel the cession of Lingtu, on the British side
of the Himalayas, which the Tibetans had seized. The Eng-
lish took up a strong position at Gnatong, from which the
enemy found it impossible to dislodge them. Finally they
drove the Tibetans down the valley, and pursued them to
Chumbi, the residence of the Rajah. Negotiations to adjust
the dispute were entered into with China, the acknowledged
550 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV.
suzerain of the Lamas of Tibet. Throughout the following
year, however, the Tibetans refused to relinquish their
shadowy claims to Sikkim, which the British Government
were equally resolved not to recognize, and our troops con-
tinued to occupy the country. A treaty was finally concluded
with China, in which the British supremacy was acknow-
ledged.'
A smaller expedition to the Black Mountains, to punish
the numerous depredations of the border tribes, and to
avenge the murder of two British officers, was also com-
pletely successful, and the turbulent mountaineers were re-
duced to complete submission. The National Congress of
1888 was held at Allahabad, and included about 1200 dele-
gates. At the end of the year Lord Duffer in resigned, amid
universal expressions of regret. His administration was dis-
tinguished by the settlement of the Anglo-Russian difficulty,
the definition of the Afghan frontier, and the improvement
of our relations with Afghanistan, which he had succeeded
in converting into a strong and friendly power. On the
eastern side of the Empire Upper Burmah had been annexed.
In his labours for the welfare of India the Viceroy was
seconded by Lady Dufferin, who established a fund in 1885
to provide medical aid for the women of India, and to obtain
the services of qualified female doctors, specially for ladies
of the upper classes, who were prevented by caste restrictions
from seeking ordinary medical aid. In recognition of his
distinguished services Lord Dufferin was created Marquis of
Dufferin and Ava, on his retirement, He was succeeded by
Lord Lansdowne.
On the Burmese frontier it was found necessary, in the
winter of 1889-90, to organize two expeditions to the Chin-
Lushai country, a comparatively barbarous district, on the
borders of India and Burmah. During the military opera-
tions the country was surveyed, and it was hoped that the
march of the British troops would not only put an end to
the incessant depredations of these turbulent tribes, but
enable roads to be constructed, and open up the province.
In the latter object the expeditions were successful, but
probably some time will elapse before the warlike mountain-
eers are reduced to subjection.
In April 1889 the misgovernment of the Maharajah of
Cashmere became so intolerable that he abdicated voluntarily.
The functions of government were entrusted to a Council of
Regency, headed by his brother, and controlled by the British
SECT, V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 551
Eesident. In this year also the railway on the North- West
Frontier, the construction of which had been suspended for a
time on the retirement of the British in 1881, was completed
at a cost of about 13^ crores of rupees. A line from Pishin
through Dera Ismail Khan to Lahore was surveyed in 1890;
and the Khojak Tunnel, 12,600 feet long, the cost of which
was estimated at half a million sterling, was finished. The
frontier defences were also vigorously pushed on, though
they were not completed for several years. They include a
strongly intrenched position covering the railway terminus,
in front of Quetta, where an arsenal has been established;
fortified intrenchments at Attock and Rawul Pindi, at the
mouth of the Khyber Pass ; and an inner line of defence,
comprising fortifications at Sukkur, Multan, Ferozepore,
Shcrshah, and Bahawulpur. The great harbours on the
coast, Bombay, Calcutta, Karachi, and Rangoon, have also
been fortified. In pursuance of the same plan of defence,
the armies of the native feudatory states have been organized
on a more efficient footing, under British supervision.
The Indian Congress at Bombay was visited this year by
Mr Bradlaugh, the member for Northampton, but interest in
it had begun to decline, and in the following year the num-
ber of delegates fell from 2000 to 1400. The year 1890 was
marked by the visit to India of H.R.H. the late Duke of
Clarence, who received a cordial and magnificent reception
from all classes ; and by the resignation of the Duke of Con-
naught as Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay army. He
was succeeded by Sir G. Greaves.
In the beginning of 1891 it was found necessary to under-
take another punitive expedition to the Black Mountains,
^\here the tribes had again begun to give trouble. It was
brilliantly carried out under General, afterwards Sir, W.
Lockhart. During the spring the different tribes were effec-
tually coerced into submission, and by the end of the year
the combination against British authority had completely
collapsed. Alarm was again excited by the movements of
the Russians. A body of Russian troops marched into
what is known as the " Pamir district," and Chitral, to the
north-east of Afghanistan, and advanced into British Indian
and Afghan territory. Two English officers, who were on
duty in that part of the country, fell in separately with the
Russian force under Colonel Yanoff. One was placed tem-
porarily under arrest, and both were escorted by the Russian
soldiers out of what their commander styled " newly acquired
552 ABRIDGMENT OF THE HISTORY OF INDIA [CHAP. XV,
Russian territory." The Chinese were also compelled by the
Russians to withdraw from the AHchur Pamir, over which
they claimed the right of «OM iv'jr.1;. It was the first time
that Russian troops had been seen south of the Hindu-Koosh
range.
A disturbance which led to the gravest consequences arose
in the .small protected State of Manipur, on the borders of
Assam and Burmah. In 1890 the Maharajah of Manipur
abdicated, and was succeeded by one of his four brothers.
The Imperial Government were dissatisfied with the conduct
of the new ruler, or the "Jubraj," as he was called, and
determined to depose and banish him, Mr Quinton, the
Chief Commissioner of Assam, was sent in March 1891, with
a body of about 500 native troops, to announce his deposi-
tion to the Jubraj, and to arrest him. It was intended to
make him prisoner at a durbar held by Mr Quinton the day
after his arrival. Some delay occurred in carrying out these
plans, the suspicions of the Jubraj were aroused, and he ex-
cused himself from the durbar. As he persistently refused
to appear, a body of 250 troops were sent to seize him in his
palace. They encountered a strenuous opposition from the
Jubraj 's army of 6000 men, and during the fight in the
streets one of the officers, Lieutenant Brackenbury, was
mortally wounded. Notwithstanding the heavy fire with
which they were received, the British succeeded in <-"'' ;i>\ in tr
the palace, but the Jubraj had already escaped. Under pre-
tence of a parley, Mr Quinton, Mr Grim wood the Resident,
Colonel Skene, in command of the troops, and three other
British officers, were persuaded to go to the palace without a
military escort, and were all barbarously murdered. The
Jubraj's troops now attacked the Residency, to which the
small British force, under the command of Captains Butcher
and Boileau, had withdrawn. After sustaining a fire of some
hours, it was considered impossible to hold the place longer,
and the troops, with Mrs Grimwood, the wife of the late
Resident, succeeded in effecting their retreat into British
territory. Three weeks later a rescue force captured Mani-
pur, and took the leaders of the revolt prisoners. The
Jubraj and the general who had ordered the massacre of the
British officers were put to death, the others were transported
for life, and the administration of the State wa»s placed in the
hands of an English Resident, until the majority of the newly
chosen Rajah, a child belonging to a former royal house. A
gallant attempt to relieve Manipur had been made by Lieu-
SECT. V.] EPITOME OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS 553
tenant Grant, who with a handful of men threw himself into
the fort of Thobal, and held it for some days against 600
Manipuris. For this service he received the Victoria Cross
and his majority. In consequence of the inquiry into their
conduct during the rebellion at Manipur, Captain Butcher
and Captain Boileau resigned their commissions.
The Imperial census taken this year showed that the
population of the British dominions in India had increased
by twenty-two millions.
E. M. D.
March 27, 1893.
INDEX
A DAM, Mr., Governor-General ad in-
* *- terim, extinguishes the liberty of tin;
press. 347
Adil Shahee, dynasty established at Bee-
i'apore, 43
isoor, king of Bengal, introduces Brah-
mins from Cunouge, 11
Afghan expedition, its progress through
the Bolan Pass, its privations, 396.
Capture of Ghuzni, 3^7. It reaches
Cabul; flight of Dost Maliouied, 398.
Honours to the victors, 399. Th" ann.v
retained, 401. Bala Hissar given up;
vicious position of the cantonments.
402. General Nott nnd Major Rawlin-
son at Candahar. 404. The F.astern
Ghiljies; the Western Ghiljies, 40">.
Court of Directors advise retirement;
Lord Auckland determines to remain,
and retrench expenditure, 406. Ghil-
jies revolt and block up the passes, 407.
General revolt in Cabul, 40S. Retreat
and extinction of the army, 410, 411
Afghanistan, Sir John Lawrence's policy,
529. Lord Mayo's policy, 530
Ahmednugur, the kingdom established,
43. Its capture by Akbar's generals,
60. The kingdom extinguished, 70
Ahmed Shah Abdalee, his first invasion
of India; second and third invasions,
133. Gives Delhi up to plunder, 134.
His fourth invasion ; defeats Sindia and
Holkar, 135. Defeats the great Mah-
ratta force at Paniput, 130. Turns his
back on India, 137
jLkbar,his birth at Amercote, 4-8. Mounts
the throne, GO. Defeats Hemu at Pani-
put; shakes off the influence of Byram,
51. Insubordination of his generals,
52. They are eventually crushed, and
his authority fully established ; matri-
monial alliances with Rajpoot prin-
cesses, 53. Conquers Guzerat, 64. In-
vasion, conquest, loss and recovery of
Bengal, 56. Conquest of Orissa ami of
Cashmere, 56. Of Sinde, and recon-
quest of Candahar; his army annihi
lated in the Khyber, 57. He invades
the Deccan, 59. Last four years of his
AMB
life, GO. His death and character, flt
His institutions; his revenue settle-
ment ; splendour of his court, 62
Akbar Khan arrives at Cabul, and takes
command of the insurrection, 412. De-
feated at Jellalabad, 422. And at Te-
y.een, 427
Albuquerque, viceroy of Portuguese India;
founds Goti-. extends his power over
12.000 mil<'s of sea-coast ; is super-
seded and dies, 110
Alexander the Great enters the Punjab;
defeats Porus, 9. Obliged to turn back
from thoBeyas; his death, 10
Ali Gohur, son of the emperor, comes
down on I'atna; retires on the ap-
proach of Clive, 153. Becomes en>
peror under the title of Shah Alum
and attain marches on Patna; defeated
by Captain Knox, 155
Ali Alorad of Sinde, his infamous conduct,
433
Ali Merdan, makes over Candahar to the
.Moguls ; his celebrated canal, 70
Aliverdy Khan, supplants Serefraj at
court ; defeats him and becomes Soo-
badar of Bengal, 145. Long contests
with the Mali rating, to whom he at
length cedes Orissa, and agrees to pay
chout. 146. His death, 146'
Alla-ood-deen, of the Ghiljie dynasty, in-
vades the Deccan; puts his uncle to
death, :tt). Overruns the Decean, 31.
Miserable close of his life; last of his
conquests, 82
Alliwal, victory gained by General Smith.
450
Almeyda burns Dabuh defeats the Egyp-
tian and Guzeratee fleet, 109
Almora, conquered by Colonel Gardner,
316
Aluptugeen establishes the kingdom of
Ghuzni. 19
Ameer Khan, head of the Patans in
Central India; joins Holkar and plun-
ders the country, 260. Is repulsed from
Nagpore, 21)7. Confirmed in his acqui-
sitions and breaks up his army, 329
Ameers of Sinde, their severe and unjust
556
TNDEX
treatment by Lord Auckland, 3%. By
Sir Charles Napier, 433. Deprived of
their kingdom, 435
Imherst, Lord, Governor-General, 346.
Engages in the Burmese war, 348. Leaves
the finances in a deplorable condition,
356
Andhra dynasty, 13
Annexation, the principle of, laid down
by the C6urt of Directors, 477
Anson, General, Commander-in-Chief, dies
of cholera, 508
Appa Sahib, regent of Nagpore, 322. Signs
a Subsidiary treaty, 322. M urders the
raja, and mounts the throne, 331.
Breaks out, and attacks the Residency,
and is defeated, 332. Is deposed, 832
Arracan, conquered from the Burmese,
350
Aryans, their origin and progress, 3.
Asoka, extent of his dominions; his
edicts, 11. Establishes the religion of
Booddha; his death, 12
Assam, conquered from the Burmese, 350
Auckland, Lord, Governor-General, 385.
His secretaries, 389. Embarks in
the Afghan expedition, 391. It is uni-
versally reprobated ; his manifesto, 392.
Meeting with Runjeet Sing, 395. His
prostration of mind on its failure, 417
Aurungzebe deposes his father and
mounts the throne, 74. Puts his
brothers to death, 75. Defeated in the
Khyber, 83. Persecutes the Hindoos,
84. His conflicts with the Rajpoots, 85.
Proceeds to the Deccan with a magnifi-
cent army, 87. Defeated in the Concan ;
extinguishes the kingdom of Beejapore,
88. Arid of Golconda, 89. Perpetually
harassed by the Mahrattag; his plans
to baffle them, 92. Obliged to treat with
them; retires in disgrace from the
Deccan ; his death and character, 93
Aylah bye, her exemplary administration,
"DABER, his ancestry, 44. His early vicis-
*J situdes, 45. His expeditions across the
Indus, 45. Defeats the Emperor Ibrahim
at Paniput, and establishes the Mogul
dynasty, 45. Defeats the Rajpoots ; his
death and character, 46
Bajee Rao, the first Peshwa; conflicts
with the Nizam, 100. Levies contribu-
tions on Malwa, 100. His demands on
the Emperor ; marches to the gates of
Delhi, 102. Defeats the Nizam, 103
Bajee Rao, the last Peshwa; his perfidious
character, 262. Is defeated by Holkar,
and flies to Bassein, 262. Executes the
treaty of Bassein, 262. Infatuated with
his favourite Trimbukjee, B20. Connives
at the murder of Gungadhur Shastree,
820. Surrenders Trimbukjee, who
escapes from confinement, 321. Bajee
Rao prepares for hostilities, 325. Obliged
to sign a new treaty and cede territory ;
forms a confederacy against the Govern-
ment, 830. Treacherously attacks Mr.
Elphinstone and is deftuted; he flies,
and is pursued, 330. Surrenders, and is
pensioned, and placed at Bithoor, where
lie dies after having received two and a
half crores from Government, 836
Bahadoor Shah, Emperor, defeats the
Sikhs ; his death, 95
Bahadoor Shah of Guzerat ; his conflict
with Humayoon ; loses and regains his
throne, 40. His mysterious death at
Diu,40
Bahininee dynasty established in the
Deccan; constantly at war with Beeia-
nuger and Telingana, 42. It crumbles
to pieces, and five independent monar-
chies spring up, 43
Ballajee Wishwanath establishes the
power of the Peshwas, 96 ; obtains a dis-
graceful concession from Hoosen Ali,
97. Establishes the cabinet of brahmins,
at his capital Poona, 97. His death, 99
Bank of Bombay, bankrupt. 527
Barlow, Sir George, Governor-General ad
interim, pursues Lord Cornwallis's
policy, 281. His treaties with Sindia
and Holkar, 282. Abandons Jeypoor
and Boondec to Holkar, 282. Appointed
Governor-General by the Court of
Directors; the appointment cancelled
by the Ministry, 288. He restores the
finances, 285. Governor of Madras ; his
unpopularity* 297. The mutiny of the
European officers aggravated by his in-
temperance, and quelled by his firmness,
299. He is recalled, 300
Barnard, General, succeeds General Anson,
508. Dies of cholera, 509
Bassein, treaty of, 262
Beder, an independent state, 44
Beejanuger, an independent Hindoo state
established in the Deccan, 34. Its con-
stant wars ; its great extent and power;
a confederacy of the Mahomedan princes
in the Deccan attacks and extinguishes
it at Tallikotta. 58
Beejapore, the kingdom established in
1489, 43. Rendered tributary to Delhi.
70. It is extinguished, 88. 'Unrivalled
magnificence of its edifices, 89
Beliar, conquered byBukhtyarGhiljie, 26
Benares, the province, t»keri from the
nabob of Oude, 178. The successful
exertions of Mr. Tucker to save it during
the mutiny, 503
Benfield, Paul, his extortions, 192
Bengal, governed by the Pal and the Sen
dynasties, 14. Conquered by Bukhtyar
Ghiljie, 26. Conquered by Soliman ; his
son defeated by Akbar, and the king-
dom absorbed in the Mogul empire, 55
Bentinck, Lord Wil liana, recalled from the
Government of Madras, 287. Governor-
General, 357; reduces allowances, and
becomes unpopular, 357; enforces the
half batta order, 358. He annexes
Cachar and Coorg, 361. His non-inter-
vention policy, 362. Takes over the
government of Mysore, 363. Transac-
tions with Joudpore and Je.vpore, 364.
Ar.d with Oude, 365. Meeting at Roopur
INDEX
557
HER
withRunjeet8ing,870. Reforms the civil
courts, 872. Completes the revenue
settlement of the N. W. provinces, 373.
Disposes of the rent-free difficulty, 373.
Admits natives to the public service,
874. Abolishes suttee, 375. Boots out
thuggee, 876. Establishes steam com-
munication on the Ganges; and with
England, 377, Substitutes English for
Oriental education, ;;78. Establishes the
Medical College, 379. Character of his
administration, 380. Mr. Macaulay's
epitaph, 380
Berar, becomes independent, 44. Absorbed
by Abmednugur,57. Conquered by Lord
Wellesley, and partly made over to the
Nizam, 270. Taken over for the Nizam's
debt, 480
Bhoje raj, 24
Bhurtpore, besieged by Lord Lake, who
{'ails, 274. Doorjun Sal seizes it, and it
is captured by Lord Comberunere, 356.
Disgraceful scenes of plunder by the
Commander-in-Chief and others, 356
Burnes, Lieutenant, afterwards Sir Alex-
ander, conducts the cart-horses to Run-
jeet Sing, 369. His mission to Cab u 1,389.
Advises that Dost Mahomed be subsi-
dized; Lord Auckland refuses it ; the
Russian envoy received, ami Burnes re-
tires. 391. He is murdered at Cahul, 408
Bird, Mr. 11. M., completes tho revenue
settlement of the N. W. provinces, 373
Black Hole tragedy, 148
Bonaparte lands in Egypt, 244
Booddhisrn established by Asoka, 11. Its
prevalence in the seventh century, 13
Booddha, his birth ; his creed ; his death, 8
Bootan war, 527
Boughton, Mr., cures the emperor's dau-
ghter, and obtains privileges for the
Company, 139
Braithwaite Colonel, his memorable com-
bat with Hyder. 198
Bullabhi dynasty in Surat, 15
Burmese, the rise of the, and the progress
of their conquests. 847. Demand the
cession of eastern Bengal, 347. Imme-
diate cause of tho first war, 34S. Ar-
rangement of the campaign ; disaster at
Rauioo, 349. Rangoon captured ; suffer-
ings of the army, 350. Assam and Arraean
conquered, 350. Second campaign
abortive, 351. Third campaign pushed
with vigour, and ends in peace, with a
large cession of territory, and a crore of
rupees, 352. The second war; the cause
of it, 472. Easy capture of Rangoon, 474.
Pegu annexed, 475. Comparative cost of
the two, 475
Bussy .makes Salabut Jung Soobadar of the
Deccan, 126. Defeats the Mahrattas. 120.
Obtains tho Northern Sircars, 127 ; tho
Soobadar dismisses him and attacks him;
he regains his authority, 128. And bo-
comes supreme arbiter in the Deecan,129.
Recalled by Lally and his power extin-
guished, 129. Returns to India; his
services to Tippoo rendered useless by
tho peace, 202
pABUL. Mr. MountstuarlElphinstone'i
^ embassy, 293. Lieutenant Burma's
mission. 389. Occupied by a British
army, 398. The revolt and siege of the
cantonment, 408. The garrison in a
state of starvation, 414. The envoy en-
veigled and murdered, 414. Evacuated
by the army, which perishes in the
passes, 417. Reoecupied by the army of
retribution, 427. The great bazaar blown
up, 429. The army retires, 429
Cachar annexed, 361
Calcutta founded by Job Charnock, 141.
Surrounded by the Mahratta Ditch, 146.
Captured by Suraj-ood-dowlah, 147. Re-
covered by Clive, 149
Calicut, the first Indian port visited by
Europeans, 107
Campbell, Sir Colin, (afterwards Lord
Clyde) relieves Sir James Outram at
Lucknow, 512. He captures the town,
517
Canals in the Punjab constructed by
General Napier, 472. Sir John Law-
rence's minute on canals, 529
banning, Mr. George, President of the
Board of Control, refuses and then grants
permission to root out the Pindarees,
323. Moves thanks to Lord Hastings,
337
Canning, Lord, Governor-General, 489.
Memorable character of his administra-
tion, 490; his energetic movements on
the outbreak of the mutiny, 497. His
Oude proclamation. 517. Becomes the
first Viceroy, 522. His retirement and
death, 526
Carnatic, struggles for the nabobship, 129 ;
Mahomed Ali, Soobadar ; his misrule,
165. Its deplorable condition, 250. Lord
Wellesley mediatizes the nabob, and
pensions the family, 251. The title, and
privileges of the nabob extinguished, 479
Cashmere conquered by Akbar and be-
comes his summer residence, 56. Trans-
ferred for a crore of rupees by Lord Har-
dingc to Golab Sing, 453
Central India desolated for twelve years
by the abandonment of Lord Wellesley's
policy, 318. Lord Hastings reverts to
that policy and restores peace, 327
Chalukya dynasty in the Deccan, 16
Chand Sultana of Ahmednugur, the favou-
rite heroine of the Deccan, 59. Her de-
fence of Ahmednugur ; her tragic death,
60
Cheyt Sing, raja of Benares ; Hastings
demands" on him; linen the raja for evad-
ing them, 207; posts a guard at his palace
which is murdered by the populace. Has-
tings'N extreme danger; he escapes to
Chunar, 208. The raja collects an army
and is defeated, i!08
Chillianwalla, battle of, 464
Chittore.raja of.rejects all Mogul alliances ;
encourages Akbar's enemies, 58. His
capital captured, 53
Chola dynasty in the Deccan, 16
Cholera, first outbreak in 1817, 329
Chundra-gooptu, king of Mugudu, encoun-
558
INDEX
CLI
tera Seleucus and makes a treaty with 1
him, 10
Clive, Lieutenant, (afterwards Lord) his
parentage, and early career at Madras,
122. Memorable defence of Arcot, 128.
Captures Geriah near Bombay, 149.
Returns to Madras ; proceeds with Ad-
miral Watson to Bengal, and recap-
tures Calcutta, 149. Defeats the nabob
at Dumdum, 150. Concludes a treaty
with him, 150. Captures Chandernagore,
150. Joins the confederacy against the
nabob, 151. Defeats him at Plassy, 151.
Makes Meer Jatticr nabob, 152. His part
in the deceit practised on Ouiiclwnd,
151. Defeats the Dutch army at Chin-
surah, 154. Returns to England, 154.
Appointed Governor of Bengal, 1GU.
Finds the whole service corrupt, and
enforces the covenants, 161. Mediatizes
the nabob of Moorshedabad ; restores
Oude to the nabob ; settles Corah and
Allahabad on the emperor, together with
25 lacs of rupees, 161. Acquires the De-
wanee, 161. Puts down the mutiny of
the European officers, 163. Returns to
England; his disgraceful treatment; dies
by his own hand, 164
Cole insurrection, 360
College of Fort William, established on a
grand scale by Lord Wellesley ; reduced
by the Court of Directors, 257
Confederacy of the Peshwa, the Nizam, the
raja of Nagpore and Hyder Ali against
the Company, 189
Coorg, misconduct of the raja; the country
conquered and annexed. 362
Coote, Colonel, (afterwards Sir Eyre) de-
feats Lally at Wandewash. 131. Captures
Pondicherry, 132. Appointed to Council
in Calcutta; goes to Madras and defeats
Hyder thrice, 197. His death, 202
Cornwallis, Lord, Governor-General, as
well as Coinnmnder-in-Chief, 216. His
economical reforms; he raises the scale of
allowances and purifies the services, 217.
His revenue reforms, 225. His Perma-
nent Settlement determined on by Mr.
Pitt, an egregious blunder, 227. Re-
models the whole judicial system ; reor-
ganizes the civil and criminal courts,227.
His Code, 228. Excludes natives from
the public service, 229. Determines to
meet Tippoo in the field, 219. Forms al-
liances with the Peshwa and the Nizam,
220. Conducts the second campaign
against Tippoo in person ; obliged to re-
tire in sight of Seringapatam for want of
provisions, 221. Grand preparations for
the third campaign, 222. Marches to
Seringapatauj, and makes a night attack
on Tippoo's defences, 223. Tippoo sues
for peace, which is granted on severe
terms, 223
Cotton, influx of wealth from the export of,
527
Currency, the issue of notes from the
banks of the three Presidencies discon-
tinued. A State issue of bank notes, 525
Cunouge; its magnificence; conquered
by Mahmood of Ghuzni, 21. Despoiled
by Mahomed Ghory, 26
Cuttack, ceded to the Mahrattas, 146
Conquered from them by Lord Welles-
ley, 269. Disturbances created by op-
pressive landlords and oppressive laws,
339. Tranquillity restored by justice,
340. Desolating famine of 1866, 528
•RALHOUSIE, Lord, Govern or- General,
*-' 457. Outbreak at Mooltari, 458. Pro-
ceeds to the north-west, 461. After the
victory of Guzerat annexes the Punjab,
469. His excellent arrangements for its
government, 470. Drawn into a war
w it h B u r m a h , 473 . H is a dm i rable orga-
nisation of the expedition, 474. Pro-
ceeds in person to Rangoon to quicken
General Godwin, 475. Annexes Pegu,
475. Annexes Satara, 476. And Nag-
pore, 477. And Jliansi, 478. Sanctions
the extinction of the royal title and pri-
vileges of the nabob of the Carnatic, 47(J.
Settles all difficulties with the Nizam,
480. Ordered from home to incorporate
Oude, 483, His administrative reforms ;
cheap and uniform postage, 484. The
Ganges Canal, 484. Railroads, and his
great minute, 485. The electric tele-
graph, 487. Character of his adminis-
tration, 487. His premature death, 4s7
Darius, his conquests in India, 9
Deccan, its early history, 15. First inva-
sion by the Mahomedans, 30. The
greater part subdued by them, 82. Lost
to the Crown of Delhi, 36. Rise of the
Bahniineo kingdom, 42. Its greatest
minister Mahomed Gawan, 43. It is
broken up and five kingdoms estab-
blished, 43. Incessant wars between
them, 4t. Completely conquered by
Aurungzebe, succeeded by universal
anarchy, 89. Peace and tranquillity res-
tored by Lord Wellesley, 247
Delhi, the Hindoo king of, 20. Becomes
the Mahomedan capital, 27. Captured
and plundered by Timur, 37. The new
city, built by Shah Jehan, 74. Plun-
dered by Nadir Shah, 105. Amount of
booty carried away, 105. Plundered by
the Abdalee, 134. Lord Lake enters it,
268. Besieged by Holkar, defended ty
Colonel Ochterlony, 273. Occupied by
the insurgent sepoys, 496. Protracted
siege and capture of it, 610
Dewanee of the three Soobahs granted to
Clive by the emperor, 161
Doondhoo Punt, the Nana Sahib, leads
the revolt at Cawnpore, 501. Chased
out of India, and dies in Nepal, 518
Dost Mahomed, Lord Auckland dethrones
him, 398. He flies to Bokhara, 398.
Returns to Afghanistan and defeats
English troops, and surrenders, 403.
Restored to liberty, 431. Joins the
Sikhs, 461. His army chased out of tho
Punjab, 468
Dumas, Governor of Pondicherry, en-
larges French power ; creates a sepoy
TNDEX
559
OUK
army ; baffles the Mahratta general, and
is created a nabob, 113
Dupleix. his great genius; builds up
Chandernagore ; governor of Pondi-
cherry ; assumes oriental state, 114.
His vast ambition ; espouses the cause
of Chunda Sahib, and makes him nabob
of the Carnatic, 118. Receives Mozuffer
Jung with great pomp, 119. He is at
the height of his glory, 122. Superseded
by his Company, and returns to Paris,
125. His disgraceful treatment and
end, 125.
FAST INDIA COMPANY incorporated
by Queen Elizabeth ; their first enter-
prises, 138. Their establishments at
Madras, Bombay, and Bengal, 131).
They make war on the emperor, and
are obliged to retire, 140. All their
establishments in Bengal abandoned.
141. They are invited back and build
Calcutta, and fortify it, 112. A rival
Company established in London, its
disastrous results, 142. The two Com-
panies united, 143. Send an embassy to
Delhi, and obtain privileges which aro
nullified by Moorshed Kooly Khan,
144. Loss of Calcutta, and their estab-
lishments extinguished in Bengal, 147.
Regain their power, and rnuke a nabob
of their own, 152. Acquire the Dewa-
nee, 161. Gross abuses of their Govern-
ment and interference of Parliament,
173. The Regulating Act, 174. Placed
under the Board of Control, 213. Char-
ter of 1793, 233. Charter of 1813, and
loss of their Indian monopoly, 301).
Charter of 1833 and loss of China trade ;
exist only as a political agency, 380.
Charter of 1863 ; its modifications, 488.
Their power and possessions trans-
ferred to the Crown, 520; their local
army extinguished, as well as their
navy, 524
Edwardes, Lt., raises a force and defeats
Moolraj, 460. His great energy and
services during the mutiny, 498
Electric telegraph established, 486
Elgin, Lord, Governor-General; his death,
526
Ellenborough, Lord, Governor-General,
419. His first proclamation, 42:*. His
subsequent vacillations; recalls the
troops from Afghanistan and then
orders them to advance, 425. His jubi-
lant proclamation, 429. His eccentric
proclamation of the gates, 430. As-
sembles a large army at Ferozopore, 431.
Annexes Sinae, 435. Is present at tin-
battle of Maharajpore, 440. The muti-
nous army of Gwalior extinguished, 440.
He is recalled; character or his admin-
istration, 441
Elphinstone, General, in command at
Cabul ; his utter incompetence results
in the ruin of the army, 409
Elphinstone, Mr. Mount Stuart, his em-
bassy to Cabul, 203. Twice ottered the
Governor-Generalship and declines i^
382
England, General, repulsed at Hykulzye,
423
, emperor, in bondage to
-1- the Syuds; grants privileges to th«
Comp my, 144. Disallows the concession
made to the Mahrattas by one of the
Syuds, who marches to Delhi and
murders him, 98
Ferozeshuhur, the buttle of, 448
Fox's India Bill ; its provisions ; rejected
by the House oi Lords, 212
Francis, Mr., his violent opposition to
Mr. Hastings, 178. The duel, 181
Franks, General, conquers the southern
portion of Dude, 516
French, the, arrive in India ; found Pondi-
cherry, 112. War with the English, 114,
Become supreme in the Carnatic, 121.
And at Hyderabad, 129. Lose Chander-
nagore, and all power in Bengal, 150.
Pondicherry captured and their power
in the Decean extinguished, 132
Fullerton, Col., his successful expedition
frustrated by the Madras Council, 203
the em-
/ailAZEE-OOD-DEKN blinds
^ peror and deposes him, 134
(jJhiliie dynasty, 30
Gholam Kadir plunders Delhi and blinds
the emperor; captured by Sindia and
hacked to pieces, 230
Chore dynasty, 23
Ghuzni becomes independent, 19. Pil-
laged by Alla-ood-deen, 24. Extinction
of the dynasty, 24. Taken by the
English, 397. The fortifications blown
Gillcspie, General, quells the Vellore
mutiny, 2S(>. Captures Fort Cornells,
303. Killed at Kalunga, 314
Goddard, General, his expedition across
the Continent, 187. His treaty with
the Gaikvvar, 187. Captures Ahmeda-
bad, chases Sindia and Holkar, 188.
His unsuccessful expedition to Pooua,
189
Golconda, becomes an independent king-
dom, 34. Absorbs the Hindoo state of
Telingana, 57. The celebrated minister
Meer Jooiula, 71. The capital taken by
treachery, b9. The dynasty extin-
Kuished. 89
Gough, Sir Himh, (afterwards Lord
Gou^h), defeats the Mahrattas at Maha
raj porn, 440. Battles of Moodkee, 447
And Ferozeshuhur, 448. Engagement
at Raumuggur, 402. Battle of Chillian-
walla ; he is recalled, 465. Victory at
Guzerat, 467
Gour, destruction of the city, 56
Guzerat, becomes an independent king*
doin, 39. Occupied by Huraayoon;
annexed to the empire by Akbar, 40
Gnntoor Sircar, proceedings of the
Madras Council regarding it, l»3 T?w
560
INDEX
QWA
Niaarn surrenders it to Lord Corn-
wallis, 218. Plundered by the Pindarees,
322
Gwalior, taken by Captain Popharn, 188.
Advance of Sir Hugh Gough to it in
1843, 439. Occupied by Tantia Topee and
recovered by Sir Hugh Rose, 515
ITALF BATTA order enforced by Lord
11 W. Bentinck, 358
Halliday, Sir Frederick, secretary to the
Government of Bengal ; its first Lieu-
tenant-Governor, 489
Hamilton, Mr., the surgeon, cures the em-
peror and obtains privileges for the
Company, 144
Hardinge, Sir Henry, Governor-General ;
his antecedents, 442. Fights four
battles with the Sikhs, 453. Restores
the Punjab, 453. Raised to the peerage,
454. Disposes of Cashmere to Golab
Sing, 453. Reduces the army, 455. His
movable brigades, 456. His civil im-
provements, 456
Harris, General, his Mysore campaign,
246
Hastings, Warren, his early career; ap-
pointed member of Council at Madras;
Governor of Bengal, 175. His vigorous
reforms, 176. Engages in the Rohilla
war, 176. Sells Corah and Allahabad to
the nabob of Oude, 176. Appointed
Governor-General, and bullied by his
colleagues, 177. The case of Nunkoo-
mar, 179. His energetic conduct on
the destruction of Baillie's detachment,
196. Fights a duel with Mr. Francis,
181. His harsh conduct towards Cheyt
Sing; he escapes to Chunar, 208. Con-
sents to the plunder of the Begums, 209.
Returns to England, 210. His recep-
tion, 210. His impeachment; his ac-
quittal ; the ruin of his finances, 211.
His character, 211
Bastings, Lord, Governor-General; his
antecedents, 310. Forced into a war with
the Nepaulese ; obtains two loans from
the nabob of Oude, 313. Subsidiary
treaty with Nagpore, 322. Takes the
field against the Pindarees; their com-
plete destruction, 834. War with the
Mahrattas, 328. Grand result of the
Mahratta and Pindaree war, 334. His
alliances with the native princes in
Hindostan, 327 Ungracious thanks of
Parliament, 337. Hostility of the
Directors to him, 337. His encourage-
ment of education, 838. His liberality
to the press, 339. Affairs of Palmer and
Co. at Hyderabad, 342. Financial pros-
perity, and territorial increase during
his administration, 340. His unfortunate
association with Palmer and Co. at
Hyderabad, 343. Condemned by the
India House, 345. Ungrateful return
for his services, 345
Havelock, General, sent to command the
movable column at Allahabad; his
numerical force, 504. Defeats the muti-
neers at Futtehpore, at Onao, at Pandoo-
nuddee, and at Cawnpore, 506. Crosses
the Ganges to relieve Lucknow • beats
the enemy at Aong; falls back to
Mungiewar, 506. Again advances into
Oude; defeats the sepoys, and returns
to Cawnpore ; advances to Lucknow a
third time with Sir James Outram, and
relieves the besieged garrison, 507. Dies
at Lucknow, 612
Herat, description of the country, 393.
The city besieged by the king of Persia;
defended by Lt. Fottinger; the siego
raised, 894. Maj or Todd, envoy; obliged
to withdraw the mission, 404
Heytsbury, Lord, sworn irt as Governor-
General ; the appointment cancelled,
382
High courts established, 525
Hindoo College established, 388
Hindoostan, its boundaries, 1. Its state
on the invasion of Mahomed Ghory, 24.
And on the invasion of Baber, 45
Holkar, rise of the family, 101. Mulhar
Rao, defeated by the Abdalee, 135.
Sustains a crushing defeat by Sindia's
army, 261. Admirable administration of
Aylah bye, 260
Holkar Jeswunt Rao, his proceedings, 260.
Joined by Ameer Khan and plunders
Malwa, 261. Defeats Sindia's army, 261.
Is defeated by Sindia's general, 261.
Marches toPoona.and beats the Peshwa
and Sindia, and occupies Poona, 262.
His wild proceedings and insolent de-
mands, 27 I . Lord Wellesley declares war
against him, 272. He compels Colonel
Monson to retreat, 273. Besieges Delhi
and obliged to retire, 273. Plunders the
Dooab, 273. Defeated at Dee*, 274.
Chased by Lord Lake into the Punjab,
and sues for peace ; disreputable treaty
made by Sir George Barlow, 282. He
plunders the Punjab, Jeypore and
Boondee, 283. State of affairs at Indore,
1811-17, 326. The army marches down to
join the Peshwa, and is defeated at
Mehidpore; treaty of peace, 333
Holland, Governor of Madras; his gross
misconduct ; deserts his post, 219
Hope, Brigadier, the Hon. Adrian, killed,
518
Humayoon, Emperor : cedes the Trans-
Indus provinces to his brother ; defeats
Bahadoor Shah of Guzerat, 47. Is
defeated and expelled from India by
Shere Shah, 48. His wanderings and
adventures, 48. Recrosses the Indus;
recovers his throne, and dies, 50
Hyderabad, the contingent, 341. Mai-
administration of Chundoo Lall, 342.
Palmer and Co. make advances, and
become a power in the State, 342. Their
debt paid off, 344. Districts assigned for
the pay of the contingent, 480
Hyder AH, his rise and progress; his
ignorance of letters ; his first distinction ;
deposes the raja of Mysore, and takes
possession of the government, 166.
Acquires rich booty at Bednore, 167
INDEX
Joins th 3 Nizam against the English ; is
uefeated by Colonel Smith, 170. Recovers
his losses, and dictates peace under the
walls of Madras, 171. Defeated at Mil-
gota by the Mahrattas ; besieged five
weeks; makes peace with them, and cedes
much territory, 172. Joins the confede-
racy against the English, 194. Bursts
on the Carnatic, 196. Annihilates
Colonel Baillie's force, 196. Thrice
defeated by Sir Eyre Coote, 197. His
death, 201
TBRAHIM, Adil Shah; his magnificent
*- buildings at Beejapore, 89
Ibrahim of Jounpore, the extraordinary
number and magnificence of his edifices,
38
Imad Shahee dynasty established atBerar,
44
Impey. Sir Elijah, appointed chief of the
Sunder Court, 207. Great advantages
of his service, 207
India, its boundaries, divisions, area and
population ; early history and chrono-
logy, 1, 2. Its aborigines, .3. The period
of its greatest literary eminence, 13. Its
state at the period of Mahomed Ghory,
24. Of Baber's invasions, -M. Of Nadir
Shah's irruption,! 05. Of Lord \Vellesley 's
advent, 239. On the arrival of Lord
Hastings, 311
Indigo disturbances, ,v_M<
Istalilf captured, 4'J1>
TAVA strengthened by Napoleon, 302.
" Conquered by Lord Minto, 803
Jehander Shah, killed by Ferokshere, 96
Jehangeer succeeds Akbar on the throne ;
his cruelty, 6;>. His marriage with
Noor Jehan; her character and influ-
ence, 64. Failure of his expeditions to
the Deccan, 05. Extinguishes Oody-
pore, 65. Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe
to his court, 05. Is seized by his general
Mohabet ; rescued by Noor Jehan and
dies, 68
Jehan Lorti, revolts in the Decean; his
death, 69
Jellalabad, fortified by General Sale, 420.
Visited with a succession of earthquakes,
421. Relieved by General Pollock, 422
Jenghis Khan desolates Central Asia, 28
Jeypore, Ameer Khan invades it ; inter-
vention of the Governor-General; the
raja refuses a subsidiary alliance, 323.
And accepts it, 828
Jhansi annexed by Lord Dalhousie, 478.
The ranee recovers it during the
mutiny; she massacres the Europeans,
513. Her ma
death, 615
artial character and her
Jounpore, an independent kingdom;
Ibrahim its greatest monarch ; extinc-
tion of the kingdom. 8&
TTAFOOR MALIK, the general of Alla-
•*- ood-deen, conquers Warungul and
the Carnatic, 31. Ravages the Deccan ;
his infamous conduct and death, 32
Kala-pahar, a con verted Hindoo, conquers
Orissa, and persecutes the Hindoos, 56
Kesari dynasty in Orissa, 17
Khiva, a Russian arrny sent against it,
and obliged to retire, 401
Khyberees, annihilate Akbar's army, 57
Kolapore, a Mahratta principality, the
rival of Satara, sinks into insignificance,
101
Kooroos, their struggles with the Pan-
doos, 5
Kootub-ood-deen Eibuck establishes the
slave dvnasty; makes Delhi his capital,
27
Kootub Shahee dynasty established at
Golconda, 44
Korygaum, battle of, 335
T ABOURDONNAIS, his improvements
at the Mauritius; arrives at Pondi-
cherry with a fieet; indecisive action
uith the English, 115. Captures
Madras ; his dissensions with Pupleix,
I1 6. Returns to Paris ; thrown into the
liastileand dies, 116
Lake, General (afterwards Lord ), captures
Allygurh, 267. Beats Sindia before
Delhi and at Laswaree, 269. Captures
Deeg; besieges Bhurtpore and fails, 274.
Pursues Holkar into the Punjab, 281
Lall Sing, paramour of the ranee, prime
minister at Lahore, 445. Deposed for
treachery and banished, 454
Lally, governor of Pondicherry, 130. Cap-
tures St. David, l.iO. Assails Tanjore
and retires. 130. Lays siege to Madras
and fails, 131. Recalls Bussv, 129. De-
feated by Colonel Coote at Wandewash,
131. Besieged in Pondicherry, and
obliged to surrender; returns to Paris:
tried and beheaded, 132
Lawrence, Major Stringer, engaged two
years in the siege of Trichinopoly ;
obliges the French to surrender, 123.
Defends Madras, 131
Lawrence, Sir Henry, resident at Lahore,
455. Puts down opposition at Cash-
mere. 454. Commisioner in Oude, un-
able to stem the revolt, 500. Disaster
at rhinhut, 500. Killed by the bursting
of a shell, 501
Lawrence, Sir John (afterwards Lord
Lawrence), head of the Lahore admini-
stration, 497. His extraordinary energy
during the mutiny, 499. Enlists Sikh
regiments for the siege of Delhi, 509.
His opinion of the mutiny, 519. Ap-
pointed Governor-General, 627. His
policy in tho contest in Afghanistan,
529. His minute on canals, 529
Littler. Sir John, his position at Loodiana
and Ferozeshuhur, 448
Lodi dynasty seated on the Delhi throne,
88. Ibrahim, the, last of the princes,
alienates his nobles who invite Baber. 39
0 0
562
INDEX
MACARTNEY, Lord, governor of Ma-
<m' dras, 198. Contrary to his instruc-
tions negotiates with Tippoo, 204. He-
fused the Governor-Generalship, 215
Macau lay, Mr., his inscription on the
statue of Lord William Bentinck, 380.
He gives a fatal blow to orientalism, 378.
His penal code, 525
Macnaugnten, Mr. VV. (afterwards Sir
William), envoy with Shah Soojah, 395.
His treaty with the Afghans, 412. In-
veigled by Akbar Khan and murdered,
414
Macpherson, Sir John, Governor-General
ad interim ; his economical reforms, 215
Madras, its foundation, its jrrowth, 139.
Captured by Labourclonnais, 116. Re-
stored at the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle,
117. Besieged by Lally without success,
130. The governor Mr. Pulk's disgrace-
ful treaty with the Nizam, 169. Drawn
into a war with Hyder which is mis-
managed, when he dictates peace, 171.
Demoralised by dealing in the nabob's
debts, 213. War with li viler, 194. A
desolating famine, 200.' Disresputable
treaty with Tippoo, 204. Mutiny of
European officers, ^97
Maharajpore, battle of, 410
M ah mood of Ghuzni, invades India ; con-
ducts twelve expeditions; his expedition
to Mooltan, to Nagarcote, to Thancsur,
20. To Cunouge, and Somnath,21. His
death and character, 22
Mahomed, his birth ; establishes his creed
in Arabia, 18
Mahomedanism, its rapid conquests, 18
Mahomed Ali, nabob of the Carnatic; his
cause espoused by the Madras authori-
ties, 124. Urges the spoliation of Tan-
jore, 165. His debts tne source of de-
moralisation at Madras ; the shameless
proceedings connected with them. 213.
Paid off without enquiry by Mr. Dun-
das, 214
Mahomed Ghory, founder of Mahomedan
greatness in India, 24. Demolishes
Hindoo power in Hiridostan, 26. His
death and character, 27
Mahomed Shah of Guzerat, his brilliant
reign of forty years. 39. Creates a navy,
his conflicts with the Portuguese, 40
Mahomed Shah, emperor of Delhi, defeated
by Nadir Shah, but restored to the
throne, 105. His death, 133
Mahrattas, description of the country;
their rise and progress, 76. Their m ilitary
power, 77. Their greatness created by
Sevajee, 77. Only a vestige of their em-
pire left in 1689, 91. The regent Ram-
raj retires to Tanjore; new system of
exactions, 91. Comparison of their
armies with those of the Mogul, 92.
They baffle and pursue Aurungzebe, i>3.
Discord among them ; the rival houses of
Sataraand Kolapore, 94. They invade
Bengal, and obtain the cession of Ori.ssa,
146. They march to the Indus, 134.
Obtain large cessions of territory from
theNizauJ; they are at the zenith of
their power, 135. Totally defeated at
Pan i put, 137. Renew their expeditions
to Hmdostan, and plunder the Rajpoots
the Jauts, and the Rohillas, 172. Re-
called to Poona, 173. Defeated by the
English under Colonel Keating, 183. Con-
clude the treaty of Poorundur with Col.
Upton, 184. Bombay Council send an
expedition to Poona, which fails; con-
vention of Wurgaum, 186. Treaty of Sal-
bye, 190. Defeat the Nizam at Kurdla,
235. Join Lord Cornwallis in the war
with Tippoo, 220. Treaty of Bassein,263.
War with the English; Sindia and the
Nagpore raja totally defeated ; large por-
tions of their dominions annexed, 270.
War with the English in 1817, 328.
Their power completely annihilated,
335.
Mahratta ditch at Calcutta, 146
Malik Amber the great statesman and
general of Ahmrduugur, 65. His death,
69
Malwa, kingdom of, established by Dilawur
Khan, 36. Brilliant reign of Mahomed
Ghiljie; eccentricities ot his son, 41.
Annexed to Guzerat, 41. Conquered by
tho Mahrattas and divided between
Sindia and Holkar, 101
Martin, M.,the earliest of French colonists ;
his extraordinary energy, 112
Mauritius, the, occupied by the French,
112. Great depreciations of its privateers,
301. Captured by Lord Minto, 301
Mayo. Lord, Governor-General, his Afghan
policy, 530. His state railways; his
popularity, and tragic death, 530
Medous, Gen., his abortive campaign in
Mysore, '220
Meer Cossim, created nabob of Bengal,
his vigorous administration, makes
Monghyr his capital ; creates an army,
150. Disputes about tho transit duties
with the Council ; their base conduct,
157. They declare war with him ; he is
defeated and flies, after massacring all
his European prisoners, 158
Meer Jaffler, made nabob, 162. Is deposed,
156. Made nabob a second time; his
death, 169
Meer Joomla's expedition to Assam ; its
failure, his death, 7«
Meerun, son of Meer Jaffier, puts Suraj-
ood-dowlah to death, 152
Metcalfe, Mr. (subsequently Sir Charles),
his successful mission to Lahore. 293
His minute respecting Bhurtpore, 355.
Nominated Governor-General by the
Court of Directors, rejected by the Min-
istry, 382. First Governor ot Agra, 883
Officiating Governor-General.establishef
the liberty of the press, which is dis-
pleasing to the Directors, and he resigr.8
the service, 881* Governor of Canada
and Jamaica, 384
Mysore, a principality created for the old
dynasty by Lord Wellesley, 248. The in-
corrigible conduct of the raja creates a
revolt; quelled by British troops, 363,
Lord W. Bentinck takes over the adm>
INDEX
563
nistration, 363. It is restored to his
adopted son, 529
Siinto, Lord, Governor-General, his ante-
cedents, 288. He extinguishes anarchy
in Bundleeund, 290. Arrests the pro-
gress of Runjeet Ship, 293. Sends an
embassy to Cabul,293. And to Persia, 294.
Interferes for the protection of the raja
of Nagpore, 296. Proceeds to Madras on
the mutiny of the European officers, 299.
Captures Bourbon and the Mauritius, 301.
Puts down piracy in the Arabian was, 300.
Accompanies the expedition to Java,
which is conquered, 303. His earnest
representation to the Court for the
suppression of the Pindarees, 306. He is
superseded ; merits of his administration,
307
Mogul dynasty, established by Baber, 44
Montgomery, .Mr. Robert, member of the
board of administration, 470. Disarms
the mutinous sepoys at Lahore, 498
Moodkee, battle of, 417
Mooltan, Moolrnj, succeeds his father as
governor, 458. Murders two English
officers and revolts, 458. Defeated by
Lieutenant Edwardes, 45'J. Shut up in
Mooltan and besieged by General Whish,
4(50. Joined by Shere Sing and the
siege raised, 460. General Whish,
reinforced, renews the .siege ; brave de-
fence by Moolraj ; capture of the city,
466. Moolraj condemned to imprison-
ment and dies, 469
M on son, Colonel, his disastrous retreat,
273
Moorshed Kooly Khan, appointed sooba-
dar of Bengal. Founds the city of
Moorshedabad ; encourage* native trade
and discourages that of the Company,
143. Uis prosperous administi ation, and
death, 145
Mutiny of the European officers, the
first, in 176,% 163. The second, in 1795,
•236. The third, in 1810, '298
Mutiny of the sepoys in 1764, 159. At
Vellore, 285 Of the 47th at Barrack-
pore, 853. Of the native regiments in
1843-44, 436. Of the 38th in 1852, 523
Mutiny of 1857, the last and greatest ; the
greased cartridges the immediate cause
of it, fill the sepoys with terror and in-
dignation, 492. They reject all expla-
nation ; every regiment in Hindostun
filled with a hostile feeling, 493. The
paucity of European troops furnishes
the opportunity, 493. The 84th Queen's
brought round from Rangoon, and the
19th disarmed, 493. Outbreak of the
regiments atMeerut, 10th May ; massacre
of jfiuropeans, 495. Disgraceful supine-
ness of General Hewitt in command,
495. The mutineers proceed, unpursued,
to Delhi ; the regiments there fraternise
with them, and massacre the Euro-
peans, and set un a Mogul throne, 496.
Sepoys disarmed at Lahore, and at other
stations in the Punjab, 498. Revolt of
all the regiments between the Sutlej
and Allahabad, 499. Revolt of the regi-
NAN
n.ents in Oude, 500. The Residency
besieged for twelve weeks, 501. Re-
volt of the regiments at Cawnpore, 501.
The entrenchment invested for three
weeks ; the General surrenders ; massa-
cre of the Europeans at the ghaut, 602.
General Havelock repeatedly beats the
sepoys and retakes Cawnpore; atro-
cious murder of the women and children
by the Nana, 505. General Havelock
twice endeavours to march to the relief
of Luck now, but is unable, 606. He
and Sir James Outram advance again
with success, 507. The siege of Delhi
protracted for three months, and the
city captured after six days' fighting,
CIO. Sir James Outram and Havelock
are besieged in Lucknow, 511. Relieved
by Sir Colin Campbell, 512. Campaign
against the sepoys in Central India,
613. Relief of Dhar and Saugor, 513.
Capture of Jhansi, 513. Escape of the
ranee, 514. Battle of Koonch, 514.
Capture of Calpee, 614. Total defeat of
the rebels, 514. They reassemble at
Gwalior ; flight of Sindia, 515. The rebels
defeated, and the mutiny quenched in
Central India, 615. Confiscation and
restoration of the land in Oude, 617.
Operations in Rohilcund, 518. Peace
proclaimed, 519. Cause of the mutiny,
520
Mugudu, the kingdom established, 10.
its grandeur, 11
Muhabharut, the, its legend, 4
Miinoo, his code, 7
Muttra, its magnificent temples plundered
by M ah mood ot Ghuzni, 21
Mysore, the throne usurped by Hyder Ali,
ICG. Bequeathed to his son, 201. Con-
quered and partitioned by Lord Welles-
ley, 248. A portion given to the old
family as a personal boon, 218. Mis-
conduct of the raja and assumption of
the government by Lord \V. Bentinck,
3<52. The raja adopts a son, who is
acknowledged as his heir, 529
•pJADIR SHAH, his antecedents jinvades
•*•* Afghanistan; overruns the Punjab;
captures and plunders Delhi, and re-
tires with thirty- two crores of rupees,
105
Nagpore, the raja gaiiis Orissa, 146. Con-
federates with Sindia against the Com-
pany, 263. Defeated at Argaum, 269.
Signs the treaty of Deogaum, and cedes
Orissa and Berar, 270. Appa Sahib,
raja, 322. Attacks the Residency, and is
defeated, 332. The kingdom restored,
332. Annexed on the total failure of
hears. 477
Nana Furnavese, the Mahratta Machia-
velli, his extraordinary genius, 288.
His death. and its consequences, 259
Nana Sahib (Doondhoo Punt), foments
the spirit of revolt, 601. Massacres all the
Europeans, men, women, and children,
564
INDEX
NAP
602. Defeated at Cawnpore, 60fl. Chased
into Nepaul and dies, 518
Napier, brigadier, his improvements in
the Punjab, 471. His brilliant charge of
the rebels, 515
Napier, Sir Charles, receives the supreme
control in Sinde, 431. His violent pro-
ceedings, 432. Captures Emamgurh,
433. Defeats the Beloches at Meeance,
and Duppa, 435
Napoleon lands in Egypt, 244. Sends a
large armament to India on the Peace of
Amiens, 253
Natives excluded from office by Lord
Cornwallis, 228. Admitted by Lord
William Bentinck, 373
Nazir Jung, soobadar of the Deccan,
marches to the Carnatic, 120. His
cause espoused by the English, 121.
He is defeated by Bussy and killed by
the nabob of Cuddapa, 121
Neill, Colonel, his gallant conduct at
Benares, 503. Saves thefort of Allahabad,
504. Marches with Outram arid Havelock
to Lucknow, and killed, 508
Nepaul, description of it, 311. Rise and
progress of the Qoorkhtfs, 311. Their
extensive conquests, 312. Encroachment
on British territory, 312. Lord Minto
fails to effect a settlement, 312. They
resolve on war, 313. Plan of the cam-
paign ; failure of three divisions, 314.
General Ochterlony's masterly tactics ;
obliges the court to sue for peace; a
treaty concluded but not ratified, 317.
Second campaign; General Ochterlony
beats the Nepaulese, and a treaty is con-
cluded, 317. Jung Bahadoor marches
with an army to put down the mutineers,
516
Nicholson, Brigadier, arrives with his
movable column before Delhi; the
homage paid to his genius and valour;
leads the assault and is killed, 510
Nizam-ool-moolk (Cheen Killich Khan)
viceroy of the Deccan 96. Leaves Delhi
in disgust, and becomes independent at
Hyderabad, 99. Entreated by the
emperor to save the empire from the
Mahrattas, but is defeated by them, 103.
Nizam AH, his son, assassinates his
brother Salabut Jung, and ascends the
throne of Hyderabad, 165. Makes a treaty
with the Madras Council in 1766, 166.
Joins Hyder in attacking the English,
and is repeatedly defeated, 168. Makes
another treaty, 169. Promotes a
confederacy against the English ;
neutralized by Mr. Hastings, 193. Joins
Lord Cornwallis in the war with Tippoo,
220 ; and obtains territory, 222. Totally
defeated by the Mahrattas at Kurdla,
285. Dismisses his French force, 243.
Joins Lord Wellesley in the war with
Tippoo, 245. Cedes the territory ho
acquired in the two wars, 249. Disputes
about the pay of the contingent settled
by Lord Dalhousie, 480
Noor Jehan, her origin, married to Jehan
OUT
geer; her magnificent court, 64. Het
Hostility to Mohabet, who seizes the
emperor, whom she rescues, 67. Loses
her power on the death of Jehangeer,
68
Northern Sircars granted to Bussy, 127,
Granted to the Company by the em-
peror, 165. Madras Council agree to pay
tribute for them to the Nizam, 166
Nott, General, his conflicts at Candahar,
405. Advances to Cabul ; brings away
the sandal-wood gates and Mahmood's
mace from Ghuzni and blows up the
fortifications, 427
Nunkoomar's charges against Hastings;
accused of forgery by a native, tried,
convicted, and hung, 180
nCHTERLONY, Colonel (afterwards
^ Sir David), his defence of Delhi,
273. His successful campaign in Nepaul,
316. His second campaign terminates
in peace, *17. His orders to assemble
an army to resist Doorjun Sal of Bhurt-
pore countermanded, and he dies of a
broken heart, 354
Oodypore, throne filled by Ran a Sanga,
41. Its independence virtually extin-
guished, 65.
Orissa, its early history, 16. Booddhist for
seven centuries ; Hindoo dynasties of
the Kesaris, and Gunga-bungsa, 55.
Conquered by the king of Bengal and
annexed to the empire, 66. Ceded to
the Mahrattas, 146. Annexed to the
Company's dominions, 270. Desolating
famine, 528
Oude, Saadut Ali, soobadar of, 99. He
invades Behar, and is totally defeated,
160. His kingdom restored by Clive,
161. Corah and Allahabad bestowed on
the emperor, 161. Urges the war with
the Rohillas, 176. Obliged to cede
Benares to the Company, 178. Visits
Hastings at Chunar, and obtains per-
mission to plunder the Begums, 209.
Vizier Ali appointed nabob ; deposed
for his illegitimacy and vices, 238. Lord
Wellesley takes half the territory to pay
for the defence of the other half, 255.
Lord Hastings gives the nabob a royal
title, 365, Wretched state of the country
in Lord William Bentinck's time; he
threatens to take over the government,
366. Chronic misrule; remonstrances
of successive Governor-Generals, 480.
Colonel Sleeman's report, 481. General
Outram's report, 482. Lord Dalhousie's
minute, 482. Home authorities order
the annexation of it, 483
Outram (afterwards Sir James) pursues
Dost Mahomed, 398. His proceedings
in Sinde, 434. Arrives at Cawnpore with
reinforcements, 507. Cedes the command
to Havelock; relieves the garrison of
Lucknow, 507. Is. blockaded; relieved
by Sir Colin Campbell, 512
INDEX
565
PAC
pACHECO'S defence of Cochin, first de-
** monstrates the superiority of Euro-
pean over native troops, 109
r*aridya dynasty, in the Deccan, 16
Paniput, Babef's victory, 45. Ak bar's vic-
tory, 51. The Abdalee's victory, 137
Peel, Captain, of the Shannon ; his naval
brigade, 507
Persia, embassy sent by Lord Wellesley,
252. And by the Crown, 29*. And by
Lord Min to, 295
Pcshwa, tho authority of the, established
by Ballajee Wishwanath, 5)7. Extin-
guished by Lord Hastings, 8 >0
Pigot, Lord, Governor of Madras, placed
in confinement by the Council ; decision
of the Court of Directors ; his death, 192
Pindarees, their origin ; their leaders. 804.
Their system of plunder, 305. First
inroad into the British districts, 306 ;
Lord Minto's representations to the
Court, 806. Lord Hastings's repeated
representations, 818. ThHr expedition
in 1815, 822. In 1816, 324. Lord Hastings
takes the field, and exterminates them ,
334
Pitt's India bill, its provisions, 213
Pondicherry founded, captured by the
Dutch, restored at tho peace, 112, Be-
sieged by Admiral Boscawen without
success, 117. Captured in 1761 by
Coote and demolished, 132. Captured
in 1779, 194. Captured in 1793, 229.
Pollock, General, forces the Khyber pass
and reaches Jellnlabad. 420. Evades
Lord Ellenborough's orders to retire
424. Defeats Akhar Khan, at Tczeen ;
occupies Cabul, -1-27
Portuguese, double the Cape, 100. Vas-
co ae Gaina discovers India at Calicut,
107. Second expedition under Cabral ;
third expedition under Va-sco, 108. Al-
meyda defeats the Egyptian and Guzo-
rattee squadrons. 109. Albuquerque
Viceroy, founds Goa, establishes Portu-
guese authority over 12,000 miles of sea
coast 5 superseded and dies, 110. The
Portuguese occupy Ceylon, and Macao
in China, 110. They are established in
Bengal, 111. Resist the whole Mahome-
dan power of the Deccan, 111. They
shrink into insignificance, 111
Pottinger. Lieut, afterwards Major, his de-
fence of Herat, 393 Envoy at Cabul, on
the assassination of Sir W. Macnaghten,
makes a new treaty, 415. Delivered np
as a hostage, 416. His <-nergy at Ba-
rn eean, 428
Press, liberty of, destroyed by Mr. Adam,
346. Its condition under Lord Am-
herst and Lord W. Bentinck, 883. Its
freedom legalised by Sir C. Metcalfe,
388
Procession of tho captured Sikh guns,
458
Punjab ; Jeypal, king of, defeated by Su-
buktugeen, 19. Consolidated under
Runjeet Sing, 290. Revolutions on his
death, 448. The army becomes all
powerful, 444. And murders the prime
SAT
minister, and plunders Golab Sing, and
Moolraj, 445. Ranee Jhindun regent,
launches the army on the British terri-
tories, 446. The four engagements, 461.
Sir Henry Hardinge enters it, and con-
fiscates the Cis Sutlej province and Jul-
luuder, and alienates Cashmere, 458.
Treaty of 9th March, 184tt, and of De-
cember, 454. Revolts in 184S,460. Con-
quered a second time and annexed, 469.
Admirable administration under Lord
Dalhousie ; suppression of slavery, da-
coity and thuggee, 471. Roads, canals,
and other improvements, 471. Loyalty
during tho mutiny ; contributes to the
suppression of it, 509
•RAILWAYS, projected by Sir Mac-
-LV donald Stephenson ; encouraged by
Lord Hardinge, 485. Organised by Lord
Dalhousie ; his memorable minute, 485.
State railways projected by Lord Mayo.
530
Rajpootana, desolated by Holkar and
Ameer Khan, and invokes British pro-
tection, 284. Which is granted by Lord
Hastings, 327
Rajpoots, their early struggles with the
Mahometans, 41. Defeated by Baber,
46. Join Akbar, and fight for him, 58.
Th^ir struggles with Aurungzebe, 85
Ramayun, the epic, its legends, 6
Ramu, his birth and exploits, hii
dition to Lunka or Ceylon, 7
is expe-
Rana Sanga, raja of Oodypore ; his exten-
sive power, and his army, 41. Defeated
by Baber, 46
Ravunu, the sovereign of Lunka slain by
Ramu, 7
Red Sea, expedition to, 253
Rent free tenures, their origin and cha-
racter, 359. Resumption completed by
Lord William Bentinck, 859
Roe, Sir Thomas,envoy to the Mogul court
«5
Rose, Sir Hugh, his campaign during the
mutiny in Central India, 613
Runjeet Sing, consolidates his power in
the Punjab, 290. Makes inroads into
Sirhind; Mr. Metcalfe obliges him to re-
tire, 292. He signs the treaty of Uinritsir,
293. Annexes Cashmere, Mooltan, and
the Derajat, 367. French officers disci-
pline his army, 368. He is defeated at
Noushera, 868. Sends a present of a
shawl tent to the Queen of England ; re-
ceives a present of dray horses in return,
369. His power and resources in 1830,
36<>. Meeting with Lord William Ben-
tinck at Roopur, 370. Seizes Peshawur,
885. His designs on Sinde defeated, 386.
Signs the tripartite treaty, 391. His
death and character, 399
Q AMB AJEE, son of Sevajee, succeeds him,
^ his worthless character; barbarously
murdered by Aurungzebe, 90
Satara, a portion of the Peshwa's territory
566
INDEX
SIM
granted fco tlie family of Sevajee, 340.
On the failure of heirs, it is annexed to
the Company's territories, 477
Seeta, the wife of Rainu, carried off by
Ravunu, recovered by her husband, 7
Seetabuldee, battle of, 332
Seraj-ood-dowlah, soobadar of Bengal,
sacks Calcutta, 147. Defeated by Colonel
Olive at .•Dumdum, 150. His intolerable
oppressions; conspiracy against him, 150.
Is defeated at Plassy and (lies; is brought
back and murdered by Meerun. 152
Serampore Missionaries, their labours in-
terdicted on account of the Vellore
mutiny, 283
Serefraj Khan, soobadar of Bengal, sup-
planted by Aliverdy Khan, 145
Beringapatam captured, 246
Bepoys,their chronic insubordination ; cause
of disaffection in 1856, 491
Sevajee, founder of Mahratta greatness ;
hi* birth and early exploits, 78. His
conquests, and strength of his army,
at the age of 35; ravages the Mogul
territories, 80. Plunders Surat, 81.
Strikes the coin in his own name; he
creates a fleet ; signs the convention of
Poorundur, 81. Origin of the chout, 82
Proceeds to the emperor's court; is be-
leaguered, and escapes, 82. Revises his
institutions, 82. Proclaims his inde-
pendence and is crowned, 85. His expo-
dition to the south and his fanaticism,
86. His death and character, 87
Shah ALim, emperor, as Ali Gohur, endea-
vours to recover Bengal, is defeated by
Colonel Calliaud, 154. Codes the Dewa-
nee to the Company, 161. Blinded by
Gholam Khadir, 230. Rescued from
misery by Lord Lake, 268
Shahjee, the father of Sovajee, his origin
ana progress; obtains the jageers of
Poona and other districts ; his expedi-
tion to the south, where he acquires
jageers, 77
Shah Jehan, the valiant son of Jehangeer,
65. He revolts and is defeated ; recon-
ciled to his father, 66. And ascends the
throne, 69. His extravagant expendi-
ture. 69. Commences war in the
Deccan, 69. Extinguishes the kingdom
of Ahmed nugur ; subjects Beejapore to
tribute; recovers Candahar, 70. Un-
successful expedition to Balkh ; loses an
army in the Afghan passes ; loses Can-
dahar, 71. His four sons and their
characters, 72. His serious illness, 72.
Struggles for the throne, 73. His re-
covery, but too late ; Aurungzebe enters
the capital and deposes him, 74. Sur-
vives the deposition six years ; his char-
acter, his magnificence; the peacock
throne; his admirable administration,
and immense wealth, 74
8hao, chief of the Mahrattas, 96
Shelton, Brigadier, his abominable temper,
and its deplorable effects, 411
Bhere Shah, establishes the Soor dynasty,
47. Defeats the king of Bengal ; defeats
Humayoon at Cunouge, and mounts the
throne of Delhi, 48. His cruelty at
Raiseen; captures Chittore; killed at
Callinger ; his character, and extraordi*
nary genius, 4V)
Shere Sing, deserts to Moolraj, 460. Pro-
claims war against the English, 460.
Fights General Thackwell at Sadoolla-
poi e, 462. Fights Lord Gough at Chil-
lianwallah. 465. Defeated at Guzerat,
467
Shore, Sir John, opposes the Permanent
Settlement, 227. Becomes Governor-
General, 233. His feeble policy in the
affairs of the Nizam, 234. He quails
before the second mutiny of the Euro-
pean officers, and is superseded, 237.
His courage in dealing with the affairs of
Oude, 288. Created a peer on his return
to England, 239
Sikhs, their origin, a religious sect, and
political commonwealth ; their spiritual
guides ; driven back by Bahadoor Shah
.to their hills, 95
Sinde, subjugated by the Mahomedans,
18. Submits to the emperor Akbar, r>7.
Treaty with Lord William Bentinck,
371. The Ameers coerced by Lord
Auckland, 396. Treated unjustly by
Sir Charles Napier, 432. Defeated at
Meeanee, 435. Sinde annexed by Lord
Ellenborough ; remarks on the transac-
tion, 435
Sindia, rise of the family, 101. Mahda-
joe, totally defeated by Colonel Carnao,
188. Makes peac<i with Hastings. 190.
Negotiates the treaty of Salhyo. which
increases his consequence, li)0. Becomes
minister and commander-in-chief of the
emperor, and obtains possession of the
Dooab, 229. Plunders the Rajpoots;
defeated by them; defeats them, 280.
De Boigne organises a great Sepoy
.-mny, 231. Sindia proceeds to Poona,
becomes all powerful with the young
Peahwa, 231. De Boigne defeats Hol-
kar ; death of Sindia, 232
Sindia, Dowlut Rao, defeated by Holkar;
defeats Holkar, 261. Joins the Peshwa,
and defeated by Holkar at Poona, 262.
Joins the raja of Nagpore against the
English, 261. Ahmednugur captured
by General Wellesley ; battle of Assye
260. General Lake captures Allygurh,
267. Beats Sindia's troops at Laswarew,
and at Delhi, 268. Reduced to extre-
mities, he signs the treaty of Sirjee
Anjengaum, 270. His hostile attitude
on the failure of the siege of Bhurtpore,
275. Resolves, in conjunction with
Nagpore, to absorb Bhopal ; Lord Has-
tings prevents it, 319. Agrees to assist
in rooting out the Pindareew, 325. New
treaty forced on him by Lord Hastings,
329. Dies in 1827, 437. State of the
Cabinet in 18 13 ; the army domineer over
the Government, 437. Lord Ellen-
borough insists on its disbaridment
439. Battles of Maharajpore and Pun-
niar. 440. New treaty, 441. The 5th
Sindia obliged to fly from (twalior
INDEX
567
SLA
during the mutiny ; restored to his
throne, 515
Slave dynasty, its establishment, 27. Its
extinction, 30
Sleeman Major, suppresses the Thugs,
87tt. Reports on the state of Oude,
481
Sobraon, battle of, 451
Somnath, its magnificent temple de-
spoiled by Mahmood of Ghuzni, 22
Sooiah, Shah Jehan's second son, viceroy
of Bengal ; his struggles for the throne,
is defeated ; flies to Arracan and is put
to death, 73
Stuart General, at Madras, his dilatory
conduct on the death of Hydor, 201.
At length marches to Cuddalore; is
baffled by the genius of Bussy, 202.
Rescued from peril by the peace be-
tween France and England ; put under
arrest at Madras, 202
Subuktugeen, ruler of Ghuzni, attacked
by JTeypal and defeats him, 19
Suffrein, the great French admiral, lights
four battles with the English; all in-
decisive, 199
Suraaehar Durpun, the first native
printed newspaper, 3 >8
Supreme Court; its establishment, its
encroachments on the Government,
which is paralysed, 206. Interposition
of Parliament 206. Amalgamated with
the Sudder Court, 525
Syud Ahmed, a Mahomedan fanatic, ob-
tains possession of Peshawnr, but is
expelled, 3U8
Syuds, dynasty of the, 37
MBHAL, built by Shah Jehan as a
mausoleum for his queen, 74
Tallikotta, grout battle of; destroys Hin-
doo power in the Deccan. 59
Tanjore, tho principality founded by
Shahjee, 77. Besieged by Lally, but the
siege raised, 130. First interference of
the Madras authorities, 118. At the in-
stance of Mahomed AH they fleece the
raja and depose him; tho Court of
Directors restore him, 191
Tantia Topee superintends the massacre of
the Europeans at Ca\vnpore,502. Marches
to relieve Jhansi ; defeated by Sir Hugh
Rose, 614. Takes possession of Gwnlior,
615. Is chased, captured, and executed,
619
Teetoo Meer's insurrection near Calcutta,
361
Telingana, Hindoo kingdom in the Dec
can, 16
Thaekwell, General, fights Shore Sing at
Sadoollaporc, 463
Timur, or Tamerlane, invades India, 36.
Defeats the emperor; le.ts his soldiery
loose on Delhi for live days ; proclaims
himself emperor and recrosses the
Indus, 37
Tippoo, plunders the garden-houses of
the Madras gentry, 109. He invests
WEL
Mangalore, and captures it after a sieg«
of nine months, 203. Attacks the linei
of the raja of Travancore, an ally of the
English, 219. Lord Corn wall is declares
war; first campaign abortive, 220.
Second campaign fails, 221. The third
successful, and Tippoo resigns half his
territory and pays three crores, 223.
His hostility to the English ; the Mau-
ritius proclamation, 240. Lord • Welles-
ley takes the field against him; he
makes a stand at Malavelly, 245. la be-
sieged at Seringapatam ; the town cap-
tured; Tippoo killed, and his dynasty
extinguished, 246
Toiler Mull, raja, A k bar's great finance
minister, 62
Toghluk Ghazee, founds the Toghluk
dynasty, 33
Toghluk ^Mahomed, his accomplishments ;
his military skill ; his iusane eccen-
tricities, :*3. Extends his power beyond
all previous princes, 3ft. Sends an
army to China which perishes; en-
deavours to remove the capital to
Dowlutabad, :>4. His caprices create in-
surrections ; Bengal revolts; the whole
of the Deccan revolts, 35. The dynasty
decays, and four independent kingdoms
established, 35
Toghluk Foroze, extraordinary number of
his edifices, 35
TTGNI KOOLS, the allegory of the, 12
u Umbeyla campaign, 526
TTEDUS, the, 3
* Vellore mutiny, its cause, 286
Vikrum-adityu.his grandeur ; his patronage
of literature, 13
WELLESLEY, Lord, Governor-General,
vv 239. Condition of India, 239. Tip-
poo's hostile proclamation, 240. Resolves
to coerce him ; orders the Madras army
into the field ; its weakness, 241. He
breaks up the policy of isolation ; nego-
tiates with the Nizam, 'I?. Extinguishes
th« French force at Hyderabad, 24$.
Seringapatam captured, and Hy dor's
dynasty extinguished, 246. Mediatises
the nabob of the Carnatic, 251. Sends
an expedition to Egypt, 253. Takes over
half the Ondo territory, 255. Concludes
tho treaty of Bassein with the Peshwa,
262. Encourages private trade, 257. Es-
tablishes the college of Fort William,
256, Censured by the Directors, resigns,
258. Is asked to remain another year;
consequences of this request, 259. War
with Sindia, and the raja of Nagpore,203.
War with Holkar, 272. Alarm at home,
276. He is superseded, 276. Character
of his administration, 277. Condemned
568
INDEX
by the Court of Proprietors, 278. The
censure reversed thirty years after,
278
Wellesley, General, pursues Dhondia Waug,
249. Captures Ahmednugur, 26(5. Beats
Sindia at Assye, 266. And the raja of
Nagpore at Argaum, 269
HOB
Windham, General, his disaster at Cawn-
pore extricated by Sir Colin Campbell.
512
Wilson, Mr. James, financial member of
Council, 624. His financial measures,
524
Wilson, Brigadier, captures Delhi, 610
ADDENDA.
Abdul Rahman proclaimed Ameer of
Northern Afghanistan, 539. Total over-
throw of Ayoob Khan by, at Candahar,
542. His character as a ruler, 542,
549. Annual subsidy granted to, 547.
Publicly announces his alliance with the
British Government, 547
Afghan Boundary Commission, appoint-
ment of, 545. Success of their negotia-
tions, 546
Afghanistan, agreement as to boundaries
of, between England and Russia, 531.
Unsettled state of, 532. Russian em-
bassy received at Cabul, 535. English
embassy turned back, 535. Ultimatum
despatched, and war declared against,
535. Capture of Ali Musjid, Jellalabad,
and Candahar, 536. Two candidates for
the throne of, 537
Ahmed Khel, the battle of, defeat of the
Afghans at, 538
Ayoob Khan, at the battle of Maiwand,
539. Lays siege to Candahar, 539. The
siege abandoned, 540. Total rout of his
forces at Pir Paimal, 540. Defeats the
Ameer's forces, and again occupies Can-
dahar, 542. Totally overthrown by Abdul
Rahman, 542. His surrender to the
British, 548
Baroda, corrupt administration of Gaik-
war of, 532. Attempts to poison British
Resident, 532. He is deposed, 532
Bengal and Behar, threatened famine in
1874, 531
Black Mountains, punitive expeditions to,
550, 551
Bombay, famine in 1877, and great loss of
life, 634. Generous efforts in England,
634
Bradlaugh, Mr, at the Indian Congress at
Bombay, 551
Browne, General Sir Samuel, captures Ali
Musjid, 536
Buckingham and Chandos, Duke of, ap-
pointed Governor of Madras, 533
Burmah, Upper, difficulties in, with King
Theebaw, 642. Disturbed state of, 547-8.
Improved condition of, under British
rule, 649
Burroughs, General, at the battle of Mai-
wand, 539
Cabul, grand durbar held by General
Roberts at, 537. Wall Mohammed ap-
pointed military governor of, 537
Campbell, Sir George, Lieutenant-Gover-
nor of Bengal, his precautionary meas-
ures against threatened famine in Ben-
gal and Behar, 531. Receives the ap-
proval of Viceroy and Home Govern-
ment, 531
Candahar, the kingdom of, Shore Ali de-
clared ruler of, 538. Disaffection of the
Bengal soldiers in, 538. Intentions of
the Imperial Government regarding, 538.
Ayoob Khan advances with a large body
of troops towards, 539. After the battle
of Maiwand, the British troops forced
to retreat in disorder to, 589. Besieged
by Ayoob Khan, 539. General Roberta
starts to raise the «iege of, 539. His
celebrated march on, 540. The town and
surrounding country evacuated, 540.
Again occupied by Ayoob Khan, 542.
Cashmere, Maharajah of, abdication of
the, 550
Cavagnari, Major, concludes a treaty with
Yakoob Khan, 536. Is knighted, 536.
His murder, along with the member* of
the embassy, 537
Chin-Lushai country, the, military opera-
tions in, 550
Clarence, the late Duke of, his visit to
India, 551
Congress, the National, first meeting of,
held in Calcutta, 549
Connaught, the Duke of, his resignation
as Cominander-in-Chief of the Bombay
army, 551
Dufferin, Lady, service rendered by, in
behalf of the women of India. 650
Dufferin, Lord, succeeds Lora Ripon as
Viceroy, 547. Subsidises Abdul Rah-
man, 547. His resignation, 650. Im-
portant results of his administration,
650. Created Marquis of Dufferin and
Ava, 650
East Indian Railway purchased by Govern-
ment, 541
Empress of India, assumption of title of,
by her Majesty the Queen, 534. Pro-
claimed at Delhi on 1st January 1877,
534. Release of 16,000 prisoners, 634
Gwalior, the fortress of, restored to Sindia,
648
Harbours, fortification of, 551
Hobart, Lord, Governor of Madras, his
able administration, 632. His death in
1875, 632
INDEX
569
Ilbert Bill, the, nature of, 644. Outbreak
of race feeling and animosity caused by,
644. The bill withdrawn, 544
India, Imperial census of 1881, 642. Of
1891, 553
Indian Civil Service, the enactment that
a certain proportion of natives might be
appointed to, 641
Indian railways taken over by English
Government, 637
Jowakis, expedition against the, 535
Jung Bahadoor of Nepaul, his death, 535
Jung, Sir Salar, death of, 543
Khiva, Russian expedition in 1873 against,
630. Surrender of the Khan, and sub-
mission to the Czar, 530
Lytton, Lord, Governor - General, 533.
Cotton duties gradually repealed, 633
Madras, famine in, 1877, with great loss of
life, 534. Liberal assistance from Eng-
land towards relief, 534
Maiwand, the battle of, 539
Manipur, the State of, disturbance in, 552.
Murder of British officers in, 552. Cap-
ture and punishment of the leaders, 552
Mulhar Rao, Gaikwur of Baroda, corrupt
administration of, .f>32. Attempts to
poison the British Resident, 532. De-
posed after trial by a commission, 532
Nagas, the tribe of, depredations com-
mitted by, and final subjugation of, 641
Napier, Lord, Governor of Madras, suc-
ceeds by law to Lord Mayo, as Governor-
General. 530
Native soldiers sent to Malta, 585
North brook, Lord, appointed Governor-
General in 1872, 630. His qualities as a
statesman, 530. Declines to assist the
Khivans against Russia, 630. Employs
sufferers by the famine on public works,
681. Differences with the. Secretary of
State as to the Tariff Act, 633. Censured
by Lord Salisbury, 633. Retirement
from office, 533. Rewarded with an
earldom, 533
Penjdeh, annexation of, by Russia, and
its results, 646
Queen's Jubilee, the, celebration of, 649
Railways, construction of, 551
Ripon, Lord, succeeds Lord Lytton as
viceroy, 588. His judicious reforms,
643. His resignation, 647
Roberts, General, occupies Peiwar Pass,
536. Captures Cabul, 537. Evacuates
the city and occupies Sherpur, 637. His
celebrated march on Candahar, 640
Rupee, fall in the value of, 648
Russia and England, agreement between,
as to boundaries of Afghanistan, 531
Russians, the, continued advance of, to-
wards the borders of Persia and Afghan-
istan, 546. Their advance into Afghan
territory, 545. Defeat of the Afghans
by, at Ak Tepe, and annexation of Penj-
deh, 546. Advance of, into British
Indian and Afghan territory, 651
Shere Ali Khan, Ameer of Afghanistan,
banishes his eldest son, 532. Receives a
Russian embassy at Cabul, 535. Declines
to receive an English embassy, 585. War
declared against him, 535. His flight
from Cabul, and death at Balkh, 536
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Strachey, Sir John, Finance Minister, pro-
poses a tax for emergencies of famine,
534. His blundered Budget, 541
Temple, Si^Ricliard, his successful meas-
ures to counteract the famine in 1874,
531. Gigantic nature of the transport
employed, 581
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vicious character, 542. His treatment
of British subjects, 547. A force sent
against him, to which he surrenders,
547. His dominions annexed to the
British Empire, 547
Tibet, dispute between the Imperial Gov-
ernment and, respecting Sikkim, 649.
British assert their rights by force, 649.
By treaty with China, British supremacy
acknowledged, 550
Wale*, Prince of, visits India in 1876,
533. Visits Maharajahs of Madras, 583.
Presides over investiture of Star of India
at Calcutta, 533. Enters Delhi in state,
533. Visits Nepaul, the Maharajahs of
Puttiala and Gwalior, and Holkar at In-
dore, 638. Embarks at Bombay on 18th
March, 538. His letter to Lord North-
brook, 533
Wolseley, Lord, his expedition to Egypt,
an Indian contingent sent to take part
in, 543
Yakoob Khan, succeeds his father as
Ameer of Afghanistan, 682. Treaty con-
cluded with, 636. His flight to the Brit-
ish camp, 637. His throne declared
forfeited, and made a prisoner of state,
687
Zulflkar Pass, its seizure by the Russians,
546. Afterwards restored to the Afghans,
546
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