Tempo:
CHAP. V
BRITISH POLICY IN 1808
125
advanced, by way of Buriya and Patiala, towards i809^ Ludhiana; he was welcomed by all the Sirhind chiefs, save Jodh Singh Kalsia, the nominal head .of the but during his march he Krora-Singhia confederacy was not without apprehensions that Ranjit Singh might openly break with his government, and, after an interview with certain agents whom that chief had sent to him with the view of opening a double negotiation, he made a detour and a halt, in order to be near his supplies should hostilities take place.^ Ranjit Singh was somewhat discomposed by the '^^^ ^^^^^ near presence of a British force but he continued to f/,*'^^ ^"^^^ evade compliance with the propositions of the envoy, somewhTt'"^ and he complained that Mr. Metcalfe was needlessly modified; reserved about his acquisitions on the south banks of but Ranjit the Sutlej, with regard to which the Government had singh stin only declared that the restoration of his last conquests, f^^^^^^.^^+hg and the absolute withdrawal of his troops to the north- ^^^^^ °^ ^^^ ward of the river, must form the indispensable basis of sutiej. :
Affairs were in this way when intelligence from Europe induced the Governor-General to believe that Napoleon must abandon his designs upon India, or at least so far suspend them as to render defensive precautions unnecessary.-^ It was therefore made known that the object of the English Government had become limited to the security of the countrysouth of the Sutlej from the encroachments of Ranjit Singh; for that, independent of the possible approach of a European enemy, it was considered advisable on
further negotiations.-
David Ochterlony to Government, 20th Jan., and and 14th Feb., ;809, with Government to Sir David Ochterlony, of 13th March, 1809. Government by no means approved of what Sir David Ochterlony had done, and he, J
Sir
4th, 9th,
feeling aggrieved, virtually tendered his resignation of his command. (Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 19th April, 1809.) 2 Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 14th Feb., 1809, and Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th July, 1809. Lieut. -Col. Lawrence (Adventures in the Punjab, p. 131, note g) makes Sir Charles Metcalfe sufficiently communicative on
this occasion with regard to other territories, for he is declared to have told the Maharaja that by a compliance with the then
demands of the English, he would ensure their neutrality with respect to encroachments elsewhere. ^ Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th Jan., 1809. [Probably the altered relations between Napoleon and Turkey were the main cause of this. The Franco-Turkish alliance of 1807 had come to an end with the deposition of Mustapha IV and accession of Mahmud II July 1808 and the improved relations of England and Turkey led to the signature by the latter powers of the Treaty of the Dardanelles (January 1809). Ed.1
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BRITISH POLICY IN 1808
125
advanced, by way of Buriya and Patiala, towards i809^ Ludhiana; he was welcomed by all the Sirhind chiefs, save Jodh Singh Kalsia, the nominal head .of the but during his march he Krora-Singhia confederacy was not without apprehensions that Ranjit Singh might openly break with his government, and, after an interview with certain agents whom that chief had sent to him with the view of opening a double negotiation, he made a detour and a halt, in order to be near his supplies should hostilities take place.^ Ranjit Singh was somewhat discomposed by the '^^^ ^^^^^ near presence of a British force but he continued to f/,*'^^ ^"^^^ evade compliance with the propositions of the envoy, somewhTt'"^ and he complained that Mr. Metcalfe was needlessly modified; reserved about his acquisitions on the south banks of but Ranjit the Sutlej, with regard to which the Government had singh stin only declared that the restoration of his last conquests, f^^^^^^.^^+hg and the absolute withdrawal of his troops to the north- ^^^^^ °^ ^^^ ward of the river, must form the indispensable basis of sutiej. :
Affairs were in this way when intelligence from Europe induced the Governor-General to believe that Napoleon must abandon his designs upon India, or at least so far suspend them as to render defensive precautions unnecessary.-^ It was therefore made known that the object of the English Government had become limited to the security of the countrysouth of the Sutlej from the encroachments of Ranjit Singh; for that, independent of the possible approach of a European enemy, it was considered advisable on
further negotiations.-
David Ochterlony to Government, 20th Jan., and and 14th Feb., ;809, with Government to Sir David Ochterlony, of 13th March, 1809. Government by no means approved of what Sir David Ochterlony had done, and he, J
Sir
4th, 9th,
feeling aggrieved, virtually tendered his resignation of his command. (Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 19th April, 1809.) 2 Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 14th Feb., 1809, and Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th July, 1809. Lieut. -Col. Lawrence (Adventures in the Punjab, p. 131, note g) makes Sir Charles Metcalfe sufficiently communicative on
this occasion with regard to other territories, for he is declared to have told the Maharaja that by a compliance with the then
demands of the English, he would ensure their neutrality with respect to encroachments elsewhere. ^ Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th Jan., 1809. [Probably the altered relations between Napoleon and Turkey were the main cause of this. The Franco-Turkish alliance of 1807 had come to an end with the deposition of Mustapha IV and accession of Mahmud II July 1808 and the improved relations of England and Turkey led to the signature by the latter powers of the Treaty of the Dardanelles (January 1809). Ed.1
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