Tempo:
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
126 J1809.
Ranjrt
Singh yields,;
and enters into a for-
mal treaty, 25th April. 1809.
The terms of Sikh de-
pendence and of English su-
premacy in Sirhind.
CHAP. V
other grounds to afford protection to the southern Sikhs. Ranjit Singh must still, nevertheless, withdraw iiis troops to the right bank of the Sutlej, his last usurpations must also be restored, but the restitution of his first conquests would not be insisted on; while, to remove all cause of suspicion, the detachment under Sir David Ochterlony could fall back from Ludhiana to Karnal, and take up its permanent position at the latter place. ^ But the British commander represented the advantage of keeping the force where it was; his Government assented to its detention, at least for a time, and Ludhiana thus continued u;ninterruptedly to form a station for British troops.^ In the beginning of February 1809, Sir David Ochterlony had issued a proclamation declaring the Cis-Sutlej states to be under British protection, and that any aggressions of the Chief of Lahore would be resisted with arms.^ Ranjit Singh then perceived that the British authorities were in earnest, and the fear struck him that the still independent leaders of the Punjab might likewise tender their allegiance and have it accepted. All chance of empire would thus be lost, and he prudently made up his mind without further delay. He withdrew his troops as required, he relinquished his last acquisitions, and at Amritsar, on the 25th April, 1809, the now single Chief of Lahore signed a treaty which left him the master of the tracts he had originally occupied to the south of the Sutlej, but confined his ambition for the future to the north and westward of that river.* The Sikh, and the few included Hindu and Muhammadan chiefs, between the Sutlej and Jumna, having been taken under British protection, it became necessary to define the terms on which they were secured from foreign danger. Sir David Ochterlony observed,^ that when the chiefs first sought protection, their jealousy of the English would have yielded to their fears of Ranjit Singh, and they would have agreed to any conditions proposed, including a regular tribute. But their first overtures had been rejected, and the mission to Lahore had taught them to regard their defence as a secondary object, and to think that English 1 Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th Jan., 6th Feb., and 13th March, 1809. 2 Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 6th May, 1809, and Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 13th June, 1809. 3 See Appendix XXIV. 4 See the treaty itself, Appendix XXV. Cf. Murray, Ranjit
Singh, pp. 67, 68. 5
Sir
David Ochterlony to Government, 17th March, 1809
126 J1809.
Ranjrt
Singh yields,;
and enters into a for-
mal treaty, 25th April. 1809.
The terms of Sikh de-
pendence and of English su-
premacy in Sirhind.
CHAP. V
other grounds to afford protection to the southern Sikhs. Ranjit Singh must still, nevertheless, withdraw iiis troops to the right bank of the Sutlej, his last usurpations must also be restored, but the restitution of his first conquests would not be insisted on; while, to remove all cause of suspicion, the detachment under Sir David Ochterlony could fall back from Ludhiana to Karnal, and take up its permanent position at the latter place. ^ But the British commander represented the advantage of keeping the force where it was; his Government assented to its detention, at least for a time, and Ludhiana thus continued u;ninterruptedly to form a station for British troops.^ In the beginning of February 1809, Sir David Ochterlony had issued a proclamation declaring the Cis-Sutlej states to be under British protection, and that any aggressions of the Chief of Lahore would be resisted with arms.^ Ranjit Singh then perceived that the British authorities were in earnest, and the fear struck him that the still independent leaders of the Punjab might likewise tender their allegiance and have it accepted. All chance of empire would thus be lost, and he prudently made up his mind without further delay. He withdrew his troops as required, he relinquished his last acquisitions, and at Amritsar, on the 25th April, 1809, the now single Chief of Lahore signed a treaty which left him the master of the tracts he had originally occupied to the south of the Sutlej, but confined his ambition for the future to the north and westward of that river.* The Sikh, and the few included Hindu and Muhammadan chiefs, between the Sutlej and Jumna, having been taken under British protection, it became necessary to define the terms on which they were secured from foreign danger. Sir David Ochterlony observed,^ that when the chiefs first sought protection, their jealousy of the English would have yielded to their fears of Ranjit Singh, and they would have agreed to any conditions proposed, including a regular tribute. But their first overtures had been rejected, and the mission to Lahore had taught them to regard their defence as a secondary object, and to think that English 1 Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th Jan., 6th Feb., and 13th March, 1809. 2 Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 6th May, 1809, and Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 13th June, 1809. 3 See Appendix XXIV. 4 See the treaty itself, Appendix XXV. Cf. Murray, Ranjit
Singh, pp. 67, 68. 5
Sir
David Ochterlony to Government, 17th March, 1809
©
2026
Lehal.net