Tempo:
CHAP. VI
DISTRUST OF RANJIT SINGH
133
as part of the Gurkha share of the general spoil. The i809. Sikhs got possession of the place by suddenly demanding admittance as the expected relief. Sansar Chand was foiled, and Amar Singh retreated across the Sutlej, loudly exclaiming that he had been grossly duped^ The active Nepalese commander soon put down some The Gurdisorders which had arisen in his rear, but the disgrace khas urge of his failure before Kangra rankled in his mind, and the English he made preparations for another expedition against *°. ^^^^^ ^ it. He proposed to Sir David Ochterlony a joint march qu^st oTthe to the Indus, and a separate appropriation of the plains Punjab, and the hills; - and Ranjit Singh, ignorant alike of 1809. English moderation and of international law, became apprehensive lest the allies of Nepal should be glad of a pretext for coercing one who had so unwillingly acceded to their limitation of his ambition. He made known that he was desirous of meeting Amar Singh Thappa on his own ground; and the reply of the Gov- But Ranjit ernor-General that he might not only himself cross the singh toid Sutlej to chastise the invading Gurkhas in the hills, he may but that, if they descended into the plains of Sirhind, cross the he would receive English assistance, gave him another ^^^^-^^^ +1° proof that the river of the treaty was really to be an Nepal impassable barrier. He had got the assurance he leader, wanted, and he talked no more of carrying his horse- 1811. men into mountain recesses."' But Amar Singh long Amar singh brooded over his reverse, and tried in various ways to Thappa induce the British authorities to join him in assailing again the Punjab. The treaty with Nepal, he would say, presses an made all strangers the mutual friends or enemies of ^"^^"'fti-
the two governments, and Ranjit Singh had wantonly s^^"^ 1813. attacked the Gurkha possessions in Katotch. Besides. he would argue, to advance is the safest policy, and what could have brought the English to the Sutlej but the intention of going beyond it?^ The Nepal war of war be1814 followed, and the English became the neighbours ween the of the Sikhs in the hills as well as in the plains, and English ^"'^" the Gurkhas, instead of grasping Kashmir, trembled for their homes in Khatmandu. Ranjit Singh was not 1814.15 then asked to give his assistance, but Sansar Chand gg^sar was directly called upon by the English representativa chand of
^
Katotch,
Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp.
The Maharaja told Capt. Wade that the Gurkhas wanted to share Kashmir with him. but that he thought it best to keep them out of the Punjab altogether. (Capt. Wade to Government, 25th May, 1831.) - Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 16th and 30th Dec 1
76,
77.
1809.
Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 12th Sept., 1811, and Government to Sir D. Ochterlony, 4th Oct. and 22nd Nov., IS 11. ^ Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 20th December,' 1813. ''
DISTRUST OF RANJIT SINGH
133
as part of the Gurkha share of the general spoil. The i809. Sikhs got possession of the place by suddenly demanding admittance as the expected relief. Sansar Chand was foiled, and Amar Singh retreated across the Sutlej, loudly exclaiming that he had been grossly duped^ The active Nepalese commander soon put down some The Gurdisorders which had arisen in his rear, but the disgrace khas urge of his failure before Kangra rankled in his mind, and the English he made preparations for another expedition against *°. ^^^^^ ^ it. He proposed to Sir David Ochterlony a joint march qu^st oTthe to the Indus, and a separate appropriation of the plains Punjab, and the hills; - and Ranjit Singh, ignorant alike of 1809. English moderation and of international law, became apprehensive lest the allies of Nepal should be glad of a pretext for coercing one who had so unwillingly acceded to their limitation of his ambition. He made known that he was desirous of meeting Amar Singh Thappa on his own ground; and the reply of the Gov- But Ranjit ernor-General that he might not only himself cross the singh toid Sutlej to chastise the invading Gurkhas in the hills, he may but that, if they descended into the plains of Sirhind, cross the he would receive English assistance, gave him another ^^^^-^^^ +1° proof that the river of the treaty was really to be an Nepal impassable barrier. He had got the assurance he leader, wanted, and he talked no more of carrying his horse- 1811. men into mountain recesses."' But Amar Singh long Amar singh brooded over his reverse, and tried in various ways to Thappa induce the British authorities to join him in assailing again the Punjab. The treaty with Nepal, he would say, presses an made all strangers the mutual friends or enemies of ^"^^"'fti-
the two governments, and Ranjit Singh had wantonly s^^"^ 1813. attacked the Gurkha possessions in Katotch. Besides. he would argue, to advance is the safest policy, and what could have brought the English to the Sutlej but the intention of going beyond it?^ The Nepal war of war be1814 followed, and the English became the neighbours ween the of the Sikhs in the hills as well as in the plains, and English ^"'^" the Gurkhas, instead of grasping Kashmir, trembled for their homes in Khatmandu. Ranjit Singh was not 1814.15 then asked to give his assistance, but Sansar Chand gg^sar was directly called upon by the English representativa chand of
^
Katotch,
Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp.
The Maharaja told Capt. Wade that the Gurkhas wanted to share Kashmir with him. but that he thought it best to keep them out of the Punjab altogether. (Capt. Wade to Government, 25th May, 1831.) - Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 16th and 30th Dec 1
76,
77.
1809.
Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 12th Sept., 1811, and Government to Sir D. Ochterlony, 4th Oct. and 22nd Nov., IS 11. ^ Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 20th December,' 1813. ''
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