Tempo:
British Annexation of Malwa
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force was moving up to the Sutlej. The Durbar's counsellors were of two minds. The leader of the fight-the-British group was Mohkam Chand, who pleaded that it was more honourable to die fighting than to capitulate without firing a shot. At his instance orders were issued to the chiefs to bring their forces and stop the British advance on the Sutlej. The forts of Gobindgarh, Phillaur, and Labore were strengthened. Wrtbin a few days nearly a hundred thousand men had answered the call to arms. But even with this vast fighting force, Mobkam Chand could not assure a victory against the Company's better trained and potentially larger army. Fakir Azizuddin was for appeasement and avoiding hostilities as far as possible. The speed with which the British moved induced the Maharajah to accept the Fakir's advice. On 2January 1809, Ochterlony had left Delhi for Kamal at the bead of three infantry battalions, a regiment of cavalry, and some artillery. His instructions were to compel the Durbar to give up its recent conquests; on the way be was to call upon the Malwa chiefs for assistance. If any of them showed sympathy with Ranjil Singh, they were 'to be told plainly what was in store for them. He was also instructed not to lose the opportunity of making contacts with disaffected elements of the Labore Durbar. While Ochterlony was on his way north, Metcalfe began to exhort his government in the event of hostilities to undertake a full-scale war against the Durbar. 11 Fortunately, the necessity for aggression disappeared. Napoleon had attacked Spain and it seemed very unlikely that the French would think of India for some years to come. British policy towards the Durbar underwent a corresponding change. On 30 January 1809 Ochterlony received fresh instructions. In view of the changed situation in Europe, the war with the Durbar, if any, was to be a defensive him three children. Both Metcalfe and his biographer Kaye (who have much Lo say of the Orientals' lustful habits) maintain a sanctimonious s ilence about this liaison. IL is mentioned by Edward Thompson, who states that Metcalfe married the woman, who was a Sikh, by 'Indian rites'. (Edward Thompson, p. 101.) I 1 Metcalfe No. 63 of 26.1.1809.
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force was moving up to the Sutlej. The Durbar's counsellors were of two minds. The leader of the fight-the-British group was Mohkam Chand, who pleaded that it was more honourable to die fighting than to capitulate without firing a shot. At his instance orders were issued to the chiefs to bring their forces and stop the British advance on the Sutlej. The forts of Gobindgarh, Phillaur, and Labore were strengthened. Wrtbin a few days nearly a hundred thousand men had answered the call to arms. But even with this vast fighting force, Mobkam Chand could not assure a victory against the Company's better trained and potentially larger army. Fakir Azizuddin was for appeasement and avoiding hostilities as far as possible. The speed with which the British moved induced the Maharajah to accept the Fakir's advice. On 2January 1809, Ochterlony had left Delhi for Kamal at the bead of three infantry battalions, a regiment of cavalry, and some artillery. His instructions were to compel the Durbar to give up its recent conquests; on the way be was to call upon the Malwa chiefs for assistance. If any of them showed sympathy with Ranjil Singh, they were 'to be told plainly what was in store for them. He was also instructed not to lose the opportunity of making contacts with disaffected elements of the Labore Durbar. While Ochterlony was on his way north, Metcalfe began to exhort his government in the event of hostilities to undertake a full-scale war against the Durbar. 11 Fortunately, the necessity for aggression disappeared. Napoleon had attacked Spain and it seemed very unlikely that the French would think of India for some years to come. British policy towards the Durbar underwent a corresponding change. On 30 January 1809 Ochterlony received fresh instructions. In view of the changed situation in Europe, the war with the Durbar, if any, was to be a defensive him three children. Both Metcalfe and his biographer Kaye (who have much Lo say of the Orientals' lustful habits) maintain a sanctimonious s ilence about this liaison. IL is mentioned by Edward Thompson, who states that Metcalfe married the woman, who was a Sikh, by 'Indian rites'. (Edward Thompson, p. 101.) I 1 Metcalfe No. 63 of 26.1.1809.
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