Tempo:
CHAP. VII
POLICY OF THE ENGLISH
185
war took place, the Indus would never be opened to 183b. commerce. The political agent was directed to use every means short of menace to induce Ran jit Singh to abandon his designs against Shikarpur; and Shah Shuja, whose hopes were still great, and whose negotiations were still talked of, was to be told that if he left Ludhiana he must not return, and that the maintenance for his family would be at once discontinued. With regard to the Mazaris, whose lands had been actually occupied by the Sikhs, it was said that their reduction had effected an object of general benefit; and that the question of their permanent control could be determined at a future period.^
The Sindians, on their part, complained that the The smdians been occupied, and in reply to Ranjit impatient, Singh's demand that their annual complimentary or ^'^'^^.g^Q^^^^ prudential offerings should be increased, or that a ^ ^^g large oum should be paid for the restoration of their fort of Ken had
avowed their determination to Nor can there be any doubt that Sind would have been invaded by the Sikhs, had not Col. captured
fort,
they
resort to arms.-
Pottinger's negotiations for their protection deterred
the Maharaja from an act which he apprehended the English might seize upon to declare their alliance at an end. The princes Kahrak Singh and Nau Nihal Singh were each on the Indus, at the head of considerable armies, and the remonstrances of the Britisn political agent alone detained the Maharaja himself at Ranjit Lahore. Nevertheless, so evenly were peace and war singh balanced in Ranjit Singh's mind, that Capt. Wade equally thought it advisable to proceed to his capital to ex~ ready; plain to him in person the risks he would incur by acting in open opposition to the British Government. He listened, and at last yielded. His deference, he said, but yields to the wishes of his allies took place of every other to the reconsideration; he would let his relations with the presenta-
Amirs of Sind remain on their old footing, he would J^j^^EngUsh destroy the fort of Ken, but he would continue to d^c. isse. occupy Rojhan and the Mazari territory.^ Ranjit Singh was urged by his chiefs not to yield to the demands of the English, for to their understanding it was not clear where such dernands would stop; but he shook his head; and asked them what had become of the two hundred thousand spears of the Marathas * and, as !
1
2
'
—
Government to Capt. Wade, 26th Sept. 1836. Capt. Wade to Government, 2nd Nov. and 13th Dec. 1836.
Capt. Wade to Government, 3rd Jan. 1837. Cf. Capt. Wade to Government, 11th Jan. 1837. Ranjit Sihgh not unfrequently referred to the overthrow of the Mara3
4
\
POLICY OF THE ENGLISH
185
war took place, the Indus would never be opened to 183b. commerce. The political agent was directed to use every means short of menace to induce Ran jit Singh to abandon his designs against Shikarpur; and Shah Shuja, whose hopes were still great, and whose negotiations were still talked of, was to be told that if he left Ludhiana he must not return, and that the maintenance for his family would be at once discontinued. With regard to the Mazaris, whose lands had been actually occupied by the Sikhs, it was said that their reduction had effected an object of general benefit; and that the question of their permanent control could be determined at a future period.^
The Sindians, on their part, complained that the The smdians been occupied, and in reply to Ranjit impatient, Singh's demand that their annual complimentary or ^'^'^^.g^Q^^^^ prudential offerings should be increased, or that a ^ ^^g large oum should be paid for the restoration of their fort of Ken had
avowed their determination to Nor can there be any doubt that Sind would have been invaded by the Sikhs, had not Col. captured
fort,
they
resort to arms.-
Pottinger's negotiations for their protection deterred
the Maharaja from an act which he apprehended the English might seize upon to declare their alliance at an end. The princes Kahrak Singh and Nau Nihal Singh were each on the Indus, at the head of considerable armies, and the remonstrances of the Britisn political agent alone detained the Maharaja himself at Ranjit Lahore. Nevertheless, so evenly were peace and war singh balanced in Ranjit Singh's mind, that Capt. Wade equally thought it advisable to proceed to his capital to ex~ ready; plain to him in person the risks he would incur by acting in open opposition to the British Government. He listened, and at last yielded. His deference, he said, but yields to the wishes of his allies took place of every other to the reconsideration; he would let his relations with the presenta-
Amirs of Sind remain on their old footing, he would J^j^^EngUsh destroy the fort of Ken, but he would continue to d^c. isse. occupy Rojhan and the Mazari territory.^ Ranjit Singh was urged by his chiefs not to yield to the demands of the English, for to their understanding it was not clear where such dernands would stop; but he shook his head; and asked them what had become of the two hundred thousand spears of the Marathas * and, as !
1
2
'
—
Government to Capt. Wade, 26th Sept. 1836. Capt. Wade to Government, 2nd Nov. and 13th Dec. 1836.
Capt. Wade to Government, 3rd Jan. 1837. Cf. Capt. Wade to Government, 11th Jan. 1837. Ranjit Sihgh not unfrequently referred to the overthrow of the Mara3
4
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