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The Himalayas w Tibet
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saved for the British from the rest of the world? The reason why the Maharajah, despite advice to the contrary, continued to support the scheme, after it bad become abundantly dear that the expedition was to be the British conquest of Afghanistan, will never be known. The army of the Indus was to invade Afghanistan from two directions. The Punjab army under the command of Colonel Shaikh Bassawan was to force the Khyber Pass and approach Kabul from the east. Prince Taimur's levies and Captain Wade, who was appointed chief liaison officer, were to accompany the Punjabis. A British army (including Pathan and Afghan levies) under the command of Sir John Keane was to go through Sindh to Kandhar, Ghazni, and join the Punjabis at Kabul. Shah Sbuja was to accompany the British contingent. Since the terms of the treaty11 had already been settled, there was little to do at Ferozepur except exchange presents and compliments, inspect parades, and entertain each other with drink and nautch parties. 15
The End During the course of the festivities, Ranjit Singh's already impaired health broke down. On 24 December 1838 he was stricken with paralysis and could neither rise from his bed nor speak to bid his guests farewell. For six months he struggled valiantly for life but by the middle of June 1839 all hope of recovery was abandoned. Kharak Singh was invested with the title of Maharajah of the Punjab, with Raja Dhian Singh as his chief minister. At last on the evening of 27 June, exactly forty years after he had entered Lahore as a conqueror,14 death came to Ranjit Singh, Maharajah of the Punjab. 12 The British government's attitude to an independent Indian state can be gauged from the fact that it proposed that an English resident be posted at Lahore. The Durbar categorically rejected this suggestion. 13 There was a happy prelude w the event: the Maharajah's youngest wife, the comely Jindan, bore bim a son-his seventh---who was named Dalip Singh.
14 Reckoned by the Bikrami calendar used by the Lahore Dubar.
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saved for the British from the rest of the world? The reason why the Maharajah, despite advice to the contrary, continued to support the scheme, after it bad become abundantly dear that the expedition was to be the British conquest of Afghanistan, will never be known. The army of the Indus was to invade Afghanistan from two directions. The Punjab army under the command of Colonel Shaikh Bassawan was to force the Khyber Pass and approach Kabul from the east. Prince Taimur's levies and Captain Wade, who was appointed chief liaison officer, were to accompany the Punjabis. A British army (including Pathan and Afghan levies) under the command of Sir John Keane was to go through Sindh to Kandhar, Ghazni, and join the Punjabis at Kabul. Shah Sbuja was to accompany the British contingent. Since the terms of the treaty11 had already been settled, there was little to do at Ferozepur except exchange presents and compliments, inspect parades, and entertain each other with drink and nautch parties. 15
The End During the course of the festivities, Ranjit Singh's already impaired health broke down. On 24 December 1838 he was stricken with paralysis and could neither rise from his bed nor speak to bid his guests farewell. For six months he struggled valiantly for life but by the middle of June 1839 all hope of recovery was abandoned. Kharak Singh was invested with the title of Maharajah of the Punjab, with Raja Dhian Singh as his chief minister. At last on the evening of 27 June, exactly forty years after he had entered Lahore as a conqueror,14 death came to Ranjit Singh, Maharajah of the Punjab. 12 The British government's attitude to an independent Indian state can be gauged from the fact that it proposed that an English resident be posted at Lahore. The Durbar categorically rejected this suggestion. 13 There was a happy prelude w the event: the Maharajah's youngest wife, the comely Jindan, bore bim a son-his seventh---who was named Dalip Singh.
14 Reckoned by the Bikrami calendar used by the Lahore Dubar.
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