Tempo:
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
250
CHAP. TX
new cantonment a character of permanency, and in
1845-6.
1842 the remoteness from support of the two posts on the Sutlej was one of the arguments used for advancing a considerable body of troops to Ambala as a reserve, and for placing European regiments in the hills still closer to the Sikh frontier.' The relations of 1809 were nevertheless cherished by the Sikhs, although they may have been Httle heeded by the English amid the multifarious considerations attendant on their changed position in India, and who, assured of the rectitude of their intentions, persuaded of the general advantage of their measures, and conscious of their overwhelming power, are naturally prone to disregard the less obvious feelings of their dependants, and to be careless of the light in which their acts may be viewed by thcrse whose aims and apprehensions are totally different The English views about Peshawar, and their offer
to
support Sher Singh, all
weigh
with the Sikhs.
from their own. It had never been concealed from the Sikh authorities, that the helpless condition of the acknowledged government of the country was held to justify such additions to the troops at Ludhiana and Ferozepore as would give confidence to the inhabitants of these districts, and ensure the successful defence of the posts Nor did the themselves against predatory bands.Sikhs deny the abstract right of the English to make what military arrangements they pleased for the secubut that any danger rity of their proper territories was to be apprehended from Lahore was not admitted by men conscious of their weakness; and thus l-y every :
process of reasoning employed, the Sikhs still came to the same conclusion that they were threatened. Many circumstances, unheeded or undervalued by the EngIt had lish, gave further strength to this conviction. not indeed been made known to the Sikhs that Sir William Macnaghten and others had proposed to dis-
The author cannot refer to any written record of these knows that they were used. When the step in advance was resolved on, it is only to be regretted that the cantonment was not formed at Sirhind, the advantages of >
reasons, but he
which as a military post with reference to the Punjab, as being central to all the principal passages of the Sutlej, Sir David Ochterlony had long before pointed out. (Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 3rd May 1810.) Some delicacy, however, -(Vas
towards the Sikhs of Patiala, to whom Sirhind belonged; although {he more important and less defensible step of alarming the Sikhs of Lahore had been taken without heed or felt
hesitation. - Cf. the Governor-General to the Secret Committee. 2nd Dec. 1845, (Parliamentary Papers, 1846) and also his dispatch of the 31st Dec. 1845 (Parliamentary Papers, p. 28). ;
250
CHAP. TX
new cantonment a character of permanency, and in
1845-6.
1842 the remoteness from support of the two posts on the Sutlej was one of the arguments used for advancing a considerable body of troops to Ambala as a reserve, and for placing European regiments in the hills still closer to the Sikh frontier.' The relations of 1809 were nevertheless cherished by the Sikhs, although they may have been Httle heeded by the English amid the multifarious considerations attendant on their changed position in India, and who, assured of the rectitude of their intentions, persuaded of the general advantage of their measures, and conscious of their overwhelming power, are naturally prone to disregard the less obvious feelings of their dependants, and to be careless of the light in which their acts may be viewed by thcrse whose aims and apprehensions are totally different The English views about Peshawar, and their offer
to
support Sher Singh, all
weigh
with the Sikhs.
from their own. It had never been concealed from the Sikh authorities, that the helpless condition of the acknowledged government of the country was held to justify such additions to the troops at Ludhiana and Ferozepore as would give confidence to the inhabitants of these districts, and ensure the successful defence of the posts Nor did the themselves against predatory bands.Sikhs deny the abstract right of the English to make what military arrangements they pleased for the secubut that any danger rity of their proper territories was to be apprehended from Lahore was not admitted by men conscious of their weakness; and thus l-y every :
process of reasoning employed, the Sikhs still came to the same conclusion that they were threatened. Many circumstances, unheeded or undervalued by the EngIt had lish, gave further strength to this conviction. not indeed been made known to the Sikhs that Sir William Macnaghten and others had proposed to dis-
The author cannot refer to any written record of these knows that they were used. When the step in advance was resolved on, it is only to be regretted that the cantonment was not formed at Sirhind, the advantages of >
reasons, but he
which as a military post with reference to the Punjab, as being central to all the principal passages of the Sutlej, Sir David Ochterlony had long before pointed out. (Sir D. Ochterlony to Government, 3rd May 1810.) Some delicacy, however, -(Vas
towards the Sikhs of Patiala, to whom Sirhind belonged; although {he more important and less defensible step of alarming the Sikhs of Lahore had been taken without heed or felt
hesitation. - Cf. the Governor-General to the Secret Committee. 2nd Dec. 1845, (Parliamentary Papers, 1846) and also his dispatch of the 31st Dec. 1845 (Parliamentary Papers, p. 28). ;
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