Tempo:
CHAP. IX
WAR WITH THE ENGLISH
2^5
in a spirit of enmity rather than of goodwill. ^
Nor did the Sikhs seem to be menaced by their allies on one side only. In the summer of 1845 some horsemen from Multan crossed a few miles into the Sind territory in
1845-6.
1 It was generally held by the English in India that Major Broadfoot's appointment greatly increased the probabilities of a war with the Sikhs; and the impression was equally strong that had Mr. Clerk, for instance, remained as Agent, there would have been no war. Had Mr. Clerk again, or Col. Wade, been the British representative in 1845, either would have gone to Lahore in person, and would have remonstrated against the selfish and unscrupulous proceedings of the managers of affairs as obviously tending to bring on a rupture. They would also have taken measures to show to the troops that the British Government would not be aggressors; they would have told the chiefs that a war would compromise them. with the English, nor would they have come away until every personal risk had been run, and every exertion used to avert a resort to arms. That Major Broadfoot was regarded as hostile to the Sikhs may, perhaps, almost be gatheired from his own letters. On the 19th March 1845 he wrote that the Governor of Multan had asked what course he, the Governor, should pursue, if the Lahore troops marched against him, to enforce obedience to demands made. The question does not seem one which a recusant servant would put under ordinary circumstances to the preserver of friendship between his master and the English. Major Broadfoot, however, would appear to have recurred to the virtual overtures of Diwan Mulraj, for on the 20th Nov.
1845, when he wrote to all authorities in any way connected with the Punjab, that the British provinces were threatened with invasion, he told the Major-General at Sakhar that the Governor of Multan would defend Sind with his provincials against the Sikhs! thus leading to the belief that he had succeeded in detaching the Governor from his allegiance to Lahore. When this note was originally written, the author thought that Major Broadfoot's warning in question had been addressed to Sir Charles Napier himself, but he has subsequently ascertained that the letter was sent to his Excellency's deputy in the upper portion of the country, and that Sir Charles Napier has no recollection of receiving a similar communi-
—
cation.
Some allusion may also be made to a falsified speech of Sir Charles Napier's, which ran the round of the papers at the time, about the British army being called on to move into the Punjab, especially as Major Broadfoot considered the Sikh leaders to be moved in a greater degree by the Indian newspapers than is implied in a passing attention to reiterated paragraphs about invasion. He thought, for instance, that Pandit Jalla understood the extent to which Government deferred to public opinion, and that the Brahman himself designed to make use of the press as an instrument. (Major Broadfoot to Government, 30th Jan. 1845.) In the first edition of this history the speech of Sir Charles Napier was referred to as if it had really been made in the terms reported, but the author has now learnt from his Excellency that nothing whatever was said about leading troops into the Punjab, or about engaging in war with the Sikhs. The author has likewise ascertained from Sir Charles Napier, that the
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WAR WITH THE ENGLISH
2^5
in a spirit of enmity rather than of goodwill. ^
Nor did the Sikhs seem to be menaced by their allies on one side only. In the summer of 1845 some horsemen from Multan crossed a few miles into the Sind territory in
1845-6.
1 It was generally held by the English in India that Major Broadfoot's appointment greatly increased the probabilities of a war with the Sikhs; and the impression was equally strong that had Mr. Clerk, for instance, remained as Agent, there would have been no war. Had Mr. Clerk again, or Col. Wade, been the British representative in 1845, either would have gone to Lahore in person, and would have remonstrated against the selfish and unscrupulous proceedings of the managers of affairs as obviously tending to bring on a rupture. They would also have taken measures to show to the troops that the British Government would not be aggressors; they would have told the chiefs that a war would compromise them. with the English, nor would they have come away until every personal risk had been run, and every exertion used to avert a resort to arms. That Major Broadfoot was regarded as hostile to the Sikhs may, perhaps, almost be gatheired from his own letters. On the 19th March 1845 he wrote that the Governor of Multan had asked what course he, the Governor, should pursue, if the Lahore troops marched against him, to enforce obedience to demands made. The question does not seem one which a recusant servant would put under ordinary circumstances to the preserver of friendship between his master and the English. Major Broadfoot, however, would appear to have recurred to the virtual overtures of Diwan Mulraj, for on the 20th Nov.
1845, when he wrote to all authorities in any way connected with the Punjab, that the British provinces were threatened with invasion, he told the Major-General at Sakhar that the Governor of Multan would defend Sind with his provincials against the Sikhs! thus leading to the belief that he had succeeded in detaching the Governor from his allegiance to Lahore. When this note was originally written, the author thought that Major Broadfoot's warning in question had been addressed to Sir Charles Napier himself, but he has subsequently ascertained that the letter was sent to his Excellency's deputy in the upper portion of the country, and that Sir Charles Napier has no recollection of receiving a similar communi-
—
cation.
Some allusion may also be made to a falsified speech of Sir Charles Napier's, which ran the round of the papers at the time, about the British army being called on to move into the Punjab, especially as Major Broadfoot considered the Sikh leaders to be moved in a greater degree by the Indian newspapers than is implied in a passing attention to reiterated paragraphs about invasion. He thought, for instance, that Pandit Jalla understood the extent to which Government deferred to public opinion, and that the Brahman himself designed to make use of the press as an instrument. (Major Broadfoot to Government, 30th Jan. 1845.) In the first edition of this history the speech of Sir Charles Napier was referred to as if it had really been made in the terms reported, but the author has now learnt from his Excellency that nothing whatever was said about leading troops into the Punjab, or about engaging in war with the Sikhs. The author has likewise ascertained from Sir Charles Napier, that the
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