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Report by the Viceroy, Lord Northbrook, giving his View on the Conduct of Affairs in Baroda [7] (7/14)
The record is made up of 1 file (7 folios). It was created in 9 Apr 1875. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
( 7 )
papers were received in Calcutta, they
were referred for the opinion of the Act
ing Advocate-General and the Standing
Counsel to Government at Calcutta, who
expressed their opinion that the evi
dence was sufficient to commit the
Gaekwar for trial, hut stated their doubts
with regard to the position and credibility
of the witnesses, and indicated the possi
bility of there being a conspiracy against
the Gaekwar.
The case was then considered with
great care and attention by the Govern
ment of India. We examined Mr.
Souter most carefully with respect to
the nature of the police investigation,
and were assured by him that the
greatest precautions had been taken to
prevent the evidence being concocted
by the subordinate police officials. We
discussed the probability of there being
a conspiracy against the Gaekwar, and we
could find no reasonable ground for such
a supposition. We considered, therefore,
that there was strong prima facie reason
to believe that the attempt had been ins
tigated by the Gaekwar.
The question then arose, how we were
to deal with this condition of things ? It
was impossible to pass over an attempt on
the life of a British Resident at the Court
of a Native Prince. The sanctity attach
ed to the lives of Ambassadors extends
in our opinion, if possible, in a greater
degree to British Residents at the Courts
of Native States, and no offence could be
greater than that an attempt upon the
life of a British Resident should be ins
tigated by the Ruler of a Native State.
At the same time the evidence was far
from being sufficient to enable us to con
demn the Gaekwar. lie had had no op
portunity of making his defence, and the
witnesses had not been subjected to cross-
examination. Some enquiry, therefore, was
essential, and we had to consider the form
About this item
- Content
The confidential report gives a brief explanation of the State of Baroda and its rulership, before setting out the transactions relating to the State of Baroda from 18 March 1873, when Colonel Phayre was appointed as British Resident, to 9 April 1875.
The report outlines the maladministration brought to the notice of Government by Colonel Phayre, with reference to specific cases of complaint, before detailing the action that the Government of India took to address this including the appointing of a Commission to investigate the condition of the State in the winter of 1873 which led to the British Government's decision that intervention was necessary.
The report goes on to outline the treaties, agreements and rights by which the British Government possessed the right to intervene in the internal affairs of Baroda state and which led to advice being given to the Gaekwar to address the matters raised in the Commission's report and a period of 18 months being granted for him to implement the necessary reforms.
It also addresses the matter of Colonel Phayre, whose conduct had been brought into question, but who at the time was permitted to remain in his post as his representations of the misgovernment had been justified, but who had misunderstood the instructions from his government and who subsequently acted contrary to them.
The report also looks at the failures of the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. to report matters to the Government of India, the decision to remove Colonel Phayre from his position as resident and the subsequent attempted poisoning of him. It then addresses Sir Lewis Pelly's appointment as temporary Resident and the critical state of affairs he was greeted with on arriving in Baroda, including the Gaekwar's lack of substantial progress in implementing the reforms the British Government had instructed him to make and the investigations into the attempted poisoning which revealed in December 1874 that it had been undertaken at the instruction of the Gaekwar.
The report further details the considerations given as to how to handle the matter of the attempted poisoning of a British Resident, the need for an enquiry in order to provide the opportunity for cross-examination of witnesses and defence and the need for him to be removed as ruler in order for such an enquiry to take place. The individuals chosen to serve on this commission are described in detail, along with the importance of emphasising the intention to restore Baroda to native rule once the enquiry was complete and other complications such as the resignation of the Minister for Baroda which left Sir Lewis Pelly to conduct the whole administration of affairs for the state including undertaking reforms which had been promised by the Gaekwar.
The report concludes with Lord Northbrook's thoughts on the course of action the British Government has taken and his hopes that the Princes of India will be able to recognise the justice and moderation that have been shown through the process and not be alarmed by what has taken place.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (7 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The file has printed pagination consisting of a number in brackets at the top centre of each side of the folio, with the exception of page 1 which has been given a pencil number enclosed in a circle in the top right hand corner of the page.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/93
- Title
- Report by the Viceroy, Lord Northbrook, giving his View on the Conduct of Affairs in Baroda
- Pages
- 1:14
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence