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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [6r] (16/502)
The record is made up of 1 volume (249 folios). It was created in 1 Nov 1873-14 Feb 1874. 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.
The Deputy Revenue Commissioner was formerly dismissed the service of
the British Government, in connection with charges of misconduct and taking
bribes. The popular opinion of this man is stated to be most unfavourable.
There appears to be nothing to remark regarding the Farnavis, but the
Controller of the State Banks and Privy Purse is said to be regarded as an unscru
pulous Agent of the Maharaja's, and his name has been unfavourably mentioned
in connection with some of the cases that have come before the Commission.
The opinions regarding the above-mentioned persons recorded in these re
marks have been gathered partly from the Resident, and partly from independent
enquiries by ourselves.
4. Turning now to the subject proper of the Report, viz., the results of our
enquiries into the matters which have been under investigation at our hands, we
propose to divide the same into two parts as follows :—
Parti —to embrace (1), the alleged unjust and oppressive treatment of
British subjects, and the course recommended for adoption by the Commission in
connection therewith, (as described in para. 5 of your Office Despatch No. 2209-p),
and (2), the allegation of general misgovermnent of the Baroda State, with the
grievances connected therewith, or arisiug therefrom, that have been the subject
of investigation, and the opinion of the Commission as to the establishment, or
otherwise, of the existence of such general misgovernment being held as proved,
with the measures suggested by the Commission to bring about and maintain
for the future a more satisfactory state of affairs, without entailing a minute and
vexatious interference on the part of the British Government, (as directed in para.
8 of your Office Despatch No. 2209-p,)
Part II —to embrace (1), the results of the enquiries instituted by the Com
mission into the present condition of the Contingent, and its fitness, or otherwise,
for the satisfactory performance of the duties on which it is employed in the Tri
butary Mahals; and (2), the measures and rules proposed for adoption by the
Commission, to render the Force duly efficient for the purposes of such duties,
<(as enjoined in para. 14 of the Despatch already referred to).
Part
5. The Schedules furnished to the Commission by the Resident, drawn up
in accordance with the instructions communicated to him in our letter dated 1st
November 1873, are three in number, and contain the following cases or groups
of cases of grievance :—
Schedule I. —Complaints of British subjects. Thirteen cases or groups of
cases.
Schedule II. —Complaints of Baroda subjects of general misgovernment.
Sixty-six cases or groups of cases.
Schedule III. —Miscellaneous and similar complaints to these in Schedule II.
Fourteen cases or .groups of cases.
The evidence iu extenso taken in all the cases brought forward in the above
Schedules that have been investigated, will be found properly classed and ar
ranged in the Minutes of the Commission, together with the cross-examinations,
replies, or remarks by the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
Agent in each case, and the final rejoinders of
the Resident to the latter.
A summary of the proceedings in each such case, similarly arranged, with
the opinion of the Commission on its merits, is attached as a separate Appendix
to this Report.
6. Schedule 1. —Complaints of unjust and oppressive treatment of British
subjects. .
About this item
- Content
Report of the Baroda Enquiry Commission on the administration of the government of Malharrao, Gaekwar of Baroda. The Commission comprised Richard John Meade (President), Edward William Ravenscroft, Mumtazul Dowlah Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Faiz Ali Khan, Colonel Alfred Thomas Etheridge and Thomas Duncan Mackenzie (Secretary).
The report comprises a letter from the members of the Baroda Enquiry Commission to the Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department presenting their report on the results of the proceedings and submitting copies of correspondence, reports and statements relative to the enquiry (ff 5-19):
Appendix A, Part I
- Schedules I-III: Complaints and grievances against the Gaekwar's Government from individuals and groups (ff 21-78).
- Appendix B, Schedules I-III: Cases of complaint and grievance which the commission did not look into during the enquiry (ff 79-81).
- Appendix C: Letter from Colonel Richard John Meade, President, Special Commission of Enquiry on Baroda Affairs, to Colonel Robert Phayre, Resident at Baroda, 1 November 1873 (ff 82-83).
- Appendix D: Translation of an amended notice issued by the Resident to complainants desirous of appearing before the Baroda Enquiry Commission (ff 84-85).
- Appendix E: Schedules presented to the Commission along with Colonel Phayre's introductory statement regarding them. (ff 86-131).
- Appendix F: Letter No. 1128 of 1873 from Colonel Phayre to the President, Baroda Commission regarding the cases already submitted to the Commission, the List of undisposed petitions to be attended to by the Resident which could be used as additional cases if required and the statements that he had yet to make on cases under enquiry by the Commission (ff 132-133).
- Appendix G, Schedule I: Statements from witnesses with cross examination statements from the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). on behalf of the Gaekwar and statements from the Resident as to the accuracy of the information provided (ff 134-229).
Appendix Part II (ff 231-245)
- Letter from James Braithwaite Peile, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kattywar [Kathiawar] to T D Mackenzie, Secretary, Baroda Commission, 13 December 1873 regarding papers requested by the Commission and informing them that the outstanding paper will be forwarded as soon as they are received. Enclosed with the letter are a memorandum from Peile for reconstitution of His Highness the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar, 13 December 1873 and Rule for the guidance of the Officers and Kamdars appointed to the Contingent of Horse of His Highness the Gaekwar, serving in the various Tributary Mahals according to treaty.
- Letter from Peile to Mackenzie, 6 January 1874, forwarding a report and returns received from Colonel Walker, Superintendent to the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar and stating that he does not concur with the Colonel's opinion. Enclosed with this letter is a letter from Colonel Chamberlen William Walker, 30 December 1873, providing the information on the Contingent requested by the Commission and enclosing an extract of the Contingents annual report for 1871 and a statement of the men within the Contingent on duty under officials paid by Talukdars etc, 06 March 1872.
- Letters from John Whaley Watson, Acting Political Superintendent Pahlanpur [Palanpur], Captain Henry Nicholas Reeves, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Rewa Kanta [Rewa Kantha] and Major Philip Harrison Le Geyt, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Mahi Kanta [Mahi Kantha] to the secretary of the Baroda Commission 19 December 1873 to 9 January 1874 reporting on the Gaekwar's contingents serving within their districts and commenting on numbers of men, pay and conditions. The letters all refer to enclosed returns, but only the return for Mahi Kanta is included in the report.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (249 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main sequence of foliation consists of a small pencil number in the top front right hand corner of each folio enclosed in a circle.
There is also an original sequence of foliation which consists of larger pencil numbers also in the top front right hand corner of folios, however the sequence is not consistent and some of the numbers may be filing references rather than foliation numbers.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/78
- Title
- 'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:248v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence