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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [9r] (22/502)
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.
1
preside, in farm, on whatever plea, to the former class, is wholly inconsistent
with good Government, and should be entirely relinquished and interdicted.
(3) That the practice of ill-treating accused persons or prisoners, with the
object of extorting confession—which certainly obtains to some extent—demands
the most watchful and sincere efforts of 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).
for its absolute suppression.
(4) That the settlement of the rights of all Vatandars throughout the
State, which was promised by the late Chief 8 or 9 years ago, when the Vatans
generally were attached, should be carried out in a just and equitable manner
without delay, or all action in the matter finally dropped, the Vatandars being
restored to, or not being disturbed in, the enjoyment of their, generally, long-
enjoyed rights.
(5) That the adoption of a humane and otherwise suitable code of rules
for the administration of the State Jails is very desirable; and—
(6) That the Judicial Department and Administration require entire reform,
the existing abuses being abolished, so as to remove the present uncertain and
irregular application of the law, and want of confidence in the proceedings of the
Courts and Magistrates, which have been strongly urged on our attention by the
Resident in the course of this enquiry, and of the existence of which we can have
no reasonable doubt.
11. Lastly, we are compelled to come to the conclusion that the state of
affairs thus pourtrayed does, when viewed altogether, constitute general mal
administration of a character urgently calling for reformation,—especially with
reference to the intermixed position of the Baroda and British Districts, and the
consequent intimate relations and interests existing between them,—and that such
a change of system, as is needed with this object, cannot, under the peculiar
circumstances of the case, be effected without some interference on the part of the
British Government.
12. As regards the present Gaekwar himself, we have already (in para. 3
of this report) given a brief sketch of his career, from which it may be judged that
his antecedents, at the time of his accession, can hardly be said to have furnished
grounds for the expectation that he would prove a wise and good ruler.
His harsh and severe treatment of his predecessor's relatives and dependents
forms perhaps the greatest blot on his character since his assumption of the Chief-
ship, but some excuse for this may be found in the fact that he considered that he
and his friends and associates had been harshly and unjustly treated by the late
Chief and his servants and favourites, and that retaliatory measures towards the
latter, when within his power, were justifiable. Thus Bhao Sindia, who was at
once deposed from the office of Minister and thrown into prison—where he ended
his life after 18 months' confinement, under circumstances of grave suspicion—
was the Chief Judicial Officer of the State who conducted the enquiry into the
charge of conspiring against the then Chief, which resulted in Malharrao's impri
sonment during seven years and the severe punishment of several of his friends
and dependents ; and no doubt many of the late Gaekwar's other servants and
favourites, who have suffered at his successor's hands, took an active part in the
proceedings against His Highness Malharrao at that period, and were regarded
by him as his personal enemies. Still, making every allowance for the feelings
that would naturally actuate a person of His Highness Malharrao's disposition
under such circumstances, it is impossible to avoid the conviction, from the vin
dictive nature of his proceedings towards so large a number of persons as in this
instance, and his violent and spoliatory treatment
Note. —The reductions amongst of many of them, as also his measures towards cer-
the
Sirdar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
and Siliedar classes tain Bankers and Inamdars, and the general cha-
" KuXwf ta a« ^? r ^ other important respects ot his adminis-
admitted 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).
to have ag- tration during the last three years, that he is not a
gregated, within the last 3 years, prince who can be reasonably expected to introduce,
Rs. 1,93,500 of annual charge. 0 f himself, the change of system absolutely neces
sary to reform existing abuses, and to place the ad-
3 b c 9
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