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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [10v] (25/502)
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.
12
21 With reference to certain differences between the Resident and ourselves
regarding some of the cases brought forward by him—as will be seen from our pro
ceedings and his Schedules and letters in the Appendices—we beg to remark that
■we found it impossible to investigate, in the manner desired by the Resident,
some of the cases entered in the Schedules, as to have done so, had there been
no other objection to such a course, to the extent required to enable us to form
an accuratejudgment of their exact merits, would probably have taken several
days for each, especially where an examination of old and lengthy accounts was
essential to a proper understanding of the facts. It was, moreover, unlikely that
the evidence forthcoming would prove to be of an adequate character to establish
satisfactorily the charge or claim in these cases, while, even if it should appear
to be so, as 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).
could not have been called on to defend them, and there
could thus have been no contention, the result would still have been one
sided and valueless. Again, in certain cases in which the Resident ^ desired the
proceedings 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).
's Criminal Courts to be thoroughly investigated,
and the original charge in each such instance to be virtually retried by the
Commission, we deemed it sufficient to consider, (1), if 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).
had reasonable
ground for regarding itself as warranted in dealing with the case, and (2),
when it appeared to have such ground, if there was anything of so excessive or
exceptional a character in the sentence passed by it, as to require or justify our
interference. When the latter was not clearly the case, we deemed it to
be our duty to decline such interference, as being unnecessary and improper.
Lastly, in two claims against the Maharaja personally, on account of the price
of certain jewels purchased by him, which had remained unadjusted by His
Highness on the plea that he had been deceived as to the value of the articles,
we considered that we had no authority to investigate the same, and therefore
confined our intervention to directing the attention 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).
Agent to the
said claims, and pointing out the most fitting course that appeared to us to be
open for adoption for their settlement.
22. We will only add that we are well aware that many of the cases in which
we have allowed the complainants to appear before the Commission, are not of a
class that would, ordinarily, be fit subjects for enquiry or official interference at
the hands of the British authorities. With reference, however, to the objects of
the assembly of the Commission, and the general circumstances of the allega
tions against 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).
, we have deemed the course taken by us in this class of
cases to have been that which it behoved us to adopt, and trust that the same
may meet with the approval of His Excellency in Council.
23. It may be proper further to explain that the Resident was anxious to
notice 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).
's replies or remarks in some of the cases deposed to before the
Commission, and that, as there were obvious objections to his doing so in the way
of a rejoinder at the time, we consented to allow him to submit a final memo, or
note in each case in which he deemed such to be necessary. Such memos, we
intended to be merely brief comments on any particular point or statement put forth
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, which might appear to the Resident to call for special
remark from him, but these final notes have in some instances extended to a
length greatly in excess of what was contemplated by the Commission, when
acceding to their submission. We have, however, thought it better, under the
circumstances, to allow all of them to be included in in the Appendices to
this Report.
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