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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [&lrm;12v] (29/502)

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎12v] (29/502)

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874'

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Ref: Mss Eur F126/78

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. .

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16
that in the Katty war Division, already described; The remainder of the Con
tingent in this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. consists of ordinary Raj war a Sowars, without uniform,
discipline, or military organization of any kind.
1. Composition of the Force. The remarks under the heads noted
2. Horses. . in the margin, regarding the Kattywar
3. Arms and qmpmen s. Division, are generally applicable to this
5. Officers. and the other Divisions of the Force.
Qf the 596 men in this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. returned as on duty, 495 are posted at
I'hanas, and 101 are employed on miscellaneous duties.
36 Mahi Kanta Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. . —The observations in the preceding para, are, gene
rally, equally applicable to the portion of ths Contingent employed in this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
There are, however, two Reformed Troops,
Eassaldars or Commandaiits ... 10 consisting of 184 men of »11 grades, and the
NonSmZsioned Grades 01 " 8 ^ 137 establishment is stated to include a fixed
Trumpeters, Nagarchis, and Musicians 36 and fair proportion of superior and inferior
Camel Sowars ... ... ... 5 officers, as noted in the margin. It is pre-
Famers ... ... ... - sumed that the same svstem of appoint-
Non-eftectives ... ... ... 40 . , ^ i .
Sowars... 715 men ^ an d pay or these classes, obtains m
this, as in the Kattywar Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
37. Reiva Kanta Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. . —There is no Subah in charge of the portion of
the Contingent employed in this Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. , and no " Reformed Troop" as in the
other Agencies, the whole Force consisting of ordinary" " Rajwara" Sowars,
composed as already described.
The 156 men returned as on duty, are partly posted at 9 Thanas, and partly
employed on detached duties.
38. Having stated the present formation and condition of the Contingent—
as ascertained from the information that has been laid before us, and partly by
personal inspection by two members of the Commission, of such portions of the
# Force as could be conveniently assembled for the
Mahi Kanta purpose at central and accessible points in the
Rewa Kanta. three'"' Agencies noted in the margin, and also at
Baroda,—we next proceed to notice briefly the
opinions of the several officers consulted, as to the character and efficiency of the
Force, so far as the same has come under their observation.
39. Kattywar Agency—Mr. Peile, the late 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. in Katty
war, states that, in his opinion, the Contingent serving in that province is totally
useless as a Military Police. This he ascribes (1) to its want of subordination to
the officers under whom it is immediately employed, and (2) to its bad organiza
tion and equipment.
, (})■ regards the first, he points out that the Contingent is commanded
\±1® t^v .bah, and superintended by a British Officer who is subordinate,
not to the 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. , but to the Resident at Baroda, and, who has his Head
(Quarters away from Rajkot, the Head Quarters of the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. .
Air. Peile urges that it is inexpedient that this arrangement shall continue,
and lie suggests that the Superintendent should be the Personal Assistant of the
?v! o a , nd , r ? slde at Rajkot, where he might also be Station Magistrate,
• 77, tile feuba h is to remain in command of the Force, he shall be vested
SnnanW P ^ We I S 0V j r ^, under the observation of the 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. and the
p endent, and not be checked and trammelled as at present.

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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

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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎12v] (29/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x00001e> [accessed 12 July 2026]

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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