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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [13r] (30/502)
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.
(2). As regards the organization of the Force, he proposes that five troops
shall be formed of 120 men each, complete with officers, one to be at Depot Head
Quarters at Rajkot under the Superintendent, and one to serve in each, of the
four Political Divisions (or Prants) of the
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
, the latter to bo wholly under
the control of the Prant Officers, who would supervise their pay, discipline, drill,
arms, clothing, &c., communicating on these matters, when necessary, with the
Superintendent, who would be at all times in consultation with the Subah. The
Prant Officers should also be empowered to object to any of the horses they
deem unserviceable, which must be cast if the Superintendent concurs in their
opinion. Should he not do so, the decision to rest with 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.
.
(3). A code of Rules to be framed, laying down the powers of the Prant
Officers and Subah respectively, regarding the punishment of offences. Non-
military offences to be dealt with by the Criminal Courts of the
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
.
(4). No hereditary claims to serve in the Contingent as
Sowar
In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
to be recog
nized, and the Superintendent to be empowered, with the approval of the Political
Agent, to insist on the discharge of inefficient men, and to refuse to pass any
man newly entertained, whom he deems unfit for the service. <
(5). The pay of the Force to be disbursed regularly through the Rajkot or
Prant treasuries, and if the requisite funds for the purpose are not provided from
Baroda, the disbursements on this account to be debited against the Gaekwar's
Tribute. ;
(6). In proposing that each Troop shall consist of 100 Sowars, with a com
plement of 20 superior and subordinate officers, &c., Mr. Peile observes that a
large number of the class of Hubordinate officers is required, in consequence of the
number of small parties each troop will have to provide for duty at Thanas The
officers should, he considers, be trained soldiers.
(7). The whole of the men to be one horse (Khodaspa) Silledars, and
to receive Rs. 30 per mensem pay, the officers receiving the ordinary rates of cor
responding ranks in the British service. No Bargirs to be allowed. The whole
Force to be mounted on mares or geldings.
(8). The uniform might be the same as that now in use by the " Reformed
Troop."
. ^ - ... ... , ^
(9). The arms to be good native swords, and carbines. Dep6ts of ammuni
tion to be kept at the Head Quarters of each Prant and at Rajkot, and the men
to be exercised in the use of their fire-arms.
(10). Mr. Peile further states that the Special Officer for Police in Katty-
war, should have a party of 20 men and 5 officers attached to him, separate from,
and in addition to the 5 troops ;and adds that, in the Force of 625 disciplined men ;
thus proposed, he has made no provision for His Highness the Gaekwar's Mahals
in Kattywar, nor for any of the numerous miscellaneous escorts that are constant
ly required. For this class of work, he thinks a less efficient description of
Sowar
In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
would answer, and that 375 men might be maintained for these purposes, making
the total force up to 1,000, which he considers should be its strength, instead of 900
as at present.
Appended to Mr. Peile's report, are the opinions of several of the
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
Officers, who generally concur as to the inefficiency of the present Contingent as
a Military Police. The reports of these officers do not appear to call for further
notice here, but they will be filed with the general original proceedings of the
Commission under this head.
17
r : > J/
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