!['Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎15r] (34/502)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0034.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎15r] (34/502)")
'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [15r] (34/502)
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.
21
posed diminution was not therefore carried out. It was, however, intimated to
him, that, if he should, at any period, desire to reduce the Contingent to 1,500
men for employment in the Tributary Mahals, &c., no objection would be raised
by the British Government to the measure.
It should be noticed here, that the employment of the Contingent in the
Tributary Mahals, for Police purposes, though not authorised by the Treaty of
1817, or, apparently, any other special engagement, had been customary since its
return from service in Malwa, in 1820. From and after 1841, it was continued
in accordance with the above engagement, the whole body, however, and not
merely 1,500 men, as proposed to JSis Highness, being, it would appear, held
available for the duty.
(3). The Agreement No. LXXXIII. of 14—17tli June 1858, remits the pay-
. ment of 3
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
annually for the maintenance of
Treaties 356 ' ^ ^ Aitchisons jfobert's Horse, cancels the permission accorded in
1841, to the prospective reduction of the Contin
gent to 1,500 men, and declares that the provisions of Article 8 of the Treaty of
1817 shall continue in full force. It further provides for the continued employ
ment of the whole body of the Contingent in the Tributary Mahals, as the British
Government may require, when it is not needed to serve with the Subsidiary
Force.
46. The sum of the engagements now in force, as stated in the preceding
para., is that the Contingent shall be maintained as provided in Article 8 of the
Treaty of 1817, and that its employment in the Tributary Mahals, when not
required for Military service, rests with the British Government.
47. With regard to the formation, &c., of the Contingent, as described in
Article 8 of the Treaty of 1817, we presume that the words " according to the
customs of the Gaek war's Government" used in that Article, include the formation,
equipment, regular payment, and condition of the arms and accoutrements of
the Force ; and that, though the Gaekwar is bound to conform to the advice and
'suggestions of the British Government on all these points, he is so only to the
extent of " the customs of his Government" in respect of such matters. It is true
that the term " effective cavalry" is also employed in this Article, in reference to
the Contingent, and this has been pointed out and strongly urged by many of the
officers who have written on the subject, but it appears that there is reason to
believe that the word " effective" does not exist at all in the Vernacular version
of the Treaty, as it is wholly omitted in the copy in the
Residency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
Office at Baro-
da. The omission is in itself of little consequence; but if there is any doubt as to
the use of the word in the Vernacular version with 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).
, it will be advisa
ble to make no reference to the term in dealing with the question in this Report.
48. Proceeding then under the impression that our proposals must be in
accordance with the "customs of the Gaekwar's Government," we will consider
seriatim :—
(1). What the customs are, in respect of each of the points noted ; and—
(2). What measures and rules can, in our opinion, be adopted, to render the
Force efficient for the purposes for which it is needed in the Tributary Mahals,
without being at variance with the said customs.
49. As regards the former :—
I.— F ormation op the F orce.
The Contingent was originally composed of (1) State Pagahs.
(2)
Sirdars
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
'Pagahs and Silledars.
(3) Sebandi horse.
A small proportion of foot was also associated with it.
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [15r] (34/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000023> [accessed 7 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000023
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000023">'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎15r] (34/502)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x000023"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0034.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- 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