!['Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎19r] (42/502)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0042.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎19r] (42/502)")
'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [19r] (42/502)
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.
29
/ '
this prove to be the case, a very large reduction of the Force would be practicable,
and the conversion of a portion of it into Foot Police, if required for the adminis
tration of the Districts, might undoubtedly be effected with a large saving to the
Gaekwar's Government.
The Commission is not in possession of the information needed to enable it
to submit an accurate opinion as to the number of Foot Police that would pro
bably be required, in the above event; but, if the several States concerned are com
pelled to perform their duty as regards their own territory, it is not probable that
any very large Force would be needed, and the cost would certainly be far
less than the amount of saving that might be effected by the reduction of the
Contingent.
The necessity for a Foot Police, in part substitution of the existing Contin
gent arrangements, would probably be confined to
Malu Kanta ' Rewa the Agencies noted in the margin. From the re
port of the Political Superintendent of Pahlanpur, it
would appear that 150 men would suffice for his charge, and a like number would,
it is believed, meet the requirements of the Rewa Kanta
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
. If these figures
be correct, an aggregate of 500 men would probably be ample for the three
Agencies. The Commission cannot, however, say that so large a number will be
needed, and it thinks that such might not be the case, if the obligation to maintain
their own Foot Police were duly enforced in the States of these Agencies.
54. The foregoing proposals have been framed in accordance with the in
structions conveyed in your Despatch of 19th September last, on the understand
ing that the existing engagements regarding the Contingent are to remain in
force; but we are well aware, from the whole of the circumstances which have
come before us in connection with this subject, of the serious character of the
difficulties that will be experienced in workinp out those proposals and giving
them a fair trial, and that, if adopted, many causes may conspire to prevent their
proving successful.
The traditions connected with the Contingent for the last 50 years and
upwards, are not hopeful on this point. It has been the subject of endless cor
respondence and disagreement, and considering the original constitution of the
Force and the nature of the service required of it in the Tributary Mahals, it
ought perhaps to be no matter of surprise that this has been the case.
Though, therefore, we have proposed the measures that appear to us, after
the fullest consideration, to be the most suitable for adoption under the existing
engagements, we deem it to be our duty to submit, for the consideration of His
Excellency in Council, that it would in our opinion be far preferable, under all
the, circumstances, to endeavour to obtain a revision of these engagements, with
the view of substituting for them an arrangement which would relieve the Gaek
war's Government, altogether, from its present obligations in respect of the Con
tingent, and furnish the means for the maintenance, under the direct orders of the
British Government, of such a police force as would meet the real requirements of
the Tributary Mahals, on the points hitherto provided for, or supposed to be pro
vided for by the Contingent.
Such an arrangement would, the Commission feels assured, be advantageous
alike to both Governments, and it would remove finally a fruitful and endless
cause of dispute and disagreement, which cannot be set at rest in any other way.
To obviate the necessity for the dismissal of the large body of men now com
posing the Contingent, that would in such event have to be dealt with, any
of them found fit for service might be retained for employment in the police
force that would have to be raised under the new arrangements, and the remainder,
who would be recalled to Baroda when no longer required in the Tributary
Mahals, might be gradually absorbed into the other State establishments there, oi
otherwise disposed of as the Gaekwar's Government might think proper. No
doubt many of the men who are old and nearly worn out, would be glad to
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' [19r] (42/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x00002b> [accessed 30 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x00002b
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_100023442806.0x00002b">'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎19r] (42/502)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x00002b"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0042.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