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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [59v] (123/502)
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
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t,n him bv the late Gaekwar. He, instead of accepting the animal, took Us. 3,005
in cash Ld deposited the howdah and trappings for safe custody m tho "Hathi
T?i!z,'» These the present Maharaj refuses to give up. He prays for restitution,
includtng his wife's OTnaments, &c.
(2) 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 replies that Kasirao s allowance is nxed at the same
rate as that granted to the sons-in-law of the late Ganpatrao Maharaj, and that the
sum of Es. 3,000 substituted for the elephant included the value of the howdah
and trapping.
No. 5, Chimnia Sahib Lakshmanrao, maternal uncle of one of the widows
of the late Maharaja, states that he enjoyed an annual allowance of Rs. 500
o-ranted by Seiajirao Gaekwar, which was increased to Ks. 2,400 by the late
Gaekwar but on the latter's death the whole was stopped. He thereupon ran
away to Oodeypur in Rewa Kanta, where he now resides. He held no Sanad
for this allowance, and on its cessation neither petitioned the present Gaekwar
nor complained to the Resident.
(2). 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 replies that as the present Gaekwar Government
had no confidence in Chimma Sahib, it dismissed him.
No. 6, Amrutrao, son of the late Maharaj, by one Sakubae, his mistress, who is
still living, states that his mother enjoyed emoluments annually to the extent of
Es 32 000, made up from an I nam village valued at Rs. 16,000, cash from the
treasury Rs. 9,000, and Rs. 7,000 from the Mahals. He produces a Sanad,
(admitted 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).
to be genuine), showing his mother's title'to draw the
item of Rs. 9,000 annually from the Farnavis. These allowances, together with
Es. 35,000 for a pagah of 50 horse, were summarily stopped shortly after
Khanderao's death. At the same time his mother's jewels valued at about three
lakhs
One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
of Eupees, and a garden called the Hira Bagh were taken from her. The
pagah has been made over to Elajirao, brother-in-law of the present Maharaj, and
the garden to Nana Sahib Khanvelkar, the Minister. Amrutrao adds in conclusion
that absolutely nothing has been left to them,
(2). 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 replies that, Sakubae was permitted, during His
Highness Khanderao's lifetime, to use valuable State jewels. She has no claim to
them as private property, and they have accordingly been deposited in the Jamdar
Khana. Sakubae and her son Amrutrao have refused to accept an allowance
(viz., between Es. 7,000 and Rs. 8,000), fixed at the rate usually given to mistresses
of deceased Gaekwars. The garden referred to is Government property. The
pagah and allowances are dependent on services, which are neither rendered by, nor
required from, Amrutrao. They have consequently been resumed.
II.— L The Resident's final statement in this group of cases dated 2nd January
1874, which will be found in the file, challenges in some degree the correctness of
the
Durbars
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).
remarks, as summarised above, in reply to the depositions made
before the Commission, and while not doubting the legal right 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).
to
make the various reductions complained of, and to discontinue the allowances and
perquisites of the relatives of the late Maharaj, urges that the same has not been
done in good faith and honesty; that abundant proof is manifest that these
measures have been carried out in a malicious and vindictive spirit, and generally
that the family and followers of the late Gaekwar have suffered systematic perse
cution at the hands of the present reigning Gaekwar, and that the plea of want
of confidence is merely raised to cover the act of spoliation.
General O bservations and Opinion op the Commission.
Ill- The Commission is of opinion that while it appears to it to be im
possible to question the authority of the reigning Chief to modify or resume
grants by his predecessor of the nature referred to in the complaints in this group
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