!['Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎78r] (160/502)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0160.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎78r] (160/502)")
'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [78r] (160/502)
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.
SCHEDULE III.
Case No. 14.
Representation by the Resident of the present state of the relations of the
Gaekwar with the British Government, and the neighbouring States of the Rewa
Kanta, Mahi Kanta, Pahlanpur, &c.
In the statement given under this head, the Resident draws the attention of
the Commission to the great number of cases on various subjects now pending
between his office and the Gaekwar's Government, and observes that it is quite
clear that unless a very different mode of conducting business than that now
followed by the latter is adopted, the just and equitable settlement of these vexed
questions appears to be hopeless, and persons entitled to the protection of the
British authorities must continue to suffer great loss.
The Resident then quotes extracts from the Annual Administration reports
of the Rewa Kanta and Mahi Kanta Agencies, in support of this view, as shew
ing that the attitude and action of the Baroda
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).
and its officials for some
time past have been unconciliatory and altogether wanting in a spirit of fairness
and reciprocity ; that hence business is at a stand-still, and that the border coun
try would be in a state of anarchy, but for the check imposed by the British
Political Agents on aggrieved parties, who would otherwise attempt to take the
law into their own hands.
The Resident concludes thus—" In short, whether it is on behalf of Political
Agents of Native States, or the Collectors of neighbouring British Districts, the
Resident's advice tendered to His Highness the present Gaekwar according to
Treaty has seldom, if ever, been followed, even though sound, just and friendly.
Numerous instances of this may be quoted between 1871, and the present time.
Hence business is at a stand-still and will remain so, until the whole system of
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).
administration is changed from what it is at present."
2. The Commission has not had the opportunity of investigating any of the
class of cases referred to in these remarks, and it is not therefore in a posi
tion to pass an opinion on the wide general charge thus preferred against the
Gaekwar's Government. It appears, however, to it that, if the engagements in
force between the two Governments provide, as it is presumed they do, adequately
for the settlement of such questions as those referred to, the existence of the
present unsatisfactory state of affairs is a serious reproach to the British authori
ties concerned, whose duty it was to hold the Gaekwar's Government to the due
performance of its obligations under the terms of such engagements, and that it is
impossible to avoid the impression that some share of the responsibility for the
existing defects and want of proper system depicted in such strong terms by the
Resident, should be laid to their neglect of their duty.
3. The Commission would further remark that a portion of the difficulties
complained of may possibly be due to a too minute interference on the part of
the Political officers concerned, in behalf of the claims or possessions of Mahikanta
and Rewakanta Hakdars within the limits of the Gaekwar's jurisdiction^ The
adjustment of such claims, &c., elsewhere, under similar circumstances, is, as a
rule, left wholly to the Native Government, and is not made the subject of inter
ference by the British authorities. The Commission is not in the possession
of the information required to enable it to judge if a contrary practice in Gujerat
has aggravated the natural difficulties of maintaining good working relations
with the Gaekwar's Government, in respect of these intermixed jurisdictions,
but the point is one that appears to it to merit attention, as a constant inter
ference by Political officers in such matters, where the right to do so, does not
clearly exist, is at all times exasperating to a Native Government, and renders
the maintenance of reciprocal and friendly relations with it, in the disposal of
matters at issue in adjoining frontier districts, extremely difficult, if not im
possible.
a—14
1
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' [78r] (160/502), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/78, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x0000a1> [accessed 29 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x0000a1
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_100023442806.0x0000a1">'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [‎78r] (160/502)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023442806.0x0000a1"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x000381/Mss Eur F126_78_0160.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