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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [80v] (165/502)
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
The Commission is of opinion that tto is not a case, m whmh an mvesti.
ration by it is either desirable or necessary It is clearly one of a class in which
no Native Chief with any pretension to independent jurisdiction would deem ,t
necessan^ to hold a judi^l enquiry ; and the one-sided reports regarding which
that may reach a Political officer-for no
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).
would enter into an explanation
in sun case—are obviously untrustworthy The complainant has been released
Lt the instance of the Kesldent. and the further interference of the Commmiou
fn the case, would, according to its views, be both improper and objectless.
VI. Case No. 36
The case of this complainant is similar to that of Ko. 3 4, and the Commis
sion on the same grounds deems it unnecessary to investigate it. ihe com
plainant has been also released.
VII.—Case No. 38
This case refers to the death in prison, under circumstances which, it is al
leged, have led to the popular belief that they were poisoned, of
1. Bhao Sindia, Ex-Dewan of the late Gaekwar Khanderao,
2. Raoji Master, Karkun in the service of Rani Jamnabae, the late Gaek-
war's widow.
3. Ghanu "Wagh, confidential servant of the late Gaekwar.
4. Malharba Shelki, ditto ditto.
The suspicious circumstances connected with the late Bhao Sindia's death m
May 1872, have been already the subject of report to Government, and of com
ment by it. The Commission has not seen the depositions, on which the Resident
records his opinion that he is in a position to establish the fact of the death by
poison of Bhao Sindia conclusively, but it considers that it would not be justified
in opening an enquiry in a case of this peculiar character, and of taking evidence
on it in the presence 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).
Agents, until the full grounds on which the
Resident proposes to bring it forward have been laid before Government, to en
able the latter to judge if it should be entered into or not.
In the present state of affairs and of embittered feeling at Baroda, such ac
cusations, in the opinion of the Commission, require to be received with much
caution, and to be examined impartially and dispassionately, before taking the
final and grave step of making them the subject of actual investigation, in the
form of a personal charge against the Ruler of the State, and the Resident was
therefore at once recommended by the Commission to report the case fully to the
Bombay Government without delay, and in the meantime, to take it out of the
Schedule, for the present at all events, so as to let it remain in abeyance, without
being forced on 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).
's notice, till it was decided by competent authority,
if the Commission was to take it up or not.
VIII. — Case No,43
Complaint of Ganpatrao Gopalrao Gaekwar, claiming an increased allow
ance and more consideration 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 a consideration of the circumstances of this case, as set forth in the Sche
dule, the Commission is of opinion that it does not fall within the scope of its 1!>
quiry, and it therefore decides not to take it up.
It is further of opinion that any just claims on the part of the complainant,
requiring the interference of the British Government, should be dealt with by t e
Resident.
IX.— Case No. 60
Complaint of one Narsibhai Ranchodbhai of Nariad, in behalf of the widows
and daughters of the late Kisandas Vitaldas of Bakrol in Petlad.
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