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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [83r] (170/502)
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.
F rom
C olonel E. J. MEADE, c.
President, Special Commission of Enquiry on Baroda affairs,
To
C olonel R. PHAYRE, c. b.,
Resident at Baroda.
1873.
S ir,
I have the honour to inform you that the Commission, recently nominated by
the Government of India, to enquire into and report on certain matters connected
^^with the Baroda State, and composed as per
Colonel R. J. M^ade^C. S. I. margin, has assembled at Bombay, and is
Members, prepared to proceed with the duty for which
The Honourable E. W. Ravenacroft. it hasjormed, as soon as you are in a position
Colonel Ethendge C. S. I, to enable it to do so, by brin^inff forward the
Nawab
An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India.
Paiz Ah Khan Bahadur, C. S-1. i • , x V i-JUf
' cases, which are to be laid betore it tor en
quiry.
2. It appears to me that the first step that should be taken before entering
on the business of the Commission, is to define as closely as possible, the course
we propose to follow, and the class of cases we
From Government of India, Foreign be p re p are( i to investigate, as generally
Department, to the iiombay Crovernment, 1 I • .i x i i. j • x "u
No 2209- p., dated 9th September 1873. described m the Despatch noted m the margin
of which you have doubtless been furnished
with a copy, and having consulted my colleagues on these points, I beg to inform
you that we shall first take up and enquire into such complaints of British sub
jects not already disposed of, as you may consider to be of a sufficiently grave
character to demand investigation at our hands ; and when this portion of our work
is completed, we shall be prepared to consider and deal with the cases of subjects
of the Baroda State, or other persons not being British subjects, which you may
deem it necessary to bring forward as proofs of general mal-administration, on the
part of the Gaekwar s Government, threatening the peace of the Baroda State
itself and the adjoining British and Native Districts, and affecting, or likely to
affect, the existing treaty relations between the Gaekwar and the British Govern
ment.
3. In respect of the first of the class of cases referred to in the preceding
para., the Commission is of opinion that its enquiries should be strictly limited to
grievances in which the principal concerned is a British subject, and, as
such, entitled to claim the protection of the British authorities against the
oppressive action or proceedings, which form the subject of complaint; and (2),
that cases of a minor or petty character, the settlement of which should ordinarily
and as a matter of course be disposed of by your office, should not, without some
special reason therefor, be brought forward for investigation.
4. In respect of the second class of cases, the object in view is not the
intended redress of individual grievances, but the establishment or otherwise of a
sufficient number of instances of grave oppression or misgovernment, to enable
the Commission to form an opinion as to the existence, as alleged, of such general
mal-administration on the part of the Gaekwari Government as to imperil the
peace of the country, and to affect the existing relations between His Highness
and the British Government, and none but cases of a sufficiently serious character
to bear clearly on the object of this branch of the enquiry, should, we consider,
be laid before us for investigation.
1 b c
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.
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- 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