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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [198v] (401/502)
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.
Ealvantrao Eshwant, who first said 6 months was the term, but that I had been
in prion for 9 months. I was also asked if I had recognized any one on the
road and replied that I had not, that I saw nobody now, and that I kept
mv eyes on the ground all the time. Had I known that I was released by
Colonel Shortt's intercession, and not by the Maharaja I would not have
signed the paper mentioned above. When Malharrao Maharaj visited me
in iail he asked how I was getting on. I said I was very well, and
asked him to take care of my 4 small children. He said he would regar
them and care for them as for his own •, but when 1 came out of jail,
I found my house robbed and my property all gone. After my inte ^ vie ^
the Resident I returned on foot to my house in custody of a
sepoy
Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank.
and remained
there under surveillance for 25 days. When I
told me to clear out in 4 days. I represented the difficulty of this and begged
for 8 days, but got no reply. At the end of 25 days I got a pass or my
brother self, and 4 servants to leave. We did so, and went to Ahmedabad,
where we have lived since. My household remained here for the tim ®'^ ut
months afterwards, I sent for them to Ahmedabad, wher e the y ai .
have been deprived of all my property, villages, houses, jewels, &c., and ha
nothing but a few cooking" pVleft I have never committed any crime
against the Maharaj. There never has been cause of dispute or quarrel
between the Maharaj and myself.
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 reserve cross -examination and reply.
Reply 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).
.
The village of Ranoli was given in Inam to the
Munshi
A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf.
Habibula. He
was sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment for concealment of crimes, and im
position of heavy fines on ryots, and for other improper conduct in the exer
cise of his authority in that village. It was also ordered that on his release
from confinement he should find security for future good behaviour. He was
detained till he o-ave it. The reason for taking him to Colonel Shortt was
mere! v to show^that the newspaper reports about his death were incorrect.
He was not abused in jail by Hariba Dada as alleged.
Being ill-disposed towards Government, he and his brother were detained
at home to prevent their intriguing.
He belongs to the party unfavourable to the present Maharaj, and being
of no use to him, his services were dispensed with, and his allowances and
Inam village resumed.
The village of Kadirpur has been attached pending an enquiry into the
title of the person from whom he says he bought it.
The houses and other property which he says he has been dispossessed of
are Government property, and not his.
He was on terms of very great intimacy with Bhao Smdia, who allowed
him to misappropriate the Government property. His private property
therefore, amounting to upwards of Rs. 27,000, has been taken possession of
in satisfaction of the State claims upon him.
Final Statement by the Resident.
The explanation 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).
in the case of
Munshi
A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf.
Habibula, No. 45,
is so obviously unsatisfactory as to amount to no explanation at al . ot a
single question was put to this witness in cross-examination, and the allegations
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).
are unsupported by any kind of evidence.
Assuming that the petitioner was legally tried and convicted foi ''conceal-
" ment of crimes and for imposition of heavy fines on ryots, and foi o lei
"improper conduct," nothing could have been simpler than to produce
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