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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [239r] (482/502)
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.
EXTRACT from the Annual Report of 1
intendent of His Highness the Gaekwa Kattywar,
address of the Resident atBaroda.
Para. 9. The men are, as you are aware, paid in. the Babasai Rupee, the
value of which is now greatly depreciated. At the present rate of exchange, were
a Silledar in receipt of Rs. 30 as supposed by you, this figure would only represent
Bs. 24-6-0 of our money, a sum from which it is almost impossible for a Silledar
to keep himself, family, and horse in any part of this Province.
10. I observe that this is one of the subjects treated by Lieutenant-Colonel
Parr in his Annual Report during my absence in England.
11 The present pay of the Contingent taken in connection with the duties
now required of the Force, is the difficulty against which we have to contend.
On this latter subject I shall enlarge further on.
12. In Kattywar, as you are aware, from local experience, there are enor
mous numbers of horsemen in the employ of all the States. In a few, sma
numbers are dressed in uniform, but the vast majority are, hke this Contingent, ex
cepting the troop of Reformed Horse, allowed to dress as they like. 1 think it
would be very advantageous if His Highness' Contingent could be m some way
distinctively marked by a cheap uniform. The men ^ would be led to have moie re
spect for their position as Sowars of the " Maharaja, and would be more respected
in the Province. A pagri and kammarband of an uncommon and therefoie
tinctive colour would, I think, be sufficient, with white angarkha and draweis.
This would not cost His Highness anything as the men mustwe^pagns &c
and they can as easily have them of a uniform colour as . n ^ , ^ ^
entailing no extra cost on His Highness, might also be issued directing the
Silledars when providing horse equipments, such as ''Ghashia, Jerban ,
bridle, to have them of a uniform colour to match the Tagn. , , • i
13. The troop of Reformed Horse is at PJ esen t wel J ^
eauinned in every way. The men are not " picked men, as I think they might be
with some management 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).
, and the ^ JXI foHm^vbg
as fine as they should be. On vacancies occurring advan ^^ ta ^ ^ ^ P d i fficu ft
the latter, as all horses must be passed by the Superintendent, but it is ditticult
to interfere with the former.
14 The exigencies of the service have interfered greatly with the drill, &c.,
of this troop S^maTof them are always absent from Head Quarto, and sta
tioned ahou^' the eountry in small detachments it h^ bee ° ^PreolMefing dl
absolutely necessary attention to this subject, the m ™' j) a j u
things, are very handy, and go through a parade very alt ' } - . UK j deserving
Patel, and Jeiiedar, Sultan Khan, are attentive and zealous officers, and deserving
of commendation. , , , i- TT . j
15. All the outposts, with the exception of Dwarka, ave een ^ ^
during the year. These reliefs are mostly merely tran f^- la ^ e men t P 0
escort to another, as there are seldom, now -a-days, any nearly all Pay
from Head Quarters, the men remaining
Karkuns, Standard -bearers, Drummers, &c., &c., not such
16. The Contingent, as you are a w ar ^ c o nsists of Head
deducting th \ non - eff % t ; V ^ a 8 r ^^ autV Of this number 707 are constantly
Quarters, we have really only oo^ tor amy. in the Monsoon,
on outpost or escort. Of the latter a few go to Zttot
but as their duty is usually the heaviest, carrying a , .,
About this item
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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