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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [240r] (484/502)
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.
3
at any time easily increased called the " Kala-Dagla-walas," now in the employ
of the
Agency
An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent.
, and who would be paid by the Talukdar as all the rest of the
persons composing the Thana.
21. To complete the 176 men referred to in my 18th para., I beg to point
to 21 men attached as escorts to officers employed in boundary settlements. All
these officers and their estabhshments are paid by the Talukdars, whose boun
daries are in process of being settled. I cannot understand what difficulty there
would be m supplying these escorts also from the " Kala-Dagla-walas" on the
terms mentioned m para. 20 of this Eeport.
22. The Contingent of 795 effective men, with 707 on outpost and escort
duty, serving under 50 officers, their temporary masters, you will not be surprised
to find, is the best abused Force m the Province. For 48 fault-finders there are
but two defenders or more properly extenuators. It is my duty to state that I do
not tmnk that the consideration which is due to a Force so overworked is invari-
ably shewn by officials to the Contingent. I believe a great deal too much is
expected of both men and horses, particularly of the latter. Owners of well-fed
and carefully tended horses, who think 6 kos a very fair day's work for one of
their animals, think 12 kos nothing for a
Sowar
In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
's horse, and if their post is late
forget the latter's horse is not in high condition, and that his owner carrying a
heavy bag may very naturally have tried to save him through a long ride at
mid-day in the hottest weather. Under emergent circumstances it may be
necessary at all risks to send a
Sowar
In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
a very long distance, and expect that he shall
travel fast, butm ordinary times I think much might be done to save the horses.
23. I do not stand up to defend the shortcomings of the Force but I
think I am right in expecting that this Contingent should meet with the con
sideration, which could not be refused to any of our own Irregular Mounted Corps.
24 If the duties now expected of the Contingent cannot be reduced, as I
believe they can, it is obvious that the body must become perfectly disorganized
or worn out, unless augmented, and the only source from whence I can smwest
relief is from the Mahi Kanta, where perhaps 100 men might be spared for the
present. • or
(True extract)
(Signed) C. W. WALKER, Colonel,
Superintendent, His Highness the Gaekwar's Contingent,
Kattywar.
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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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