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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [242r] (488/502)
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.
No. 805 of 1873.
From
T he ACTING POLITICAL SUPERINTENDENT,
Pahlanpur,
To
T he SECRETARY, BARODA COMMISSION.
Jinjuwara, 1873.
S ir,
In reply to your letter No. 13 of 1873, dated Baroda, November I9tli, 1873,
I have the honor to forward herewith the return called for. It is, I regret to say,
incomplete, inasmuch as "the rates of pay assigned to each grade serving in each
paga or Government detail" have not been furnished me by the Subha, and I am
informed by the Subha's Karkun with my camp, that he has received instructions
only to forward this kind of form. I am therefore unable to furnish such portion
of the detail required.
2. I do not myself feel entire confidence in the reports I have received that
the pay is regularly disbursed, but I must acknowledge that no
Sowar
In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
complain
ed to me at the muster of the Gaekwari Sowars at Deesa on the 14th ultimo
regarding the irregularity of the disbursements of pay, nor has any
Sowar
In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
since
then complained to me, although I have visited Tharad, Bhabar, Radhanpur, &c.,
&c. The District Karkuns also report that the pay is regularly disbursed, al
though, as it is paid in Babasai and not in Imperial
Rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
, a considerable loss in
exchange accrues to the Sowars.
3. I should say myself that the pay is decidedly insufficient, and that it
would be a g -eat advantage to all concerned, if the Contingent were paid in
Imperial instead of Babasai
Rupees
Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf.
.
4. The efficiency of the Contingent Sowars posted in the Pahlanpur Districts
is very much superior to that of the Kattywar Contingent with which I am well
acquainted. I attribute this difference to the Pahlanpur Contingent being more
directly under the Political Superintendent, and the absence of any intermediate
officer in charge. I believe the
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, concurs in this opinion,
but a reference to him on this subject would doubtless throw light upon the
question.
5. Although the Contingent serving in the Pahlanpur Districts is not equal
to properly drilled troops, they have nevertheless not been entirely useless, and
have captured or killed several outlaws during the current official year.
6. If the Contingent were thoroughly efficient, I consider that 300 good
horsemen would be sufficient for these districts, but this estimate does not include
whatever number might be required by the Brigadier General Commanding
Deesa Field Brigade. Such Sowars should, I conceive, be entirely separate, and
have no connection with the 300 District Sowars.
7. But when I say 300 Sowars would be sufficient, I suppose that 150 men
of the Dhari Regiment should also be stationed here for employment in the res
tricts. In most places horsemen are more useful than foot, but there are also
posts where foot would be more valuable than horse. I consider then that 300
really efficient horsemen and 150 footmen would be sufficient to keep order in
these Districts.
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