Minute by His Excellency the Viceroy [‎22r] (1/10)

MINUTE BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY.
I t may be desirable to place upon record^ in a more connected form than
is presented by the despatches which, have been addressed to the Secretary of
State upon the subject, some of which, moreover, were necessarily written under
considerable pressure, a summary of the transactions of the last two years,
which have terminated in the deposition of Mulhar Hao, Gaekwar, from the
Sovereignty of the Baroda State.
2. Mulhar Rao, Gaekwar, succeeded his brother, Khundee Rao, in 1870.
Much correspondence took place in 1872 and 1873 between the Govern
ment of Bombay and the Government of India with reference both to
the general misgovernment of the Baroda State and to particular cases.
Ultimately, in the summer of 1873, the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. represent
ed their opinion that measures of decided interference were necessary.
Accordingly, at their recommendation, with which the Government of India
concurred, a Commission was appointed for the purpose of investigating
and reporting upon the general condition of the State. Sir Richard
Meade, whose character for calmness of judgment is well known, who has
an extensive knowledge of Native States, and who throughout bis career
has shown that he is ready to make every allowance in their favour, and
that he has no wish to enforce a standard which it would be unreasonable to
expect in their administration, was appointed to be President of the Commis
sion. Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Eaiz Ali Khan, who had been Prime Minister of the State of
Jeypore, and in whose character and ability great confidence was placed by the
Maharaja of Jeypore, as well as by the British Government, was appointed to
be a Member of the Commission. The other two Members—Mr. Ravenscroft
and Colonel Etheridge—were nominated by the Bombay Government, and are
officers of high standing and character.
3. The report of the Commission, which was received by the Government
of India on 25th Eebruary 1874, showed a condition of things which was
highly discreditable to Mulhar Rao, and which contained the elements of
serious disturbance, which, owing to the manner in which the territories of the
British Government and the Gaekwar are intermingled, might have been greatly
prejudicial to the interests of British subjects and to the peace and order of
Her Majesty's dominions. The Commissioners expressed their opinion that in the
summary and extensive reduction of Silladars and Sirdars Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. , in the treatment of
certain bankers, in the seizure of women to render forced service in the Palace,
in the treatment of the late Gaekwar's relatives, favorites, and dependants, and
in the arbitrary resumption of certain inams and hereditary emoluments,
the proceedings of Mulhar Rao had been " highly arbitrary, and in some ins-
" tances very unjust, and of a character calculated to bring grave discredit on
" His Highness' administration, and to excite distrust and alarm amongst a large
"portion of the influential and respectable classes of the community." The
Commissioners further reported that the grievances of the agricultural classes