Enclosures of Letter to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India, No.213, dated 27 November 1874: Nos. 3 to 31 of Abstract of Contents, from Foreign Department, Fort William [‎23v] (46/102)

harassed with new cesses on our land. Our ancestors acquired these our
Wuttuns by shedding blood, and we are deterred from enjoying them owing to
the obstructions complained of above ; those obstructions are not removed and
no arrangements to continue our rights to us are made; but we hear that a
reduction 0 of 25 per cent, in the emoluments has been ordered by Government.
As shown above, we are quite destitute for want of food and clothing, and have
contracted hundreds of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. debt, and if the above order about reduction is
brought into fone, ourselves, -our wives and children will have to die. We
request, therefore, that you will take all these circumstances into consideration
Note .—The same complaint is general everywhere. and make early arrangements for US At
(sd.) r. p . present our crops are standing in the nelas,
and the time for reaping has arrived; if we attempt to reap them the A\ aln-
vutdar prevents us from doing so, and places Mohsals for the collection of new
cesses named above. The crops standing in the fields are partly destroyed by
birds and animals. These oppressions annoy us, and the state of the crops ready
for harvest is as stated above. Some have sublet their lands to those that have
no land of their own, they too are obstructed, this leaves us entirely destitute.
Strict arrangements should therefore be made to put a stop to Mohsals and to
allow us to reap our crops. Owing to the reduction of 25 per cent, ordered, the
Sowcars do not trust us. We have petitioned the Bombay Government on the
same object, copy of which, as also the copy of our petition to the Calcutta
Government, is hereto appended for your information. If you take the circum
stances of this petition into consideration and make proper arrangements for us
it is well, otherwise each day will add to our hardships. Arrangements should
therefore be made within eight days, and a reply given to us. One anna post
age stamp is enclosed for a reply.
No. 2693, dated 8th November 1873.
From—Resident at Baroda,
To—His Highness the Gaekwar o£ Baroda.
T he day before yesterday and to-day I have received most urgent petitions
This petition was brought to the notice of the frOUl the SindheeS <111(1 Aiabs of V ou1
Comniission by the Resident in November 1873. Highness' Service Complaining of the long
Nothing done yet. ( sd ) R p arrears of pay due to them, and stating
October 1874. that as the bankers will not give them
any more credit they and their families are reduced to a state of destitution,
and are almost in despair.
I have frequently brought the subject of the arrears of pay and allowances
due to these and other subjects to your notice, and 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). have long since
promised me to settle all their demands, but nothing has as yet been done.
Chits have, 1 believe, been issued in some instances, but these chits have not
been paid.
Your Highness will see that this case is the first on the list in Schedule
No. III. forwarded to-day, but as I consider the case of these Arabs and
Sindhees both at Baroda and in the districts to be of the utmost importance
in connection with the peace and tranquillity of the country, 1 hope you will be
so kind as to satisfy their just demands as soon as possible. I again repeat that
this matter is a most serious and emergent one.
Petition of the Sindhees, Jemadars, &c., in the service of the Gaekwar State, dated Kartig
Sud 15th St. 1930=4th November 1873.
I n order to obtain a Government for His Highness the Gaekwar we were
made to leave our native country of Sind, and brought to this country through
36'