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 [‎44v] (88/102)

With reference to the alleged results of the Resident's unfriendly attitude
(C. paragraph 3 above), I may remark that there can be no doubt that the
intervention of Government by means of the Commission and His Excellency
the Viceroy's instructions on their report have neccessarily tended to encourage
resistance to a perpetuation of the oppressive system in all branches of the
adminstration which it was my duty first to bring to notice. I am not aware
that any resistance has been offered to the exercise of any lawful authority 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). officials; in fact it is to me truly marvellous that the people should
have remained so submissive under the system of absolute slavery in which
they have long been held.
25. With reference to the alleged loss of revenue, it is obvious that the
advice of His Excellency the \ iceroy and Governor-General regarding exces
sive exactions, guddee nuzzerana, &c., must necessarily, for the current year
at least, cause a temporary loss of revenue ; but this result is not, I think, under
the circumstances, one for which His Highness is entitled to appeal for
sympathy.
26. With reference to the 3rd head (c), relating to the required dismissal
of myself as Resident, I have lon^ been aware that my removal from Baroda
constitutes the chief object of the present Maharaja and his advisers. This is
not to be wondered at, considering the part which I have had to play durino- the
last 18 months. The present Maharaja and his advisers are fully aware^that
I am thoroughly cognizant of all that has been and is going on, that I am not
to be cajoled, intimidated, or deterred from carrying out to the best of my ability
the orders of Government; and under these circumstances, they are filled with a
natural fear that any sham or imposture will not be allowed to pass current with
out notice from me. It is material, however, to note that my personal relations with
the Maharaja himself are, as they always have been, of a friendly and satisfactory
nature, and no one is more aware than the Maharaja himself, as he has frequently
Vide kimreeta, 25th October 1873. admitted to me ^ that my advice is for the
real benent of himself and his State.
27. With reference to the 4th head (d) as noted in paragraph 3, viz., that
the action of His Excellency the Viceroy in publicly notifying his confidence in
me, and in directing me to superintend and report on the progress of the re
forms required is unfair to His Highness the Gaekwar, and precludes the
possibility of allowing him the fair trial promised ; 1 have only to remark that His
Excellency is the best judge of the propriety of the course which he has directed
to be followed ; and that the fair trial desiderated by His Highness the Gaekwar
would probably imply many conditions which it would be scarcely possible for any
Government to accede to. Moreover His Highness the Gaekwar appears entirely
to forget that the ultimate verdict in this very serious case is in no sense
dependent on any opinions or inferences of my own, but solely on proved pal
pable facts, the significance and import of which the Government will alone decide,
facts, however, which I have shown in paragraph 10 above, the present Minister
is most anxious to suppress.
28. With regard to the final statement (e alluded to in paragraph 3 above)
that progress has been made by His Highness the Gaekwar in the various
reforms recommended, the details of which will shortly be communicated, I have
on!}" to state that it will be time enough for me to criticise this statement when
it appears; but in the meantime I would respectfully invite the careful attention
of Government to my confidential progress report No. 361-1225, dated 2nd
instant, just forwarded, which contains an exhaustive narrative of what has
actually occurred in each group of cases that came before the Commission.
1 would further respectfully submit, fur the consideration of Govern
ment, that had real reform commenced in the Baroda State, such a khureeta An important letter usually sent in an elaborate textile pouch, dispatched as part of the royal or diplomatic correspondence of rulers and elites. as
that under reply could not have been written, more especially after the serious
waiaing conveyed in His Excellency the Viceroy's khureeta An important letter usually sent in an elaborate textile pouch, dispatched as part of the royal or diplomatic correspondence of rulers and elites. of 25th July last.
e lev e, however, that in addition to the special personal reasons for this
unscem } attack noticed in paragraph 2 above, another important motive is sup-