Enclosures of letter to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India, No.17, dated 22 January 1875: Nos. 3 to 26 of Abstract of Contents, from the Officiating Under-Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, Fort William [‎119r] (37/90)

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see the increased expenses ; nor was there any necessity of our doing so. We
shall consider, if you wish, to submit to a reduction of one or two annas in
our six monthly or yearly allowances; but we will not submit to the continued
reduction of 25 per cent., nor is there any good in it, i.e., the result of all this
will be unfavorable.
MEMORANDUM.
O n Tuesday, the 22nd December 1874, about 300 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. , Sillidars, &c., of
the Baroda State attended at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , by appointment, to have an inter
view with Colonel Sir Lewis Pelly, K.C.S.I., Agent to the Governor-General,
and Special Commissioner, Baroda.
They were headed by the Pandrays, the Ghorpady, the Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. of Baroda,
Meer Kumaloodeen, and Meer Ibrahim Ali, and were received at 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). by Sir
Lewis Pelly and the Assistant Resident, Mr. Richey.
Sir Lewis Pelly addressed the 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. by saying that he had been deputed
by His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General on a special mission to
Baroda, the affairs of which had for some time past attracted His Excellency's
attention, that, as a rule, it was not the policy of the British Government to
interfere in the internal affairs of Native Governments; but that, under excep
tional circumstances, such as those of Baroda at the present time, intervention
became a duty in the interests of the general poace and tranquillity of the
country; that on his arrival at Baroda, he found the affairs in a very unsatisfac
tory condition—discontent and disorder prevailed to a considerable extent, the
wheels of Government were impeded, and the State laboured under financial
difficulties, the expenditure far exceeding the income, a state of things under
which no Government in the world could go on; that his instructions were to
endeavour and see if a reconciliation could be effected between His Highness
the Gaekwar and his 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. and other class of his subjects; the finances
placed on a satisfactory footing, order restored, and a smooth working of the
administration secured, that if this could be arranged, nothing would give him
more satisfaction; but that if by opposition on the part of either His Highness
the Maharaja, or his 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. and others, or both, such a course of action was
found to be impracticable, it would be his painful duty to report the same to
His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General, who would then take such
steps as might be considered advisable. Sir Lewis Pelly expressed his hope,
however, that honest and conciliatory action on the part of all concerned would
avert the latter alternative; that he had offered his aid and advice to His
Highness the Gaekwar, who had expressed his willingness to avail himself of
it; and that he was therefore desirous of speaking to the 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. and hearing
what they had to say ; that during his long course of service in different places,
and as Agent to His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General for States in
Rajpootana, he had plenty of opportunities to be acquainted with persons of
their rank and position, and that he could well appreciate their feelings; that
with respect to the case of the 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. , two distinct questions had to be consi
dered, viz.—
1st. —Their debts to Sowcars; and
2nd. —Their complaints against 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). .
That as regards the first, experience showed that by an amicable arrangement
with the Sowcars the debts might be compromised and reduced; and the
amount thus settled might be paid off by instalments, extending over a series of
years. Sir Lewis Pelly enquired of the 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. whether the Sowcars would
be willing to agree to such an arrangement, and was assured that the 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.
and Sowcars being mutu dly dependent upon one another, there would be no
difficulty in arranging the matter in the way suggested.
Sir Lewis Pelly then continued to say that as regards the 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. ' com
plaints against 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). , the best wav of restoring a cordial understanding