Letter No.1725 of 1869 from Colonel Robert Phayre, the Political Superintendent, Frontier Upper Sind, Jacobabad, to Sir William Lockyer Merewether, the Commissioner in Sind [‎37r] (60/68)

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73 )
Though reported of " weak intellect"
when he first came to the throne, the
Khan has greatly improved in this
respect; and no one now knows better
than he does, the advantage of having
a British Officer at his Court, or the
danger to himself and his country
that would be involved in his with
drawal.
W. L. M.
This was when the Daroga was
working against him, and for the time
all powerful. Such a state of affairs no
longer exists, nor is likely to recnr.
Should it, it would then be time
enough to consider the advisability of
withdrawing the Agent.
W. L. M.
Nor has he now.
W. L. M.
most certainly is not, ifhe should hap
pen to be charged with orders to insist
upon an unpalatable observance of the
Treaty, in regard to doing justice to
all, as already adverted to. Sir Henry
Green himself describes that, when the
mercenaries were only 400 strong, he
was not independent, until his brother
reached Kelat with about 200 of the
Sind horse; consequently, now that
the same body numbers upwards of
2,000 men, the position is more unten
able than ever, with a small escort ;
and I feel sure that, whatever may be
the orders of Government as to the
future, none but " negative results"
will be obtained, unless we manage to
put a stop to the practice of hunting
down or exiling Chief after Chief, aa is
now the case.
In describing the difficulty of his
position at Kelat, and the relief that
followed the arrival of a strong escort,
Sir Henry Green says " the Detach-
" ment arrived at Kelat on the 1st
" August, much to the delight of the
" poor, the merchants, and lovers of
peace ; but to the disgust of the
" evil-minded. I now felt that I had
" gained sufficient influence amongst
" the people and Chiefs, and backed by
" 200 Sind horse, I could take a higher
" stand with the Daroofa."
O
*
We here see what stress Sir Henry
lays upon his having the Chiefs and
people with him, when about to strike
a blow for them, by getting rid of the
Head of the Khanazad faction.
In those days the Khan was not
strongly enough backed by Military
force to accuse Sir Henry of heading
rebellious subjects, whilst merely ad-