Letter No.52 of 1870 from Colonel Sir William Lockyer Merewether, K.C.S.I. & C.B., Commissioner's Office, Camp the Tanda to His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, G.C.S.I., Governor and President in Council, Bombay [‎59v] (12/28)

( 12 )
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. had left Jacobabad, and proceeded on their way. Xo sooner however
had they started than, disregarding Colonel Phayre's instructions, they pro
ceeded straight to Beyla. After arrival there, the murderous attack on Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Alladeena Koordand las sons took place, which 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. hastened to declare
was prompted by the Khan. My opinion of this assertion, and how it should
be received by the British authorities on the Frontier, is given in my letter
No. 2GG of 1st May 18(39, and quoted in Colonel Phayre's statement of events,
so need not be re-stated. Conceiving that Colonel Phayre was attaching too
much weight to the statement made to him by the disaffected Chiefs, and that
he was unintentionally drifting into unsuitable interference on their behalf
with the Khan, I warned him against such a course. To this he replied in his
quoted letter of the l<th of May, but has not given my reply thereto, dated
Vth May which, though it was forwarded to your Excellency in my letter
No. 35 of 5th June, it may be as well to re-produce here. It was to the fol-
lowinof effect :—
O
"In acknowledging the receipt, to day, of your letter of the 4th instant,
" I have the honor to observe that the whole tenor of your letter No. 703, of
the 27th ultimo, seemed to convey that you were so impressed with the
" necessity of some more decided measures being adopted in behalf 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.
" of Beloochistan, in respect to their differences with their Sovereign, and that
" you were so disposed to consider we were bound to interfere more directly
44 for them than had hitherto been the case, that I felt it incumbent on me
" to point out to you that our relations with the Khan rested with him alone,
" and that we had no right to accept any of the assertions of his Chiefs as to
how they considered the Treaty to bear, or what they reckoned their rights
" to be. We have only to deal with the Government for the time being, the
" mode of conducting that, abides with the head. e may endeavour indirectly
<£ to improve his position and benefit the country generally by proffering good
" advice, but it should be most carefully done, so that it may not be supposed
that we are siding with those who are in opposition to the ruling power, or
" intending to interfere with the internal Government of the country.
" Every little act of ours is watched so closely by these people, and signi-
" ficance attached often in a way least intended, that it is of the first importance
" to be most guarded against any demonstration of a leaning one way or the
" other. I am therefore glad of your assurance that your views are not as
" I supposed, and certainly consider that in the present stage no further com-
" munications received from 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. should be acted upon by you, the
" only reply to any that may occur being that the matter is in the hands of
" their Sovereign, the Khan, who would doubtless act in the best
" suited to the interest of his country generally, and with that justice which
should guide all rulers."
22. The events which occurred at and near Khelat in May, the very
offensive attitude assumed by 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 the liberal, moderate procedure
of the Khan, are fully described in the accompaniments to my letter No. 431)
-1