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 [‎65r] (23/28)

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the highest bidder who looked for them. It was with such a result in view
that I wrote as 1 did in January 1861, when it was proposed to withdraw the
Political Officer from Khelat,
38. I will not take up your Excellency's time with further remarks on
Colonel Phayre s proposal, but will now briefly allude to what I consider the
exact state of affairs in Beloochistan, and the course I would recommend for
adoption.
39. With regard to the former, there can be no question that the present
position of His Highness the Khan is stronger now than it has ever been before.
By his moderation and judgment displayed last May, aided by the good
advice and countenance of the Politiccal Agent, he defeated the designs of the
CDmbined assemblage of the few discontented Sarawan, and Jalawan Chiefs,
with Azaad Khan, and their separation followed. He acted with suitable
promptitude and energy when the Jam of Beyla again broke into open re
bellion in September, and his forces defeating the Jam and his associates drove
them from the country. AH the Chiefs of Beloochistan—with the exception of
twelve, of which five arc of the same tribe—have given in their allegiance to
him, and he has shown himself disposed to be lenient to the latter, in spite of
their rebellious and ungrateful behaviour. At the same time he is most willino-
and ready to act on judicious advice when offered to him, or given on his
asking, thus proving that he has the desire at least to rule well. After the
plan for subsidising the Murrees fell through, owing chiefly, I believe, to its
too limited scope. His Highness caused excellent arrangements to be made, at
considerable expense, for the protection of merchants traversing Cutchee, and
though more than usual have passed down the Bolan this season, I have heard
of no instance of outrage having been committed since these arrangements
o o O
were established.
40. As to the course that should be adopted for the future, there is
no one who feels more than I do the value and necessity of having a strong
and friendly power in Beloochistan, a country that covers so large a tract of
our western frontier, and that is likely at any time to be of such vital importance
to us. It is for that very reason that I would recommend that no change should
be allowed in the policy hitherto followed towards the Khelat State, that the
same instructions should be given to our Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at that Court to
abstain from all direct interference in the affairs of the internal Government
of that country, though at the same time to be ever ready to give such advice
to His Highness as will assist him in his endeavours to place his rule on a
solid basis, and to give his moral support to all such acts of His Highness as
may be conducive to that object. I would also recommend strongly that an
early interview should take place between His Highness the Khan and Colonel
Phayre, at such places as may be most suitable, with a view to a better
understanding of the real state of affairs being arrived at, and at which Colonel
Phayre would be able personally to explain to His Highness the present desires
and wishes of Government.