![Letter No.528 of 1870 from Colonel Sir William Lockyer Merewether, K.C.S.I. & C.B., Commissioner's Office, Kurrachee [Karachi] to His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, G.C.S.I., Governor and President in Council, Bombay [‎72r] (9/24)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001524.0x0003a1/Mss Eur F126_22_0141.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Letter No.528 of 1870 from Colonel Sir William Lockyer Merewether, K.C.S.I. & C.B., Commissioner's Office, Kurrachee [Karachi] to His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, G.C.S.I., Governor and President in Council, Bombay [‎72r] (9/24)")
Letter No.528 of 1870 from Colonel Sir William Lockyer Merewether, K.C.S.I. & C.B., Commissioner's Office, Kurrachee [Karachi] to His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, G.C.S.I., Governor and President in Council, Bombay [72r] (9/24)
The record is made up of 12 folios. It was created in 25 Aug 1870. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
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Remarks on Captain Harrisons report No. 29, of 2Uh June, and on the
marginal notes hj Colonel Phayre.
The marginal note to para : 2 is most unjust to Captain Harrison, and not
warranted by the circumstances as they are stated in the public records.
Captain Harrison, in July 1869, gave his good offices in the Kumal Khan
village question, at the express desire of His Highness the Khan, but before
acting in the manner asked for by the Khan, and the then Jam of Beyla, lie re
ferred the matter through Colonel Phayre to me, and was told in reply, that I
w ould not sanction the arrangement proposed. The Jam afterwards seized the
grain revenues of the village, collected together a large body of armed
men, and sent Circulars to the Chiefs of Beloochistan, calling on them to rise
in rebellion against the Khan. 3?or the above insult, and for his generally dis
obedient conduct, he was in September punished by the Khan. This dispute
about the village was only used as a pretext by the Jam for his offensive pro-
ceedings.^ lhat he had determined on renewed rebellion long before, is shown
in a letter from him to
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.
Chakur Khan, written some time in September,
in the latter part of which occur the following words :—" I am in hopes you,
u and the rest of the Brahooes will act up to the plans made in April last/'
that is, when certain 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.
were assembled near Khelat in hostile at
titude against the Khan.
2. The first five paragraphs of Captain Harrison's report, I consider, show
a very satisfactory state of affairs, and a great improvement in the condition of
the country, as compared with former years. These results may justly be
attributed to the firmness and judgment displayed by the Khan in the
spring of 18G9, when his authority was threatened by the refractory
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.
,
to the vigour and promptitude shown by him when the Jam again rebelled
iu Sep (.ember, and to the able manner in which his faithful Wuzzeer, the
Shahgassee "W ullee Mahomed, carried on the operations against the Jam,
Tvhich ended in the latter s defeat and flight into Sind. The statement of
Xaib Fukkeer Mahomed s intended resignation is of no real importance.
I believe myself he has no intention of carrying it into effect. He has a very
difficult position at Kedj, keeping order amongst a large number of petty
Chiefs, and harassed by threatenings of attack from the Persian side, lately
developed in the form of petty plundering within the Khan's dominions. He
has repeatedly asked for assistance from His Highness, which the latter was not
unfortunately in a position then to render. A force was despatched to Kedj
in September last, but had to be directed to join the Shahgassee in his opera
tions against the Jam. The desire to resign, most probably arose from the
feeling, that he was not being suitably supported. He has now gone to Khelat
to report matters to the Khan, and it may be reasonably hoped that, as the
latter s hands are not so tied as they were, the Naib will be sent back to his
Government, with means better adapted to the wants thereof. It is also to be
hoped that His Highness may at an early date visit that part of his dominions
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Letter relating to matters which had recently occured on the Frontier of Sind.
The letter commences by stating Merewether's original assumptions that his comments on Colonel Phayre's narrative of events in Khelat [Kalāt] should have been sufficient to resolve the wrong impressions of affairs he had entertained and that his demi-official letters had been written with a view to ensuring he assessed matters in the correct light according to Government's wishes and abided by the key point that communications with Beloochistan [Baluchistan] should solely be with and through the Khan.
The letter reports that Colonel Phayre has ignored the above communications and has now attacked His Highness the Khan of Khelat and passed censure on Captain Harrison, unjustly in Merewether's view for a variety of alleged misdeeds none of which appear to have been committed by the Captain.
The letter also reports that Captain Robert Sandeman, Assistant Commissioner Dhera Ghazee Khan without formal permission but with the opinion that it would be sanctioned, had opened communications with rebel 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 Khelat in exile in Afghanistan and asking them to detail their grievances which would be righted.
The letter also notes that His Highness has appealed against these distasteful affairs and that Captain Sandeman's conduct has shown great discourtesy to His Highness and marked disrespect to Colonel Merewether himself.
The letter concludes by requesting that the 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 Khelat be placed directly under the Commissioner in Sind, sending reports to the Political Superintendent.
Enclosed with the letter are the following papers:
- Letter No.29 of 1870 from Charles Henry Harrison, 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 Khelat [Kalāt] to Colonel Robert Phayre, Political Superintendent, Frontier Upper Sind, 24 June 1870 reporting on the period from 21 April 1870 including his journey back to Khelat, with news and reports acquired en route, his impressions on the changes in Khelat on his return; his meetings with the Khan and events including ongoing difficulties with the Jam of Beyla [Bela]. The letter contains comments alongside the paragraph's by Colonel Phayre and Merewether's opinions that many of the comments made by the Colonel are unjust and unfair to Captain Harrison and that his report shows a satisfactory state of affairs and great improvement of the condition of the country as compared to prior years. Merewether's comments also cite correspondence from other frontier officials which support statements made by Captain Harrison and his full support of the concluding paragraph of Captain Harrison's letter and his regret at observing Colonel Phayre's note affixed to the paragraph as well as his opinion that Captain Harrison deserves great credit for his work in Khelat.
- Letter No.1110 of 1870 from Colonel Robert Phayre, Political Superintendent, Frontier Upper Sind, Jacobabad to Captain Charles Henry Harrison, 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. , Khelat, 21 July 1870 requesting further information on several points in the Captain's report (No.29 of 1870) before it is submitted to Government, discussing Captain Robert Sandeman's visit to Kahun and the way in which this had been reported to the Khan, and accusing Captain Harrison of having been enlisted by the Khan to carry out his own aims with regards to certain tribes. The letter also contains comments by Colonel Merewether in regards to its contents including his own opinion that Captain Harrison had appropriately reported news that had been given to him, which Colonel Phayre had objected to; that Captain Harrison was best placed to report on the Khelat troops at Lus Beyla [Bela] and that Colonel Phayre was basing his opinion on what was 'generally believed' instead of accepting the Captain's account; supporting Captain Harrison's decision to turn his conversation with the Khan away from the question of Captain Sandeman's visit as not only as Colonel Phayre not informed the Khan of it, he ad also not given the Captain permission to discuss it, and also stating that the exploring expedition had nothing to do with Captain Sandeman's visit despite Colonel Phayre's claims otherwise. Merewether also raises his concerns over the wording used by Colonel Phayre in regards to relations with Khelat and the Murrees and Boogtees and records his dissent against any possible plans the Colonel may have to contemplate action against those tribes without the Khan's consent. Merewether also contests the 'partizanship' which Colonel Phayre accuses Captain Harrison of, and states his opinion that the Captain has fully endorsed the spirit of the treaty with Khelat. The letter concludes by noting that much of Colonel Phayre's comments and opinions are still based on the incorrect views expressed by Colonel Phayre in 1869, which despite having been corrected on in several correspondence, he still appeared to pursue.
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Letter No.528 of 1870 from Colonel Sir William Lockyer Merewether, K.C.S.I. & C.B., Commissioner's Office, Kurrachee [Karachi] to His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, G.C.S.I., Governor and President in Council, Bombay [72r] (9/24), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F126/22, ff 68-79, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/universal-viewer/81055/vdc_100024195159.0x00008e> [accessed 18 July 2026]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/22, ff 68-79
- Title
- Letter No.528 of 1870 from Colonel Sir William Lockyer Merewether, K.C.S.I. & C.B., Commissioner's Office, Kurrachee [Karachi] to His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, G.C.S.I., Governor and President in Council, Bombay
- Pages
- 68r:79v
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- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
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