Letter No.1154 of 1870 from Colonel Robert Phayre, Political Superintendent, Frontier Upper Sind, Jacobabad to Colonel William Lockyer Merewether, The Commissioner in Sind, Kurrachee [Karāchi] [‎118r] (1/2)

No. 1151 of 1870.
Political Department.
From,
COLONEL R. PHAYRE, c. b .,
Political Superintendent, Frontier Upper Sind.
To,
THE COMMISSIONER IN SIND,
Kurrachee.
Political Superintendent's Office,
Jacobahad, Ibth August 1870.
A day or two ago in 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). , when discussing a matter affecting tlte Chief of the Bdog-
tee tribe, in which the latter,* according to the custom
^Through his son ShalilwzKhau. 0 f a cen tury, deprecated the Khan's interference with
the internal economy and management of his tribe, and
solicited permission to address a petition to His Highness on the subject, the Khelat Vakeel
remarked that there was no doubt about the Khan's being " Khan of Beloochistan," there
by implying, as I understood him, that the Khan ought to interfere in the tribal arrange
ments of the Murree and Boogtee Chiefs.
2. I refrained from taking notice of the remark, a number of Belooch being present ;
but the use of this unusual title, in connection with the matter under discussion, at once
called to my mind Captain Harrison's recent introduction of it, as reported in para. 10 ot
my letter No. 1127, dated 4th instant, and as the Vakeel would not have adopted the expres
sion, except under instructions from Khelat, his doing so, has confirmed the opinion given in
para. 23 of my letter No. 1125, dated 30th ultimo ; as also those regarding the incipient-
intrigue with the Seistan Belooch, referred to in my letters Nos. 1120 and 1127 of the 4th
instant. I therefore addressed the accompanying letter No, 1151, dated 13th instant, to
Captain Harrison, which I beg to forward ior your information, in continuation of tin
correspondence quoted above.
3. It is impossible to conceive the amount ot mischief which may follow, if tho
Khan in his present aggressive mood, should claim any sovereignty whatever over tlie
Seistan Belooch, and more than a nominal sovereignty over the hitherto independent tribes
of the Murree and Boogtee hills, by virtue of his newly assumed title of " Khan ot
Beloochistan."
4. What makes the matter more serious is, that Khelat, being a British Protect •'< I
State, her acts are believed, and rightly so, to emanate from us, and hence we become
inseparably identified with them, whether they are right or wrong.
I have &c.,
K. PHAYRE, Colonel,
Political Superintendent, Frontier I ppcr Sindr