of the tribute; while in the other cases, Seindiah never could have levied the tribute for which he had agreed to furnish the composition, his marching troops through the states dependant on us being interdicted: "True," replied the minister, "there is a visible immediate profit; but then there is a loss of an advantage which we Mahrattas think inestimable, that of having a finger in every man's dish.” Scindia is too politic a prince to risk the possession of what he yet enjoys by any rash or inconsiderate step; he knows, also, that we are well acquainted with his character, and that any dubious course, in which he might embark, would be narrowly watched by us. But should there occur within a short period, a promising opportunity of regaining his former consequence, should foreign invasion distress us, or rebellion break out in our provinces, he would instantly sound to arms, and every subject in his dominions would answer to the call; and not his own subjects only, but multitudes of needy adventurers from neighbouring states. There is one consideration, however, which is certainly hopeful: for some years past his restless subjects have been compelled to change their courses; they formerly lived by plunder, but must now obtain their livelihood by peaceful and industrious habits. Time, therefore, may effect a total change in the Mahratta character. Having thus, in a summary way, surveyed the independent nations whose territories border on the British dominions, we must now direct our attention to such of the native states as have bound themselves by treaty to submit to the controul, and place themselves under the protection of the British Government. The kingdom of OUDE is separated from our own possessions on the south-west by the Ganges, from Allahabad to Ferruckabad; on the northeast it is bounded by the mountainous frontier of Nepaul; its other boundaries corresponding with these in such a way as to give the whole dis trict the shape of an irregular square. Excepting on the side of Nepaul it is enclosed by the British territories. The mutual interest of the Vizeer of Oude and the Bengal Government caused a steady alliance to be maintained between both parties for many years previously to the administration of Marquess Wellesley. That nobleman, in 1801, established a more intimate connection, the terms of which were as follow: the Vizeer consented to cede to the British Government districts yielding an annual revenue of 13,523,274 rupees; and we, in our turn, engaged to protect his remaining ter ritories against all foreign and domestic enemies. Commercial arrangements were also made for the mutual benefit of the two nations. The internal administration of the Vizeer's dominions was left of course in his own hands, but the Governor-General, in consideration of the egregious oppression to which the natives of Oude had long been subjected by the profligacy of former Nabobs, thought it right to obtain from him a specific engagement that he would establish a better system of administration. Ever since this period matters have continued on a very amicable footing be tween the two Governments. The Vizeer being exonerated by the terms of the treaty from the most weighty of all burdens attaching to an independent state, viz. the necessary preparations for defence, has been gradually amassing enormous treasures. At the breaking out of the Nepaul war he turned his riches to good account by granting a loan to the British Government, and thus enabling us to prosecute with vigour an expensive and arduous contest. He has since been reimbursed to the amount of nearly half the debt by a cession of a portion of conquered districts lying adjacent to his own territories. During the last few years, his dominions have by no means been in a tranquil state, owing, as there is reason to believe, to great mismanagement on the part of his ministers. Our troops were conse. quently called in to suppress the predatory bands that were active in rebellion. His subjects are composed of combustible materials, consisting principally of Hindoos of the military caste. Nevertheless a just and prudent administration is all that is requisite to allay by degrees their restless disposition, and, especially, in a fertile province like that of Oude, to communicate a taste for peaceable and industrious habits. The Vizeer has lately assumed the title of king, and thus committed an unpardonable offence against the pageant court of the Moghul. We have noticed in a former column that the Rajah of SIKIM is under British protection. Situated as his small territory is between Bhotan and Nepaul, it is at least instrumental in preventing any acts of aggression between those nations. Our Government has a military depôt at Titalya, immediately to the south of this district, and is thus enabled to watch over its security with comparative ease. The districts occupied by the several BUNDELA chiefs are next to be adverted to. With these chiefs treaties of a peculiar nature were made at the termination of the Mahratta wars of 1803 and 1805-6. They were left tributary to the Peshwa on the plea advanced by the latter of long usage. At the same time, their protection was guaranteed by the British Government, on condition of their strict fidelity, and that all questions of foreign policy should be submitted to its arbitration. This arrangement was the best that could then be made. The deposition of the Peshwa has since, however, transferred these petty states in a more complete and satisfactory manner to our supervision and controul. They have now ceased to be tributary to a Mahratta prince; their allegiance, therefore, has no longer Numbers of the finest recruits for the Bengal even the appearance of being divided between two masters. In point of fact, however, the Bundela chiefs are well aware that they would long ago have ceased to exist if the wing of the British Government had not been extended over them. For many years their territories were exposed to continual inroads from the licentious troops of Scindia, whose pretended rights of interference were most unwillingly relinquished. Notwithstanding the natural fastnesses of the province of Bundelcund, these chieftains have ever been too weak and too divided to make effectual resistance against their lawless neighbours. For the most part, therefore, they have willingly observed the conditions on which our protection was granted to them. The districts respectively occupied by these chiefs, are too numerous and too contracted to make it worth our while to describe them separately; suffice it to say, that the most extensive portions of territory are possessed by the Rajahs of Simpthur, Duttea, and Tehrea, and the Nanas of Jhansi, and Calpee; and that the whole district is only about one half the size of the adjoining possessions of Scindia. The province of Bundelcund has always been in a distracted state, from intestine feuds as well as Mahratta encroachment. When the British Government assumed a sort of tutelary charge over the several Rajships, it undertook the office of adjusting claims often of a doubtful character, and which, in some instances, were vigorously asserted. An appeal was made to arms on more than one occasion, from the award of British judgment; and our troops were consequently brought into arduous and protracted conflict, in mountainous districts, with the enthusiastic followers of haughty and spirited adventurers. Time, however, has done much to allay these restless spirits, and the whole province of Bundle army are drawn from Oude and the adjacent dis- cund, whether under British or na tricts. tive administration, presents a picture of peace and industry it never before could boast. The JHAT chieftains come next under our notice. The principal of these are the Rajahs of Bhurtpore and Machery, who possess districts oftolerable extent in the province of Agra, to the west of the river Jumna. The minor chiefs, who are scattered about in the same quarter, are too petty to require distinct remark. The origin of the Jhâts is somewhat doubtful. They are supposed by some to be a class of Rajpoots, and by others to be the descendants of the Tartar tribe of Getes, who first depopulated and then colonized the fertile provinces in which they still retain possessions. During the latter years of the Moghul dynasty on the throne of Delhi, the Rajahs of Bhurtpore, in concert with other powers, maintained a steady and active warfare with the Princes of the house of Timour. Since the extinction of that monarchy, the British, particularly on one memorable occasion, have found a deter mined enemy in the same quarter. On the termination of Lord Lake's cam paigns, arrangements were made with the several Jhât princes, by virtue of which they retained the districts they still possess, engaging to submit all foreign disputes to our arbitration, but were exempted from the payment of permanent tribute. The Rajah of Machery, notwith standing his engagements, had given offence to our Government previously to the late war, by attacking the state of Jeypore, which was already suffi ciently distressed by Mahratta inroads and internal anarchy. For this he had been punished, and probably retained no very amicable feeling towards our Government; but the immediate vicinity of the north-western army, under the command of Sir David Ochterlony, would have rendered it madness to act otherwise than in strict alliance. The Rajah of Machery is not a Jhât, but his subjects are chiefly of that class. The Rajah of Bhurtpore was equally sensible of the danger of his situation: notwithstanding, therefore, his unfriendly disposition towards us, and the secret encouragement he had given to Dya Ram, of Hattras, and other petty chiefs in the Dooab, he wisely secured the future possession of his principality by abstaining from further acts of hostility, and by complying with our requisitions. It is needless to endeavour to define the limits of these states, much less of those possessed by minor chieftains. Their general boundaries on the south are the river Chumbul and the Rajpoot province of Karowly, and they adjoin the districts of the protected Sikhs as far northerly as Rewarree. The possessions of the PROTECTED SIKH RAJAHS, which extend to the Sutledge, were saved from the grasp of Runjeet Singh by the British power in 1809, and have continued ever since in strict connection with our Government, though not subjected to tribute. We have a military station at Loodiana on the Sutledge, which answers the double purpose of watching the motions of our neighbour Runjeet, and maintaining the interual tranquility of the protected states. The GOORKAH territories to the north-east, between the Himalaya and Sewalic mountains, and the rivers Sutledge and Jumna, were taken under British protection on similar terms about the same period. This arrangement released the Sikhs, under the jurisdiction of Runjeet Singh, from very troublesome neighbours. They are of the same race and character as the natives of Nepaul; and the recruits we have drawn from these mountainous districts constitute the finest portion of our Indian army. Runjeet Singh has lately been endeavouring to recruit from the same provinces. The various states of Rajpootana are next to be described.. From the earliest recorded period of Indian history the Rajpoot princes have always been powerful; and for the most part maintained their inde pendence even against the overwhelm ing armies of the most enterprising of the Moghul emperors. The growth of the Mahratta power was the cause of the decline of theirs. If the irre gular swarms of Mahratta plunderers had not been sufficient to subdue them, the subsequent formation of an army of 40,000 men, organized by European officers on European principles, would doubtless have been an engine too powerful to be resisted. Their pride, therefore, was speedily and effectually humbled. From this period the Raj. poot states have been an easy prey to every marauding chief whose followers subsisted by plunder. Scindia and Holcar, and their rapacious Sirdars, not only collected the chout at stated periods, but ravaged the territories of these helpless princes whenever they were supposed to have recovered from the desolation produced by former in roads. Happily for their future wel fare, the late Mahratta war has placed them under British protection. We shall proceed to describe them in their proper order. OUDIPORE is the first in rank, and was formerly the first in power. The city, which gives its name to the province, is situated in an amphitheatre of hills, and is only to be approached by one carriage road, and three dangerous passes, allowing the advance of only a single horseman at a time. This province is the most fertile of any of the Rajpoot states, and has been honoured by the visits of its Mahratta friends in just proportion to its means of entertaining them. The extent of the province of Oudipore is not distinctly known. It is bounded, however, on the north by Kishenghur, on the south by Doongurpore and other minor rajships, on the east by Boondee and Kotah, and *Du Boigne and Perron. + This observation will apply to the Rajpoot states in general. on the west by Joudpore. The government of the state being chiefly aristocratical, had naturally been thrown into the greatest disorder by the continual inroads of foreign invaders, The Rana, therefore, with the utmost eagerness placed himself under our protection. The exertions of Captain Tod for the restoration of internal peace, and the consolidation of a constitutional government, have already produced the happiest results; and the moderation of our demands of tribute, in consideration of the state of poverty to which the country had been reduced, will enable it, according to present appearances, to resume, in the course of a very few years, its former aspect of prosperity and splendour. It was of course an article in the treaty, that all disputes with fo reign powers should be submitted to British arbitration.* JOUDPORE, we have already observed, is situated to the west of Oudipore; its own western boundary is the desert of Scind and the country of Jesulmere, and it stretches from the minor principalities on the south as far northerly as Bickanere. For the most part, this province is sterile and sandy; a portion of it, however, is well watered by mountain streams, and it is not scanty in population. Formerly it was a powerful state. Ameer Khan, one of the Patan Generals of Holcar, was, previously to our interference, continually laying the territories of the Rajah Joudpore under heavy contribution. We have now, however, on the ordinary terms of protection, released this state from its unhappy embarrassments; and may reasonably hope, that it will advance in general improvement, since its inhabitants will henceforth be allowed to enjoy the fruits of industry, and the arts of peace. KAROWLEE is a small district situated between Jeypore, Kotah, the river *It will be a saving of time to observe here, that this was an article agreed to in common, by all the Rajpoot princes. Chumbul, and the territories of the Rajah of Bhurtpore. The Rajah of Karowlee had shewn himself friendly to the British Government on former occasions, and was the first of the Rajpoot princes to accept our terms of protection. On these considerations, we did not exact the tribute due from him to the Peshwa. The inhabitants of the district of Karowlee, as well as of the undermentioned states of Kotah, Boondee, and Kishenghur, are a heterogenous mixture of Rajpoots, Jhâts, Bheels, and various other classes. KOTAH adjoins Karowlee to the south, and is about three times the size. The province is very fertile, being well watered by several branches of the Chumbul. From this cirumstance, as also from its utterly helpless condition) being situated partly within the dominions of Scindia), the state had been so oppressed by repeated exactions, that it was reduced to the most abject state. Most willingly, therefore, did the Rajah accede to our terms of alliance and protection. We not only relieved him from his embarrassments, but obtained the restoration of many tracts of land, of which the Mahratta chiefs had deprived him. BOONDEE is situated to the west of Kotah, and is a district yet smaller than Karowlee. The fearless hospitality of the Rajah of Boondee, to the army of Colonel Monson, during his disastrous retreat before the troops of Holcar, in 1804, had placed the British Government under real obligations. We, therefore, cheerfully relinquished the tribute of 80,000 rupees which had been annually paid by him to the Mahrattas, and recovered for him the territories which Scindia and Holcar had respectively appropriated. BICKANERE is an extensive district of sterile country only one degree superior to the desert which adjoins it on the west. Its other boundaries are Joudpore on she south, the Sikh district of Bhatnere on the north, and Jeypore on the east. In common with most other tracts of a similar character, its inhabitants are much adicted to plunder. Consequently, one of the articles in the treaty of alliance between the Rajah of Bickanere, and the British Government, distinctly binds the former "entirely to suppress the robbers and and plunderers in his principality." The Rajah was never tributary to the Mahrattas, neither is he now placed under any pecuniary obligations to us. JESSULMERE, which lies between the desert of Scind, and the states of Joudpore and Bickanere, is even more sterile than the last-named province. It has purchased our protection on similar conditions. KISHENGHUR is a small principality, situated to the north of Oudipore. This district was received under British protection, on terms similar to those agreed to by the generality of the Rajpoot states: but as it had not been rendered tributary to the Mahrattas, no pecuniary demand was advanced by us. JEYPORE is an extensive district, lying between Joudpore, Bhurtpore, and the territories of the minor Sikh chieftains. It was more backward than any of the other states in acceding to the common arrangement. This was owing to the disorganized and factious system of the government then existing. After a long negociation, however, an arrangement was agreed to between the Rajah and ourselves, and we undertook, as in the instance of Oudipore, to restore order to the govern. ment. This latter object, it was shortly found, could not be accomplished without a military force, for the thakoors, or feudal lords, opposed our measures, and resorted to their cas. tles. At length, however, we succeeded in suppressing the reign of the anarchy; and we may reasonably hope, that this large and populous province has already abundant cause to rejoice in our interference, and is in a course of gradual if not rapid improvement. (To be continued.) |