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PART should have led them separately to predict the ulti

I.

mate consequences.

"The mischief is done, you have seen our country,” cried a rude Beloochee soldier when Burnes first entered the river.

"Alas! Scinde is now gone, since the English have seen the river which is the high road to its conquest," was the prescient observation of a Syud near Tatta.

Twelve years afterwards these predictions were fulfilled!

In 1832, Lord W. Bentinck sent Colonel Pottinger to Scinde, to improve the intercourse by a new treaty, and to survey the course of the Lower Indus. The last object was effected by Lieutenant Del Hoste; and Colonel Pottinger negotiated a treaty of seven articles. At this time death had altered the government of Scinde. The lower country was governed by the Ameers of Hyderabad, the chief of whom was Ali Moorad, one of those who had forced the first Talpooree prince to share the spoil of the Kalloras. His brethren were dead, but their sons remained, having certain inheritances, and yielding to him only so much superiority as belonged to the Rais or presiding Ameer. This, however, gave him the right of negotiation, and possessions which went with the turban.

In Kyrpoor, the capital of Upper Scinde, Meer Roostum, the nephew of Ali, was Rais, with like advantages, and holding that government independently, though the superiority of the Hyderabad family was faintly acknowledged; hence double treaties were necessary; one with Ali, the other with Roostum. They did not differ in terms.

II.

A free passage for travellers and merchants CHAP. through Scinde was granted, and the use of the Indus for commercial pursuits; but no vessel of war was to float on that river, nor military stores to be conveyed by it.

No merchant was to settle in Scinde; and travellers and visitors were bound to have passports. A tariff was to be proclaimed and no arbitrary dues or tolls exacted.

The old treaties were confirmed, and the friendly intercourse by vakeels enlarged.

The Ameers bound themselves to alter the tariff, if found too high; and also to put down, in concert with the Rajah of Joudpore, the robber borderers of Cutch.

This was the first treaty giving the AngloIndian Government positive and specific rights as to Scinde. It was obtained by negotiation free from menaces, and framed with a social and commercial policy tending to benefit the human race.

In 1834, another commercial treaty of five articles was negotiated. By this the tariff was fixed, and the amount of tolls on the Indus arranged. Colonel Pottinger was appointed political agent for Scinde, and he was to have a native commercial agent under him, to reside at the bunder or port of the Indus. For it was stipulated that only tolls should be demanded on the vessels going up or down the river, and that no duties should be taken for goods, unless any article were landed during transit, in which case it was to pay duty. But the main point of this treaty was the division of the money received for tolls. The Anglo-Indian Government at this time touched the Sutledge, and claimed a right in the navigation

1.

PART of its waters to the sea, equally with the native government on the banks. Nor can this claim be deemed unjust. All governments are bound to procure by negotiation the utmost scope for the fair commerce of their people. It is an injury and injustice, if a nation, profiting from its geographical position, seals the navigation of a river to those above or below. But to profit from that position by reasonable tolls, is not more than to profit from climate or soil. Hence it was with a just policy this treaty provided, that tolls should be taken only at the mouths of the Indus, and the gross amount divided amongst the different governments having territory on the banks. These fluvial powers were the Ameers; the Bawal-Khan; the Maharajah; and the Anglo-Indian Government.

The high tolls, and the robber habits of the Belooch tribes on the upper Indus, rendered this treaty unavailing for trade; and the Ameers, jealous of any prying into their tyrannical government, soon drove the native agent away from the bunder. The coast, and the delta formed by the lower branches of the river, were however surveyed, and in 1835 the first steam-boat floated on the Indus. It was a private enterprise by a Mogul merchant of Bombay, named Aga Mohamed Rahim, and this was the only fruit of the negotiation.

Lasting and irrevocable friendship had been the heading of every treaty, yet constant jealousy and want of faith marked the conduct of the Ameers, and in 1836 the Anglo-Indian Government commenced a direct and peremptory interference with the affairs of Scinde; an interference not founded on commercial interests. The increasing influence of Russia in Central Asia, where her agents were

II.

assiduously impressing an opinion of Russian great- CHAP. ness and strength, thus preparing the way, or at least seeming to prepare it for an invasion of India, gave alarm to Lord Auckland, who judged that to obtain an influence with and control over the Affghan people, would be the surest counteraction to the masked hostility of the Czar. The ruler of the Punjaub was too wary and too powerful to be coerced in furtherance of this plan; but the weakness of Scinde offered facilities not to be overlooked; and to increase and consolidate the British influence in that country was a necessary preliminary. This was certainly an approach to the abuse of superior power, but founded on the instinct of self-preservation, not the desire of aggrandizement, and so far legitimate, if the means employed involved no direct oppression. But where interest pressed, when did a powerful nation ever scrupulously regard the rights of a weak one? On this occasion the first proceedings were as externally fair and moderate as the attainment of the object would admit; and it is edifying to mark with what a plausible gentleness an act of relentless power may be enforced by diplomacy.

Runjeet Sing, long intent upon spoiling the Ameers, under pretext of chastising the Mazaarees, a predatory tribe nominally subject to Scinde, commenced hostilities in 1836, by seizing the town of Rohjan, and capturing a fort on the north-west frontier of upper Scinde, close to the Indus. From this point he menaced a regular invasion. Consi dering the great courage and barbaric skill of the Scindian Beloochees, it is by no means certain that he would have succeeded; and it is certain the Ameers neither desired nor asked for foreign aid

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1836.

against him: "We have vanquished the Seikh, and we will do so again," was the confident exclamation of the chief Ameer. But the Seik monarch, by a singular coincidence, demanded at this moment from the Anglo-Indian Government, a large supply of arms, to be sent to him up the Indus! that is to say, through the heart of the country he was going to invade !

This opportunity for meddling was eagerly seized by Lord Auckland. The Maharajah was reminded of an article in the Scindian treaty of 1821, by which the transit of military stores on the Indus was interdicted; and he was admonished not to trouble his neighbours the Ameers unjustly. The British political resident at Lahore was directed to employ every resource, short of menace, to Sept. deter Runjeet Sing from hostilities; and at the same time, Colonel Pottinger, who had hitherto remained in Cutch, was sent to Hyderabad to offer, what was designated a closer alliance with the Ameers. They were promised the protection of the Anglo-Indian Government against the Seiks, in consideration of which, it was hoped they would receive, and themselves pay, a British force to be stationed in their capital! And this force was actually assembled by the Bombay Government!

However, a doubt that mere professions of amity would induce the Ameers to let their dominions be thus taken possession of, caused Lord Auckland to modify this proposal.

Colonel Pottinger was empowered, if a demur occurred, to offer the mediation of the British instead of the close alliance; provided a political resident was admitted at Hyderabad, through whom all intercourse with Runjeet Sing was to be carried