CHAP. IX. BOOK II, and as the opportunity was considered favourable for imposing an additional burden upon the finances of 1819. Guzerat, in the shape of an augmented subsidy, that Prince was, therefore, required to increase the subsidiary force, by a battalion of infantry, and two regiments of cavalry, and to provide the requisite funds. It was at first proposed that they should be supplied by the transfer of Kattiwar, but as this was objected to by the court of Baroda, it was finally arranged that the Gaekwar should cede all the benefit which he had obtained from the perpetual farm of the Peshwa's territories subject to the city of Ahmedabad, in perpetuity to his allies. Some exchanges of territory were at the same time effected.1 These were the principal territorial additions which were the results of the war, and which brought with them a valuable accession of revenue and population. They were still more important in a political respect. Besides the actual extension of territory, they opened the whole of India to British access. Malwa, Rajputana, and a great part of the Dekhin had been almost closed against the British before the war, and the armies by which they were traversed beheld countries previously unknown. The dominions of the Mahratta chiefs interposed The average revenue of Guzerat for the three years, 1813-16, had amounted to 71,90,000 rupees, and the expenses to 62,70,000 rupees, leaving a surplus of above eight lakhs per year. The debt to the company had been liquidated, and it was expected that all other encumbrances would be discharged in two years more.-Letter from Bombay, August, 1817. These expectations were disappointed, as we shall hereafter have occasion to observe. 1 Supplement to the Defensive Treaty with the Gaekwar, 6th November, 1817, ratified by the Governor-General, 12th March, 1818, also additional article modifying exchanges and fixing the value of Ahmedabad at 12,61,969 rupees, 6th November, 1818. GENERAL RESULT. 403 CHAP. IX. an extensive but compact barrier, separating the BOOK II. three Presidencies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay, from each other, and from the principalities of 1819. Rajputana. This barrier was now broken down, and the intervening country pierced in every direction by British districts and dependencies, which enabled the government at once to exert its influence, or employ its power, wherever either might be required for its own benefit, or the general welfare. The termination of hostilities was coincident with the establishment of the political supremacy of the British government over every native state; and although some short time elapsed before this supremacy was fully recognised, or its good effects were universally experienced, the delay was ascribable more to the reluctance of the Government to take advantage of its position, than to the disinclination of the native Princes to submit to, or their ability to resist, its dictation. The progress made in the establishment of the paramount influence of the Government of India during the first few years subsequent to the war, we shall now proceed to trace. CHAPTER X. Settlement of Central India.-Territories of Holkar. -Improvement in population and revenue.-Claims of the State-Of its dependants.-Adjusted by British interference.-Rival Pretenders to the Throne. -Suppressed.-Settlement of Dhar and Dewas.Relations with Sindhia.-Services of the Contin CHAP. X. gent.-His financial difficulties.-Engagements with Bhopal.-Islamnagar restored to the Nawab.-Death of Nazar Mohammed.-Killed by accident.-His widow Regent. - Principality prospers. Rajput Princes-Secondary and principal.-Topographical situation of the former.-Engagements with Banswára. - Dungerpur. - Pertabgerh. - Sirohi and Krishnagar With Bundi and with Kota.-Peculiarity of the treaty with the latter.-Its inconveniences.-Death of the Raja.-Aversion of Kesari Sing, his successor, to the hereditary minister. -Quarrels with Zalim Sing.-Raises troops.— Action of Mangrole.-Kesari Sing restored under restrictions.-Death of Zalim Sing.-His son succeeds as Minister.—Continued aversion of the Raja. -Treaty with the Rana of Udaypur. — Alienated and usurped lands recovered and restored to him.Country improved.-Treaty with Jaypur.-Delayfinally concluded.-Interference necessary.-Death of the Raja.-Disputed succession.-Birth of a posthumous son.-Bhyri Sal made minister.—Resident appointed.-Supports the minister.-Treaty with Jodhpur.-State of parties.-Man Sing resumes the government.-Puts his adversaries to death.Country prospers.-Treaty with Bhikaner.-Suppression of insurrection among the Bhattis.-Treaty with Jesalmer.-International tranquillity assured. -Internal tranquillity imperfectly maintained. BOOK II. After all the alterations and exchanges which remodelled the political subdivisions of Malwa, a considerable portion of this extensive and valuable province continued to be subject to the Mahrattas, 1819. SETTLEMENT OF HOLKAR'S TERRITORIES. 405 CHAP. X. The share of Mulhar Rao Holkar had been much BOOK II. diminished by the separation of the districts assigned to the independent rule of the military 1819. adventurers, Amir Khan and Ghafur Khan, and by the cessions made, under the treaty of Mandaleswar, to Kota, Bundi, and the British Government. There still remained, however, territory of some extent in the south-west of Malwa, surrounding the capital, Indore; some relaxation was admitted in regard to the tributes due from various subordinate Rajput chiefs; and several of Holkar's villages, in the Dekhin, were also restored to him. The Raja, Mulhar Rao Holkar, was a boy, but the administration was in able hands; and Tantia Jôg, with the advice and support of Sir John Malcolm, soon raised the state to a degree of prosperity which it had not experienced when of less circumscribed extent. Hundreds of villages, which had been left desolate, were re-peopled, and the peasantry, in following the plough, laid aside the spear and shield which they had been formerly obliged to bear for their defence during their agricultural labours. The mercenary troops were greatly reduced, and the expenses of the court economically regulated. In the course of a year, the revenue was raised from a nominal amount of four lakhs of rupees-the whole of which had been formerly anticipated by assignments in favour of military marauders-to fourteen lakhs; and, continuing to improve during the life of the minister, amounted at his death, in 1826, to thirty-five lakhs of rupees. The principal objects that required British interference, were the claims advanced by the state upon CHAP. X. 1819. BOOK II. its tributaries, and those made upon it by a particular class of its dependants. At the time of the conquest of Malwa by the Mahrattas they either expelled from their possessions the Rajput chiefs, among whom the country was divided, or, when those chiefs were too powerful, were satisfied to require from them an acknowledgment of allegiance, and payment of an annual tribute. The weaker Rajas, who were despoiled of their patrimonies, fled to the hills and forests, and, collecting armed followers, ravaged the districts of which they had been dispossessed. Unable to arrest their predatory incursions by force, the Mahratta rulers submitted to purchase their forbearance, and granted them fixed assignments on every village within their reach, on condition that they desisted from plunder. The assignments were, in general, of small amount, but they were irregularly paid, and still more irregularly levied, and afforded a constant excuse for rapine and disorder. The number of claimants of this order, termed Grasias, from the nature of their demands,' was considerable. The more powerful Rajas were much fewer, but there were several tributary to Holkar, or Sindhia, or to both. In the general anarchy which had prevailed, their lands had been laid waste, and their means of discharging their tributes had been greatly reduced. But the means of enforcing payment had been equally enfeebled, and long arrears had been suffered to accumulate, the liquidation of which was a fruitful subject of contention between them and their superior lords. By the 1 They were so termed from Grás, a mouthful, or as much as may be put into the mouth at once. |