1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 obedient to -the Maharajah. They erected a large
3 house outside the city of Lahore, near Wuzeer
4 Khan’s garden, and constructed a bazaar. In thus
5 obtaining the services of two European military
6 men, Runjeet Singh was enabled to follow out his
7 plan of disciplining his soldiers after the European
8 j system; a project which Vie had been obliged to
9 postpone, but had never abandoned since the time
10 when Metcalfe’s escort had beaten the rabble of
11 Ukalees at Uttmtsir in 1809. Runjeet Singh could Emwent 8Cl -
12 riot have chosen two men better adapted for fuf¬
13 ffiling his wishes or two who evinced more zeal in
14 the /discharge of their duties than M. M. Allard
15 and Ventura. It is to the exertions of these
16 gentlemen, and to Monsieur Court, who afterwards
17 joined him, that the Sikh army owed its high state
18 of discipline. The services of M. M. Ventura and
19 , Court were of longer duration than those of Mon¬
20 sieur Allard; and the consequence has been, that
21 while the Sikh cavalry have deteriorated, and
22 forgotten the lessons of their able instructor; the
23 artillery and infantry, particularly the former, have
24 given sufficient proof of the value of the services
25 '■ of Court and Ventura.*
26 In the course of this year, it was resolved to
27 build a wall round Lahore; but in the month of
28 If:.tj;v.• -b. • v ; l
29 * Now, that the disciplined force of the Sikhs is broken, and their guns
30 captured, it, is a prudent clause in the treaty between the British govern¬
31 ment and that of Lahore, that ** no European or American shah be
32 allowed to enter the service of the latter without the permission of th«
33 I British,” ;