1 nvi
2 MpUP
3 {yppflN
4 mm.
5 201 HISTOHY. OF. THE SiKIJS. f
6 forces of Russia, Persia, and Cabal;* but it ~is
7 easy to see, how advantageous his efforts 'might bo
8 mak
9 mfmm
10 RSiW
11 ®iiP
12 mm
13 m
14 ®iii
15 ■ ■
16 i®
17 in retarding their progress, and thus affording time
18 for collecting our armies from every part of Hin~
19 dostan. The war might, probably, be confined to
20 the Punjab, instead of being carried into the centre
21 of our dominions* where there are many discon¬
22 tented powers, who would gladly embrace the op T
23 portunity of throwing off the British yoke; more
24 especially among the Mussulmans, whose motives
25 for so doing would be two-fold, namely, a wish to
26 assist their brethren in the north, and the desire of
27 punishing the infidel Sikhs, From what has been
28 stated, it will appear plain, that it is prudent in pur.
29 government to preserve a friendly alliance with
30 llunjeet; while his doing so with us, insures the
31 stability, or even the existence of his kingdom, in
32 case of an invasion. In order to cement this
33 friendship as firmly as possible. Lord William
34 Berd;in,ck proposed a meeting with Runjeet at
35 Roopur in 1831, and ambassadors were sent to
36 Sirnlah, where the Governor-general then resided,
37 for the purpose of arranging preliminaries, while
38 vkhaLhIre C Captafp Wade visited the court of Lahore for the
39 r^aifvIsUsthe same purpose. The influence of Captain Wade
40 genorai. 01 " w '^‘ Runjeefe was well known ; and through his
41 advice and representations, Runjeet, was induced
42 to grant the- meeting. Lord William Bentinck
43 left Simlah in October of the same, year, and reached
44 IMg#
45 ■wig
46 IHii
47 ■'
48 * This is l aiiicc
49 Dikiis* ' , ■,
50 doubtful point, since our late experience with the