1 92 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 but he could not have had opportunities of studying
3 the policy and character of the Sikhs, equal to
4 those enjoyed by Sir Claudius Wade, Captain
5 Mackeson, Cunningham, and others. It is impos-
6 sible for those who were not in the secrets of
7 government to blame or praise Broadfoot’s acts
8 during the present struggles. If he estimated the
9 Sikh character by the standard of other people of
10 the east with whom he had come in contact, and
11 who, viewing the British government as omnipo-
12 tent, gave no cause for alarm, and led it to neglect
13 the proper means for resisting invasion; then it
14 must be admitted he was not the person capable of
15 filling the post conferred upon him. If, on the
16 other hand, he gave early warning of the conse-
17 quences likely to follow the anarchy and confusion
18 consequent on the weakness of the Lahore govern-
19 ment, and its inability to control its own subjects ;
20 we may lament the futility of his efforts to preserve
21 the friendly alliance first formed between Runjeet
22 Singh and the British in 1809; but we surely can-
23 not blame him for any want of foresight.
24 United with Broadfoot in the management of Sikh
25 affairs were Major Leech, Captains Mills, Nicolson,
26 Importance Cunningham, and Abbot. Perhaps the most im-
27 Nicolvon's ap- portant of these appointments was the one held by
28 Pomme: Captain Nicolson, for he was stationed at Feeroz-
29 pore, an isolated frontier station, and would neces-
30 sarily be the first to feel the effects of any hostile
31 disposition on the part of the Sikhs across the Sutlej.
32 This energetic officer lost no opportunity of making