1 256 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS. ~
2 reigns an independent king, unless his annual pre-
3 sent “of one horse, twelve perfect shawl goats of
4 approved breed, (six male and six female), and three
5 pairs of Cashmere shawls,” can be construed into
6 ~~ tokens of the British supremacy.
7 Peshawur
8 likely to be
9 lost.
10 The Lahore
11 government
12 merely a
13 nominal one.
14 The government of Lahore may be said to be
15 annihilated. In appearance, it exists: there is a
16 king, a prime minister, and an army. But one and
17 all are dependent on the British power! The
18 capital of the country is not garrisoned by Sikhs.
19 It is entirely in the hands of the paramount power,
20 whose soldiers are lent for a time to preserve the
21 semblance of a government, but in reality to keep
22 possession of the advantages already gained, until
23 the season of the year shall enable the Governor-
24 general to annex the whole country to the British
25 possessions, if such a step be deémed necessary.
26 It is in vain to dissemble'the fallen condition of the
27 Punjab. Already has rebellion broken out in seve-
28 ral places; and there is reason to fear that even
29 the possessions belonging to the Lahore govern-
30 ment across the Indus, will be wrested from it by
31 Dost Mohummud, if not yielded without a struggle.
32 The kingdom founded by the Maharajah Runjeet
33 Singh is thus being broken up; and already have
34 the richest portions of it been parcelled out and
35 sold! The respect which the tributaries of Lahore
36 showed to its government is now turned into con-
37 tempt, for the sovereignty is virtually extinct.
38 Dhuleep is, indeed, king of the Sikhs, his mother is
39 Ranee, and both are supported by the British!