1 HISTORY OF THE SIKIIS. 307
2 There was no cause for the Lahore government to
3 make war on the British, and yet it was compelled
4 to countenance hostilities 3 but in doing so it must
5 have anticipated that the army would be overthrown
6 and.destroyed by the British, and the authority of
7 government then be restored. ‘That the Rajah and
8 Chiefs hurried on the war as @ means of directing
9 the army to other objects than themselves, and for
10 their own preservation, the Governor-general was
11 perfectly aware; and he knew equally well, that
12 when once war was declared, this government
13 would be unable to arrest its progress.
14 The Governor-general did full justice to the
15 pacific intentions of the Ranee and her son; but as
16 consequence of their seeming participation in the
17 acts of aggression which led to the war, he, in his
18 proclamation of the 13th December, very justly
19 confiscated the possessions of Dhuleep Singh, on
20 the left or British bank of the Sutlej. |
21 As before hinted, the forbearance of the Sikhs
22 as regards Feerozpore would seem to have been
23 premeditated by Lal Singh, whose object was to
24 keep his troops in one place; and it is very doubtful
25 whether the burning of the barracks at Loodianah
26 was ever authorised by Runjoor Singh, but rather
27 might not have been the work of Ajeet Singh.
28 The circumstances of the Sikh army not destroy-
29 ing Feerozpore as well as Loodianah, neither mo-
30 lesting our troops, nor stopping our supplies, appear
31 inexplicable on any other ground, than the sole wish
32 of the leaders of the Sikh army to get that body
33 x2
34 Objects of the
35 Sikh leaders,