1 308 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS.
2 destroyed without making any uncalled-for aggres-
3 sion on the British. But though allowing this spirit
4 of forbearance to the leaders and chiefs, there existed
5 Determination NO doubt as to the determination on the part of the
6 ere Sikh soldiers, to do their utmost to conquer the
7 British and exterminate them if possible. They
8 probably did not dive into the state policy, and
9 never imagined that Lal Singh, in sending a detach-
10 ment of them towards Moodkee, had any other
11 object in view than that of surprising the British.
12 It is easy to foresee, as we have said before, that
13 as long as our troops garrison Lahore, so long may
14 the government of Dhuleep Singh exist, but no
15 sooner will they be withdrawn than anarchy and
16 discord will be once more rife in the Punjab. In
17 fact, so thoroughly convinced must the Ranee and
18 Lal Singh be of the utter impossibility of conducting
19 a government of their own without the aid of the
20 British, that it becomes a doubtful question, whether
21 they will ever attempt it. The probability is, that
22 the Ranee will decline putting the government into
23 the hands of her young son, unsupported by the
24 British; and then, if we are not prepared to annex
25 the country, a strong contingent must be left. in
26 the Punjab for the support of its feeble rulers.