1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS, 45
2 a moment's notice. The troops at this station were TheGovernor-
3 moved on towards Kuna, and the Governor-general fis set ai
4 issued at that place his manifesto of war. He con-"" “*
5 fiscated Dhuleep Singh’s possessions on the left bank,
6 or British side of the Sutlej, since the Sikhs had
7 made an unprovoked aggression on the British
8 territories, and broken the treaty which had existed
9 between the two nations since 1809.
10 The manifesto was couched in the most mode-
11 rate and cautious language, but declared in the
12 firmest manner, that such an unprovoked aggres-~
13 sion should be punished, and the British sway pre-
14 served over those on the left bank of the Sutlej who
15 had placed themselves under its protection. It
16 was clearly explained that the government of
17 India had refrained from hostile demonstrations
18 until the Sikh government had twice refused to
19 give a reason for their warlike preparations.
20 From Kuna Ka Serai, the Governor-general and
21 Commander-in-chief proceeded by forced marches
22 towards Busscean, witi the intention of seizing on
23 the fort of Wudney belonging to the Lahore The advance
24 government, At Busseean the army was in- guscn?®
25 creased by troops from Loodianah under Bri-
26 gadier Wheeler. Orders were sent to the two
27 European regiments, which reached Kuna Ka
28 Serai from the hills on the day following the de-
29 parture of the Commander-in-chief, to hurry on
30 to Busseean, where it was expected they would
31 join head-quarters, and the whole march against
32 Wudney.