1 MAHARAJA :-RANJID SINGH, 381
2 _ that. place imay’- have sustained fromthe -march .of troops, should, with-
3 out scruple,-be demanded: from:‘the-offending: :party } aud-for disobedience
4 ‘of the present orders. a pendlty,-according to. the circumstances of. the- case
5 - and ‘of the offender, would. be /inflicted,-2greeably. to the- decision. of the
6 . Government.” 1.50 i _ ,
7 After these transactions a British cantonment was established at Ludhidéng
8 under the:command of Colonel Ochterlony ;‘and Bakhshi Nand Singh, Bhan-
9 davi,.of Bat&la, was appointed..the Mahardjd’s Ambassador with the British
10 General. - Khushwakt Rai, a Kayath, was, in the :meanwhile, deputed by the
11 - British Government as their iews-writer-in the court-of Lahore, - .
12 CHAPTER II.
13 FROM THE TREATY OF THE SUTLED' TO THE CONQUEST OF
14 MULTAN, KASHMIR, AND :PESHAWAR, 1809 ro 1826 A.D.
15 LTHOUGH. a treaty. of. peace: and:amity: had..been. concluded ‘between the
16 _. British Government.and the. ruler. of Lahore; formal protestations had
17 little .or. no -effect, in removing the suspicions. which the two States enter-
18 tained with-respect to-eacli other’s real intentions.. The Mahardj4 Sindhia,
19 of Gwalior, the Mahratta Holkdr, and the: Rohilla-chief, Amir Khan,’ had
20 long cherished.a hope that an-alliance with the Sikhs of the Panjab against
21 the foreign conquerors :‘of Hindostdn was: yet a possibility, and, wwith the
22 view ‘of: furthering this aim, their agents continued to make their appearance
23 at. Lahore for-a’-considerable ‘time. . It was further ‘suspected that ‘Ranjit
24 Singh was forming: plans: for entering: into a secret alliance with the Sikhs
25 of the.: Cis-Sutlej ‘States against. the: British.. To ‘meet any possible emer.
26 gency, it- was thought prudent:to throw. up-defensive-lines at. Ludhidnd and
27 collect supplies. :’ Ranjit Singh, ‘on -the: other’ hand, had his own fears ;-but,
28 as time advanced,.these ‘apprehensions were :removed,:and,-by degrees, the
29 States began-to regard each: other.with-perfect:‘ confidence, as future events
30 Will BROWa 6 oto. re ake Ge I a ‘
31 , After:the-departure of Mr. Metcalfe, in May,:1809,-the first: business to
32 which:the Mahardjd devoted his attention was the strengthening of the fort
33 of Phillour, situated:on the north bank of the: Sutlej, opposite Ludhidnd,
34 and the new: fort. of Govindgarh, at. Amritsar, where he had deposited his
35 treasures... The'walls were ‘rebuilt,.and-a deep ditchi-of scarped: masonry
36 was constructed round each of these. strongholds. :. The old-sarai at Phillour
37 was.also thoroughly. .repaired, ‘and -put.in- a condition‘of defence. Dewdn
38 ‘Mohkam: Chand: was appointed: -kiladdr, or. commandant, of: the’ fort ‘of
39 eHUOU GS Mi, yeaa ae FR eae Ee eae
40 _ .: As soon as these arrangements. were completed, the: Mahardjé set out on
41 ‘his intended. expedition to ‘the ‘hills.:..“'The- Gorkhé commander, Amar
42 ‘Singh,. Thapd, after his revérses.of four. years previously, had-again ‘laid
43 close siege to. Kangrd,; and, the garrison being. reduced to straits;-and-the
44 dream, of the. aspiring. Rajput. prince, of: a.. kingdom. extending: from‘ the
45 Jamna'to the Jhelum, effectually ‘dispelled, Sansdr Chand,.in. the ‘hour of
46 ‘extremity, deputed his younger brother, Fatteh Chand,.as envoy*to Lahore,
47 Sri Satguru agjit Singh Ji eLibrary .N smdhareli
48 British cantonment
49 ream at Ludhiana,
50 1809,
51 Suspicion of the con-
52 tracting parties against
53 each other, despite their
54 joint treaty,
55 It is gradually; . -
56 removed,
57 The strengthening -.
58 of the forts of Govind-
59 garh and Phillour,
60 1809,
61 * The Gorkhas
62 again invade Kangra.
63 brary@ gmail.com