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3 THE FIRST SIKH WAR. 539
4 bodies of British troops towards the Sutlej and the adoption by the British
5 of defensive measures, in anticipation of the outbreak of hostilities in
6 the Panjdéb, which were looked upon in the light of aggressive prepara-
7 tions ; secondly, the refusal of the British authorities to restore eighteen lakhs
8 of rupees in the Ferozepur treasury, claimed by the Sikh Government as
9 the property of the late Rajd Suchet Singh ; thirdly, the confirmation, by
10 the British Government, of the escheat of the village Morwén to the Raja of
11 Nabha ; and, lastly, the refusal of the British Government to allow a free
12 passage to the Sikh troops into the Khdlsd possessions south of the Sutlej.
13 _It was also believed that the English were preparing boats at Bombay to
14 make a bridge across the Sutlej, and that troops were being equipped in
15 Sindh for an advance on Multdn. All these allegations were, of course,
16 mere pretexts to lead the uncontrollable and obnoxious Khélsé army into
17 collision with a power which was sure to destroy their influence, if not their
18 existence, and so make it possible to establish a Sikh government in the
19 Panjab unrestrained by the censorship of the army.
20 CHAPTER II.
21 WARS WITH THE BRITISH.
22 THE FIRST SIKH WAR.
23 po the whole time that tumult and confusion were reigning in the the British
24 Panjdb, the attitude assumed by the British Government was pacific and Strictly os the aetoxr
25 forbearing. It was, indeed, not thought probable that a nation, disunited, :
26 contentious and engaged in internecine feuds, would be so rash as to run
27 the risk of invading the territory of its powerful, but inoffensive neighbour.
28 Actuated by these considerations, the British authorities had remained
29 strictly on the defensive. As early as June 1845, the Governor-General,.
30 Sir Henry Hardinge, expressed his determination to maintain a Sikh govern-
31 ment in the Panjéb as long as possible; this declaration of policy being
32 repeated in September and again in the early part of October. Provocation
33 was repeatedly given, but it was invariably answered, not by arms, but by
34 friendly advice, or timely warnings in the plainest terms, the Governor-General
35 and the Commander-in-Chief (Sir Hugh Gough) maintaining the opinion,
36 even up to the 14th of December, that the Sikhs would not cross the Sutlej.
37 On 8th December, large detachments of Sikh troops made their appearance oe sue cee the
38 on the right bank of the Sutlej, and the influx continued in great numbers is?”
39 on the two following days. As they poured in, they discharged artillery,
40 of which they had brought a numerous train. Considerable numbers of
41 Sikh cavalry also crossed the river to the left bank, the plains opposite
42 Ferozepur as far as Hari-kd-Pattan being covered with masses of Sikh
43 troops. The exposed post of Ferozepur was then held by Sir John Littler,
44 a brave and skilful officer, with 10,000 men and 31 guns. By the 13th,
45 the Sikhs, having crossed the river in large bodies by a bridge of boats,
46 passed about ten miles above Ferozepur. The Governor-General, in conse-
47 quence of reports received from his agent, Major Broadfoot, met the
48 Commander-in-Chief at Karndl, and then visited Ludhidnd, the other post
49 on the frontier, at this time held by one European regiment, five regiments
50 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com