1 ( 10 )
2 From the above it-is seen then that the Punjab Territories contain
3 eighty-one thousand square miles, twenty-nine thousand villages, and a
4 population of nearly thirteen millions of souls, in a proportion of 155
5 persons to the square mile, with a land revenue demand of ,one
6 and three-quarter million pound sterling, exclusive of excise and
7 miscellaneous receipts, which would raise the amount to two mil-
8 lions.
9 11. The above figures relate of course to actual British Possessions
10 - only ; but irrespectively of Foreign States, such as Cabul, and Inde-
11 pendent Tribes, such as those on the Frontier, with which the political
12 relations of the British Government are conducted through the Chief
13 Commissioner of the Punjab, there are numerous Native Principalities,
14 semi-independent, but yet subject to political superintendence, more or
15 less complete and direct. In fact the old North-West Frontier Agency,
16 which for the last half century has possessed an almost historical impor-
17 tance in India, has in these days devolved on the Chief Commissioner of
18 the Punjab, an inheritance, as it were, descended from Ochterloney,
19 Metcalfe and Clerk. The extent of the Agency has however greatly
20 increased within the last ten years, by the accession of additional States.
21 Its duties are now very considerable, and ate equal to at least one-sixth
22 of the work of this Administration. It therefore seems proper, that in esti-
23 mating the extent of the Territories in which this Administration is con-
24 cerned, the statistics of the Native States under political superintendence
25 should also be given. The Principalitiesin question consist of the old
26 protected Sikh States between the Jumna and the Sutlej, which were aboud
27 to be absorbed in the growing Kingdom of Runjeet Singh, but were
28 rescued from that grasp by the British Government, through the Agency
29 of Sir D. Ochterloney by the Treaty of Protection in 1809. These are
30 now known as the Cis-Sutlej Chief-ships. Next come the petty Hil)
31 Chief-ships in the vicinity of Simla; these came under British super-
32 intendence after the Nepal War in 1815. Then there is Bhawulpoor,
33 which has been connected with the British Government since 1833, and
34 more especially since the Affghan War. More recently, we have the
35 Sikh Principality of Kupoorthulla, in the Jullundur Doab, and the Raj-
36 poot Principalities in the hills West of the Sutlej, on both banks of the
37 Beas and up to the Ravee : all these have fallen under political supers
38 vision since the first Sikh Campaign of 1846, and the cession of the
39 Trans-Sutle) Territory. Lastly, come the Dominions of Goolab Singh,