A history of the Sikhs, from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej.

130

HISTORY OF THE SIKHS

CHAPo V

1804. engagement was entered into, and the British commander
Chand f returned to the provinces by the road of Ambala and
Katotch. Karnal.1
The Sikhs The connexion of Lord Lake with many of the Sikh chiefs
of Sirhind of Sirhind had been intimate, and the services of some had
regarded as
virtually been opportune and valuable. Immediately after the battle
dependants of Delhi, Bhag Singh of Jind was upheld in a jSgir which he
of the English by possessed near that city, and in 1804 another estate was
Lord Lake. conferred jointly on him and his friend Lal Singh of Kaithal.
In 1806 these leaders were further rewarded with life
grants, yielding about ~11,000 a year, and Lord Lake was
understood to be willing to give them the districts of
Hansi and Hissar on the same terms; but these almost
desert tracts were objected to as unprofitable. Other petty
chiefs received rewards corresponding with their services,
and all were assured that they should continue to enjoy
the territorial possessions which they held at the time of
British interference without being liable to the payment of
But the tribute. These declarations or arrangements were made
not regu- when the policy of Lord Wellesley was suffering under conlarly de- demnation; the reign of the English was to be limited by
dared, or
made bind- the Jumna, a formal treaty with Jaipur was abrogated, the
inginform. relations of the Indian Governmentwith Bhartpur were left
doubtful, and, although nothing was made known to the
Sikh chiefs of Sirhind, their connexion with the English
came virtually to an end, so far as regarded the reciprocal
benefits of alliance.2
Retrospect It is now necessary to return to Ranjit Singh, whose
with refer- authority had gradually become predominant among the
ence to
Ranjit Sikh people. His first object was to master Lahore from
Singh'srise. the incapable chiefs of the Bhangi confederacy who possessed
1 The public records show that a newswriter was maintained for
some time in Kat6tch, and the correspondence about Sansar Chand
leaves the impression that Ranjit Singh could never wholly forget
the Raja's original superiority, nor the English divest themselves of
a feeling that he was independent of Lahore.
2 The original grants to Jind, Kaithal, and others, and also similar
papers of assurance, are carefully preserved by the several families;
and the various English documents show that Bhag Singh, of Jind,
was always regarded with much kindliness by Lord Lake, Sir John
Malcolm, and Sir David Ochterlony.