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

320

HISTORY OF THE SIKHS

CHAP. IX

1845-6. tation of English principles of action; the arrangement
with Gulab Singh was the only one of the kind which took
place, and the new ally was formally invested with the title
of Maharaja at Amritsar on the 15th March 1846.1 But a
portion of the territory at first proposed to be made over
to him was reserved by his masters, the payments required
from him were reduced by a fourth, and they were rendered
still more easy of liquidation by considering him to be the
heir to the money which his brother Suchet Singh had buried
in Ferozepore.2
Supple- Lal Singh became minister once more; but he and all the
mentary traitorous chiefs knew that they could not maintain themments of selves, even against the reduced army, when the English
1846g should have fairly left the country, and thus the separation
placing
Dalip of Gulab Singh led to a further departure from the original
Singh un- scheme. It was agreed that a British force should remain at
der British
tutelage the capital until the last day of December 1846, to enable
during his the chiefs to feel secure while they reorganized the army and
introduced order and efficiency into the administration.
The end of the year came; but the chiefs were still helpless;
they clung to their foreign support, and gladly assented to
an arrangement which leaves the English in immediate
possession of the reduced dominion of Ranjit Singh, until
his reputed son and feeble successor shall attain the age of
manhood.3
1 On this occasion 'Maharaja' Gulab Singh stood up, and, with
joined hands, expressed his gratitude to the British viceroy-adding,
without however any ironical meaning, that he was indeed his ' Zurkhard ', or gold-boughten slave!
In the course of this history there has, more than once, been
occasion to allude to the unscrupulous character of Rajja Gulab Singh;
but it must not therefore be supposed that he is a man malevolently
evil. He will, indeed, deceive an enemy and take his life without
hesitation, and in the accumulation of money he will exercise many
oppressions; but he must be judged with reference to the morality
of his age and race, and to the necessities of his own position. If
these allowances be made, Gulab Singh will be found an able and
moderate man, who does little in an idle or wanton spirit, and who is
not without some traits both of good humour and generosity of
temper.
2 See Appendices XXXIV, XXXV, and XXXVI, for the treaties
with Lahore and Jammu.
3 See Appendix XXXVII for the second treaty with Lahore.