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

CHAP. v BRITISH POLICY IN 1808 139
a halt, in order to be near his supplies should hostilities 1809.
take place.l
Ranjit Singh was somewhat discomposed by the near The views
presence of a British force but he continued to evade com- lish become
pliance with the propositions of the envoy, and he complained somewhat
that Mr. Metcalfe was needlessly reserved about his acquisi- modified;
tions on the south banks of the Sutlej, with regard to which Singh still
the Government had only declared that the restoration of required to
keep to the
his last conquests, and the absolute withdrawal of his troops north of the
to the northward of the river, must form the indispensable Sutlej.
basis of further negotiations.2 Affairs were in this way
when intelligence from Europe induced the GovernorGeneral to believe that Napoleon must abandon his designs
upon India, or at least so far suspend them as to render
defensive precautions unnecessary.3 It was therefore made
known that the object of the English Government had
become limited to the security of the country south of the
Sutlej from the encroachments of Ranjit Singh; for that,
independent of the possible approach of a European enemy,
it was considered advisable on other grounds to afford
protection to the southern Sikhs. Ranjit Singh must still,
nevertheless, withdraw his troops to the right bank of the
Sutlej, his last usurpations must also be restored, but the
1 Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 20th Jan., and 4th, 9th,
and 14th Feb., 1809, with Government to Sir David Ochterlony, of
13th March, 1809. Government by no means approved of what Sir
David Ochterlony had done, and he, feeling aggrieved, virtually
tendered his resignation of his command. (Sir David Ochterlony
to Government, 19th April, 1809.)
2 Sir David Ochterlony to Government, 14th Feb., 1809, and
Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th July, 1809. Lieut.-Col.
Lawrence (Adventures in the Punjab, p. 131, note g) makes Sir Charles
Metcalfe sufficiently communicative on this occasion with regard to
other territories, for he is declared to have told the Maharaja that
by a compliance with the then demands of the English, he would
ensure their neutrality with respect to encroachments elsewhere.
3 Government to Sir David Ochterlony, 30th Jan., 1809. [Probably the altered relations between Napoleon and Turkey were the
main cause of this. The Franco-Turkish alliance of 1807 had come
to an end with the deposition of Mustapha IV and accession of
Mahmud II-July 1808-and the improved relations of England and
Turkey led to the signature by the latter powers of the Treaty of the
Dardanelles (January 1809).-ED.]