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

194

HISTORY OF THE SIKHS

CHAP. VII

1831. toll; 1 and, two months afterwards, or towards the end of
19th Dec. 1831, he wrote to the Maharaja that the desire he had
1831. formerly expressed to see a steamboat, was a proof of his
enlightened understanding, and was likely to be gratified
before long, as it was wished to draw closer the commercial
relations of the two states. Capt. Wade was at the same
time sent to explain, in person, the object of Col. Pottinger's
mission to Sind, to propose the free navigation of the Sutlej
in continuation of that of the Lower Indus, and to assure
the Maharaja that, by the extension of British commerce,
was not meant the extension of the British power.2 But
Ranjit Ranjit Singh, also, had his views and his suspicions.3 In the
Singh's
views and south of the Punjab he had wrought by indirect means, as
suspicions. long as it was necessary to do so among a newly conquered
people. The Nawab of Bahawalpur, his manager of the
country across to Dera Ghazi Khan, was less regular in his
payments than he should have been, and his expulsion from
the Punjab Proper would be profitable, and unaccompanied
with danger, if the English remained neutral. Again,
Bahawal Khan was virtually a chief protected by the British
Government on the left bank of the Sutlej, and Lieut.
Burnes was on his way up the Indus. The Maharaja, ever
mistrustful, conceived that the political status of that
officer's observation would be referred to and upheld by
his Government as the true and permanent one,4 and hence
the envoy found affairs in process of change when he left
the main stream of the Indus, and previous to the interview
He repels at Ripar, General Ventura had dispossessed Bahawal Khan
the Daud- both of his Lahore farms and of his ancestral territories on
putras from
the Lower the right bank of the Sutlej.5 Further, Shikarpur formed no
Punjab 1 Murray, Ranjit Singh, p. 168.
2 Government to Capt. Wade, 19th Dec. 1831. It is admitted
that the mission, or the schemes, had a political reference to Russia
and her designs, but the Governor-General would not avow his
motives. (Murray, Ranjit Singh, p. 168.)
3 Ranjit Singh's attention was mainly directed to Sind, and
a rumoured matrimonial alliance between one of the Amirs, or the
son of one of them, and a Persian princess, caused him some anxiety.
(Capt. Wade to Government, 5th Aug. 1831.)
4 This view appears to have subsequently occurred to Capt. Wade
as having influenced the Maharaja. See his letter to Government,
18th Oct. 1836. 5 Capt. Wade to Government, 5th Nov. 1831.