James Andrew Broun Ramsay Dalhousie

DALHOUSIE, JAMES ANDREW BROUN RAMSAY, IST MARQUESS and IOTH EARL OF (1812-1860), British statesman and Indian administrator, was born at Dalhousie Castle, Scotland, on April 22, 1812. He was the third son of George Ramsay, 9th earl of Dalhousie (177o-1838), one of Wellington's generals, who, after holding the highest offices in Canada, became commander-in chief in India. Several years of his early boyhood were spent with his father and mother in Canada. After two years (18 2 5-2 7) at Harrow, he was placed under a tutor, and in 1829 entered Christ Church, Oxford. On leaving Oxford in 1833 he spent some time abroad. He married in 1836 Lady Susan Hay, daughter of the marquess of Tweeddale, and in 1837 entered the House of Com mons as member for East Lothian.

He succeeded to the peerage in 1838, and made his mark in the House of Lords by a clever defence (June 16, 184o) of Lord Aberdeen's Church of Scotland Benefices Bill. In May 1843 he became vice-president of the board of trade, succeeding Gladstone as president in 1845. In the struggle over the corn laws he ranged himself with Peel, and after the failure of Lord John Russell to form a ministry he resumed his post at the board of trade, entering the cabinet on the retirement of Lord Stanley. When Peel resigned office in June 1846, Lord John offered Dalhousie a seat in the cabinet, an offer which he declined. But in 1847 he accepted the post of governor-general of India in succession to Lord Hardinge, on the understanding that he was to be left in "entire and unquestioned possession" of his own "personal inde pendence with reference to party politics." Governor-General of India.—Dalhousie assumed charge as governor-general of India and governor of Bengal on Jan. 12, 1848. In writing to the president of the board of control, Sir John Hobhouse, he assured him that everything was quiet. This state ment, however, was to be falsified by events almost before it could reach England. For on April 19 Vans Agnew of the civil service and Lieutenant Anderson of the Bombay European regiment, having been sent to take charge of Multan from Diwan Mulraj, were murdered there, and within a short time the Sikh troops and sardars joined in open rebellion. Dalhousie agreed with Sir Hugh Gough, the commander-in-chief, that the Company's military forces were not prepared to take the field immediately. He also foresaw the spread of the rebellion, and the eventual necessity, not merely for the capture of Multan, but also for the entire subju gation of the Punjab. He therefore organized a strong army for operations in November. For the course of the second Sikh War and Gough's victory at Gujrat see INDIA: History. For his serv ices the earl of Dalhousie received the thanks of parliament and a step in the peerage, as marquess.

The Punjab and

Burma.—Dalhousie, now, without waiting for instructions from home, annexed the Punjab, and made pro vision for the custody and education of the infant maharaja. The province was temporarily administered by a triumvirate under the personal supervision of the governor-general, and later, a place having been found for Henry Lawrence in Rajputana, by John Lawrence as sole commissioner. Twice Dalhousie toured the province, settling on the spot all matters of importance, and when he left India no province could show a better record of progress.

Another addition to the British possessions was made by con quest. The Burmese court at Ava was bound by the treaty of Yandabo, 1826, to protect British ships in Burmese waters, but the outrageous conduct of the governor of Rangoon towards the masters of the "Monarch" and "Champion" met with no redress from the king. Dalhousie tried to settle the dispute by diplomacy. When that failed he made vigorous preparation for the campaign to be undertaken in the autumn, which he placed in charge of General Godwin. Martaban was taken on April 5, 1852, and Rangoon and Bassein shortly afterwards. A second campaign opened in October, and after the capture of Prome and Pegu the annexation of the province of Pegu was declared by a proclama tion dated Dec. 20, 1853. To any further invasion of the Burmese empire Dalhousie was firmly opposed, being content to "consoli date" the Company's possessions by uniting Arakan to Tenas serim. By his wise policy he pacified the new province, placing Colonel Arthur Phayre in sole charge of it, personally visiting it, and establishing a complete system of telegraphs and communi cations.

Reforms.

These military operations added force to the convic tion which Dalhousie had formed of the need of consolidating the Company's ill-knit possessions, and as a step in that direction he decided to apply the doctrine of "lapse," and annex any Hindu native states, created or revived by the grants of the British government, in which there was a failure of male lineal descend ants, reserving for consideration the policy of permitting adoptions in other Hindu chiefships tributary and subordinate to the British government as paramount. Under the first head he recommended the annexation of Satara in Jan. 1849, of Jaitpur and Sambalpur in the same year, and of Jhansi and Nagpur in 1853. In these cases his action was approved by the home authorities, but his proposal to annex Karauli in 1849 was disallowed, while Baghat and the petty estate of Udaipur, which he had annexed in 1851 and 1852 respectively, were afterwards restored to native rule.

Other measures with the same object were carried out in the Company's own territories. Bengal, too long ruled by the governor general or his delegate, was placed under a separate lieutenant governor in May 1854 ; a department of public works was estab lished in each presidency, and engineering colleges were provided. An imperial system of telegraphs followed ; the first link of railway communication was completed in 1855; well-considered plans mapped out the course of other lines and their method of adminis tration; the Ganges canal, which then exceeded "all the irrigation lines of Lombardy and Egypt together," was completed ; and despite the cost of wars in the Punjab and Burma, liberal pro vision was made for metalled roads and bridges. The useless military boards were swept away ; selection took the place of seniority in the higher commands; an army clothing and a stud department were created, and the medical service underwent com plete reorganization. "Unity of authority coupled with direct responsibility" was the keynote of his policy. In nine masterly minutes he suggested means for strengthening the Company's European forces, calling attention to the dangers that threatened the English community, "a handful of scattered strangers"; but beyond the additional powers of recruitment which at his entreaty were granted in the last charter act of 1853, his proposals were shelved by the home authorities, who scented no danger and wished to avoid expense. In his administration Dalhousie vigor ously asserted the control of the civil government over military affairs, and his insistence on this point caused the resignation of General Charles Napier.

Dalhousie created an imperial system of post-offices, reduced the rates of carrying letters and introduced postage stamps. To him India owes the first department of public instruction ; it was he who placed the gaols under proper inspection, abolishing the practice of branding convicts; put down the crime of meriahs or human sacrifices; freed converts to other religions from the loss of their civil rights; inaugurated the system of administrative reports; and enlarged and dignified the legislative council of India. His wide interest in everything that concerned the welfare of the country was shown in the encouragement he gave to the culture of tea, in his protection of forests, in the preservation of ancient and historic monuments. He closed the useless college in Calcutta for the education of young civilians, establishing in its place a proper system of training them in technical (mufasal) stations, and subjecting them to departmental examinations. He provided the European soldier with healthy recreations and public gardens. To the civil service he gave improved leave and pension rules, while he purified its moral by forbidding all share in trading con cerns, by vigorously punishing insolvents, and by his personal example of careful selection in the matter of patronage. The high standard thus set became a settled tradition.

Foreign Policy.

His foreign policy was guided by a desire to recognize the "independence" of the larger native states, and to avoid extending the political relations of his government with foreign powers outside India. Pressed to intervene in Hyderabad, he refused to do so, laying down the doctrine that interference was only justified "if the administration of native princes tends un questionably to the injury of the subjects or of the allies of the British government." Protection in his view carried no right of interference in the affairs of what he called "independent" states. In this spirit he negotiated in 1853 a treaty with the nizam, which provided funds for the maintenance of the contingent kept up by the British in support of that prince's authority, by the assign ment of the Berars in lieu of annual payments of the cost.

The same spirit induced him to tolerate a war of succession in Bahawalpur, so long as the contending candidates did not violate British territory. This reluctance to increase his responsibilities further caused him to refrain from punishing Dost Mohammed for the part he had taken in the Sikh War, and resolutely to refuse to enter upon any negotiations until the amir himself came forward. Then he steered a middle course between the proposals of his own agent, Herbert Edwardes, who advocated an offensive alliance, and those of John Lawrence, who would have avoided any sort of engagement. He himself drafted the short treaty of peace and friendship which Lawrence signed in 1855, that officer receiving in 1856 the order of K.C.B. in acknowledgment of his services in the matter. While, however, Dalhousie was content with a mutual engagement with the Afghan chief, binding each party to respect the territories of the other, he saw that a larger measure of inter ference was needed in Baluchistan, and with the khan of Kalat he authorized Major Jacob to negotiate a treaty of subordinate co operation on May 14, 18S4. The khan was guaranteed an annual subsidy of Rs. 5o,000, in return for the treaty which "bound him to us wholly and exclusively." To this the home authorities de murred, but the engagement was duly ratified, and the subsidy was largely increased by Dalhousie's successors. On the other hand, he insisted on leaving all matters concerning Persia and Central Asia to the decision of the queen's advisers. The frontier tribes men it was obviously necessary to coerce into good behaviour after the annexation of the Punjab. "The hillmen," he wrote, "regard the plains as their food and prey," and the Afridis, Mohmands, Black Mountain tribes, Waziris and others had to be taught that their new neighbours would not tolerate outrages. But he proclaimed to one and all his desire for peace, and urged upon them the duty of tribal responsibility.

Oudh.

The settlement of the Oudh question was reserved to the last. In 1854 Dalhousie appointed Outram as resident at the court of Lucknow; the latter reported on the condition of the province in March 1855. But in spite of the revelation of disorder and misrule, Dalhousie, looking at the treaty of 18o1, considered that he was bound to proceed in the matter of reform with the king's consent. He proposed the transfer to the Company of the entire administration, the king merely retaining his royal rank, certain privileges in the courts and a liberal allowance. A general rising was almost certain to follow refusal and then the British Government would of necessity intervene on its own terms. On Nov. 21, 1855 the court of directors instructed Dalhousie to assume the powers essential to the permanence of good govern ment in Oudh, and to give the king no option unless he was sure that he would surrender the administration rather than risk a revo lution. Dalhousie was in wretched health and on the eve of retire ment when the belated orders reached him ; but he laid down instructions for Outram in every detail, moved up troops, and elaborated a scheme of government with particular orders as to conciliating local opinion. The king refused to sign the treaty put before him, and a proclamation annexing the province was there fore issued on Feb. 13, 1856. Only one important matter now re mained to him before quitting office. The insurrection of the half civilized Kolarian Santals of Bengal against the extortions of land lords and money-lenders had been severely repressed, but the causes of the insurrection had still to be, remedied. By removing the tract of country from the ordinary regulations, enforcing the residence of British officers there, and employing the Santal head men in a local police, he ensured a system of administration which proved successful. For a criticism of Dalhousie's policy of annex ation see INDIA : History.

seven years of strenuous labour, Dalhousie, on March 6, 1856, set sail for England reaching Spithead, on May 13. The outbreak of the mutiny led to bitter attacks at home upon his policy, and to strange misrepresentation of his public acts, while on the other hand John Lawrence invoked his counsel and influence, and those who really knew his work in India cried out, "Oh, for a dictator," and his return "for one hour!" To all these cries he turned a deaf ear, refusing to embarrass those who were responsible by any expressions of opinion, declining to undertake his own defence or to assist in his vindication through the public press, and by his last directions sealing up his private journal and papers of personal interest against publication until 5o years after his death. Dalhousie died at Dalhousie Castle on Dec. 19, 186o; he was buried in the old churchyard of Cockpen. Dalhousie had two daughters, and the marquessate became extinct at his death.

Sir E. Arnold, Dalhousie's Administration of British India (1862) ; Sir C. Jackson, Vindication of Dalhousie's Indian Administration (1865) ; C. Campbell, duke of Argyle, India under Dalhousie and Canning (1865) ; L. J. Trotter, Life of the Marquis of Dalhousie (1889) ; Sir W. W. Hunter, Dalhousie (1.89o) ; Sir W. Lee-Warner, Life of the Marquis of Dalhousie (19°4); Brough ton mss. (British Museum) ; and parliamentary papers.

(W. L.-W.; X.)