The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TITURSDAY EVEN ING, DECEMBER 2, 1852.

THE IIEI?0 OF SCINDE AND THE,
"QUARTERLY REVIEW."

against the consequences of permitting such „conduct.
Saith, that, by an arrangement betweeff Meer Roostum,
said to be above 85 years of age, and Meer Ali
Morad, a man about 30 years or age, his legal heir appa-
rent to the Turban, or Chieftairship, the former resigned
in favour of the latter the Turban or Chieftainship of
Upper Scinde, and the lands aad possessions appertain-
ing thereto. That the Fort of Emaunghur formed a
portion of those possessions, and with the consent of Ali
Morad, and understanding it was full of armed men, as
sembled for war, he, deponent, marched against it with
a detachment of his army, and found it deserted, but
containing a large magazine of gunpowder ; and with
the consent of the said Ali Morad, he, deponent, de-
stroyed the said fort. That &t Emaunghur, he, depo-
nent, issued a proclamation, inviting the Ameers of
Upper and Lower Scinde t) meet Major Outram at
Kyrpore, as his, deponent's commissioner, or to send
vakeels or authorised agents to arrange and complete
the new treaty ; and fixed the 20th January, 1843, for
the purpose ; but the day was afterwards extended to the
25th January, 1843. That on the 23d of January,
1843, he, deponent, was rejoined by the main body of
his forces : Saith, that on the day appointed for the con-
ference, no vakeel came from the Ameers of vpper
Scinde, and those who came from Lower Scinde, with
one exception, had no power to treat. And he, depo-
nent, learned from his scouts, that large bodies of armed
men were hurrying towards Hyderabad ; nevertheless,
the vakeels of Lower Scinde were sent back with com-
pliments and deponent extended the time for treating
until the Ist February, 1843 : Saith, that Major
Outram, at his own urgent request, was sent to Hydera-
bad ; he, Major Outram, stating that he believed he
could bring the Ameers to execute the treaty. And, ac-
cordingly, deponent saith, on the 28th January, 1843, he
wrote to said Major Outram in the following language :
" I have now waited long enough for the authorised
vakeels, and I think you may proceed to Hyderabad, if
you think so doing likely to prevent bloodshed and re-
concile the Ameers to the draft treaty, so far as being
amenable to it can be called reconciliation. lam most
anxious that they should not resist ; I am sure they will
not resist by force of arms, but I would omit no one step
that you or any one thinks can prevent the chance of it.
I think you may probably do good, and not the less for
my movements in that direction. I wish you would write
to Meer Roostum, to say thatl will receive himwith every
attention to his comfort if he comes to my camp :" Saith,
that on the 30th January, 1843, he, deponent, again ex-
tended the time for treating to the 6th February, 1843,
and on that day the deponent wrote and sent a letter to
the said Major Outram, in the following lartguage :
" I have seen the Hyderabad deputies ; I have ordered
them to meet you there on the 6th of February, and you
are to tell me directly whether or not they have brought
the deputies of Meer Roostum and the others with the
prescribed powers ; if they have, I wait the result of
negotiations; if not, I march against them as an enemy on
the 6th. Iby no means feel authorised in granting this
delay, but I am willing to do all I can to save the mis-
chief that will fall upon these Ameers if they will not
meet you." That this deponent, on the 31st January,
1843, reached Nowsharra, on the borders of Lower
Scinde, and halted five days more. That deponent was
again assured that large bodies of troops were collecting
in his front. That the orders he, this deponent, had re-
ceived from said Lord Ellenborough, to disperse all
armed bands, were positive, and on the 6th of February,
1843, he, this deponent, advanced again (but only 8,
miles) towards Hyderabad. That on the Bth of February,
1843, the said Major Outram reached Hyderabad:
That deponent marched to Sukkerand, 60 miles from
Hyderabad, and halted again at Major Outram's request,
in order to give further time to the Ameers to sign the
treaty : That on the 11th of February, 1843, he (this
deponent) received a communication from Major Out-
ram, assuring him, deponent, that no armed bands were
assembled, those who remained being only the necessary
attendants of the Ameers ; but deponent saith that on
the 12th of February, 1843. he, deponent, arrested 25
armed men, well mounted, and passing near to his, de-
pc;nent's, camp ; and on the person of the chief of such
armed men, deponent found letters from Meer Maho-
med, one of the Ameers of Hyderabad, urging the chiefs
of one of the most powerful tribes of Beloochistan to join
him with all their retainers, and requesting them, so
soon as the said letter should be received, to collect all
their forces of every description, and every disposable
person, and meet him (the said Ameer) at Meeanee ; and
stating that the Ameer in question would himself march
with a force of Belooches in that direction on the 9th
of February, 1843, and would halt to arrange his plans
at Meeanee Saith, that on or about the 12th of Feb-
ruary, 1843, the Ameers of Upper and Lower Scinde,
with one exception, affixed their names and seals to the
new treaty : Saith, that deponent was informed that the
Mahomedan festival called the Moharem was then cele-
brating, and that it would be impossible for the Ameers
to assemble their warriors until the approaching termi-
nation of that festival ; but that the termination of the
same would result in the assemblage of fighting men to
the number of from 60,000 to 70,000 men ; and the de-
tention of the letter before mentioned to have been found
upon the said chiefs, showed to this deponent that the
delay sought by the said Ameers was for the purpose of
being enabled to assemble the above number of men, and
deponent felt that the danger menacing deponent and his
small army, amounting to about 2,000 men, was imme-
diate and appalling, and could only be forestalled by ra-
pidity : That on the 13th of February, 1843, he, this
deponent, wrote as follows to Major Outram :
" Sukkurunda, February 13, 1843.—My dear Out-
ram,—On the 29th of January, Meer Mahomed's deputy,
with full powers, assured me his master was our friend,
and agreed to the treaty, and was intercessor for Meer
Roostum, with every protestation that his peace was
made for ever with us—he had no interest beyond friend-
ship in what he did for Roostum. On the 2d of Febru-
ary all these protestations were repeated, and on the 2d
or 4th of February he summons his whole force, of.every
description, to meet him in arms. His prayer that I
would not march towards Hyderabad for fear of alarm-
ing Roostum's nerves, who was so kind, was capital.
These were Gholam Khan's words, who, as you see, was
also at work in his vocation as plenipotentiary. The
whole neighbourhood of Hyderabad swarmed with armed
Belooches, as does every village in this neighbourhood.
I will send this letter of Meer Mahomed to Lord Ellen-
borough ; and so you may tell him, if he chooses to play
this game, he must make up his mind to take the conse-
quences. The begging me to be quiet till the 9th, and
telling me I had promised to be so (which I never did),
was capital. They are neither bad politicians nor bad
soldiers in their way, but did not expect I would take
measures to get their letters. lam waiting anxiously to
hear of the signatures. Be so good as to make Sobdar
and our dear friends send up to us (directly) 1,200
maunds of flour, and 250 maunds of rice. Direct these
supplies on Halla, where I shall be on the 15th.—Yours
faithfully, C. J. NAPIER.—The Ameers must sign them-
selves' course,Ellenborough oof as Lord d es —1 o'clock,
p.m., February 13,.
1843. —Your ,
our letter of yesterday is
this moment come. I have not moved an inch, so what
the Ameers mean by my continued march' is, when
coupled with the papers I send you, very plain. I got
yours (asking me to halt one day) here, on the 10th in-
stant,
and I have never budged. I intended to march
yesterday, when your second letter, asking for another
day, reached me (the.llth I think—l have no time to
look). Again I put aside all idea of moving, giving
three days where they had through you asked for two.
What was the speech of Hyatt Khan, the prisoner, to
me ?—`Why do you stop
me ? There are 600 armed
and assembled in the village of
within six toss
of you-- -plenty everywhere.' I neither can nor will halt
now. Their object is very plain, and I will not be their
dupe. I shall march to Sywdabad to-morrow, and next
day to Halls, and attack every body of armed men I
meet, according to my d
or-ers, and which, it would be
trifling to defer any longer, as no move has been made
for four days, arid my sick-list increasing, it would be to
betray the troops to delay another day ; and if the treaty
was not signed on the 12th, according to their promises
on the 11th, when the Ameers knew that I had halted,
there can remain no doubt of the fact that they have
been using every trick to get over the Moharem, as they
could not sooner collect their troops. I to-day send off
the letter cf Meer Mahomed to Lord Ellenborough. I
do hope, my dear friend, that You will see the very peril-
ous ground on which I stand. The troops have Lord
Ellenborough 's order on their side ; and I have delayed
from first to last, at risk of their lives and my own
character as an officer, till not the eleventh but the
twelfth hour. If men die in consequence of my delay;
their blood may be justly charged to my account.—Be
lieve me, yours, &c.,

but after a conflict of three hours, signally defeated them
on the Plain of Meeanee ; and that, after the said battle,
the said Ameers surrendered themselves, and al,§O the
city and fort of Hyderabad : Saith, that on the 10th
day of October, 1852, he was informed that in The
Quarterly Review for September, 1852, published by
John Murray, of Albemarle-street, London, there wa,3
an article injuriously reflecting on the official, profes-
sional, and private character of this deponent : Saith,
that his attention was then for the first time drawn to

The following is a copy of the affidavit of Sir Charles
Napier, upon which Mr. Chambers, Q.C., grounded his
application to the Queen's Bench for a criminal informa-
tion against the publisher of the Quarterly Review.
Affidavit of Sir Charles James Napier, of Oaklands,
in the county of Hants, a Lieutenant-General in the
Army, a Knight Grand Cross of the most Honour-
able Military Order of the Bath, and Colonel of her
Majesty's 22d Regiment of Foot.—Sworn 17th No-
vember, 1852.

the said article, and that this deponent being resident in
the country, he was not able to procure a copy of the
same until the 18th day of October, 1852: ' Saith, that
on said 18th day of October, 1852, he for the first
time read the said article in the said Quarterly
Review, a copy of which said Quarterly Review is
hereunto annexed, and marked with the letter
(A): Saith, that said article contains wicked and

Saith he, deponent, entered the army in the year 1794,
and served in the Irish Rebellion in the year 1798, that
he served throughout the greater portion of the Penin-
sular war, in the West Indies, and also in the American
war, and a portion of the campaign of 1815: Saith that
he served for eleven years in the lonian Islands, and
during nine of those years he filled the post of Resident of
the Island of Cephalonia, and was entrusted with the entire
government of the island ; that in the year 1839 he was
appointed to the command of the Northern District of
England, and retained that post until 1841, when he re-
ceived the appointment of Major-General, commanding
the Poona Division of the army in the Presidency of
Bombay, and on the 26th day of August, 1842, he was
appointed by the present Earl of Ellenborough to the
post of Major-General commanding in Scinde and Be-
loochistan, and was charged also with full political power
in that country : Saith, that he retained the said office
until the 6th day of March, 1843, when he, deponent,
was appointed Governor of Scinde, and continued to hold
the ,aid last mentioned appointment until the month of
of October, 1847 : Saith, that in the month of March,
1849, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief in India,

malignant libels, on the official, and professional, and
private character of deponent, and was published,' as this
deponent believes, from corrupt motives, for the purpose
of injuring deponent in his official, and professional,
and private character, in the estimation of the public,
and also to bring him into public scandal, infamy, and
disgrace, both as an officer and a Christian : Saith, that
the said article in the said Quarterly Review for Septem-
ber, 1852, is headed in the words and figures following :
that is to say, "Art. IV. :-1. Dry Leaves from
Young Egypt, by an Ex-Political. Third Edition, 1852.
2. Speech of Viscount Jocellyn in the House of Com-
mons, on the Case of the Ameers of Upper Scinde, June
23, 1852. An Authentic Report published by request,
with Appendix. 3. Parliamentary Papers relating to
Scinde, 1836, 1843." Saith, that in a certain part of
the said article, there was, and is contained amongst
other things, the false scandalous, abusive, malicious,
defamatory, and libellous matter following, of and con-
cerning this deponent, that is to say:—" But let us pass
on to the time when the return of our armies from Afghan-
istan had silenced every voice that was raised against
us in Scinde, and for ever stopped the disposidon or de-
sire to cabal for our injury. Outram had some time
antecedently proposed to commute the tribute of three
lakhs settled by the treaty of Hyderabad as to be paid
by these Ameers for the permanent tranfser to us of
Kuraehee, Shukarpoor, and Sukkur, and he thought the
evidence he possessed of the intrigues in which they had
engaged was sufficient to warrant the dictation of these
terms, which, if accompanied by a relinquishment of all
present and future pecuniary claims, would not,. he Con-
ceived, be unacceptable to them. But Lord Ellen-
borough, the new Governor-General, who arrived in
February, 1842, and who, in June, had proceeded up the
country, and taken upon himself the entire direction of
these affairs, deemed the terms too moderate, and direct-
ed a cession of territory east of the Indus, for reward for
the Chief of Bhawulpoor, to be further exacted from the
Ameers. Subzulcot had rather recently been wrested by
them from this chief ; its restoration, therefore, was not
an unreasonable demand to make, in retribution for
their faltering somewhat in allegiance. This;' we pre-
sume, was all that Lord Ellenborough contemplated or
intended to require from the Ameers by his instructions
to Outram, above referred to ; but, by a hasty order
subsequently issued on November 3d, 1842, he directed
the cession to be demanded of all the territory extending
from Bhawl Khan's frontier to Roree, which doubled the
mulct to be exacted for these intrigues, and raised the
annual sacrifice to nearly eight and a half of rupees out
of a revenue in the whole not reaching thirty lakhs.
The Governor-General was evidently uninformed in
respect to the geographical limits of the Bhawulpoor
claim ; but Sir Charles Napier, who had succeeded
Colonel Outram at this time, uniting the military com-
mand with full pohtical powers, though the probable mis-
conception was explained to him, made no reference to
ask what the Governor-General really wished by these
second orders till after he had brought matters to the
crisis of the battle of Meeanee and capture of Hydera-
bad :" Saith, that the charge of misconduct herein made
against him, namely, that although the probable miscon-
ception on the part of the Governor-General, in respect
to the geographical limits of the Bhawulpoor claim, was
explained to him, this deponent, yet that deponent made
no reference to ask what the Governor-General really
wished by the second order, till after he had brought
matters to the crisis of the battle of Meeanee and capture
of Hyderabad, is entirely false : Saith, that deponent, was
informed, on or about the 27th day of January, 1843, by
the said Major Outram, that there was probably some
misconception on the part of the said Lord Ellenborough
as to the value of the Bawulpoor claim, and that he, this
deponent, immediately, namely, on the 28th of the same
month of January, wrote in duplicate to Lord Ellen-
borough, who was then, to the best of this deponent's in-
formation and belief, within about eight days' post of him,
this deponent, in the following language, that is to say :
"It is right to inform your Lordship that I have been
told your Lordship said you had given Bawul Khan, the
Nawab of Bhawulpoor, 16,0001. a year. The value of
Subzulcot and Boongbarra is about that sum, but the
country between the latter and Roree is, the latter
included, about 44,0001. a year, and forms the great
difficulty in settling with the Ameers of Hyderabad.
They say it wholly ruins them, and all dependent on
them :" Saith, that on the 30th day of January, 1843,
he, deponent, again wrote to the said Lord Ellenborough,
in the following language :—" With regard to the rich
district between Boongbarra and the town of Roree, the
loss of which presses very heavily on the Ameers of
Kyrpoor, and, in fact, has thrown them into consterna-
tion, perhaps your Lordship would either 'allow them to
retain it, or permit me to consider the subject in detail,
and lay before you some project less painful to the feel-
ings of the Ameers :" Saith, he received no reply to
either of the said letters until after he had been forced to
fight the said battle of Meeanee, though this deponent
might have received an answer several days previous to
the battle of Meeanee, bnt the Ameers liad cut off the
communication of this deponent's array for some time :
Saith, that during the whole of the operations in Scinde
he never suppressed any information from the said Lord
Ellenborough, but kept him fully and immediately in-
formed of every important fact, and during the whole of
the operations he acted in strict obedience to the orders
which were issued to him by the said Lord Ellenborough :
Saith, that in another part of the said article there was
and is contained, amongst other things, the false, scan-
dalous, malicious, defamatory, and libellous matter fol-
lowing, of and concerning this deponent, that is to say :
" But this is a minor point in the career and proceedings
of this officer. General England's division of the Kanda-
har army had already descended the passes into Scinde,
so as to be out of all danger. When Sir Charles Napier
first arrived to take upon himself the joint functions
vested in him by the Governor-General, he had never
before served in India, and knew none of its lan-
guages, and very little of the customs or habits of
the people ; but he appears to have gone into Scinde
predetermined to embroil matters and produce a crisis."
Saith, that the charge of misconduct herein made
against him, namely, that deponent had gone into Scinde
predetermined to embroil matters and produce a crisis,
is false : Saith, that in said article there was, and is con-
tained among other things, the false, scandalous, mali-
cious, defamatory, and libellous matter following, of and
concerning deponent, that is to say :—" On passing
through Hyderabad on his way to Sukkur, the head
quarters of the array of Scinde, he made four peremptory
demands from the Ameers there without troubling him-
self much to enquire whether the strict letter of the trea-
ties they had signed warranted his enforcement of them :" 1
Saith, that the said charge made against him, namely,
that he had made four peremptory demands, is false :1
Saith, that he was not guilty of misconduct therein im-
puted to him, namely, that he had made demands from
the Ameers there without troubling himself much to en-
quire whether the strict letter of the treaties they had
signed had warranted his enfQrcements of them : Saith,
' that a complaint having been made to deponent by Lieu-
tenant Mylne and Lieutenant Gordon, the two political
agents of the British Government of Kurrachee and
Hyderabad respectively, that the Ameers had violated
two important articles of the existing treaty between the
British. Government and themselves, he, deponent, did,
on the 25th day of September, 1842, write and send a
letter to the Ameers of Hyderabad, of which the follow
ing is a copy :

and retained the' said appointment until the month of
February, 1851: Saith, that the present Earl of Ellen-
borough held the office of Governor-General of India
during the whole of the military operations in Scinde,
hereinafter mentioned and referred to ; and deponent was
subject to the orders of the said Lord Ellenborough

during the whole of the said military operations in
Scinde : Saith, that he arrived in Scinde during the

month of September, 1842, and shortly afterwards- pro-
ceeded to Sukkur, the head quarters of the army. That
Scinde was then divided into Upper and Lower Scinde,

the former being ruled by Meer Roostum, and Meer Ali
Morad, under the title of Ameers of Upper Scinde, whose

capital was Khyrpoor ; and the latter, by certain Princes
called the Ameers of Lower Scinde, whose capital was

Hyderabad. That these Ameers acted independently of
each other, but were all relations, the Ameer Roostum
being the eldest, and considered the head of the family.
That previous to this, deponent's arrival in Scinde, cer-
tain treaties had been entered into between the English
Government and the Ameers both of Upper and Lower
Soinde. That upon deponents arrival at Sukkur he
found orders from Lord Ellenborough, the then Governor-
General of India, in the following terms,—" Should any

, ..
Ameer or Chief with whom we have a treaty of alliance
and friendship, have evinced hostile designs against us
during the late events which may have induced them to
doubt the continuance of our power, it is the present in-
tention of the Governor-General to inflict upon the

treachery of such ally and friend, so signal a punishment
as shall effectually deter others from similar conduct ;
but the Governor-General would not proceed- in -this
course without the most complete and convincing evi-
dence of guilt in .the person accused."..." The Governor-
General relies entirely on your sense of justice, and is con-
vinced that whatever reports you may make upon the
subject, after full investigation, will be such as „he may
safely act upon." That in pursuance of such orders and
instructions, he, this deponent, proceeded to examine, to
the best of his ability, into the truth of certain charges
which had been made by Major Outram, who had held
the office of political agent in Scinde previous to the
appointment of this deponent, both against the Ameers
of Upper and Lower Scinde, two of the charges which
were established to the satifaction of this deponent being
_ _

as follows,—one against Meer Roostum, of having cor-
responded with the Maharajah of the Punjaub with hos-
tile designs towards the British forces during the war in
Affghanistan, the other against Meer Nusseer Khan,
one of the Ameers of Hyderabad, of having urged the
chief of the tribe of Bhoogties to fall on the British
army. That the defence of the Ameer Nusseer Khan to
the charge against him was that his letter was said to
have been intercepted, and upon which the charge was
founded, was a forgery : Saith, that in order to obtain
the proofs of its genuine character, he procured an ac-

kno;nedged seal Of the said Nusseer khan, and com-
pared it with that which had been intercepted, measur-
ing each with compasses, and observing a difference, he,
this deponent, was then assured that the Ameers had
two seals, differing in size, in order to deceive, upon
which, he, this deponent, desired that the second seal
should be brought to him, deponent, by the person who
had brought him, deponent, the intercepted letter, but
he, deponent, was unable to procure it, and notwith-
standing that, he, deponent, was assured that the letter
was authentic, he, deponent, refused to accept the evi-
dence ; after several days, he, deponent, obtained an
authentic paper with the secret seal of the said Nusseer
Khan, and found that it was exactly similar to that on
the intercepted letter : Saith, that the only defence made
to the similar charge against Meer Roostum, was that
the letter was written by his Minister, and
not by himself : Saith, the deponent reported
to Lord Ellenborough every step that he had
taken, and he, this deponent, received from
the said Lord Ellenborough, the draft of a new
treaty, with directions from the said Lord Ellenborough
to present such new treaty to the Ameers of Upper and
Lower Scinde, and one of the clauses in the said treaty
was, that that portion of the territory of Upper Scinde
extending from Bhawulpore to Rorce, part of which
called Subzulcote and Boongbarra, had been some years
before forcibly wrested by the Ameers of Upper Scinde,
from the Khan of Bhawulpore, an ally of the British
Government, should be given to the Khan : Saith that
he received a letter from the said Lord Ellenborough, of
which the following is a copy :
" Camp Buddee, Nov. 24, 1842.

" General,—l had the honour of receiving this morn-
ing your letters of the 17th instant ; you are much more
competent to decide on the spot, as to the authenticity
of the letters attributed to Meer Nusseer Khan and
Meer Roostum Khan than I am here, and I am prepared
to abide by, and to support your decision. 2d. Undoubtedly,
Meer Roostum Khan must be held to be responsible
for the acts of his Minister, Futteh Mahomed Ghoree.
3d. With respect to the escape of Synd Mahomed Shu-
reef, the evidence of Futteh Mahomed Ghoree having
assisted in that escape, seems to be as conclusive as any
evidence likely to be btained upon .any point connected
with the conduct of a native chief. If a Government
were to wait in every case of suspected hostility, until it
obtained such proof of the hostile intentions, as would
be sufficient to convict the person suspected, in a court
of justice, it would, in most cases, expose itself at once
to disgrace and disaster. It is necessary to proceed
upon a strong presumption of intended hostility, where
hesitation might seriously affect great national interests.
Your force being now collected, I am disposed to think
that no delay should take place in communicating to the
Ameers, the ultimate decision of the British Government,
with respect to the revision of our engagements with
them, which their conduct has compelled us to demand.
The heat is so great on the Lower Indus, that it is ne-
cessary to take advantage of the earliest period adapted
to military operations. To the employment of Major
Outram, as commissioner, for the adjustment of the
details of the arrangement, I have no objection, but as
you inform me that he is at Bombay, it will be impossi-
ble that he should return in time to be the bearer of the
letters you will address to the Ameers. His return to
Scinde, to adjust the terms of the final settlement, will
be a step not liable to misinterpretation. To wait for
his return would be a step which, to the Ameers, would
seem to evince hesitation, and would, therefore, seri-
ously prejudice the negotiation ; but really, of negotia-
tion there should be but little. We make a demand
we believe to be just and expedient, and we are prepared
to enforce it. If you should not have detained the bri-
gade under Lieut.-Colonel Wallace, it would be desir-
able to recal it, or, at least, to halt it, upon making
your demands. I am very desirous of effecting our pur-
pose without bloodshed, and the presence of a prepon-
derating force may enable us to do this. The statement
you have transmitted to me, as to the relative cost of
coal and wood for the steamers, renders it impossible to
waive the modified demand as to the right of cutting
wood on the banks of the Indus, which you are now
instructed •to make.—l have, &c.,
ELLENBOROUGH."
Saith, that in consequence of the aforesaid letter, he,
deponent, presented the new treaty to the Ameers of
Upper Scinde, on the 4th December, 1842, and to the
Ameers of Lower Scinde on the 6th day of the same
December, which was accepted by all the Ameers, and

" Hyderabad, September, 25th, 1842.
" General Napier has been informed—first, that your
Highnesses have prohibited the inhabitants of Kurrachee
to settle in the Bazaar—second, that you have ordered
everything landed at the Bunder to be in the first in-
stance taken to the custom-house and taxed—third, that
your Highnesses levy tolls on the coals belonging to the
subjects of Scinde—fourth, that your Highnesses ground
your infraction of the articles, words, and spirit of the
treaty, upon article 5 of that treaty. Upon the above
four points, General Napier does in the most explicit
manner state that—first, that the Governor-General of
India will not suffer the slightest infraction of the treaty
—second, that article 5 of the treaty does not and can-
not guarantee to the Ameers the power to break any
other article of the treaty, still less the spirit of the
treaty throughout. No complaints made by the sub-
jects of the Ameers against their princes have been lis-
tened to by the British Government. The complaint is
made by the British themselves, that the Ameers have
broken the treaty regarding tolls—that they have insi-
diously endeavoured to cut off the supply of provisions
from the said cantonments, and to interfere with the re-
gulations made within those cantonments ; and General
Napier therefore informs the Ameers that they must at
once punish the acting political agent, Lieutenant
Mylne, with an order to the Kardar of Shukarpoor, di-
recting him to abstain from every direct or indirect toll on
boats, whether they the said boats belong to Scinde or
otherwise ; and a second order to the authorities of
Kurrachee commanding them to refrain from any the
slightest hindrance to the convenience and supplies of
the inhabitants within the British cantonments at that
station. Instructions shall be given to the Bazaar mas-
ter that he may render any assistance in his power to
the revenue officer of their Highnesses, in order to prevent
smuggling from the cantonments into the town of Kurra-
chee • and every person detected in such an offence shall
be delivered over to the Ameers. If the Ameers decline
to give these two orders, General Napier will report the
same to the Governor-General, whose displeasure it is
hoped their Highnesses will not be willing to incur by an
infringement of the treaty, and thereby break the friend-
ship existing between their Highnesses and the British
Government."
Saith, that in another part of said article, there was
and is contained amongst other things, the false, scan-
dalous, defamatory, and libellous matter following, that
is to say :
"There had been a feud raging for some time amongst
the Kyrpoor Ameers, Meer Roostum naturally wished
to secure the succession to his eldest son, Meer, or Ma-
hornet Hoassem. This, however, was opposed by Ali
Morad, who, as next living brother, claimed a superior
right to the chieftainship by the custom of the family, as
evidenced by the course of succession at Hyderabad.
This feud had shortly before reached the point of a regu-
lar battle at Nonnuhur, where the faction of Ali Morad
obtained the victory, and a hollow treaty was then con-
cluded, the conditions of which, settling the territorial
rights of the respective. ,chiefs, were for greater solemnity

" C. J. NAPIER."
Saith, that the Ameers of Hyderabad obtained back
the treaties that they had signed from the person to
whom they had been intrusted, and tore them to pieces,
trampling them under foot : Saiththat on or about the
14th day of February, 1843, he, this deponent, received a
letter from the said Major Outram, of which the follow-
ing is a copy:—

that on the 18th and 19th of the same December, a por-
tion of the troops under this deponent's command, pro-
ceeded to take possession of the aforesaid districts be-
tween Bhawulpore and Roree, and handed over the
districts of Boong Burra and Subzulcote to the Khan of
Bhawlpore, by the directions of the said Lord Ellen-
borough ; that deponent desiring the presence of a com-
missioner, to settle the details of the new treaty with
the said Ameers, and believing that Major Outram, who
had for some years previously to this deponent's appoint-
ment, held the office of political agent in Scinde, and
was personally known to, and on friendly terms with
the Ameers, would be the person most likely to induce
their acceptance of the treaty without bloodshed, applied
to the Governor-General, the said Lord Ellenborough,
to be allowed to name that officer, which request was
granted, and Major Outram received the appointment of
commissioner accordingly : Saith, that having on the
14th December, 1842, forwarded to the said Lord Ellen-
borough, certain letters of submission which had
been sent to deponent by Meer Roostum Khan
and Meer Nusseer Khan, of Hyderabad, he, this
deponent, received in answer thereto, a letter from the said
Lord Ellenborough, which was in the words and figures
following, that is to say :

" February 13th, 12 a.m.
c, my dear Sir Charles,—The Ameers have sent to say
that the Belooches have become quite uncontrollable,
have taken an oath on . the Koran to have (term)
Yageo, unless Roostum righted ; refuse to obey them
in any way. They beg me to leave soon as possible,
friendship, and give the advice from pure &c., &c. I am
told that immense numbers are flocking to the city, and
find that all the sheep and bullocks have been driven off
from this neighbourhood, whether
.--by order to starve us
off, or by the people for fear of being plundered by the
Belooches, I know not ; but I haw? told the officers of
the steamer to send to the other side of the river for
supplies, to enable us te hold the agency if the Belooches
do attempt to bully, which, of Course, I shall not quit.
—Very sincerely, yours, J. OMR AM.--
77 I sent up all the
men of the 22d, whom I had previously stopped, as I
find from Captain Conway, that the convalescents you
alluded to were expected to be sent down from Sukkur,
not those coming from Kurrachee. They left yesterday
morning, and the Planet is now the only steamer here.
Another 100 men would make Us secure against all the
Belooches in the country, as enabling us to keep our
communication with the steamer, which is 300 or 400
yards off ; so that, perhaps, it would be a good plan to
send the Satellite down to us with some provisions also,
as our supplies would, off course, be cut off. I find the
22d Light Company have only 40 rounds of ammunition.
I find Nusseer Khan (Khypoor) is still here. I should
hope you will not bring the army on this side of Halls,
unless you hear of hostilities actually being commenced,
because I really believe the Ameers are doing their best
to disperse the Belooches ; and, if they do so, perhaps it
may not be necessary. A small reinforcement to us in
the meantime, I should think ample precaution."
Sahli, that on or about the 15th day of February,
1843, the said Ameers attacked, with 8,000 men, the
residency in which Major Outram resided, and forced
him to retreat on board his steamer, and deponent, still
in obedience to Lord Ellenborough's order, to disperse
all armed bands ; and being informed that from 30,000 to
40,000 men were in his front, marched on, and on the
17th February, 1843, came on the Belooch army, drawn
up in position to receive him. That he, this deponent,
was immediately attacked by the said Belooch army,

" Ferozepore, December 20, 1842.
" General,—l have received your letter of the 14th,
inclosing the letters of Meer Roostum Khan, and of
Meer Nusseer Khan, of Hyderabad ; nothing said or
done by the Ameer's, will, in the least degree, alter my
general determination as already announced to them by
you. The continued collection of troops by the Ameers is
totally inconsistent with their declaration of submission,
and I conclude that you will have already insisted upon
the dispersion of those troops, and have enforced your
requisition by a movement towards Khypore, should it
not have been at once obeyed.—l have, Sic.i
4 ELLENBOROUGH.''
Saith, that having received informationthat the Ameers
were collecting forces in great numbers, and that depo-
nents letters had been intercepted by armed bodies in
,Upper Scinde, and that attempts were made, as he, de-
ponent, believes, to tamper with her Majesty's forces
as well as the native troops under his command, by per-
sons in the pay of the Ameer Roostum Khan, deponent
• accordingly cautioned the said Ameer Roostum

written on the fly-leaf of a Koran. The rival princes,
however, still retained their positions in arms, and it was
represented at Sukkur that in fact the purpose of both
Was hostility against us : Sir Charles Napier thereupon
moved rapidly with a body of troops towards Khyrpoor,
a mgasure not at all calculated to allay the alarm he
knew to be felt there. When Meer Roostum, solicited
a meeting for purposes of mutual explanation, it was for
some .unaccountable reason peremptorily refused ; nor
would Sir Charles, either by letter or by message through
an assistant, state the nature of his intentions, or do
anything to relieve the chief from his anxiety. Ali Morad,
his treacherous brother, did his best all the while to
work on his fears, and make the old man believe
that even his person would not be safe if he trusted
himself at an interview with the General. Nevertheless
he sought it earnestly, and only after being refused the
means of stating his readiness to submit in all things to
the wishes of the British Government, did he yield to
his brother's insidious suggestion to trust him with

the whole negotiation."
Saith, as to the charge herein made against him,
namely, that when Meer Roostum solicited a meeting
for the purpose of mutual explanation, it was for some
unnaccountable reason peremptorily refused, that on or
about the 9th of November, 1843, deponent received a
request from said Meer Roostum, that he said Meer
Roostum should have a meeting with deponent : Saith,
that he immediately acceeded to such request, and ac-
cordingly fixed a day for that purpose. And also that
aid meeting should take place at Roree : Saith, that as
he deponent was ready to step into his boat to attend
said meeting or conference, he received a message from
said Meer Roostum, that lie, said Meer Roostum, could
not attend. That this deponent felt much indignation
at being thus treated, and accordingly when he deponent
received another request from said Meer Roostum to
meet him said Meer Roostum four miles from his depo-
nent's head quarters, he deponent refused a second
time to expose himself to similar treatment : Saith, that
the charge made against him, viz., that this deponent
would not, either by letter or by message through an
assistant, state the nature of his deponent's intentions,

or do anything to relieve this chief from his anxiety, is
entirely false : Saith, that he deponent did during the
month of December, 1842, receive a secret message from
Meer Roostum to the effect that, being 85 years old he

was oppressed by the younger members of his family,
and desired a refuge in the British camp ; and that, in
consequence of said message, he deponent did in the
month of December, 1842, write and send a letter to
said Meer Roostum, of which the following is a copy :
"Highness,—My own belief is, that personally you
_ .

have—ever been the friend of the " Englisll, but youu-are
helpless among your ill judging family. I send this by
your brother ; listen to his advice, trust to his care ; you
are too old for war, and if battle begin how can I protect
you. If you go with your brother, you may either re-
main with him, or I will send an escort to bring you to

my camp, where you will be safe. Follow my advice ;
it is that of a friend. Why should I be your enemy ?
If I was, why should I take the trouble to serve
you ? I think you will believe me, but do as you please."
Saith, that said letter is published in a book entitled,
" Correspondence relative to Scinde, supplementary to
the papers presented to Parliament in 1843 • presented
to both Houses of Parliament by command °flier Majesty,
1844 ;" and printed by order of the House of Commons :
Saith, that to the best of his knowledge and belief said
supplementary book is in continuation, of the papers re-
ferred to in one of the headings to said article in said
" Quarterly Review" for September, 1852, in the words
and figures following (that it to say), "three parliamen-
tary papers relating to Scinde, 1836-1843: ' Saith,
that notwithstanding aforesaid letter said Meer Roostum
did not come to the camp of him this deponent :
Saith, that during the month of December, 1843, he this

deponent again requested said Meer Roostum to grant
him deponent an interview, but said Meer Roostum re-

turned-no answer to said request : Saith, that in the

month of January, 1843, he this deponent again re-
quested said Meer Roostum, through said Major Outram,
to grant him this deponent an interview, but said Meer
Roostum did not grant such interview : Saith, that in

another part of said article there was and is contained
amongst other things the false, scandalous, malicious,
defamatory, and libellous matter following, that is to
say, " Captain Brown, an old assistant of Mr. Ross.
Bell, who was still surrounded by the Delhi native
officers, with whom Ali Morad was in good understand-
ing, was at this time the confidential adviser of Sir
Charles Napier. Through this channel Ali Morad con-
trived soon to obtain influence. Having procured the
commission to negotiate on behalf of Meer Roostum,
and for the Khyrpoor family in general, he represented
the old chief to the General as intriguing to deprive
himself of his rights, and fomented the belief that he
only was faithful, and that his rivals were armed and
prepared for resistance. He thus obtained from the
General an assurance that Meer Roostum would not be
permitted to invest his son with the turban to the pre-
judice of the brother's claim, and receiving an exhorta-
tion to be faithful was led to hope by the very terms in
which this was conveyed that an anticipated investure
was within his reach by causing a forfeiture for infi-
delity. Using Sir Charles Napier as the tool and instru-
ment of this base intrigue, he induced him still to refuse
Meer Roostum an interview, and took a writing to that
effect from the General, which contained, besides the
refusal to see the old man, a recommendation to him to
abide in all things by his brother's advice. He
then made his victim understand this exhortation
as an injunction to abdicate in his own favour.
Unwillingly, Meer Roostum consented, and the terms of
abdication were settled in a family conclave on a Koran,
Meer Mohamed Hoossein, the son, alone continuing
absent, arid refusing to be a party to the arrangement.
The false brother, not content with having succeeded
thus far, still urged to Meer Roostum the danger of com-
ing near the General, who desired, he said, to make him
prisoner, and thus induced his aged brother to fly to the
desert for security. This flight Sir Charles Napier con-
strued as an act of confirmed hostility, warranting the
forfeiture of all the chief's estates and property. With
the full concurrence of Ali Morad, nay, even at his in-
stigation, the scheme of forfeiture was carried out with
a sweeping hand, the persons of all the Khyrpoor
Ameers were seized for the British Government, with
exception of those of Ali Morad, to whim was assigned
his patrimonial estates, a separate appanage for the
turban. In the settlement of these assignments the re-
cord inscribed on the Koran at the time of Meer Roos-
tum's abdication, viz., on 29th of December, 1842, was
received as conclusive evidence of both titles, and Ali
Morad was placed in possession of all the villages and
pergunas there inscribed as belonging to him either by
right of inheritance or as attached to the turban. It was
represented, even -before Sir Charles Napier left Scind,
that this record had been falsified, but no endeavour
mas made to ascertain the truth of that allegation. While
the General remained, Ali Morad, it appears, had
changed the word, delv,' meaning village, into `per-
guna,' meaning district, besides making other additions.
Fearing that the alterations would be detected, he sub-
sequently caused the whole fly-leaf of the Koran
inserted to be ab-
stracted, and a new leaf; fairly written, to be in
its place. Finding or recollecting that a copy of the
original had been taken for deposit amongst the official
records of the province, he was compelled, by bribery
and intrigue, to procure that that also should be changed,
so as to be made to correspond." Saith, that the charges
herein made against him, viz., that he, this deponent,
refused Meer Roostum an interview, and gave Ali Morad
a writing to that effect from him, deponent, which con-
tained a refusal to see the old man, is utterly false.
Saith, that the charges herein imputed to him, viz., that
he, deponent, construed the flight of Meer Roostum as
an act of confirmed hostility, warranting the forfeiture of
all the chief's estates and property, is entirely false.
Saith, that the charges made against him, viz., that with
the full concurrence of Ali Morad, nay, even at his inst-
gation, the seheme of forfeiture was carried ont with a
sweeping hand ; and that the possessions of the Khyr-
poor Ameers were seized for the British Government,
with exception of those of Ali Morad, to whom was as-
signed, besides his patrimonial estates, a separate appan-
age for the turban, are entirely false. Saith, that no
forfeiture of said Meer Roostum's estates and property
was consequent upon the flight of said Meer Roostum.
Saith, that no forfeiture of the property of said Meer
Roostum was carried out by deponent further than the
resumption by the British Government, on account of the
Khan of Bhowulpore, of the districts of Subzulcot and
Booughbarra, and the other portions of the country which
deponent was directed by said Lord Ellenborough to
take possession of previous to the flight of Meer Roos-
tum. Denies, that, with the foregoing exceptions, the
possessions of all or any of the Khyrpoor Ameers were
seized for the British Government, or that any separate
appanage for the turban was assigned to Ali Morad by
deponent or by the British Government, but by the law
of the country. Saith, that the charge imputed to him,
viz., that although it was represented, even before depo-
nent left Scinde, that the record inscribed in the Koran
at the time of Meer Roostum's abdication had been falsi-
fied, but that no endeavour was made to ascertain the
truth of that allegation whilst deponent remained, is en-
tirely false. Saith, that during the period in which de-
ponent was Governor of Scinde, he deponent discovered
that said record had been falsified, and immediately took
steps kir inquiring into the matter ; that defendant, im-
mediately before he left Scinde, secured the acquirement
of the original leaf which had been extracted from the
Koran, and so placed the proof, upon which the subse-
quent inquiry was founded, in the hands of the successor
of deponent in the administration of the
province of
Scinde. Saitb, that in another part of said article there
was and is contained, amongst other things, the false,
scandalous, malicious, defamatory, and libell?ustomsayu—
following, of and concerning deponent, that
" The whole villainy of Ali Morad, and his
treachery to his brother, are now. matters_
undoubtedisofcolis
umnate
history, yet it was at the instigation of this chief and to
adopted his vio-
carry out his views, that Sir C.
or-General and to
lent proceedings against Meer ENoarnopsiteurm and the other
Khyrpoor Ameers. To the G
faithless
twhlheiscsh
ally.
the authorities and public of this country, he represented
the forced abdication, and
.the. ctondflsocuataio
fol-
lowed, as a just punishment inflicted
supposem that he was
In charity to Sir Charles,
, v
the dupe of Ali Morad 's Nartificee._ Even grantin , hoi
ever, that the mischief sprang from his. in.abili.tyg.to
criminate between the honest man and the villain, be-
tween the fidelity of a well-meaning, open-hearted friend
adthe designs of an unprincipled intriguer, seeking for
power even at the price of the ruin of every mem-
ber of his own family, the result has been most da-
maging to the British reputation, not only in India, but
wherever the report of these transactions has spread."
Saith that the charge herein made against him, viz.,
that it was at the instigation of the Chief Ali Morad,
and to carry out his views that this deponent adopted
his violent proceedings against Meer Roostum and the i
other Khyrpoor Ameers s entirely false : Saith that
deponent crossed the Indus by orders of the said Lord
Ellenborough, and took possession of a portion of the
territory of the Khyrpoor Ameers, part of which had
been some years previously forcibly taken by them from
one of the ales of England, viz, the Khan of Bhawul-