The Sun.
London, England, 1850-11-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDA EVENING,

THE LATE WAR IN THE PUIVJAUB.

The following is a copy of a memorial about to he
presented to the home authorities regarding the claim
of the Indian army to the confiscated Dunbar pro-
perty taken by the Government at the conclusion of
the last war. It is ?aid that Lords Brougham and
Denman consider the army entitled to it as lawful
prim.. But for our success it would never have been
at the disposal of the Government. What has been
set aside as prize property by the Government will
scarcely do more than cover the six months' batta
which has been already received, and which is to re-
imburse the State when the prize is divided :

"TO THE HON. THE COURT OF DIRECTORS OF THE

EAST INDIA COMPANY.

"The humble memorial of respectfully showeth—
" 1. That your memorialist was employed as
with the army of the Punjaub in the last campaign.
2. That in his own behalf and in behalf of his bro-
ther officers who were employed on that occasion, he begs
to approach your Hon. Court with his and their request
that you may be pleased to offer to the favourable consi-
deration of her Yost Gracious Majesty the Queen in
Council the humble prayer of your memorialist in be-
half of the Army of the Punjaub,' that the property of
every description whatsoever captured by the army dur-
ing the campaign, and all property confiscated, or
afterwards made over to the British Government by the
Lahore Dunbar, may be declared ' prize,' and distributed
to the army according to the will and pleasure of her
Majesty and your Hon. Court.
" 3. Your memorialist is well aware that the army has
not any original or inherent right of property in the
booty taken from the enemy, or made over by the
Lahore Durbar on the termination of hostilities; and
he knows that the right to prize money is entirely
dependent on the will and pleasure of the Crown; but
he would humbly beg to adduce the following in-
stances as those of most recent occurrence when prize
money was given to the troops:—
" First. Bburtpore, defended by rebels in arms against
their lagitimate ruler, was captured by a British force
in January, 1526, and the whole of the State property
and property of every description which fell into the
bands of the British authorities was admitted to be
prize, and distributed accordingly.
" Second. In like manner the State property and
jewels of which possessio❑ was obtained when Sinde
was annexed to the British territory as the fruits of
the battles of Meanee and Dubba were given up as
prize to the army under the command of Major-Ge-
neral Sir Charles James Napier, G.C.13.
" 4. Your memorialist would respectfully submit that
these cases, especially the last cited, are strictly analo-
gous to the case of the army of the Puejaub. In Sinde
two desperate general actions were fought. Hydrabad,
the capital, and all the property of the State were peace-
fully taken possession of, and the entire province of
Sinde was annexed to the British territory. The army
of the Puejaub fought three fiercely-contested general
actions and a siege before the Seikh empire was
thoroughly subjugated; end to these successes alone can
be attributed the quiet possession obtained of Lahore
and of the Durbar jewels and property confiscated to the
British Government.

" 5. In the humble but earnest hope that the services
of the army in the Punjaub, under General the Right
Hon. Viscount Gough, G.C.8., may be deemed deserv-
ing of the same liberal consideration extended to the
army employed against Bhurtpore in 1826 under the
command of General Viscount Combermere, G.C.8.,
and to the force in Sinde, commanded by General Sir
Charles James Napier, G.C.8., your memorialist begs to
subscribe himself.

" Your very faithful and devctei servant,"