The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-10-08
RULED THE sIKHs
An American Who Became Gov.
ernor of G1iarat, In India.
A REAL SOLDIER OF FORTUNE

PlCtOTGbQd0 SaF00T " GFs "
Philadelphia, Who For Years Was
the Power Behind the Throne Of RAN
jit Singh, King Of the Punjab.
The Sikhs Of India are a religious
sect that have come to be really dis
inct race and have developed into a
military people. They are brave and
ton Of being absolutely fearless In
battle.
II Is interesting to know that an
American was once ruler over these
people, as governor under RanJit
Singh, the great Sikh king Of the Pun
jab. This American was DR.. Harlan
of Philadelphia, and his career In In
dia was surely as picturesque as that
of any adventurer who ever set forth
from the United States to win fame
In far distant lands.
In the year 1925 DR.. Harlan sailed
from Boston as surgeon apothecary In
ono Of the old East Indian ships. He
arrived In India at the time Of the first
Burmese war, when surgeons were
badly needed for the British expedi-
tdonary force, and he jumped at the
chance to see something Of little
known country.
At the end Of the campaign he was
discharged. That offended his sense OF
Justice and perhaps moved him to take
tho side Of the Indian princes In their
conflicts with the British. 1t was the
period Of the downfall Of the Mogul
Empire and the carving up Of 1t into
several independent Kingdoms. There
were big chances for man Of adven-
turous spirit, 30 Harlan went up coun-
try and offered his services to Rantit
Singh, the Sikh king Of the Punjab.
Ranjit Singh had coAfederated the
Sikh states into q single nationality
under his power at Lahore, organized
q well trained army under some Of Ma
poleon's former French of1cers, and
was bent on extending his sway over
most Of the crumbling Mogul empire.
II was at this moment that Harlan
turned up In Lahore. It Is said he
cured the Sikh king Of some illness
and won his friendship.
Be that as 1t may, by the year 1927
Harlan had risen to such high favor
that he was appointed governor Of the
great province Of Gujarat. There for
ten years he ruled, but at last he came
to a parting Of the ways with Rantit
Singh, either because he had Quarreled
with the king over his severity In pun
ishing criminals. or because the Brit
ish interests In India did not approve
of an American In so important an
office, and automatically suggested his
removal. At all events, he resigned
and made for Kabul, In Afghanistan.
There Dost Mohammed, the ameer,
was preparing for war with the Brit
ish.
The Journey was a perilous one In
those days, but Harlan made 1t sue
cessfully, and either by reason Of his
impressive appearance or the informa-
tion he could give Dost Mohammed
he soon came to stand high In the
ameers confidence.
But when war actually broke out
Dost Mohammed showed complete
incapacity to conduct It intelligently.
He seems to have taken Harlan for a
regenade 'Englishman, whose advice
could not be safely trusted. He failed
to take the precaution Of fortifying the
Bolan pass as Harlan urged, and the
British marched through 1t to enter
Kabul
Dost Mohammed's stupidity seems to
have disgusted Harlan with the Asiat-
les, for he Is next found as the friend
and guest Of Sir Henry Lawrence, high
commissioner Of the Punjab. While
visiting Sir Henry one OF the servants
stole 100 rupees from him. Harlan told
Sir Henry and asked permission to be
allowed to get It back In his own way.
So Sir Henry consented, but stipulated
that he should not inture any Of the
servants.
Harlan had all the servants In the
house called to his room, the door Of
which he locked; then, drawing his
sword and looking as fierce as he could,
| he told them he would cut the head
of every man in the room IL the thief
did not confess and restore the mon
ey. The fellows, knowing Harlans
reputation, were badly frightened, and
the guilty man confessed.
DR.. Harlan returned to New York In
the forties and lived there until his
death, about 1850, but before that time
the Sikh power was swept away at the
decisive Battle Of Gujarat, Dhulip
Singh, the son and successor Of Ranjit
Singh, was sent into exile. and the
province over which Harlan ruled was
Incorporated I'm the British Indian en-
pire.-Youth's Companion.