Intimation of our approach was then sent on to the Maharajah, that he might be ready on his elephant upon our arrival.

On reaching the Maharajah's camp, the troops of our escort drew up, and the Maharajah, with Bhaee Ram Singh on the same elephant, came forward from his tent, accompanied by several chiefs.

After the usual salutation, and complimentary questions and replies, I placed the Maharajah's elephant next to mine, and the troops having fallen in, as at first, proceeded round the walls of the city to the gate of the citadel.

On arriving, Brigadier Cureton drew up the escort in line in front of the gateway, and I took the Maharajah, accompanied by the officers enumerated in the former part of this letter, with Rajah Gholab Singh and the other chiefs, into the interior of the citadel, and to the inner door of his palace.

I then observed to the Maharajah and chiefs that, by order of the Right Hon. the Governor-General, I had thus brought the Maharajah, conducted by the British army, to his palace, which his Highness had left for the purpose of tendering submission to the British Government, and for placing himself, his capital, and his country, at the mercy of the Governor-General, and requesting pardon for the insult that had been offered; and that the Governor-General had thus restored him to his palace as a mark of the favour which he desired to show to the descendant of the late Maharajah Runjeet Singh.

A salute of twenty-one guns was then fired by the horse artillery.

We then took leave of the Maharajah at the gate of his palace, and returning to the outside of the city, we, continuing our progress round Lahore, thus returned to our camp.

As our camp is situated opposite to the south-east end of the city-face, and the citadel is immediately within the city walls at the north-west angle, we made the entire circuit of Lahore. I considered this preferable to going through the city, the streets of

which are narrow, and would have much impeded the progress of our large escort.

We did not see one gun upon any part of the walls: all the embrasures were empty.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. CURRIE,

Secretary to the Government of India,

with the Governor-General.

From his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief to the Right Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge, G.C.B., Governor-General of India, &c.

Head Quarters, Army of the Sutlej, in front of Lahore, Feb. 22, 1846.

RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR,

I have now to offer my congratulations on some of the earliest fruits of our victory of the 10th instant. About noon on the 20th, a day henceforth very memorable in our Indian annals, the army under my command pitched its tents on the plain of Myan Meer, under the walls of the Sikh capital. The entire submission of the Maharajah and his advisers to the will of the British Government had been before personally tendered to you, and graciously accepted; and this morning, in fulfilment of one of the conditions which your wisdom had dictated for the real interests of the ruler and people of the Punjaub, I had the honour to conduct a brigade of troops to the city, which took formal possession of the Badshahee Musjid and Hoozooree Bagh, forming a part of the palace and citadel of Lahore. I trust, by the observance of a strict discipline, to preserve unshaken that confidence which the people of the city and country around it evidently repose in the generosity, clemency, and good faith of their conquerors. Supplies of all sorts are willingly brought to our camp and punctually paid for; and I believe that by every

class of persons in this vicinity the presence of our troops is felt to be a national benefit; none, certainly, have had real cause to lament it as a calamity.

I have, &c.,

HUGH GOUGH, General, Commander-in-Chief, East Indies.

General Order by the Right Hon. the Governor-General of India.

Foreign Department, Camp Lahore, February 22, 1846.

The British army has this day occupied the gateway of the citadel of Lahore, the Badshahee Mosque, and the Hoozooree Bagh.

The remaining part of the citadel is the residence of his Highness the Maharajah, and also that of the families of the late Maharajah Runjeet Singh, for so many years the faithful ally of the British Government. In consideration of these circumstances, no troops will be posted within the precincts of the palace gate.

The army of the Sutlej has now brought its operations in the field to a close, by the dispersion of the Sikh army and the military occupation of Lahore, preceded by a series of the most triumphant successes ever recorded in the military history of India. The British Government, trusting to the faith of treaties and to the long subsisting friendship between the two states, had limited military preparations to the defence of its own frontier.

Compelled suddenly to assume the offensive by the unprovoked invasion of its territories, the British army, under the command of its distinguished leader, has, in sixty days, defeated the Sikh forces in four general actions, has captured 220 pieces of field artillery, and is now at the capital, dictating to the Lahore Durbar the terms of a treaty, the conditions of which will tend to secure the British Provinces from the repetition of a similar outrage.

The Governor-General being determined, however, to mark with reprobation the perfidious character of the war, has required and will exact, that every remaining piece of Sikh artillery which has been pointed against the British army during this campaign shall be surrendered.

The Sikh army, whose insubordinate conduct is one of the chief causes of the anarchy and misrule which have brought the Sikh State to the brink of destruction, is about to be disbanded.

The soldiers of the army of the Sutlej have not only proved their superior prowess in battle, but have on every occasion, with subordination and patience, endured the fatigues and privations inseparable from a state of active operations in the field. The native troops of this army have also proved that a faithful attachment to their colours and to the Company's service is an honourable feature in the character of the British sepoy.

The Governor-General has repeatedly expressed, on his own part, and that of the Government of India, admiration and gratitude for the important services which the army has rendered.

The Governor-General is now pleased to resolve, as a testimony of the approbation of the Government of India of the bravery, discipline, and soldier-like bearing of the army of the Sutlej, that all the generals, officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, shall receive a gratuity of twelve months' batta.

Every regiment which, in obedience to its orders, may have remained in posts and forts between Loodiana and Ferozepore, and was not present in action, as in the case of the troops ordered to remain at Moodkee to protect the wounded, and those left in the forts of Feroze pore and Loodiana, shall receive the gratuity of twelve months' batta.

Obedience to orders is the first duty of a soldier, and the Governor-General, in affirming this principle, can never admit that absence, caused by the performance of indispensable duties, on which the success of the operations in the field greatly depended, ought to disqualify any soldier placed in these cir

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cumstances from participating in the gratuity given for the general good conduct of the army in the field.

All regiments and individuals ordered to the frontier and forming part of the army of the Sutlej, which may have reached Loodiana or Busseean before the date of this order, will be included as entitled to the gratuity.

By order of the Right Hon. the Governor-General of India,

F. CURRIE,

Secretary to the Government of India with the Governor-General.

Arrangements were fast making for the occupation of the conquered country, which is exceedingly fertile, and will yield an annual revenue of £.400,000. The chief town is Jullinder, with 40,000 inhabitants; Phulloor, Pugwarra, and Sultanpore are also of note. The cantonments of the British will not be far distant from Lahore, so as to be able to keep down all attempts at insurrection.