most necessary. It has driven the invading force from our territories, and punished the mutinous soldiery of a most unscrupulous Government. It remains for me to advert to the proclamation, a copy of which forms an enclosure of this despatch. I have endeavoured, in that paper, to give a brief outline of our relations with the Lahore state, and of the circumstances which have preceded the present rupture. That this invasion of our territory by the Sikh army was unprovoked, must be apparent to all; and I considered it right that the forbearance I had shown, with the motives of that forbearance, should be distinctly promulgated. The caution to the protected chiefs was necessary; for, during many months past, though no overt acts of hostility have been committed, with one exception, there was a feeling very generally prevalent among them favourable to the Lahore Government rather than to ours, which evinced itself in a backwardness to afford supplies for our army, and to attend to the requisitions of the agency. This, with the exception of the Maharajah of Puteala, was the case with perhaps all the chiefs. Immediate measures will be taken for bringing into some order and settlement the states which have been declared confiscated on this side of the Sutlej, when it is hoped that the advantages of the British rule may, by light assessment and judicious arrangements, be made apparent to them. I have now to conclude this despatch, by expressing my deep concern for the loss, in the action of the 21st inst., of that most invaluable officer, Major Broadfoot, my Political Agent for these states. He was wounded, and thrown off his horse, at my side, but I failed in prevailing on him to retire. He remounted his horse, and, shortly afterwards, received a mortal wound in leading on the troops against the battery in our front. I entertained the highest opinion of his abilities. He was second to none in this accomplished service, in every qualification by which the political or military interests of the East India Company could be advanced, and I shall be most gratified if, at a season of more THE BRITISH ARMY as drawn up at the commencement of the BATTLE OF FEROZ SHAH. at 31⁄2 PM on the 21st December, 1845. Fought under the personal command of HE.Gen Sir Hugh Gough Bt G.C.B. Commander in Chief. H.E. Gen1 Sir H. Gough, BG.C.B.Comm' in Chi leisure, some special mark of honour can be conferred, by which his great merits and glorious death may be perpetuated. Major George Broadfoot was the last of three brothers, who held appointments in the Company's army, and all these have fallen in battle in the service of their country. Captain Nicolson, Assistant Political Agent from Ferozepore, was also killed in the action of the 21st inst., and was a most able and gallant officer. Captain Abbott and Lieutenant Lake, assistants under Major Broadfoot, were wounded, and have ever since continued their exertions. Captain Mills, Assistant Political Agent at Loodiana, took the command of a troop of horse artillery during the action, and has subsequently been of the greatest use by his intelligence and activity. I owe great obligations to the Chief Secretary to the Government of India, Frederick Currie, Esq., who has, during all these various, and sometimes conflicting, duties, in which I have been engaged, given me his sound advice and active aid, sometimes accompanying me in the field, and at all times evincing the coolest judgment, and exhibiting the resources of his experience to the great advantage of the Company's service. Mr. Cust, of the civil service, confidential assistant to Major Broadfoot, both in the field and in his own immediate department, has shown great intelligence in duties which were new to him, and I notice him as a most promising officer. PROCLAMATION. Camp, Lushkuree Khan-ke-Serai, "The British Government has ever been on terms of friendship with that of the Punjaub. "In the year 1809, a treaty of amity and concord was concluded between the British Government and the late Maharajah Runjeet Singh, the conditions of which have always been faithfully observed by the British Government, and were scrupulously fulfilled by the late Maharajah. "The same friendly relations have been maintained with the successors of Runjeet Singh by the British Government up to the present time. "Since the death of the late Maharajah Shere Singh, the disorganized state of the Lahore Government has made it incumbent on the Governor-General in Council to adopt precautionary measures for the protection of the British frontier; the nature of these measures, and the cause of their adoption, were at the time fully explained to the Lahore Durbar. 66 Notwithstanding the disorganized state of the Lahore Government during the last two years, and many most unfriendly proceedings on the part of the Durbar, the Governor-General in Council has continued to evince his desire to maintain the relations of amity and concord which had so long existed between the two states, for the mutual interests and happiness of both. He has shown on every occasion the utmost forbearance, from consideration to the helpless state of the infant Maharajah Dhuleep Singh, whom the British Government had recognised as the successor to the late Maharajah Shere Singh. "The Governor-General in Council sincerely desired to see a strong Sikh Government re-established in the Punjaub, able to control its army and to protect its subjects. He had not, up to the present moment, abandoned the hope of seeing that important objected effected by the patriotic efforts of the Sikhs and people of that country. “The Sikh army recently marched from Lahore towards the British frontier, as it was alleged by the orders of the Durbar, for the purpose of invading the British territory. "The Governor-General's agent, by direction of the GovernorGeneral, demanded an explanation of this movement, and no reply being returned within a reasonable time, the demand was repeated. The Governor-General, unwilling to believe in the hostile inten |