Enclosure (2) to 18.

POLITICAL DEPARTMENT.

No. 19 of 1852

 

Our Governor-General of India in Council.

Para. 1. We now reply to your letter in the Foreign Eecoprnition Department, dated 6th March (No. ll) 1852, respecting the as succession to the Titular Throne of Delhi.

2. You have considered it advisable that the conditions “It's posed. which we had determined to require from the successor of the present King in return for his being admitted to the Titles and honor of Royalty should be at once made known to prince fakroodeen, the king eldest surviving son and his consent obtained to them

These condition were:-

Ist—That he should at all times meet the Governor-General of India on terms of equality.

2nd—That the Taiool lands should be permanently managed by the British Government, the surplus of revenue over expenses being paid to the king.

3rd—That the Siillateen, with such exceptions as might be decided on, should be removed from the Palace and subjected to the jurisdiction of the ordinary courts of judicature.

3. To these the Governor-General, under the discretionary authority which we had confided to him, added as a fourth condition that the Palace at Delhi should be given up to the British Government, and that the King and those members of the family who are to remain under his jurisdiction should fix their residence at the Qutub. These last stipulations the Governor-General, though attacking great importance to them, did not intend peremptorily to insist on as indispensable to the recognition of the Prince as heir to the Royal title.

4, We fully approve the course pursued by the Governor-General, and it is with much satisfaction we have learned that the Prince readily assented to all the conditions, including the relinquishment of the Palace and the limitation of the persons living under the King's jurisdiction to the lineal descendants of the King for the time being.

5. The Lieutenant-Governor of Agra thinks that the privilege should be extended to the children and grand-children, but to no more distant descendants, of all former Kings. In this opinion the Governor-General was not prepared to agree, but before coming to a decision you have called for information as to the number of persons who would be entitled to a residence in the Palace of the next King if the Lieutenant-Governor's plan should be adopted.

6.In giving his assent to the proposals made to him, Prince Fakrooddeen made on his own part several requests to the Government. One of these, vt's., that on his succession the distribution of the Royal stipend should be entrusted to him, you very justly consider inadmissible. The others are, that he shall receive the allowance heretofore paid to the Heir-Apparent with arrears since the death of the last heir ; that the guards at the Palace shall salute him and the Government Agents at Delhi visit him. You recommend a compliance with these requests, though such compliance would, as you observe, be tantamount to a public recognition of the Prince as Heir-Apparently, from which we have hitherto abstained, but you are of the opinion that it is desirable no longer to withhold that recognition. In this opinion we agree, and we think with the Lieutenant-Governor that, as the assent of the Prince, whom we are prepared to recognise as the future King, has been obtained to the contemplated changes, the intention of making those changes cannot be too soon made known to those inferior member of the family.whose position will be so important a manner affected by them.

 

7. We consequently give you full authority to recognise Prince Fakrooddeen as Heir-Apparent and to take any other measures which may be expedient by way of preparation for the new arrangements which will come into operation on the present King's demise

 

We are, &c.,

J. W. HOGG.

RUSSELL ELLICE.

W.. WIGRAM and others-

London :

2nd June 1852

21. From the Secretary to Government, North-Western Provinces,to the Agent at Delhi,—No, 237, dated Agra, 15th September 1852-With reference to the correspondence noted in the margin regarding the succession to the Kingly Title at Delhi, I am desired to forward to you, for delivery to the King, the ac- companying Khureetali from the Most Noble the Governor-General of India, a copy and translation of which accompany this. I am further desired to forward for your information and guidance the annexed copy of a letter from the Government of India, dated September 4th last, and of the enclosed despatch from the Hon’ble Court of Directors, No. 19, dated June 2iid, 1853, regarding the succession to the Kingly Title.

 

From Agent at Delhi, dated 8th December 1851.

To Agent at Delhi, dated ISth December 1851.

From Agent at Delhi, dated24-th January 1852.

To Agent at Delhi, dated 5th March 1852.

From Agent at Delhi, dated

I5th March 1852. To Agent at Delhi, dated 17th

April 1852. From Agent at Delhi, dated 17th June 1852.

To Agent at Delhi, dated 25th June 1852.

From Agent at Delhi, dated 5th July 1852

To Agent at Delhi, dated 13th

July 1852.

 

2. It is left to your discretion to make the required communications to the King, the Prince, Mirza Fukrooddeen, and the other parties concerned, in the manner which you may considered best calculated to meet the views expressed in para- graph 4 of Mr. Aliena’s letter of September 4th last.

 

8. You are also requested to give effect to the other measures ordered by the Hon'ble Court, including the payment of arrears to the Heir-Apparent

 

4. Referring to paragraph 7 of the Hon’ble Court Despatch, you are requested to mention “ any other arrange- ments which you may consider expedient by way of preparation for the new arrangements which will come into operation on the present King’s demise