1896·98. FAMINE IN WESTERN INDIA.
1896. The monsoon of Western Indiafailed and thesubsequent 1896-97 drought placed threeand ahalf million Indians onfaminerelief bythe endof theyear. The famine occurred mainly in Bombay andin segments of western India, parts of RaJputana, central India, and the south-east region of the Punjab. Relief measuresincluded:reliefworkproJects, poor houses,and theremission andsuspensionof landrevenue,
Jan.1897, TheIndianCharitableRelief Fund was established at Calcutta and subsequently received gifts from other parts of India and throughouttheworldfor faminerelief.
Dec.1897. Lord Elginappointed the Indian FamineCommissionwith Sir James B, Lyall (1838-1916)asItschairman. TheCommission revtewedthe FamineCodesinterms of the currentfamineexperiences,
Oct. 1898. The Famine Commission'sreport affirmed the present Codes's practices and updated aspects of the public works relief projects. Additional provisions were recommended for the communities of weavers, forest·tribes, and aboriginalhilltribes.
•••
1896-97. PLAGUE.
July 1896. The bubonic plague was first
reported in Bombaywith its sourcebeing likely fromrats onships arrMngfrom HongKong.
Waldemar H, M, Haffkjne (1860-1930) determinedthediagnosisand initiatedthe use of anti-plague vaccine withmixed results.
10May 1897, A Hindu and Muslimmemorial addressed to the Governor ofBombaywarned oftheinvasivenatureof the Britishsanitation measures to Hindu religiOUS practices and Muslim habits,
22 June 1897, At Poona the brothers, Damodar and BalkrishnaChapekarmurdered Walter C. Rand, Chairman of the Bombay PlagueCommittee, andLieutenant Charles E.
Ayerst. Following investigations, Bal G, Tilak (1856-1920) was charged and for sedition due to his newspaper editorials published inKesari. The Court sentenced him to eighteen months on imprisonment.
2 Oct. 1897. APlagueCommissionformed in Bombay and appointed Andrew Wingate (1846-I919)aspresiding officer.
13 Oct. 1897. The Government of Bombay appointed a Scientific Committeetostudythe nature of plague and its response todrugs.
Other measurestaken Included: inspection, disinfection,and cleaning ofhouses,isolating plague at hospitals, limitations and protectionsfor travelersmigrating from known centers of infection, and the quarantine of shipscomingfrom infectedports.
Mar. 1898, TheMuslimsriotedinBombay due to the anti-plague restrictions and then on May21,1898createddisturbances in Calcutta,
Sept. 1898. Lord Sandhurst (1855-1921), Governor of Bombay, terminated the quarantine system and substituted less invasive anti-plaguemeasures. Some twenty thousand Indians diedof this attackof plague in Bombay.
•••
1897-1898. TIRAH CAMPAIGN,
26July 1897. The "MadMulla"engineered a large tribal rebellionin the Swat Valley. The revoltspreadrapidly throughthe UpperSwat Valley tothe Black Mountain.
Aug. 1897. Uprisings occurred among the Afridis, Mohmands, and Orakzais tribal members.
17 Aug. 1897. General Sir Bindon Blood (1842·1940) initiated operations in the Upper Swat Valley.
23 Aug. 1897. Ali Masjid,animportant British post In the Khyber Pass, fell to the Afridis.
15 Sept. 1897. Lieutenant-General Edmund R.
Elles (1848-1934) began punitive measures in Mohmandcountry.
Oct. 1897-Jan.1898. General Sir William S.
A. Lockhart (1841-1900), Commander-in-Chief of Tirah Expedition, invaded Tlrah. He engaged the Afridis and Orakzals capturing the Sepakhar Pass on October 28, 1898andtaking a tribal stronghold inthe Warram Valley on November 15, 1897. In January 1898 he was engagedin severe fighting in the Bazar Valley.
1 Apr. 1898. In time the revolting tribes were suppressed with fines paid, weapons turned in and ageneral submission made to the British rule.
Oct. 1898. British terms to theAfrldisin the Khyber Pass included: occupation and fortification of the Pass by British forces, a railway was to be constructed In the pass,and the Afridis were to limit their dealingstoonly the Government of India. Inturn,Afridls were allowed to manage their own affairs and to receive financialallowancesIf the agreement's terms were kept.
•••
18 Feb. 1898. The Viceroy's Legislative Council passed the Indian Penal Code (Amendment) BIll. Itcurbed the sedition In the vernacular press which had risen to high levels over the handling of plague and famine measures by the Government of India.
1898. An Indian Currency Committee was appointedwith Sir Henry Fowler ( 1830-1911) named asitsChairman.
6 Jan. 1899. Lord Curzon (1859-1925) assumed the Viceroyalty of India.
1899. PERSIAN GULF.
History ofBritishIndia 85 Jan. 1899. CurzonInstructedColonel Meade to conclude an agreement with Sheikh Mubarak of Kuwait to preclude the cession of anyland toaforeign powerandIn particular to Germany.
16 Feb. 1899. British Admiral Douglas, Commander of the East Indies Squadron, threatened the Sultan of Oman with the bombardmentofMuscatifhe faIled toagreeto aBritish requestthat the agreementwith the French foracoaling stationatBunder Jisseh be terminated. Compliance with the British demandwasgranted.
• ••
2 Apr. 1899. Twenty soldiers of the West Kent atRangoon raped anelderlyBurmese woman. The investigation of the incident was quashed by military and clvllian authorities.
Lord Curzon reopened the caseandultimately the soldiers involved were dismissed from service, several seniorofficerscensored,some officers relieved ofcommand, and theentire regiment was posted to Aden for two years without leave.
Sept. 1899. In support of British forces engagedin the South African War, the Indian Army forwarded 13,200 British troops and 9,000 Indians (noncombattens). Additionally, a European Volunteer Contingent known as Lumsden's Horse was ralsed byColonelDugald M. Lumsden (1851-1915) and sentto South Africa. These forces arrived just Intime to hold Natal fortheBritish.
20 Mar. 1899. The Government of India passedan actproviding for the Imposition of countervailing duties on sugarwhenIt deemed necessary.
Sept. 1899. The Indian Coinage and Paper Currency Act passed. Sponsored by Sir Clinton Dawkins (1859-1905), it made the sovereign legal tender In Indiaat arate ofRs.
15 to onesovereign. The measure broughta level ofstabilityto currencyexchange.
Oct. 1899. On the North-West Frontier Lord Curzon Initiated the practice of paying Pathan, Afridis and other tribes to police their own territories thus redUCing the need and the expenseof placingas many British troops in the borderarea. The subsequent levieswere
86 History of British India
organized as: the Khyber Rifles, the Samana Rifles, and the Kurram Militia. British forces were reduced by 11,000 leaving only 4,000 on the frontier at key centers to actas moveable columns to come to the relief ofatribal force.
In return, the local tribes received anannual payment.
1900-05. FAMINE.
1900. Famineaccompaniedby choleraandthe plague had impacted sixty million Indians by early 1900. In response to this crisis Lord Curzon became the first Viceroy to tour a famine stricken area. By spring 1900 the governmentwas providing five million Indians with faminerelief.
190 I. The Government of India appointeda Famine Commission with Sir Colin C. Scott-Moncrieff( 1836-1916) as its president. Based on his findings, the government inaugurateda series of irrigation projectsencompassingsix and one half million acres ata cost of thirty million pounds.
1905. Famine,cholera, andthe plague killed a total ofabout eight million Indians in the period 1896-1905. Thecosts of the famine included: direct relief £6,670,000, loans and advances£1,585,000, land revenue remitted
£1,333,000, loans to Native States £1.800,000, and reliefand lost revenue in Native States
£4,000,000.
•••
June 13, 1900. Indian Army forwardedabout 3,000 troops to the international forcesentto North China to put down the Boxer Rebellion.
The British forces included: the l'tSikhs,24th Punjab Infantry, 7th Raj puts, and the Bengal Lancers. On August 14, 1900 the siege of the foreign legations at Peking was raised after fifty-five days with the arrival of the Sikh
of the Indian Army.
I Dec. 1900. A blockade oftheMahsud tribe began in punishment for raids and robberies.
The passive blockade was mixed with punitive salliesinto the Mahsud Hills. Negotiations with the Mahsuds won a temporary peace on March 10, 1902, lasting nearly five years.
6Feb. 1901. VICTORIA MEMORIAL HALL.
Lord Curzon initiated his plans for the
building of the Victoria Memorial Hall at a meeting in the Calcutta Town Hall. The structure of white marble was meant to serve as a historical and national gallery in the memory of gueen Victoriaand as asymbol of the might represented by the British Raj. Lord Curzon personally raised £400.000 ofthe total
£5,000,000 cost and collected many of the paintings,sculptures, and cultural artifacts for incorporation in its displays. The structure was designed by Sir William Emerson (1843-1924). In January 1906thePrince of Wales laid its foundation stone. Due to theanimosity held for Lord Curzon by certain offiCials and the impact ofthe1914-1919 War,thehallwas not completed and opened until December 1921.
4 June 1901. Lord Curzonestablished the Imperial Cadet Corps for the purpose of providing military training for aselectionof eliteyoung men drawn from the Princely and noble Indian families. This initiative to commission Indians asofficers in the Indian Army followed forty years of various proposals examiningtheir useandpotential loyalty. In 1910 the Corps numbered under twenty members.
7 June 190I. Leonard Countney launched the Indian Famine UnioninLondon. TheUnion's purpose embraced a study ofthe causes of famine and possible remedies. Wl!liam Wedderburn's recommendations for an elasticity in revenue collection in famine stricken areas, the creation of agriculture banks, and the issuance of "takav" loans were well received.
25July 190I. Lord Curzon forwardedtothe Secretary of State for India a letter from Gandhi addressing the conditions of Indian emigrants in South AIrica. The concerns expressedaboutindentured servitude brought up many questionsandconcerns. Later Gopal K. Gokhale (1866-1915), Lord Hardinge (1858·1944), and Rev. C. F. Andrews (1871-1940) applied sufficient pressure to end the practice.
3 Oct. 1901. In AIghanistan Amir Abdur Rahman died and was replaced by his son, Habibulla (1869-1919). Lord Curzon tried but failed to renegotiate agreements preViously made withAbdurRahman governing British-AIghan affairs. Lord Curzon particularly
desired to impose more stringentcontrolson the flow of arms and munitions into Afghanistan. Habibulla rebuffed theseattempts and refused to meet the ViceroyatPeshawar.
9Nov.190I.Lord Curzoncreatedthe North-West Frontier Province. from the Punjab, including the settled districts of Hazara, Peshawar. Kohat. Bannuand Dera Ismail Khan and the agenCies of the Khyber, Malakand. Kurram,TochJ, and Wana. The new province reported directly to the Viceroy thus bringing controlof the North-West Frontier under the egis of the Government of India. Curzon's decision received the strong opposition of the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab. Sir Willtam Mackworth Young (1840-1924). Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Harold A. Deane (1854-1908) became the new province's first Chief Commissioner.
29 Dec. 1901 9 Jan. 1902. CORONATION DURBAR.Lord Curzonstaged the Coronation DurbaratDelhi in celebration of King Edward VII'sascensionto the British throne. Although the Viceroy receivedconSiderable criticismfor theturmoilandexpenseof the Durbar.it was considered a spectacularsuccess. Events of particular note during the durbarceremonies of January I. 1902 included the honoring over 300 veterans ofthe Indian Mutiny and the embarrassingly enthusiastic support of the Europeans present for the 9thLancerswhom Lord Curzonhad previously pUnished forthe murder of anIndian.
Mar. 1902. Lord Curzon struck a new agreementwith the Nizam of HyderabadwhJch allowed theBritish to lease Berar in perpetulty for an annual rent of £167,000. The Nizam's sovereignty over Berar was affirmed and the Hyderabad Contingent was Incorporated into the Indian Army. The Nizamagreedto reduce his irregular army andtouse the British rent payment toliqUidate his liabiltties.
1902. Lord Curzon appointed an Indian Police Commission with Sir Andrew H. L.
Fraser (1848-1919) as its chairman. The Commission examined the police administration of each Indian province. Its report of May 30. 1903 severelycriticizedthe Indian Police system. It called for greater efficiency. better training. eltminatlon of corruption. and the increase of pay for ranks. From the reforms also came the
HistoryofBritishIndia 87 creation of the Department of Criminal Intelligence under its first Director. Sir Harold A.Stuart (1860-1923).
1902-1905. THE CURZON K1TCHENER CONFLICT.
28 Nov. 1902. Lord Kitchener(1850-1916) arrived at Bombay to assume hJs post as Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. Jan. 1903.Lord Kitchener began the use of a series of unofficial communication channels to General Sir Edward Stedman (1842-1925), Milttary Secretary to the India Office.and Lady Cranborne. later LadySalisbury. who was a close friend of the Prime Minister. Arthur Balfour.
Feb. 1903. Lord Kitchener made his first formalproposalto the Viceroy.Lord Curzon.
regarding the reduction of powers aSSigned to the pos1t1on of the Military Member. Lord Kitchenerobjected to the organization of the command structure oftheIndian Army which had emanated from theIndian Councils Act of 1861. It allowed the Commander-In-Chiefto be appointed as needed toan ex officioposition on the Vlceroy's Executive Council whJle the officer in charge of the Mtlitary Department possessed a permanent Council seat. Lord Curzon rejected Kitchener's approach and asked himto studytheexisting systemfora year.
May 1903. The Commander-in-ChJefoffered Curzonanotherarmyreorganization plan that placed the Military Department directly under his orders. The Viceroy rejected the proposal andLord Kitchenerinitiated one of a series of threats to reSign.
Apr. 1904. Lord Kitchener presented the Viceroy withapaper proposing the reduction ofpowers held by the Mtlitary Department. He paid it no heed. but discovered amonth later on his arrivalonleave in England thatLord Kitchenerhad also submitted it directly to the ImperialDefence Committee.
Sept 1904. Lord Kitchener offered his resignation to Acting Viceroy.Lord Ampthill (1869-1935) ostensibly over a discipltnary matter which the Government of India had reversed but more directly over the dispute regarding thepowers of theMtlitary Member.
88HistoryofBritishIndia
Lord Ampthill reluctantly convinced him to withdraw the resignation.
12 Jan. 1905. St. John Brodrick (1856-1942),Secretary of State for India, suggested theuse of an independent commissiontostudy the proper role of the MilitaryMember.
Apr.1905. Lord Kitchenerhad organized in Londona press campaign inThe Timesand theStandardeliciting support for his desire to reform the Indian Army.
Apr.1905.Brodrickabandonedtheconcept of acommission for that of a committeeworking inLondonheaded by himselfand subsequently reportingtohimself.
30 May 1905. The Cabinet approved Brodrick's report which called for the elimination of the position of the Military Member. That position's duties were to be distributed to the Commander-in-Chlef and to a new position called the Military Supply Member. The latter was tocontinueto serve on the Viceroy'sCouncilbut InareducedadviSOry role.
12 Aug. 1905. Lord Curzonsubmitted his resignation over differences withBrodrickon the selection of the new Military Supply Memberandthe nature of theassignedduties.
Curzon's recommendation of General Sir Edmund Barrow (1852-1934) had been denied.
16 Aug.1905. Balfour wired toLord Curzon his acceptance of Viceroy's reSignation.
21 Aug. 1905. Brodrick announced the selection of Lord Minto (/845-1914) as Curzon's successor.
• • •
19 Dec. 1902. Lord Curzon unveiled a new monument in Calcutta commemorating the dead of the Black Hole of Calcutta. Itreplaced John Holwell's monumenterected Inabout 1760.The Viceroy paidforthe italian marble monument of sixty tons from his personal funds.
1903-1904. TIBET AND THE
YOUNGHUSBAND MISSION.
1903. Tensions had grown with Tibet due to reports that Tibetan missions had been received by the Czar of Russia,thatfor several yearsAgvanDorzhlev,a Burytat Mongol monk, hadbeen serving asa RussianagentIn Tibet, andthatthelettersof Lord Curzonrequesting negotiations sent to the Dalai Lama in 1900 and 1901 had been returned unopened.
8Jan. 1903. Governmentof India urged the SecretaryofStatetosupport the forwarding of a British Mission to Lhasa toestablish anew agreement whichwould lead to the placement of a BritishAgentin the Tibetancapital.
8 Apr. 1903. A Russian despatch to the British asserted that It had noagreementwith Tibet nor did Russia intend tosend agentsto Tibet, but if the status quo was disturbed Russia mightact,not inTibet,butelsewhere.
May 1903. Brigadier-General Francis E.
Younghusband (1863-1942) accepted from Curzonthe leadership of the British Mission to Lhasa.
18 July 1903. Younghusbandarrivedwitha military escort at Khamba Jong to begin negotiations which failed to occur over the subsequentfive months.
11 Dec. 1903. FacingtheTibetan failure to negotiate, the BritishMission,accompaniedby 2,000 Gurkhas commanded by Brigadler-General James R. L. MacDonald (1862-1927), Younghusband proceeded to Gyantse, or halfway point to Lhasa.
11 Oct. 1903. Younghusbandwasrecalledto Simla forconsultation withCurzon.
5 Dec. 1903. Younghusband renewed the journey toward Tibet.
31 Mar. 1904. Younghusbandencountered a blockading force of 2,000 Tibetan troops near Guru. Firingensuedand 840 Tibetans were killed or wounded.
11 Apr. 1904. Younghusband reached Gyantse. On May 5 the Britishencampment was attacked by Tibetanswho werefought off withlosses of 240killed orwounded. On May 6 Lieutenant- Colonel Herbert R. Brander (1861-1933)drove nearly3,000Tibetans the nearby Karo La Gorge. On July 6
MacDonald's force of Gurkhas and Royal Fusillers stormed and captured the Tibetan fort at Gyantse.
14 July 1904. Younghusband resumed his march and on August 3, he entered Lhasa without opposition. As the Dalal Lama had fled, talks were begun with an elder of the Buddhist hierarchy, the TI Rlmpoche.
7 Sept. 1904. Younghusband signed an agreement at Lhasa with representatives of Tibet and China. Its terms Included: the placement of a British Trade Agent at Gyantse with the right to visit Lhasa,British occupation of theChumbl Valley,andTibetanpayment of an Indemnity of Rs 25 lakhs payable over the next seventy-fiveyears. On referral toLondon, the Indemnity was reduced to Rs. 25 lakhs payable over three years andYounghusband received a rebuke for exceeding his Instructions.
23 Sept. 1905. YounghusbandleftLhasafor the return journey to India. The Tibetans paid the Indemnity and the Chumbl Valley was evacuated by the British In January 1908.
•••
16Nov. 1903. Lord Curzon leftKarachi for a tour of the Persian Gulf with visits to Muscat,Sharjah, Bandar Abbas, Kuwait and Bushlre. The tour allowed him to demonstrate British naval supremacyInPersia and the Gulf and for the British Navy to familiarize Itself with the Gulfs ports as an operational hedge against possible Russian threatsinthe region.