Question

Make a list of British Governor Generals of India. Give their timelines, their activities and policies.​

Answer 1

Answer:

1. Lord Amherst, 1823-1828:

During Lord Hastings’ administration the British supremacy had been spread over most of India; yet in the north-west and eastern frontiers there were powers that might be sources of challenge to the British Indian empire.

In the north-west there were the Sikhs, the Sindhis, Baluchis, Pathans and the Afghans, and in the east Assam and Burma. To ensure fullest security to the British Indian empire it was imperative these powers should be subdued or brought into such a relationship that might disarm them against the British empire.

2. Lord William Bentinck, 1828-1835:

Lord William Cavendish Bentinck served as the Governor of Mad­ras in his early life from 1803-1807. When the Sepoys of Vellore rose in a mutiny due to certain orders of general Sir John Cradock, with the consent of Lord Bentinck, compelling the Sepoys to wear a particular dress, to shave off beard, etc. the home authorities re­called Lord Bentinck. Lord Bentinck was aggrieved and took up the matter with the home authorities and, in fact, it was because of a sense of guilt that the home authorities appointed William Bentinck Governor-General in 1828.

The administration of Warren Hastings is not noted for any suc­cess in war or diplomatic activities. It is noted for peace and re­forms. In fact, Bentinck’s administration is memorable in Indian history for his policy of peace and reforms.

3. Charles Metcalfe, 1835-1836:

Lord William Bentinck was succeeded by Sir Charles Metcalfe as Governor-General as a stop gap. But he was later appointed on a permanent basis. He was a liberal Englishman who felt the need of granting freedom of the Press. As he had granted freedom to the Press in India, the Court of Directors roundly condemned his action. Charles Metcalfe’s sense of dignity could not bear this and he resigned and left for England in 1836.

4. Lord Auckland, 1836-42:

Lord Auckland was somewhat of the nature of Lord William Bentinck in his solicitousness of the welfare of the people of India. Soon after his assumption of charge he undertook improvement of the medical and general education and thereby gave proof of his enlightened mind. Previously students other than those reading in English schools or colleges were not eligible for government scholar­ship. Auckland removed this invidious distinction and ordered that students studying Sanskrit, Arabic, and Persian would be equally en­titled to government scholarship.

He abolished pilgrimage tax, government supervision of religious endowments or of properties of reli­gious establishments, as also the practice of the Company’s soldiers joining different popular religious functions. It was Lord Auckland again who took initial steps towards implementing agricultural irri­gation plan.

It is generally suggested that had Lord Auckland con­fined his activities to peaceful and public welfare work, he might have left his mark as one of the most successful administrators. But his fear of Russian progress towards India through Afghanistan to alley which he followed a short-highted, unsteady and military inefficient policy. His policy brought his and his government’s name to the mire. In his dealings with the native Princes Lord Auckland could not maintain the dignity of his high office.

In 1837 died the Nawab of Oudh and was succeeded by Nasir-ud-din. The new newab was as ruthless as inefficient. Hardly Nasir-ud-din bad assumed as the nawab of Oudh when the widow Begum (Badshah Begum) of Oudh rebelled against him. It was not difficult for Nasir- ud-din to crush the rebellion, but the internal maladministration which caused the rebellion did not show any sign of improvement.

The weakness and inefficiency of Nasir-ud-din gave an opportunity to Lord Auckland to pressurise him to sign a new agreement with the Company by which the amount of money the nawab had been pay­ing towards the maintenance of the British troops in his kingdom was largely enhanced.

The Court of Directors, however, did not approve of this new agreement. Lord Auckland forgetting the dig­nity of high post he was holding kept the disapproval of the agree­ment a secret to the nawab and only informed him that enhanced payment would not be required to be made. Nasir-ud-din construed this remission of enhanced payment as an act of generosity of Lord Auckland towards him.