Modern Indian History

LORD DALHOUSIE (1848-1856)

  1. Lord Dalhousie was the youngest Governor-General of India when he assumed charge at the age of 36 in 1848.
  2. He studied in Christ Church, Oxford
  3. He became Member of Parliament and enjoyed the confidence of Sir Robert Peel, the Prime Minister of England.
  4. In 1847, he was offered the Governor-General ship of India which he accepted and arrived at Calcutta in January 1848.
Policy of Annexation
  1. Although he used different reasons for annexation, his main objective was to end misrule in the annexed states, as in the case of the annexation of Oudh.
  2. He aimed at providing the beneficent administration to the people of the annexed states
  3. His great annexations include the Punjab, Lower Burma, most of the Central Provinces and Oudh
Annexation of Punjab
  1. At the end of the second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, Punjab was annexed by Dalhousie.
  2. The province was divided into small districts under the control of District Officers who were called Deputy Commissioners
  3. These commissioners with the help of their assistants came into close contact with people.
  4. . Revenue and judicial departments were combined to secure concentration of power and responsibility
  5. The laws and procedure were simplified in accordance with the custom of the people.
  6. In 1859, Sir John Lawrence became the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab
Second Burmese War and the Annexation of Lower Burma
  1. In 1852, commercial disputes in Rangoon prompted new hostilities between the British and the Burmese
  2. After the end of the second Burmese War (1852), Dalhousie annexed Lower Burma with its capital at Pegu.
  3. Annexation of Lower Burma proved beneficial to Britain.
  4. Rangoon, Britain’s most valuable acquisition from the war became one of the biggest ports in Asia