Treaty of Amritsar
March 16, 1846
Legal Document No 1
The treaty between the British Government on the one part
and Maharajah Gulab Singh of Jammu on the other concluded on the part of
the British Government by Frederick Currie, Esq. and Brevet-Major Henry
Montgomery Lawrence, acting under the orders of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge,
G.C.B., one of her Britannic Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council,
Governor-General of the possessions of the East India Company, to direct
and control all the affairs in the East Indies and by Maharajah Gulab Singh
in person - 1846.
Article 1
The British Government transfers and makes over for ever in independent
possession to Maharajah Gulab Singh and the heirs male of his body all
the hilly or mountainous country with its dependencies situated to the
eastward of the River Indus and the westward of the River Ravi including
Chamba and excluding Lahol, being part of the territories ceded to the
British Government by the Lahore State according to the provisions of Article
IV of the Treaty of Lahore, dated 9th March, 1846.
Article 2
The eastern boundary of the tract transferred by the foregoing article
to Maharajah Gulab Singh shall be laid down by the Commissioners appointed
by the British Government and Maharajah Gulab Singh respectively for that
purpose and shall be defined in a separate engagement after survey.
Article 3
In consideration of the transfer made to him and his heirs by the provisions
of the foregoing article Maharajah Gulab Singh will pay to the British
Government the sum of seventy-five lakhs of rupees (Nanukshahee), fifty
lakhs to be paid on or before the 1st October of the current year, A.D.,
1846.
Article 4
The limits of territories of Maharajah Gulab Singh shall not be at any
time changed without concurrence of the British Government.
Article 5
Maharajah Gulab Singh will refer to the arbitration of the British Government
any disputes or question that may arise between himself and the Government
of Lahore or any other neighboring State, and will abide by the decision
of the British Government.
Article 6
Maharajah Gulab Singh engages for himself and heirs to join, with the whole
of his Military Forces, the British troops when employed within the hills
or in the territories adjoining his possessions.
Article 7
Maharajah Gulab Singh engages never to take to retain in his service any
British subject nor the subject of any European or American State without
the consent of the British Governnent.
Article 8
Maharajah Gulab Singh engages to respect in regard to the territory transferred
to him, the provisions of Articles V, VI and VII of the separate Engagement
between the British Government and the Lahore Durbar, dated 11th March,
1846.
Article 9
The British Government will give its aid to Maharajah Gulab Singh in protecting
his territories from external enemies.
Article 10
Maharajah Gulab Singh acknowledges the supremacy of the British Government
and will in token of such supremacy present annually to the British Government
one horse, twelve shawl goats of approved breed (six male and six female)
and three pairs of Cashmere shawls.
This Treaty of ten articles has been this day settled by Frederick Currie,
Esq. and Brever-Major Henry Montgomery Lawrence, acting under directions
of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge, Governor-General, on the part of the
British Government and by Maharajah Gulab Singh in person, and the said
Treaty has been this day ratified by the seal of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry
Hardinge, Governor-General.
Done at Amritsar the sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, corresponding with the seventeenth
day of Rubee-ul-Awal (1262 Hijri).
(Signed) H. Hardinge (Seal)
(Signed) F. Currie
(Signed) H. M. Lawrence
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