KASHMIK. 249 



every description must be rigidly refused." This 

 certainly is interfering in an extraordinary way with 

 the liberty of the subject ; but let the visitor beware 

 how he violates any of these rules, because the Resi- 

 dent at Srinagar has the power of expelling him from 

 the country. It is the Panjab, not the supreme 

 Government, which is directly responsible for these 

 extraordinary regulations ; and I daresay English 

 people will be rather surprised by them. The Maha- 

 rajah of Kashmir is called in them " an independent 

 sovereign ; " but it is distinctly stated in Article X. 

 of the Treaty which gave him his dominions, that 

 he " acknowledges the supremacy of the British 

 Government." Can the Panjab Government not 

 understand that when the power of England guaran- 

 tees the safety of the Maharajah and of his dominions, 

 it is not for British officials to treat British visitors 

 to Kashmir in so derogatory a manner, or to allow of 

 their being turned out of the country every winter, 

 and refused permission to purchase even waste land ] 

 This is only one of many subjects which may render 

 it necessary to raise the questions, In whose interest, 

 on whose authority, and supported by what power, 

 does Anglo-Indian officialdom exist? The imperial 

 interests of Great Britain have been too much lost 

 sight of, and it is on these that the real, the vital 

 interests of the people of India depend. 



The Eesident procured me a private audience of 

 the Maharajah Ranbir or Runbir Singh, which was 



