English Men of Action LORD LAWRENCE [Illustration: colophon] [Illustration: LORD LAWRENCE Engraved by O. LACOUR after a Photograph by MAULL AND POLYBANK] LORD LAWRENCE BY SIR RICHARD TEMPLE London MACMILLAN AND CO. AND NEW YORK 1889 _The right of translation and reproduction is reserved_ CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER II EARLY LIFE, 1811-1829 7 CHAPTER III THE DELHI TERRITORY, 1829-1846 15 CHAPTER IV THE TRANS-SUTLEJ STATES, 1846-1849 27 CHAPTER V PUNJAB BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION, 1849-1853 45 CHAPTER VI CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF THE PUNJAB, 1853-1857 69 CHAPTER VII WAR OF THE MUTINIES, 1857-1859 92 CHAPTER VIII SOJOURN IN ENGLAND, 1859-1863 137 CHAPTER IX THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, 1864-1869 148 CHAPTER X CONCLUSION, 1869-1879 190 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION John Laird Mair Lawrence was born in 1811 and died in 1879, being sixty-eight years of age. Within that time he entered the Civil Service of the East India Company, governed the Punjab then the most difficult province in India, took a very prominent part in the War of the Mutinies, was by many called the saviour of the Indian empire, and became Viceroy of India. By reason of his conduct in these capacities he is regarded as a man of heroic simplicity, and as one of the best British type, to be reckoned among our national worthies. I shall write the following account of him as a man of action, partly from authentic records, but chiefly from personal knowledge. I was his Secretary during some of the most busy and important years when he was governing the Punjab, and one of his Councillors when he was Viceroy. My acquaintance with him began in 1851, and continued on intimate terms till 1870, from which time until his death I was separated from him by distance. Thus I have been in great part an eyewitness of what is to be related of him. My knowledge, too, of his views is derived, not from correspondence nor from private letters, but from verbal communication. For several years it was my chief duty so to imbue my mind with his policy and opinions that I might be able to express them in writing at a moment’s notice.