| caption: |
meeting with Dr Brown, Political Agent, Manipur, at Reegmemah; attempt to get back revenue taken by Manipori sepoys |
| note: |
inaccurate spelling in the original text |
| text: |
15th February, Tuesday. Having received a [vide page 99] letter about 10 p.m. last night from Dr. Brown stating that he had just received my two letters of the 11th and 14th instant and would now await my arrival at Reegmemah I moved camp to that village which was only about 9 miles off along a very fair road. There I met Dr. Brown who in the course of the afternoon informed me that he had enquired into the complaints made against the Rajah's troops and that they owned that they had taken Rs. 160 from Veeswemah and Rs. 120 from Jackhemah but that they had done so under the impression that those villages were included in the Manipoor side as they had always raised revenue from them in former years. That he had then reminded them of their promise not to interfere in any way with the disputed villages pending the settlement of the boundary and that they had then replied that at the time they had raised the money in question they were not aware that Veeswemah and Jackhamah were villages regarding which there were any doubt, and that although he had advised them to give up the money as they had no right to it they had refused to do so. At this juncture considering under the circumstances that the Maneepoories had had some grounds for their conduct, I told Dr. Brown that I was quite willing to accept the explanation given by the Rajah's officers regarding the circumstances under which they had levied the sums above referred to and that I would hold them guiltless as far as that was concerned but that I now inform them that both Veeswemah and Jackhamah were in British territory and that I must therefore insist upon them at once returning the sums which they had levied from those villages. To which Dr. Brown replied that he would again see the Manipoories on the subject and reply to me officially tomorrow adding that he had no direct control over the Rajah or his Ministers but was simply in the position of an adviser whose advice was not always followed. |
