Professor Harold Lee is a retired professor of English Literature and Humanities. He has taught at Carnegie Mellon and Boston Universities in United States of America, and for twenty long years was Adjunct professor of English Literature and Humanities in Grinnel College USA Programme in London. His Publications include a biography of the American Agriculture Innovator, Roswell Garst, and co authorship of Western Mediterranean Prophecy, which examines the influence of the prophetic tradition of the Abbot Joachim of Fiore on medieval prophecy in Catalonia. Harold Lee is an Editorial Advisor to the International Journal of Punjab Studies.
Summary:
Brothers in the raj are a biography in which Harold lee throws light on the lives of john and Henry Lawrence. This book gives account of first British administrators of Punjab. john and Henry got fame as founder of paternalist system of rule in the Punjab. The author also describes personal relationship, nature and effects of their professional issues.
Alexander Lawrence who was a veteran campaigner in Mysore war. He had 12 children. He served as professional soldier and did not take part in administrative and political processes. Henry Lawrence was born at Ceylon. He was educated at Foyle college. in 1823 he joined Bengal artillery at Calcutta. He also served as revenue Survoyer and political agent. John Lawrence also aspired to join army but his family urged him to become civil servant.
Henry was known for his sweetness and gentleness of his disposition, according to his classmates at Foyle College. There was great impression of his aunt on life of Henry. Henry was very impressed with her practice of distributing to the poors the leavings of their table. According to Edwardes, Henry also used to distribute money among poors, an inspiration from his aunt. Burmese war was the first war in which he took part in 1824. In 1833, Henry was appointed as Assistant revenue surveyor in NWP. Henry proved his abilities within short period of time. His abilities as surveyor are proved from these remarks of Robert Elliot, Lt.Governor of NWP," Captain Lawrence is one of the most experienced and zealous of officers employed on survey and completed complicated process of survey more successfully than any other. "In 1835, due to his hard work Henry was promoted as full surveyor. Henry was called back to brigade because of outbreak of Afghan war in 1838.
In 1831, when John Lawrence arrived in Delhi, he was appointed as a revenue collector, assistant judge and a magistrate. John had noticed that throughout Delhi divisions, revenue system was crude and arbitrary. Both john and Henry were of the view that demands of revenue were high and should be decreased. John was highly successful as a revenue collector.
John and Henry both were determined to the task of revenue settlement. However, they had difference of opinion in the manner of how to deal with chieftains who until now had sway over villages and collection of revenues. To john Lawrence, middlemen were intruders. He was determined to curtail the power of this class. Conflict between john and Henry over division of power deteriorated to such an extent that direct communication between them virtually ceased. Montgomery, their old school friend, became intermediary for exchange of each other's position on all subjects.
In 1839, Henry was appointed assistant to clerk and was given civil charge of Ferozpore. It was first appointment of Henry as political officer. Henry undertook the task of improving the towns and districts of Ferozepore. He first renovated the old forts and restored the serviceable artillery. According to Henry, 'artillery is the life and breathe of defensive arrangements."Henry also settled boundary disputes between Ferozepore and neighbouring state of Faridkot.
Manner of conduct of governance by Henry is obvious from his instructions to John Nicholson. Henry instructed him "to cultivate the acquaintance of the two Nazism and all Kardars he meets."Henry further instructed to follow the policy of protection of people from Kardars, maintenance of discipline among troops, safety of roads, speedy redress of grievances and non interference by government agent in ordinary affairs of the people.
After the death of Rangit Singh in 1939, there was power struggle between heirs of Ranjit Singh. Lord Harding gathered an army of 40,000 men to defeat Sikhs. In this battle of Sobraon, about 10,000 Punjabis were killed by British. Gulab Singh Dogra was appointed to negotiate Treaty of Lahore in 1846. Power in Punjab was vested with Henry Lawrence. John Lawrence was appointed as chief commissioner of Jullundur Doab. Treaty of Bhyrowal was signed in 1847 which made British more powerful. Henry Lawrence was Resident at Lahore as well as Agent of Governor General of NWP. After this treaty, Resident was granted full authority to direct and control all matters in every department of state. This treaty was effective till 1854, when Dalio Singh was to reach the age of 16 years. However Rani Jindan always conspired to curtail the British power .In 1849, Dalip Singh signed document ending Sikh dynasty and Punjab became a British province. A board of administration was formed to govern Punjab and both brothers were part of this board. Disagreement over the manner in which Punjab should be governed led to Henry's removal from Punjab. John now ruled Punjab from 1853- 1857.
In 1856, Henry was appointed as chief commissioner of newly annexed province Awadah. In 1857 john was in Punjab while Henry was holding Residency in Awadah.it was in this year that soldiers serving under British rose to revolt. Both john and Henry defended their empire. Henry was killed while defending his empire. John sent troops to Delhi in support of British army and won the war. For his this service, john was awarded life pension of $200 a year in addition to his ordinary pension. He is known as "saviour of India". In 1864 he became viceroy and on death of lord Elgin he became governor general of India.
Critical Analysis:
Brothers in the raj is a biography of two brothers. In this detailed biography author throws light on personal relationship and careers of these two brothers. Author attempts to answer who were Lawrences. Due to different temperament, experience and training both brothers had different views on manner of governance. Henry wanted to achieve congruence of romance and realism in his daily life while john as civil servant and administrator looked institution as corrupt. Author also describes central issues of Punjab in mid 19th century.
Harold Lee is areputable personality. Author has command on the subject matter. But, as I have not read any other book on the subject, so I am not in a position to validate the information given in the book. Some shortcomings that I want to mention here in this book are absence of footnotes. Reader faces difficulty when he or she has to go to the end of chapter for reference every time.Author used pictures in support of argument at some places but, these are quite few in number. More pictures could have been added to attract the attention of readers. Terminology used in the book is a bit difficult. As this book is on history so, i think there is no political approach on author's side in describing the events.
Furthermore, name of so many places are mentioned in this book, to make it more comprehensive and interesting to reader it should have been supported by maps highlighting the places mentioned in the book. In my opinion, author should have been some critical/analytical in approach instead of description of events. That approach may assist reader in understanding the author's point of view in the light of events.
I think this book is thought provoking , giving message that while Indian rulers were busy in making palaces and other monuments, British rulers worked for public welfare like building of schools, roads, and courts. British rulers, after coming into power redressed the grievances of general public and extended them facilities. They formed educational institutions and introduced reforms at every level and promoted literary activities. Henry Lawrence wrote many articles when he was Resident in Bengal. Lawrence college in Ghora Gali, near Murree is well known in Pakistan, is one of institutions established by Lawrence. In short, book gives fair picture of lives of John and Henry Lawrence. Author made a good attempt in describing two prominent personalities of British India. Terminology used in the book is a bit difficult. As this book is on history so, there is no political approach on author's side in describing the events.Book is well written as far as writing style is concerned.
Recommendations:
Brothers in the Raj is a book for general audience as well as history students. It gives fair picture of administration of British administrators. Bibliography, index, abbreviations, glossary, references, endnotes show that it can be used by graduate students for reading as well as text book. Footnotes, maps and pictures may be added for ease of readers.Simple terms togather with analytical approach may further add to the scope of this book.
