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Indian Freedom Struggle (1707–1947 A.D.)

Notes It must, however, be stated that Dalhousie’s annexations and escheats worsened the situation. He
went too far and too fast. His ruthless and injudicious policy provided leaders like the Rani of
Jhansi, Nana Sahib, Tantia Tope, etc., who channelised the prevalent discontent and proved the
brain behind the movement once the soldiers had mutinied. Responsibility for the Rebellion of
1857-58 partly rests on the shoulders of Lord Dalhousie.
Estimate of Dalhousie: Sir Richard Temple says: “ As an imperial administrator, Dalhousie has
never been surpassed and seldom equalled by any of the illustrious men whom England has sent
forth to govern India.” Marshman writes: “He exhibited perhaps the finest example which ancient
or modern history affords, of what can be accomplished for the benefit of mankind by an enlightened
despot acting upon a large theatre.”
Sir William Wilson Hunter has summed up Dalhousie’s work in three words— conquest,
consolidation and development. His annexations gave the map of modern India. Annexation of
the Panjab pushed the dominion of the East India Company to the hills in the North-West and
British officers became the Warden of the Passes; the annexation of Sikkim territory brought
Indian boundaries contiguous to Tibet and the Chinese empire and the acquisition of Lower
Burma extended British authority along the coast from Chittagong to Rangoon. The work of
internal territorial consolidation was achieved by annexation of a number of Indian states.
Dalhousie’s conquests and annexations added nearly a quarter million square miles to the East
India Company’s dominions, adding between a third and a half to the territorial size of British
India of 1848. His reforming activities extended to every branch of administrative development.
By his far reaching schemes of railways, roads, canals and public works he launched India on the
road to become a manufacturing and mercantile India. Dalhousie also proved an active modernizes.
He laid the foundations of and indicated the lines on which modern India was to be built.
Dalhousie, however, had the defects of his qualities. He cared very little for moral values and
plighted word. While dealing with the Panjab, he cared more for the end than for the means. He
also paid no need to the feelings and prejudices of Indians while dealing with the Indian states.
Thus Dalhousie proved to be a ruthless imperialist and was greatly responsible for creating unrest
all round and the Rebellion of 1857 too.
Self-Assessment
Choose the correct options
1. The first three universities in India were established in
(i) 1857 (ii) 1758 (iii) 1855 (iv) 1859
2. In ..... the Nizam was compelled to code to the East India Company the cotton-producing area
of Berar.
(i) 1855 (ii) 1853 (iii) 1850 (iv) 1854
3. In 1817 ..... had recognised an Infant descendant of the Bhonsle family, Raghuji-III as the Raja.
(i) Lord Cornwallis (ii) Lord Hastings (iii) Lord Dalhousie (iv) None of these
4. The Raja of Jhansi had been originally a vassal of the ..... .
(i) Raj Narayan Singh (ii) Dalhousie
(iii) Peshwa (iv) None of these
5. After the death of the Nawab of Carnatic 1853, ..... concurred with the Madras authorities in
not recognising anyone of his successor.
(i) Lord Cornwallis (ii) Peshwa (iii) Dalhousie (iv) Lord Canning.

6.3 Summary

• No account of Dalhousie’s work of imperial consolidation can be complete without a mention
of the Doctrine of Lapse. Some important Indian states were annexed by the enforcement of
the Doctrine. The Doctrine of Lapse can be better understood in the context of Dalhousie’s

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