THE LATE LORD LAWRENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 158, 4 July 1879, Page 4

THE LATE LORD LAWRENCE.

The following sketch of tfala eminent man, whose death was announced in oor yesterday's telegrams, is from " Men of the Tim?." :— Lawrence (Baron), The Bight Hon. John Laird Mair, late Viceroy Gov-ernor-General cf India who has been emphatically styled the saviour of that vest possession of the British crown daring the mutiny of 1857, brother of the late Sir Henry Lawrence, k.C.8., killed in the same year in the defence of Lueknow apsintt the rebels, wi^s born March 4, 1811, and received his early education at Foyie College, Londonberry, and at the East-India College, Haileybury. He obtained liis nomination to India ss a writer in 1829, became Assistant to the Cbiejf Commissioner and Resident at DelbY in the early part of 1831; was promoted to the post of Officiating Magistrate and Collector in Dec, 1833, and to a similar post at Pan i put in 1834; W*B appointed Join (-Magistrate aod Deputy Collector of Goorgaoo, and the Southern divhion of Delhi, ib 1836, and Officiating Magistrate qf the Boothtra division only in Dee. ; had the sole charge of Goorgaon, and conducted the settlement duties in Zillah Etawab, in 1838; proceeded to Europe on forleugb, in Feb., 1840, aod difl not retorn to India until Dec, 1842. Up to this time Mr. Lawrence hail been chiefly engaged in the collection of revenue. After holding one or two temporary employments, he was engaged aa Judge, Magistrate, and Collector for (he important district qf. the Central Division of Benga?, when his administrative ability attracted thje . .attention of the Governor-General, Sir H. Hardinge, aod an opportunity for making himself, a name presented itself on his being appointed to tfya important post of Commissioner of this ' frane-Satlej provinces, which had beep added to our Indian empire, as the result of the first Sikh war of 1845-6. In this position he found ,ample scopjd . for the exercise of his great abilities and persevering energy, and socceedeli in reducing a chaos ot disorder, political, fiscal, and agricultural, into system, shape and form. Tbe assassination, 4 1 Mooltan, of . the English envoys, Mr Agnew and Lieutenant Anderson, April 18, 1848, followed by a gqnarill ioeumctioo io the Pqojaob, led to ihe second Sikh war. After a long aoid . . obstinate contest, tbe Sikhs wtije finally defeated by Lord Gough at Goojerat, Feb. 21, 1849, when their territory was surrendered into oqr hands, and deelared by Lord Dalbousje to be henceforth annexed to our possessions in India. Tbe first importaqt step on the part of the GovernorGeneral, was to seek for man of .great administrative ability to brio^ Ihe newly-acquired territory under British laws aod rule. Sir H. Lawrence, who had filled tbe post Of 'Beaident at Lahore, and his brother Mr Jobn Lawrence, were nominated two oat of three members of tbe Board • for the administration of tbe Poojaob. Some slight idea of the labours o-f this commission may be formed frofn the iact that the superficial area of tbe country is 50,400 square miles, .jujd that it contains a population partly military and partly agricultural, of various races and religious creeds, who all " hated every dynastjy except their own, and regarded the British as tbe worst because; . thi nio^t powerful of . us W pew/' 13nder their former sovereign, Banjeet Singh, the admiflistration was deplorabje. There was sca^qqlj a crime for which impunity could not be purchased by bribes; while the oppressive exactions 01 the provincial governors, who frfrmefl the taxes, weretmchecked! Such was the state of affairs when the British Government first interfered in the internal administration of the, country. Much had been done by Sir H. Lawrence, when acting as Resident at Lahore, to ameliorate the condition of the people ; but his endeavours were interrupted by the rebellion, of 1848-9. The first labour undertaken by the Board appointed by Lord Dalhousie, was to organize a comprehensive system of law and justice, and of social and financial improvement throughout the Panjaubi It was found necessary- to disband the Sikh soldiery, though many of them afterwards entered the British service, and an irregular force, consisting of ten regiments, was raised' for the protection ot the western frontier. In consequence of these measures, at >the end of two years, the board was> able to report to the Governor-General that "the entire British system and its institutions were thoroughly introduced into the Punjaub." One ■triumphant Result of this consummation was shown J in the fact that in the great mutiny of 1857, that province remained, faithful to British rule, and contributed largely to the preservation of our Indian empire. In 1856 Sir 3. Lawrence was made a K.C.B. in reward of his services as Chief Commissioner of the Punjaub, and was advanced to the r dignity of * Gr.C.B. (civil) m 1857, for his zeal, intrepidity, and energy in tiding the military authorities to suppress the formidable revolt. He was created a baronet August 16, 1858, ■worn a member of the Privy Council! and on the creation of the Order of the Star of India, was made K.S.I. In December, 1863, he succeeded the late Lord Elgin as Governor-General of India, an appointment which gave gtt*b satisfaction both in this country aod in India. He was made a member 'of the ladian Council, and the Codrt df Directors of the East-India , Qopi-

pany granted him a life pension df £2,000 per annum, which, by a special act (27 \ic. c. 2), he was empowered to hold with his full salary as Viceroy of India. On March 27, 1869, he waß raised to the House of Peers by thjß title of Baron Lawrence, of the Punjjaub, and of Grately, in the county of Southampton. Lord Lawrence, whja has received the honorary degrees df B.C L. and L.L.D. from tbe Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, is knowh as an earnest advocate of a more open Christian course in the government df India ; and espeaially of making the Bible a class-book in the Government schools, but allowing the attendance of the native pupils to be voluntary. A£ the first elections for the London Schoql Board in 1870, be was chosen for the Chelsea division, and at the first meeti* ing of the Board he was elected itfe chairman. !