Page:Narratives of the Mission of George Bogle to Tibet (1879).djvu/90

 The eminent political services of Mr. Hodgson are a matter a of history; how, by his tact and intimate knowledge of Nepalese polities, he succeeded in substituting a friendly for a hostile administration; how he prevented a rupture with Nepal throughout the trying period of the Afghan war; and how his personal influence converted a concealed and dangerous enemy into a friend. Before his retirement, the Nepal Durbar placed the whole military force of the country at the disposal of the Governor-General.

Since our first relations with Nepal, in 1792, the English have had to deal exclusively with military Maires du Palais. The ablest, and he who had the longest tenure of power, was Bhim Sen Thappa. But he at last was overthrown and forced to commit suicide, in July 18388, after having been at the head of affairs for thirty years. Kala Panday, the new minister, commenced a series of hostile intrigues with native states in India, until Mr. Hodgson obtained a formal promise that these intrigues should cease. A nephew of the old minister Bhim Sen Thappa, named Mataber Sing, became Prime Minister in 1843, when Sir Henry Lawrence succeeded Mr. Hodgson as Resident. The supersession of Mr. Hodgson, in 1848, was a great blunder. His long experience, and the respect and friendship that were felt for him by the governing class in Nepal, rendered his continued tenure of office most important; while his abrupt and unwise recall put a stop to many valuable literary investigations, and has abridged the knowledge we should otherwise have had with more completeness respecting Nepal and Tibet. The minister, Mataber Sing, was murdered in 1845, the same year in which Sir Henry was succeeded by Mr. J. R. Colvin. The latter was followed by Major Thorsby, in 1847, and Major Ramsay was Resident from 1849 to 1868. Guggun Sing became Minister in 1845, and his murder, together with the massacre of