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186 aspirations of the Dutch free scope to develop. It may be added that about this time missions were sent to Siam and to Cochin China, to promote the expansion of British commerce in those regions, but little or no results followed these efforts at the time.

The security of trade in Asia was further established by the destruction of pirates, who from time immemorial infested the coasts of India and the approaches thereto. Several expeditions were fitted out for this purpose in 1819-20 to the Persian Gulf and to Arabia, and by the year 1822 the predatory fleets near the Indian shore from the Konkan to Cutch were suppressed, and the mischief they produced disappeared.

Returning to the continent of India, good relations were preserved all through Lord Hastings' administration with Ranjít Singh, the enlightened ruler of the Sikhs at Lahore. There was, however, a temporary difficulty with the Mírs of Sind, consequent upon affairs in Cutch which will be immediately noticed. The policy of the Governor-General was carefully to avoid all quarrels with tribes living beyond the Indus, as being quite outside the sphere of British operations. The differences with the Sind Mírs were adjusted by the moderation of the Bombay Government, November 1820, in a satisfactory and honourable manner, and peace was maintained on that frontier.

Affairs in Cutch had, however, been in disorder for