Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/198

190 was unable to persist in defending the place more than fifteen hours .'

It will be remembered that the Indian Government was indebted to the Nawáb Wazír for the financial assistance he rendered during the Nepál war. Lord Hastings, whose inclinations led him to avoid interference in the internal affairs of native states, and who was specially disposed to treat this prince with the utmost forbearance, refrained from forcing reforms into Oudh, which were much needed, and contented himself with expostulations, which had no effect; a more rigorous course of action became necessary, but it was not adopted until the Governor-General had left India. The latter furthermore permitted the Nawáb to discard his old title of Wazír, or hereditary chief minister to the Mughal Emperor, for that of Padshah, or independent King of Oudh (1819), and sanctioned the change (which was not, however, to alter the relations subsisting between Lucknow and Calcutta), on the ground that it would benefit British interests, by dividing the Muhammadans among themselves, and by weakening the moral power of the house of Timúr, which nominally reigned at Delhi. The Nawáb's ambition was unfavourably received by his compeers, and when a similar dignity was offered to the Nizám, he rejected it, as to accept the honour was in his eyes an act of rebellion against the Emperor. Although the Court of Directors concurred in the policy of the Supreme Government, it is easy to see