Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/69

Rh entangled by another and a troublesome question which required adjustment. He had here to deal with a disciplined and brave nation of mountaineers who threatened to make a descent upon the provinces lying close to the very seat of Empire. This nation, composed of men inured to hardships and trained to conquer, might easily arrest the schemes which were being formed for the thorough pacification of India; and hence the questions involved could not be adjourned and had to be dealt with at once.

Of minor problems there were of course many, and without counting those of greater importance which have already been alluded to, Lord Hastings says that he began his term of office with no less than five 'hostile discussions with native powers, each capable of entailing resort to arms.' Of these, four were amicably adjusted, and the fifth (the dispute with the Rájá of Rewá) was settled by a successful attack upon one of the strongholds of that prince. But in addition to all this, there were serious financial embarrassments to be faced, which threatened to interfere with the great work to be done in Central India. The resources of Bengal were running low, and the treasuries in the three Presidencies were nearly exhausted; there was and there had been a demand for money at home, and this demand had to be supplied; the rate of exchange was against India, and it was difficult to raise a loan. Economy had therefore been practised, and the military establishments had been reduced in a manner that alarmed the authorities in India. But financial difficulties,