Nasir Khan, his heirs and successors, in the fulfilment of these
obligations, and on condition of faithful performance of them, the
British Government bound itself to pay to Mir Nasir Khan, his heirs and
successors, an annual subsidy of 50,000 Company's rupees. If, however,
the conditions required were not fulfilled year by year the Government
would stop the payment of the annual subsidy.
When Nasir Khan died in 1857, his brother, his son, and his half-brother
claimed the succession, and the latter, Khudadad Khan, a boy of ten, was
elected by the chiefs; but had it not been for the support given him by
the British Government, who for four successive years paid him an
additional 50,000 rupees besides the 50,000 stipulated in the agreement,
in order to help him to suppress the rebellious Marris tribe, he could
not have maintained his position.
The leading Kelat chiefs, dissatisfied with their ruler, elected Sherdil
Khan, Khudadad's cousin, as Khan of Kelat, but he was murdered the
following year, 1864, and the banished ruler reinstated in his former
position. Previous to his banishment, in 1862, a proper agreement was
signed defining the boundary line between British India and the Khan's
territory, but it was not till 1887 that matters regarding it were
absolutely settled.
One thing may be said for the Beluch, and that is that, barring a few
squabbles, they have in the main been friendly and faithful towards the
British.
On February 20th and March 23rd, 1863, a convention was entered into with
the Khan containing an additional clause for the extension of a telegraph
line through such of his dominions as lie between the western boundary of
the province of Mekran under the feudatory rule of the Jam of Beyla and
the eastern boundary of the territory of Gwadur, for the protection
(only) of which line, and those employed upon it, the Khan was to receive
an annual payment of 5,000 rupees, the whole sum to be expended among the
chiefs and people through whose country the line passed. It was
particularly stipulated that the sites on which British Government
buildings were to be erected should remain the property of the Khan.
Constant risings took place during the rule of Khudadad, and the Brahui
chiefs combined in an open rebellion in 1871. The Khan, being unable to
suppress the rising, demanded aid of the British. A mediation took place
in Jacobabad, their confiscated lands were restored to the Sardars, the
allowances
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