nterests in India. There were,
however, many unfavourable reports raised of the mode in which the
negotiations were conducted which closed the war under Lord Hardinge, as
well as that which had just terminated. These created dissatisfaction in
England, and led to inquiries in parliament; the questions which excited
most attention in the country referred to the appropriation of the
celebrated Koh-i-noor diamond, and the new regulations about _batta_,
which caused discontent in the Sepoy army.

On the 3rd of July, in the House of Lords, the Earl of Ellenborough
moved for papers explanatory of the circumstances under which the crown
had granted to the Court of Directors of the East India Company, or
to the army in India, property conquered from the enemy; the question
involved being with reference to the confiscation of the property taken
in the district of Lahore, including the Koh-i-noor diamond, which the
governor-general had agreed by treaty should be appropriated to the
liquidation of the accumulated debt due by one of the states to the
Indian government, instead of devolving to the crown as booty, such
booty having always been granted to the armies since the year 1758, as
then decreed by patent. The noble earl concluded his speech in favour of
inquiry, by stating that, for every battle in India previous to those in
the Punjaub, a pecuniary reward, under the name of batta had been given,
but not so in the latter cases; and he implored their lordships and the
government, if they desired to retain the Indian territory, above all
things to do justice to the army.

The Marquis of Lansdowne detailed the circumstances under which the
property was acquired, explaining that Dhuleep Singh was not a prisoner,
but was treated as sovereign prince when the treaty was made, and
doubtless the governor-general considered himself at liberty to conclude
such a treaty, and dispose of the property obtained from the state of
Lahore in any way which he thought best for the government of India.
The subject, however, should be reconsidered in reference to its legal
matters.

The Duke of Wellington defended the governor-general from, the implied
suspicion of a want of attention to the merits of the Indian army,
entered into some technical explanations as to the treaty, and suggested
that the subject should be left in the hands of the government at home,
and the governor-general in India, to settle the question of booty
(there being immovab