( १२४ ) मल्हारराव महाराज गायकवाड यांचा खरा इतिहास. `पत्रव्यवहारा विषयीं इंडिया सरकारास जाण न करणें या गोष्टी त्यांस अशा वेळीं कामावरून काढण्यास कारणीभूत झाल्या आहेत. कमिशन नेमण्यापूर्वीच कर्नल फेर यांच्या समजदारीविषयीं, मनमिळाऊ स्वभावा- विषयों, आणि ज्या गोष्टी त्यांस करावयाच्या होत्या त्यांच्या कदरदारीपणाविषयों गवरनर जनरल यांस पुष्कळ संशय आला होता. परंतु असें मानण्यांत आळें होतें की, कर्नल फेर यांजवर मुंबईसरकारचा विश्वास आहे आणि गवरनर जनरल पांस असे वाटले कीं, कमिशनचा रिपोर्ट आणि त्याजवर सरकारांनी दिलेले स्पष्ट आणि cated by the Gaekwar's request for his removal, and by the attempt take his life by poison. Much as the Governor-General in Council regrets that this atrocious at- tempt was made, he cannot consider that the question of the propriety of Colonel Phayre's removal at the time it was ordered is affected by it. Information of the attempt to poison Colonel Phayre was first received here in your telegram of 13th November. But in fact (as His Excellency and the Governor of Bombay must be aware from the Viceroy's telegram of 12th November), before information of it was received, the Governor-General in Council had already seen, even in the incomplete collection of papers which was at that time in his possession, sufficient to convince him that it would be necessary to send another officer to Baroda in place of Colonel Phayre. The papers subsequently received on 23rd November, in answer to the request con- veyed in my telegram of the 11th of November, disclosed so serious a state of offairs that, in the opinion of the Governor-General in Council, Colonel Phayre's immediate removal from office was imperatively demanded in the public interests. He was ac- cordingly removed by orders of 25th November. The apparent coincidence of his re- moval with the events referred to was unfortunate. His Excellency in Council, however, has no fear that his action in regard to affairs Baroda will be viewed by Native Chiefs as a proof of weakness; but under any circumstances he would not permit such a consideration to deter him from discharging his duty and taking measures which the interests of the public service in any case appear to him to demand. With respect to the injurious effect which, it is feared, the removal of Col. Phayre may have on the political service generally, His Excellency the Governor-General in Council does not entertain any apprehensions on that account. It is the earnest desire of the Governor-General in Council to give every support to his officers who are placed in positions of difficulty and to whom delicate and important duties are entrusted. Such support will be readily accorded them so long as their proceedings are guided by the instructions conveyed to them. But the removal of an officer who not only misunder- stands the spirit of his instructions but violates their plain meaning and letter, who fails to see his errors when they are pointed out, and who is censured in such terms as those quoted in paragrapa 7 of their letter, is calculated to have a salutary rather than an injurious effect; and His Excellency in Council wishes it to be understood that he will not hesitate to remove from an appointment any officer, whoever he may be, who ignores his instructions in the manner Colonel Phayre has done, The Governor-General in Council regrets that the Bombay Government should have characterized the orders of the Government of India as unjustly severe towards Colonel Phayre. I am to remind you that before the papers called for in my tele- gram of 11th November were received, an opportunity to resign was given to Colonel Phayre, of which he did not avail himself, and the Governor-General in Council can see no injustice in removing an officer from an appointment for which he is admitted by the local Government to be unfit, and who disregards the plain instructions of the Government of India.", (Blue book No. 4 Pp. 98-100 sections 4-11),
