CHAPTER III

THE PANJAB {Panj five, Ah rivers) AND THE NORTH¬
WEST PROVINCES — MIAN-MIR — PESHAWAR
— MARDAN — GHAZI - UD - DIN — ALIGARH —
ROHILKHAND — ALLAHABAD — BADLI-KI-
SERAI

WHEN Lord Dalhousie annexed the land of the
Five Rivers (Panj-Ab) in 1849, Sir Henry
Lawrence was appointed President, and his younger
brother John (later Lord) Lawrence a member of the
Board of Administration, which in five years recon¬
structed the State, bringing order out of chaos, and
law out of anarchy. The land tax was reduced by
25 per cent.; and the old feudal system was abolished,
the land occupiers dealing directly with the Govern¬
ment, though grants of land for military services were
left undisturbed.

Sir Henry and John Lawrence, the mainsprings
of these blessings to the people, were great men in
every sense of the word, and as fearless as their father.
Major Lawrence, who volunteered for the storming
party at Seringapatam in 1799, and was severely
wounded and left for many hours as dead in the
breach where he fell. His sons, Henry and John, held
such antagonistic views that harmonious work was
impossible;- but Lord Dalhousie considered that
however   disagreeable   the   association   might   be   to