Introduction
Lord Dufferin was a well-known Victorian socialite and British government official. Today, he is best renowned for being one of history’s most influential diplomats. He achieved the apex of his diplomatic career in 1884 when he became the eighth Viceroy of India. Lord Dufferin served as Viceroy and Governor-General of India from 1884 until 1888.
Significant Events During His Tenure
1886: Third Burmese War
Lord Dalhousie had seized the lower Burma, but King Thebau was in charge of the upper Burma, which was still a sovereign nation.
- With the French, he had signed a trade agreement and personally received and honoured their representative. This sparked British concerns about the growing French influence in Burma.
- In addition, the King ordered the arrest of company officials and levied a hefty punishment against the Bombay Burma Trading Company.
- Lord Dufferin asked the King to conduct a thorough investigation before taking any action. King, though, turned down the proposal.
Incident In Panjdeh (1885)
This episode took place in 1885 as a result of Russia’s ongoing policy of expanding into Afghanistan.
- In 1884, Russians took control of Merv Oasis and afterwards claimed Panjdeh. Russia and the United Kingdom both began preparing for war since it might break out at any moment.
- However, Lord Dufferin’s diplomatic efforts, which succeeded in securing a settlement, prevented the war.
Foundation Of Congress, 1885
Allan Octavian Hume Obtained The Viceroy’s Consent In May 1885 to establish an “Indian National Congress” that would be associated with the government and serve as a forum for the expression of Indian public opinion.
- Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee presided at the opening meeting. Congress adopted a resolution during this session calling for council reforms and expressing unhappiness with the current structure of governance.
- Following the adoption of this resolution, Lord Dufferin created a committee to oversee council changes, which led to the passage of the Indian Councils Act in 1892. In India, this law established the idea of representation.
Evaluation Of His Tenure
Dufferin encountered a psychological and political dilemma as Lord Ripon’s successor. While the Anglo-Indians also loathed Ripon, the Indians had unmatched warmth and affection for him.
- They viewed him as a rebel. Dufferin was in a difficult situation since he required the support of both the locals and the Anglo-Indians to rule effectively.
- However, the reform ambitions of his predecessor, Lord Ripon, caused a rift between the two communities at the time.
- He must work to win back the support of his neighbourhood while also assuaging the anger brought on by white racial conceit. In this, he was incredibly successful.
- Due to his diplomacy expertise, Dufferin could subdue the racial tension and enthusiasm that the Ilbert Bill had caused.
- Because he is a diplomat rather than an administrator, his government has been appropriately called “an imperial embassy rather than an orthodox government.”
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Conclusion
Lord Dufferin earned a lot of respect as a scholar. After leaving public life, he rose to the positions of Rector of Edinburgh and St. Andrew’s and President of the British Geographical Society. Due to his personal enlightenment, Dufferin was awarded various honorific titles, including DCL, LLD, FRS, and Doctor of Oriental Learning (Punjab University).
