ABSTRACT
THE large tract of country known as the Central Provinces of India has an area of nearly ninety thousand square miles, and a population of over nine millions. 290 It came under British Rule at different dates. In the last Mahratta war, which took place in 1817, the troops of the Raja of Nagpur attacked the British force at Sitabaldi, but were repulsed with loss. The Raja disclaimed any connection with his rebellious troops, and cemented his friendship with the British by the cession of the Sagor and Narbada Territories, which thus came under British Rule in 1818. Subsequently, Lord Dalhousie annexed the State of Sambalpur on the death of the Raja in 1849 without an heir; and in 1853 he annexed the State of Nagpur, on the demise of its ruler, the claims of the adopted heir being set aside. All these scattered territories, with the exception of Sambalpur, were united under one Administration by Lord Canning in November 1861, and were henceforth called the Central Provinces of India. And Sambalpur was added in 1862. It is necessary to say a few words here on the early administration of these separate tracts, previous to their union in 1861 and 1862.
