When Swathi Thirunal appointed his tutor Subba Rao as
Dewan in 1830 AD, the then British Resident, Col. Morrison, had reported unfavourably
to the Madras Government and Mr. Lushington, the Governor of Madras, visited
Travancore in 1830 AD with the special object of inspecting the State and
forming his own opinions about Travancore affairs and the capabilities of
the reigning Prince. Swathi met Lushington at Quilon and had a long interview
with him. The conversation was carried on in English, a thing which the governor
had not expected, and the governor was extremely pleased with the thoughts
of the young Maharajah. The commanding appearance of the Prince and his knowledge
of the politics and administrations of other countries contributed in no small
measure to the excellent impression formed of him by Lushington. He was fully
satisfied of Swathi’s ability to rule the land and left Travancore highly
delighted with all he saw. But all the same, a prejudice was created and kept
up against the Maharajah in the minds of the Court of Directors for in their
Extract Political Letter to Bengal, dated 18th December, 1832, they wrote:-
“Our
relations with the state of Travancore therefore appear to us, as they existed
at the date your most recent communications, to have been in a state by no
means satisfactory. Upon authority indeed which Col. Morrison seems confidently
to rely on, it would seem that the country, which on the accession of the
Rajah was in a flourishing condition, was hastening to decline. Its affairs
we trust have receive in the mean time your watchful attention.”
“We
confide in your judgement and care for discovering and executing whatever
the exigencies of the case may require; and for that purpose we desire that
you will consider the management of Travancore affairs as specially entrusted
to you.