The Cutch Agency was one of the agencies of British India. The appointed Political Agent looked after only one territory, that of the princely state of Cutch, which had a surface of 19,725 square kilometres (7,616 sq mi), not including the Rann of Kutch.
| Cutch Agency | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agency of British India | |||||||
| 1819–1924 | |||||||
 Map of the Cutch Agency area | |||||||
| Area | |||||||
• 1901 | 19,725 km2 (7,616 sq mi) | ||||||
| Population | |||||||
• 1901 | 488,022 | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 1819 | ||||||
• Formation of the Western India States Agency | 1924 | ||||||
| |||||||
The agency's headquarters were at Bhuj,[1] where the Political Agent used to reside. He reported to the Political Department office at Bombay, Bombay Presidency.[2]
History
editThe agency was formed in 1819 when Cutch State became a British protectorate.[3]
Captain James MacMurdo was first appointed Political Agent, as Collector and Resident of Cutch. He worked from his office at Anjar[4] while the capital of Cutch State was located away at Bhuj.
The progressive prosperity of Cutch was devastated by the famine of 1899-1900,[3] which was felt everywhere with extreme severity; between 1891 and 1901 the population of the state of Cutch decreased from 558,415 inhabitants in 1891 to 488,022 in 1901, owing to the famine.[5]
On 10 October 1924 the Cutch Agency was abolished and merged into the Western India States Agency.[6][1] [7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b The Indian Year Book, Volume 11 by Bennett, Coleman & Company, 1924,pp:151-152
- ^ Sessional Papers - Volume 31, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons published by H.M. Stationery Office, 1900 - Page 464
- ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 669–670.
- ^ Gazetteer, Volume 5 By Bombay (India : State). 1880. p. 268. Retrieved 20 September 2014.
- ^ The Imperial Gazetteer of India, British India Office.
- ^ The India Office and Burma Office List by Harrison and sons, Limited, 1922- Page 393
- ^ The Indian and Pakistan Year Book , Volume 23. 1936. p. 172.