The North-East Frontier Policy of Sir John Lawrence (1864-1868)
By Dharm Pal
Summary
This comprehensive article analyses Sir John Lawrence’s policy towards the tribes on India’s north‑east frontier between 1864 and 1868. Lawrence adopted a policy of conciliation, offering subsidies to tribes such as the Angami Nagas and erecting a chain of frontier outpostsfile:///home/oai/redirect.html#:~:text=The%20North,tribal%20sections%2C%20Angami%2C%20Sema%2C%20Aok. Punitive expeditions were authorised only when raids became intolerable. The article discusses debates among British officers: some saw subsidies as ‘black mail’ and urged annexation, while others argued that military campaigns were costly and ineffectivefile:///home/oai/redirect.html#:~:text=106%20The%20North,51. Difficulties in Abor territory, including dense forests and fierce resistance, are describedfile:///home/oai/redirect.html. The author notes that although conciliation sometimes failed when tribes resumed raiding, outright conquest was impractical. After Lawrence’s retirement, policy shifted towards firmer control. The article concludes that a combination of subsidies, occasional expeditions and political outposts was the only viable strategyfile:///home/oai/redirect.html.
Conclusion
The article demonstrates that Sir John Lawrence pursued a policy of conciliation—subsidising tribes and avoiding annexation—to maintain peace on the north‑east frontierfile:///home/oai/redirect.html#:~:text=The%20North,tribal%20sections%2C%20Angami%2C%20Sema%2C%20Aok. Though criticised, this approach was cheaper and less destructive than military campaigns. The author argues that a balanced strategy combining subsidies, occasional expeditions and frontier outposts was the only feasible policy given the terrain and limited resourcesfile:///home/oai/redirect.html.