Buba
A total creep
Was it possible, with a different and/or more competent ruling clique after Ranjit's death, for the Skih Punjab and neighbourhood to remain independent? Or at least vassalised, like Afganistan or Nepal?
Somebody saner in London or Calcutta, instead of daydreaming nightmares of "masses of Russian grenadiers pouring into India through the Khyber Pass" (I wonder what people believeing THAT were taking, BTW) decides that a buffer between British India and the Afgan stonenagers plus like totally not cricket imperialist Russian expansionists is a Good Thing? CHEAPER!!!!!
Somebody saner in London or Calcutta, instead of daydreaming nightmares of "masses of Russian grenadiers pouring into India through the Khyber Pass" (I wonder what people believeing THAT were taking, BTW) decides that a buffer between British India and the Afgan stonenagers plus like totally not cricket imperialist Russian expansionists is a Good Thing? CHEAPER!!!!!