Bayley, Sir Steuart Colvin

Bayley, Sir Steuart Colvin (1836-1925) civilian and Lieutenant Governor of Bengal (1887-1890). Steuart Colvin Bayley was the youngest son of William Butterworth Bayley, a Bengal civilian, acting Governor General (1828) and director of the east india company. Educated at Eton and haileybury college, Colvin Bayley joined Indian Civil Service in 1856. Before he became Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, Steuart Colvin held the positions of Commissioner of Chittagong Division (1871-72), Secretary to the Government of Bengal (1877), Secretary to the Government of India (1878), officiating Lieutenant Governor of Bengal and Commissioner of Assam (1878-79), Resident at Hyderabad (1881) and Member of the Governor General's Council (1882-1886). Bayley became Lieutenant Governor of Bengal on 2 April 1887.

Like most other members of the colonial government, Steuart Colvin was a believer in status quo and keeping the day-to-day affairs of the government regular and up-dated. He was not inclined to invite disaffection and criticism by bringing changes in the given state of governance. He strongly believed that peace lay in stability and not in changes. His regime was marked by the devastating cyclone of 25 May 1887, several raids of the tribal people of chittagong hill tracts into adjacent districts, raids of the Lushai tribes (1889-90), Calcutta Municipal Act of 1888 and most importantly, beginning of the survey and settlement operations in Bengal districts.

On leaving India, Bayley became Secretary in the Political Department at the India Office (1890-1895) and became a member of the India Council (1895). He died on 3 June 1925. [Sirajul Islam]