Barlow, Sir George

Sir George Barlow

Barlow, Sir George (1762-1847) Bengal civilian, provisional Governor General of fort william in Bengal from October 1805 to July 1807 and Governor of Madras from 1808 to 1813. George Barlow joined the Company civil service in 1778. During the regime of cornwallis, he worked as secretary of the board of revenue. He played a significant role in drafting the rules and regulations of the permanent settlement. In 1796, Barlow became chief secretary of the Supreme Government of Calcutta and a member of the Council from October 1801.

On the sudden death of Cornwallis on 5 October 1805, Barlow was made provisional Governor General. He held the post until Lord Minto, the regular Governor General, joined in July 1807. In recognition of his laudable services during the regimes of Cornwallis, john shore and wellesley, Barlow was honoured with a baronet in 1803.

George Barlow was made Governor of Madras presidency in December 1807. But the temperament, which had served him well in Bengal, became a burden for him in Madras, where government was more democratically structured. He could not manage the army well, particularly because, the Military department was both unmanageable and corrupt. Corruption in the military department affected the civil service as well. Barlow was determined to bring discipline in the Madras army and civil service. He tried to take action against those found guilty in corruptions. But the vested interests were too powerful and organised to make his reform measures effective. Soon he picked a quarrel with the principal officers of the civil and military services. Army mutinied against him and consequently, to bring the situation under control, the court of directors recalled him in 1813 from Madras. George Barlow died in February 1847. [Sirajul Islam]