Madras States Agency
Madras States Agency was an agency of British India. Founded in 1923, it consisted of the five princely states of Banganapalle, Cochin, Pudukkottai, Sandur and Travancore. Prior to 1923, the five states have been subject to the government of the Madras Presidency which was represented in each state by a resident usually the District Collector of a neighbouring Madras district. When in 1923, all the states were brought under the direct control of the Government of India, the individual residencies were abolished and replaced with a single unitary agency responsible to the Governor-General of India. The agency was abolished when India became independent in 1947. Between 1947 and 1950, the Madras states with the exception of Travancore and Cochin were merged with the neighbouring districts of Madras Province.
The agent was based in Trivandrum, the capital of Travancore. He supervised the foreign relations of the princely states and their relationship with the Central government in New Delhi.
Agents
| # | Name | Took Office | Left Office | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C. W. E. Cotton | 26 June 1923 | 4 May 1926 | 1 |
| 2 | H. A. B. Vernon (acting) | 4 May 1926 | 11 November 1926 | 1 |
| 3 | C. W. E. Cotton | 9 November 1926 | 18 April 1928 | 2 |
| 4 | C. G. Croswaithe | 19 April 1928 | 4 December 1929 | 1 |
| 5 | A. N. L. Cater | 4 December 1929 | 20 October 1930 | 1 |
| 6 | H. R. N. Pritchard | 20 October 1930 | 21 November 1932 | 1 |
| 7 | Donald Muyle Field | 21 November 1932 | 22 February 1935 | 1 |
| 8 | W. A. M. Garstin | 22 February 1935 | 19 November 1936 | 1 |
| 9 | Clairmont Percival Skrine | 19 November 1936 | 1 April 1937 | 1 |
Residents
On 1 April 1937, the Madras States Agency was converted into a residency and on 1 January 1939, the princely states of Banganapalle and Sandur was transferred to the Mysore Residency.