Foster can stay longer; recommends Grant '(the Nile traveller'); leakage of purported secret letter of appointment from Durand to Davies which is inconsistent with Lawrence's letters.
Mischievous article in Indian newspaper predicting annexation of Kashmir; policy in Central Asia and Afghanistan; suggests succession tax – 'a sort of legal and authorized nuzzerana'; suggests slower rate of progress on building barracks, but not reducing space of rooms; Trevelyan's use of cash b...
Acknowledges Lawrence's letters of 25 and 27 July and 1 August; on Mysore, effect of Raja's adoption of heir should be disallowed except as to private property; enquires regarding precedents of paramount power disallowing adoption; appointment of Adjutant-General; route into Bhutan; will have to ...
Acknowledges Lawrence's letter of 14 August; on Bhutan, would make only moderate annual payment in respect of Duars; pleased at good relations with Mansfield and Frere.
Denison's criticism of scheme to fortify railway stations, alleging that it involves scattering troops; Wood's conception was for something to facilitate defence as at siege of Arrah during Mutiny.
Acknowledges Lawrence's letters of 29 and 31 August and 1 September; agreeable to find so little happening in India that there is not much to write about; will give Aitchison his money; artillery reductions; thinks Madras Army may be less suited to irregular system of officering than Bengal or Bo...
[Refers to Lawrence's letters of 12, 18 and 20 September]; Roberts not suitable to fill Hawkins' vacancy; irrigation works should be financed partly from revenue, partly by borrowing; intention to borrow should not be announced in advance (which creates less favourable conditions) and Lawrence mu...
Is not allowed to write much; will not stop any expenditure on barracks which can be defrayed from revenue; favours Govt undertaking irrigation works, but is not prepared to announce large loan; would be well to stop Sir Jung Bahadur's visit.
Is averse to altering artillery arrangements unless substantial saving can be made; artillery 'is the arm in which it is desirable to be strong in India'; there should be excess of artillery over normal peace time establishment since, because it is European, it cannot be increased rapidly; deprec...