Sends memorial just received from Cotton Supply Association; suggests general instruction to Collectors might be given to promote agricultural improvements; Mayo's planned Agricultural Dept might issue such instructions and receive reports.
Despatch on local cesses [i.e. taxes or rates] is being sent which it approves provided they are levied on all landowners with interest in the soil, and not just zamindars; also states opinion they should be levied on all immovable property, not just land; sees some Bengal regiments have been con...
Question whether persons having CB should also be eligible for CSI; even if opium revenue does not fail, believes new source of revenue will be required and suggests tobacco excise; need for reduction in expenditure.
New Indian Agricultural Dept should be created from existing materials to avoid expense; danger that new Dept will favour sectional interests regardless of tax considerations, and will also ally with British mercantile interests which always press their own objects without any regard to Indian ne...
Sistan arbitration; disagrees with Mayo's suggestion that relations with Persia should be transferred from British Foreign Office to Govt of India – their connection with relations with Russia makes this impossible; all foreign relations beyond immediate frontier powers should be under FO; would ...
W H Sykes (former East India Company Chairman) carried address in Commons on compensation for bonus payments for Indian Army officers which will necessitate enquiry whether terms of promise by Lord Cranborne in 1866 (when Secretary of State for India) have been properly fulfilled; impossible to m...
Admiralty to provide permanent squadron for Persian Gulf to be at disposal of Govt of India which will also be able to call on other ships in Indian seas for special service; if this service is really performed, it will be cheap at cost of £70,000.
Possibility adumbrated in Gladstone's speech in Commons that Indian financial year should be altered; while Argyll thinks it undesirable that Commons should think it can revise Indian budget, it might be possible to make general statement on Indian Finance based on actual figures for past year ra...
Refers to Mayo's letters of 14 and 23 July regarding latter's wish to remove Sir R Temple from Finance membership; accepts that loss of Mayo's confidence is reason in itself; discusses and dismisses popular arguments against him; believes whole objection to him stems from objection to Income tax;...