Sends report on Orissa famine; all quiet in India; hill tribe in Peshawar valley has yielded; has some anxiety regarding Burma; have prevented Burmese mission to France from proceeding until instructions received from Northcote by telegram.
Refers to Northcote's letter of 3 April; take-over of Bank of Bombay by Bank of Bengal; explains at length why he opposes recognition of Maharaja of Mysore's adoption of heir and favours annexation, but will carry out Northcote's instructions whatever they may be.
Refers to Northcote's letter of 10 April; Indian financial position; views on loans; difficulty of raising new taxation in India where 'the Englishman … practically considers it his prerogative … to pay no taxation at all'; believes Income Tax would be better solution than Licence Tax 'for it wil...
Refers to Northcote's letter of 26 April; Miss Carpenter's proposals for Female Normal Schools will be considered; officers' claims; queries received from Parliamentary Committee regarding employment of Indian troops in colonies; difficulties of this proposal; if colonies such as Canada provided ...
Refers to Northcote's letter of 17 May; probable need for naval force to police Indian Sea; employment of Indian troops in colonies delicate matter; question of bonus for local officers whom nothing will fully satisfy and who have acquired habit of making out grievances.
Refers to Northcote's letter of 15 May; comments on character of Bengal administration and economic and social condition of Bengal; thinks condition of mass of people worse than in former times; drought of 1865-66 caused famine in Orissa and great distress elsewhere – e.g. children in border dist...
Needs to learn Northcote's views and wishes on several matters; refers to Northcote's letter of 23 May; believes annexation of Mysore has benefited mass of people; some aspects of British rule bear hardly on people, but Lawrence affirms 'that the benefits of our system are great and palpable; and...
Refers to Northcote's letter of 18 May; concessions for army officers; [refers to Northcote's letter of 3 June]; proposed rise in pay of British troops in India gives opportunity to put system on simpler footing.
Acknowledges Northcote's letters of 24 and 26 June; strongly favours appointment of Judge Advocate General but equally opposes his inclusion in Council; basic need is for barrister who 'is a gentleman, and who would generally be believed to act impartially and be in a thoroughly independent posit...