His difficulties on taking office; opposes prohibition on export of grain from Orissa, but suggests Govt should buy what cultivators wish to export; is considering terms of loan to Irrigation Company.
Favours establishing experimentally at least one Female Normal School as proposed by Miss Carpenter; wishes to discuss reasons for his Mysore decision with Cranborne and Halifax before recording them; is inclined to oppose army reduction –'it is not safe to try how low we can go'; Duke of Cambrid...
Decision not to undertake any Abyssinian expedition this year; asks for Lawrence's view on Fitzgerald's opinion that Govt of India and more particularly Govt of Bombay needs naval force constantly available.
Abyssinian expedition and its timing; whole conduct of expedition to be placed in Napier's hands; Commons debate on Orissa famine critical of Beadon but sympathetic to Lawrence; cruel that famine should have occurred when India 'was under the charge of one so peculiarly distinguished for his affe...
Abyssinian expedition may necessitate recall of Parliament in November; risk that consequence of expedition may be to de-stabilise the country and thus encourage Egyptian interference; India will bear ordinary pay of troops, but all other costs of expedition will be borne by Home Govt; does not w...
Encloses report of Special Committee on reorganisation of Bengal Govt with note of his own (neither present); Council of India members should serve for 10 years but be eligible for re-appointment; expenditure of Indian revenues should not be subject to approval by Council of India, except for exp...