Encloses memorandum by Sir W Baker (Member, Council of India) on problems of narrow gauge for railways; Argyll's own 'hankering' is for standard gauge for Indus Valley and Frontier lines, and narrow gauge for all others; admittedly, if main danger is internal insurrection, then internal lines are...
Sends pamphlet entitled Is Irrigation necessary in Upper India? by Maj A F Corbett [see Mss Eur B380/5, ff354-60], advocating deeper ploughing in India.
Fowler's opinion that there will be virtually no saving by adopting narrow gauge on certain particular railway lines; leaving decision on this matter to Mayo unusual – 'questions of such magnitude being generally decided by Home Govt especially when referred to us' – but done in this case because...
Remonstrates against tone of several recent despatches and minutes from India; in proposing military reductions, Home Govt had in mind reductions in Commissariat and suchlike branches, and therefore not inconsistent to object to reducing manpower; objectionable for General (Sir) H Norman (Militar...
Refers to Mayo's letter of 13 November; premature publication of Mayo's agricultural despatch, and difficulty of maintaining secrecy among 15 members of Council of India; unanimous opposition from Council (which Argyll largely shares) to Govt of India'a Act on Weights and Measure which goes far b...
Nawab Nazim [of Bengal ?] and Mayo's wish that he should leave England – but despite his private conduct, he has right to stay; Weights and Measures Act – Argyll 'dreads' Act contemplating compulsion and penal consequences enforced by 'Wardens and Subwardens who will be natives. I fear this will ...
Approves severity with which Mayo has dealt with delinquents in Public Works Dept at Allahabad; is sure there is 'terrible quantity of fraud in the lower departments of the P.W.D. and of gross carelessness in the higher departments'; enclose another letter from William Fenwick claiming that procl...