Education of Abyssinian Prince; permanent settlements of land revenue in North-Western Provinces should make it clear that they do not preclude further local taxation; argument against permanent settlements has been difficulty of devising other means to tax wealth thus left in hands of individual...
Warmly approves Mayo's speech on Indian budget; factionalism gives Govt difficulties on Indian questions in Commons – absence of Sir Stafford Northcote in America means there is no-one on Conservative side on whom Govt can rely for help; in the Lords, Salisbury and Derby both treat Indian questio...
Refers to Mayo's letter of 10 April reporting atrocious mismanagement of Bills for local taxation in Legislative Council; Argyll more concerned at setting maximum percentage for local taxes; permanent settlements being made under Wood's despatch of 1862 and rapidly rising land values make princip...
Defends Napier from Mayo's complaints over his conduct regarding army reductions; in assessing Napier's views, Argyll makes allowances for Napier's indisposition to reduce; policy towards Afghanistan following fall of Herat to Amir's son Yaqub Khan; hopes to deal easily with Commons motions on Na...
Refers to Mayo's letter of 23 May; since civil service are apparently satisfied with decision on pensions, acquiesces in non-publication of despatch explaining it since Mayo states it would cause offence, but Argyll believes it will be necessary at some stage to make grounds of decision public; c...
Has disallowed Act on Weights and Measures because of its excessive compulsory powers over independent traders; only one member of his Council voted against disallowance; they have beaten Nawab [of Bengal] with aid of Mayo's friends [on a Commons motion]; radicals vote against Indian Govt as matt...