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...
Possibility of finding new Finance Member from England who would be less vulnerable to jealousies of ICS colleagues; mentions three possible candidates; John Strachey able but very unpopular.
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.
Encloses letter from Sir W Seymour Fitzgerald (Governor of Bombay) concerning denial of pay to his son while in England, and right of Governor to have discretion in such a matter on which Argyll is inclined to agree.
Acknowledges Mayo's letter explaining that minutes and notes on military reductions which were somewhat offensive were not intended to be sent home at all; briefly discusses question; question of 'formidable forces' kept by States like Gwalior and Indore; desire for Commons Committee on India has...
If, as reported, Punjab Irrigation Act includes power to charge lands which do not use water - irrigable but not irrigated – it will probably be disallowed; on Gwalior, some Cabinet members strongly object to Mayo's proposal, Secret Committee of Council of India is much divided, and Mayo has not ...
Controversy in Council of India over proposed compulsory retirement of Col (later General Sir) Mowbray Thomson ( a 'hero of the Mutiny') because of certain indiscretions; association has been formed in England for defending officers' rights and Thomson's case just the sort which they could plausi...