Is installed [sworn in on 12 March]; Canning has been friendly and communicative, but in accordance with previous practice has taken away all his private correspondence with Wood and others; has discussed financial position with Samuel Laing (Finance Member of Viceroy's Council) which appears sat...
Asks for clarification of Wood's reference to army reductions in his letter of 18 February; comments on surprising extent to which disputes between Government of India and Home Government, and interdepartmental disputes in India, are made public in the press; death of William Ritchie (Law Member ...
Laing goes home this mail on leave for medical reasons, and Elgin will leave it to him to explain measures for introduction of paper currency; comments on Laing and hopes he will return; in meantime Elgin will obtain insight into Finance Dept the better to assess Laing's schemes in future; last i...
Persons who have been 'trading on the fears of the people in Oude' are beginning to be detected, and Elgin has urged that every effort should be made to seize and punish them; is disgusted with 'military panic mongers' in the North West; notes folly of discussing, e.g. poisoning of Europeans (cur...
Panic is subsiding, and mention is now being made of enormous military superiority enjoyed by British; encloses article on subject by English newspaper conducted by natives; describes case of murder of native by British ex-soldier; notes delay and expense of judicial system when trial of European...
Need fill up vacancies in High Court; leave of absence due to climate, and language difficulty, combined with flood of appeals from mofussil, are causing arrears of work to mount; comments on George Campbell (Judicial Commissioner of Oudh) whom he has appointed to officiate in High Court while De...
Is upset at Wood's offhand dismissal of Government of India's plans for tramways and disputes that private enterprise will provide them without any Government aid; Wood's decision will deprive Indian industry of a means of development, and railways (in which Government has a large financial inter...
Does not think they differ much in opinion and hopes his frankness in correspondence will prevent discordance in action; as regards consideration of the natives, Elgin is always sides with weaker party, but still thinks grievances of stronger should be given fair hearing; discusses attitudes of E...