Mss Eur F111/161

This volume comprises printed copies of correspondence, dated 3 January-31 December 1902, of Lord Curzon of Kedleston, Viceroy and Governor-General of India, primarily with: Lord George Hamilton, Secretary of State for India; Lord Salisbury, Prime Minister (up to 11 July 1902); Mr Balfour (Arthur James Balfour), Prime Minister (from 12 July 1902); Lord Lansdowne, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; and Sir Arthur Godley, Permanent Under-Secretary of State for India. The other main correspondent is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for India (the Earl of Hardwick up to 8 August 1902, succeeded by the Earl Percy). The letters were printed by the press of the Private Secretary to the Viceroy.

The beginning of the volume contains a detailed index of names, places and subjects (ff 4-29). This is followed by letters to Lord Curzon, numbered 1-106 (ff 30-241) and letters from Lord Curzon, numbered 1-101(ff 244-470). Letters to Lord Curzon sometimes include enclosures which are printed in full. Enclosures in letters from Lord Curzon are not printed in full, only describing the sender, type of document (e.g. letter, extract of a newspaper) and the date.

A wide variety of subjects are covered, notably the following:

• The Aden Protectorate
• The East coast of Africa
• Matters relating to Afghanistan, including the Amir [Amīr Ḥabībullāh Khān] and Russian relations with Afghanistan
• The Indian Army and military matters
• Matters relating to British India, including affairs in, and rulers of, Assam, Baroda [Vadodara], Bengal, Berar [also known as the Hyderabad Assigned Districts], Bombay [Mumbai], Calcutta [Kolkata], the Central Provinces [a province of British India that covered present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states], Delhi, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Madras [Chennai], Mahsud [also known as Mehsood or Maseed] territory (notably the blockade of), Mysore [also known as Mysuru], the North-West Provinces
• Affairs in British Burma [Burma/Myanmar]
• Affairs in China
• The famine in India
• Financial and administrative matters relating to India
• Matters relating to the frontiers of British India
• Recommendations and awards of Honours of the United Kingdom to the British Indian Army and Government and to indigenous Indian rulers and dignitaries
• Matters relating to King Edward VII in connection with the British Indian Empire
• British policy in Koweit [Kuwait]
• Affairs in Muscat
• Matters relating to Persia [Iran], including: British policy towards Persia; Persian relations with Russia; Persian Gulf matters; and affairs in Seistan [Sistan]
• Construction and extension of railways in British India and Burma, in China and East Africa
• British relations with Russia in connection with Central Asia
• British policy towards Siam [Thailand]
• British taxation policies in India
• Management of telegraphic communications
• British policy towards Tibet
• Progress of the war in the Transvaal [Second Boer War 1899-1902]
• Matters relating to the activities of the Viceroy of India
• The War Office’s relations with the Government of India.