Mss Eur F699/1/2/2/84

Contains docketed sets of papers, numbered 2001 to 2025, consisting of correspondence, relating to applications for posts and other matters. These papers were originally included in one bundle of one hundred docketed sets of papers, labelled ‘No. 21 Private Secretary’s Correspondence, Nos. 2001 to 3000’. Each numbered set of papers usually consists of an original letter sent to the Private Secretary to the Governor General, or to the Governor General, a copy of the reply from the Private Secretary, Gerald Chetwynd Talbot, and any other papers. In addition, for each set of papers, either on the back of the original letter, or on a separate sheet of paper, is written the number of the set of papers, the year, the name of the writer of the original letter, the official position and location of the sender, the date the letter was despatched, the date it was received, the date it was answered, any cross references to other papers, and a brief summary of the letter. Numbers 2002, 2004, 2004a, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 have a red cross on them, to indicate that they ‘may be preserved’, whilst ‘the rest may be destroyed’.

2001. May 1857. Letter from Mr R Simson, Under Secretary to the Foreign Department Calcutta

Replies about Mr Hamilton, he may be a merchant.

2002. May 1857. Letter from Mr J R Mackenzie, 'Phoenix' Office, Calcutta. Requests to be informed if the report, now current, is correct that telegraphic intelligence of the fall of Delhi has been received that morning. Copy of reply, no such message received.

2003. May 1857. Letter from Mr W J Browne, Head Assistant in charge of Electric Telegraph Office, Calcutta. With reference to the Governor General's message to Lord Elphinstone, states that no message from the Governor General is detained at the Telegraph Office for more than 10 minutes if it can possibly be helped. All his messages are transmitted even in case of interruption, to wait at the office from which interruption has taken place, and thence forwarded immediately communication is restored. Copy of 3 letters from Private Secretary to the Superintendent of Electric Telegraph forwarding a message to Lord Elphinstone to communicate with Sir J Outram, which is to be forwarded the instant that the interruption to the Electric Telegraph ceases.

2004. May 1857. Anonymous letter. Refers to the paucity of European troops in India, and suggests that every available European be sent up to Benares.

2004a. May 1857. Copy of a letter to Mr W C Hurry, Editor of the 'Englishman'. Forwarding information, undated, from the Punjab. The Native Infantry at Ferozepore had mutinied; the entrenchments and magazines were safe. Many of the 57th Native Infantry were coming in and giving up their arms, but the 45th Native Infantry were being fired upon wherever found. Only 1 casualty among British; 10th Cavalry loyal. Note of a similar communication to the 'Phoenix'.

2005. May 1857. Letter from Lieutenant James Emerson, 26 Native Infantry Cantonment Joint Magistrate, Dinapore. Further to his refusal of an Assistant Commissionership in Prome. Copy of earlier letter suggesting his nomination. Telegraph Message received number 174.

2006. Mar 1857. Letter from Major C Davidson, Resident at Baroda. Replies to private letters on the subject of his appointment to the Hyderabad Residency, and also about John and Willie Orr. See also 1636, Telegraph Message sent number 96; Telegraph Message received number 86.

2007. May 1857. Letter from Mr W J Browne, Head Assistant in charge, Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. In reply, no copies of messages from the Governor General are sent to any of the Public Secretaries, but copies of all messages received at the Telegraph Office connected with the occurrences in the North West Provinces addressed to His Lordship are sent to the Secretary to the Government Home Department by order of the Deputy Superintendent of the Bengal Circle. Copy of earlier letter asking for this information. Copy of reply, 31st May, no copies of messages to the Governor General are to be sent to the Home Secretary.

2008. May to June 1857. Mr C Steer, Commissioner of Chittagong. States that the soldiers at Chittagong have been well behaved, but the community have been in dread of them. Everything in the station is going on as usual. Memorandum about this. See also 1772.

2009. May 1857. Letter from Mr T D Green, Cossitollah. Renews his request for money. See also 1976, 2103.

2009a. May 1857. Copy of a letter to the Superintendent of Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. Asking for immediate notification when the communication between Agra and Gwalior is restored. See also 2014a.

2010. June 1857. Letter from Mr H R FitzGerald, Calcutta. Asks for an appointment, or some money. Two 1 anna stamps. Copy of reply, refused.

2011. April to June 1857. Letter from Mr William Dent, East India House, London. Submits a copy of a letter addressed by him to Mr Halliday on the subject of railways for India. Copy of letter of Charles Freshfield to Colonel Sykes Chairman of the Court of Directors of Honourable East India Company printed for private circulation by the Directors of the Oudh Railway Company.

2012. May to July 1857. Letter from Mr Charles Phillips, Head Clerk, Pegu Commissioner's Office, Rangoon. Asks for an appointment as Extra Assistant Commissioner at Prome. Copy of reply, application noted. See also 2229.

2013. May 1857. Letter from Mr Longueville [?] Clarke, Calcutta. Announces for the Governor General’s information that he has just despatched a requisition to the papers calling a meeting of the free masons in Calcutta for the 20^th to tender their support to the Government in the present crisis.

2014. May to June 1857. Letter from Mr J M Hamilton, Calcutta. Offers his services to assist the Government to find a solution of the causes of the present feeling. Copy of reply, declined. See also 2001.

2015. May 1857. Letter from Mr Longueville Clark, Calcutta. Announces that he has just sent a notice to the papers calling a meeting of the Freemasons to tender their support to the Government. See also 1967, 1980.

2014a. May 1857. Copy of a letter to the Superintendent of Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. Demands instant explanation of the delay in reporting the restoration of communication between Gwalior and Agra. See also 2009a.

2015. May 1857. Letter from Mr W J Browne, Head Assistant in Charge, Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. Explains that the Governor General's message to Lord Elphinstone of 19 May about a steamer for Ceylon was received at 9:00pm and despatched at 5:10am the following day. The delay in transit was caused by the Bogoda station being compelled to close office owing to confined heavy night work and a shortage of signallers. Copy of reply of 2 Jun, asking Electric Telegraph to find out where this message has been mislaid, immediately. See also 2016. Telegraph Messages Sent number 138.

2016. June 1857. Letter from Mr G O'Donnel, Deputy Superintendent of Electric Telegraph, Bengal, Calcutta. The message referred to in the preceding [2015] has been traced as far as Bombay, further information will follow. See also 2015. Telegraph Message sent number 131, 138, 168.

2017. June 1857. Letter from Mr W J Browne, Assistant in Charge, Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. 3 of the messages referred to had already been transmitted. These messages have now been stopped, and will be transmitted no further. See also 2018. Telegraph messages sent number 175, 176, 177.

2017a. May 1857. Copy of a letter to the Superintendent of Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. Asking him to report the restoration of communication with Bombay, interrupted between Akberpore and Mallizam.

2018. June 1857. Letter from Mr W J Browne, Assistant in Charge, Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. Returns the originals of 5 messages the transmission of which has been stopped (no longer enclosed). Memorandum from Lord Canning, that all the messages of this evening be stopped which relate to the Commander-in-Chief. See also 2017. Telegraph Messages Sent number 175, 176, 177.

2019. June 1857. Letter from Mr H Loftus, Ceylon Medical Student, Calcutta. Invites the Private Secretary to the Medical Students' dramatic entertainment. Copy of reply, he has a previous engagement.

2019a. June 1857. Copy of a letter to the Superintendent of Electric Telegraph, Calcutta. Enjoining secrecy among the subordinates of his Department as some news has become public before it was desirable that it should be generally known.

2020. June 1857. Letter from Captain D Robertson, Superintendent of Marine, Calcutta. Asks if he should engage the flat belonging to the Ganges Steam Company, which can carry more than 200 men, 2 letters. Memorandum that it is to be engaged.

2021. May to June 1857. Letter from Captain J H Wright, 1st Madras Native Infantry, Ex-officer Public works Department, Ghuttol. Suggests a law that whoever tampers with the soldiery or tries to incite them to mutiny should be answerable to military law. 2 letters. Copies of 2 replies, the deficiency in the law has now been remedied. See also 2022.

2022. June 1857. Letter from Captain J H Wright, 1st Madras Native Infantry. Further to the above. See also 2021.

2023. May to June 1857. Letter from Major Ramsay, Resident at Nepal. About a proposal made to him by Major Holmes, Commanding at Segowlee, suggesting that he should call upon Jung Bahadoor to send a Gurkha regiment to help keep the peace at Patna and in the Tirhoot District; sends copy of his reply, no Gurkhas to be asked for at present. Copy of reply, the Governor General entirely approves of Ramsay's reply. Also Memorandum. See also 2024, 2033. Governor General's Book Number 479.

2024. May to June 1857. Letter from Major G Ramsay, Resident at Nepal. Forwards a copy of Major Holmes' reply to his letter about the Ghurkhas, and submits his observations. See also 2023, 2033. Governor General's Book number 479.

2024a. June 1857. Copy of reply to P W Le Geyt Esquire. About Mr Mildmay.

2025. June 1857. Letter from Mr C Rose, Port Master at Raneegunge. Submits a bill for the expenses of despatching the Private Secretary's horse to Calcutta.