Mss Eur F699/1/2/2/155

Contains docketed sets of papers, numbered 5451 to 5500, 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. 55 Private Secretary’s Correspondence, Nos. 5401 to 5500’. 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, Lewin Bentham Bowring, 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 5451, 5453, 5455, 5456, 5457, 5460, 5461, 5465, 5466, 5467, 5471, 5472, 5473, 5480, 5481, 5482, 5490, 5492, and 5500 have a red cross on them, to indicate that they ‘may be preserved’, whilst ‘the rest may be destroyed’.

5451. May 1859. Letter from Dr F J Mouat, Inspector of Jails, Lower Provinces, Calcutta. Submits further information in favour of a tax on tobacco. Copy of reply, grateful acknowledgement. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 4967, 5001, 5006, 5123.

5452. May 1859. Letter from Baboo Taruck Nauth Ghose, Deputy Collector 3rd class under the Superintendent of Surveys 4th or Western Division, Burrisaul. Asks for the Private Secretary's influence in favour of his application to the Bengal Government, for the Deputy Collectorship in the 24th Pergunnahs. Copy of reply, request refused.

5453. May 1859. Copy of a letter to Lieutenant General the Honourable Sir James Outram. About the application of Mr Schilling to be Director of Public Instruction in the Punjab.

5454. May 1859. Letter from Mr S Lushington, Assistant to the Magistrate and Collector, Goruckpore. Asks to be informed of the result of his Memorial.

5455. May 1859. Letter from Mr G Couper, Secretary to Government North West Provinces, Allahabad. Forwards papers about the best means of levying new taxes (no longer enclosed). See Private Secretary Miscellaneous Bundle 34, item 780 [Mss Eur F699/1/2/6/84].

5456. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Mr C Wingfield, Chief Commissioner of Oudh, Lucknow. Refutes the statement that many settlements in Oudh were made temporarily with a promise of a future hearing which was never granted, and explains the circumstances which may have given rise to the report; hopes that the order of his predecessor with regard to the finality of the present settlement will meet with the Governor General's sanction and be promulgated with the weight of the Governor General's authority. There is a sufficient provision against any great wrong in the Circular addressed by Mr Montgomery to District Officers calling for a report in any case of special hardship with a view to a revision of the settlement order. Copy of reply about Lieutenant Grace. The Governor General has read the letter about the Oudh Settlement with interest; but still believes that where there was more than one claimant to Talookdarees, the settlement was in some instances made on the first man who presented himself, regardless of other claims. Private Secretary does not himself see how this could be avoided if the other claimants were persistent rebels. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence no. 5492.

5457. May 1859. Letter from Mr T Bason, a member of the firm of Tuttle and Charles, Commission Agent, and realizer of unclaimed dividends in the offices of Administrator General and Official Assignee, Calcutta. Forwards a letter from the 4th Prince of Nepal representing the hardships to which his mother, the Maharanee of Nepal, has been subjected by being stopped at the instigation of the 3rd Prince at Azimabad (?) whilst on her way to Calcutta to present herself to the Governor General and then to proceed to Juggurnauth, and praying for the Maharanee's release (letter no longer enclosed). Copy of reply to the 4th Prince of Nepal, Benares, his letter has been forwarded to the Foreign Department.

5458. May 1859. Letter from Rajah Bur Sing, brother of Rajah Ram Sing of Cheerapoonjee, Calcutta. Submits his grievances as to his dispossession of certain ancestral lands by the local authorities and the Government of Bengal and prays for redress. (Letter no longer enclosed). Copy of reply, his letter has been sent to the Home Department. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence no. 5411.

5459. May - Jul 1859. Letter from Captain W Wilson, 1st Grenadiers Native Infantry, late Assistant Political Commissioner in Guzerat, Mount Aboo. In reply, returns thanks for the acting appointment of 1st Assistant at Indore; not having been able, owing to ill health, to take up the appointment at once, Sir R Shakespear was obliged to nominate another officer. Copy of earlier letter informing him of his appointment.

5460. May 1859. Letter from Major H Stuart Wortley, Calcutta. Returns thanks for his appointment and proposes to call personally for some information as to the duties of the office of 2nd Assistant to the Governor General's Agent at Indore. Copy of earlier letter notifying him of his appointment.

5461. Jun 1859. Letter from Captain B Hawes, 2nd Europeans, Delhi. Returns thanks for his appointment as Officiating Political Agent at Nimar. Copy of earlier letter notifying him of his appointment.

5462. May 1859, Letter from Colonel C MacKenzie, Governor General's Agent at Moorshedabad, Calcutta. Reports that the Nawab Nazim leaves for Moorshedabad by train on 1 Jun, the writer will follow in a few days, and hopes to see the Private Secretary before his departure.

5463. May 1859. Letter from Mr G M Potter, Lucknow. Repeats his request for a reconsideration of his case. 1/2 anna stamp.

5464. May 1859. Letter from Major H Stuart Wortley, Calcutta. Returns thanks for his appointment of 2nd Assistant to the Governor General's Agent at Indore, and has asked Colonel Stuart to obtain permission for him to go via Bombay for the reasons assigned.

5465. Apr - May 1859. Letter from the Honourable G C Talbot, London. Has delivered to Lord Stanley the letter detailing the circumstances of the deaths of the two Railway Engineers.

5466. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Mr T D Forsyth, Secretary to Chief Commissioner Oudh, Lucknow. Sends in charge of Mr Tait a quantity of arms for the Governor General which Mr Montgomery had selected before leaving. Copy of reply, grateful acknowledgement. The matchlocks are good specimens, but the swords are only fair.

5467. May 1859. Letter from the Reverend J H Burn, Domestic Chaplain to the Bishop of Calcutta. Forwards a copy of the Address of the Clergy which will be presented to the Governor General on the Queen's Birthday. Governor General's Book Number 1321

5468. May 1859. Letter from Josephine Sinaes, Calcutta. Sends a Petition to Lady Canning. (No longer enclosed)

5469. May 1859. Letter from Mr B P Singer, Extra Assistant Nagpore, on leave, Calcutta. Asks for reconsideration of his request for promotion. Copy of reply, he should apply to the Foreign Department. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 3908, 5089, 5278.

5470. May 1859. Letter from Mr E C Bayley, Officiating Civil and Session Judge of Furruckabad, Futtehgurh. Asks for the temporary appointment of Judicial Commissioner Oudh.

5471. May 1859. Letter from Mr C Wingfield, Chief Commissioner of Oudh, Lucknow. Refutes the statement in Colonel Ramsay's letter of 13 May on the authority of Jung Bahadoor that the Nana and Bala Rao have, with 16,000 followers, entered the Lulliana valley, and mentions the actual number of the rebels. Jung Bahadoor has systematically exaggerated numbers as an excuse for not coercing the rebels. The rebels are in a bad state. The confiscations and enforcement of the responsibility of Talookdars and Headmen of villages have had an immense effect in producing the voluntary surrender of arms. (Copy )

5472. May 1859. Letter from Major L Barrow, Commissioner attached to Sir Hope Grant's column in Oudh, Seetapore. With reference to an article in the Friend of India submits remarks in defence of the settlement in Oudh. (Copy )

5473. May 1859. Letter from Mr C Wingfield, Chief Commissioner in Oudh, Lucknow. Contradicts the statements in the Friend of India about the settlement of Oudh. The only discontented part of the province is Fyzabad. (Copy)

5474. May 1859. Letter from Lieutenant J S A H Byrne, Allahabad. Asks for the Private Secretary's influence to obtain him an appointment, he has been unemployed for 7 months. Copy of reply, Private Secretary has nothing to do with appointments made through the Military Secretary.

5475. Jun 1859. Letter from Sir R Shakespear, Governor General's Agent for Central India, Indore. In reply, will write to Major Wortley. Hopes that Bundlecund will not be removed from the control of the Central India Agency. Suggests the name of Captain Thompson of the 8th Bombay Native Infantry for that charge. Copy of earlier letter, Captain Wilson is to officiate as 1st Assistant; Major Wortley is appointed 2nd Assistant. Comments on other appointments. Copy of reply, the Governor General has no intention of removing Bundlecund from Shakespear's control. Telegraph Message sent number 626; Telegraph Message received number 1034, 1060.

5476. May 1859. Letter from Herra Sing, prisoner in the Alipore Jail. Sends a petition to the Governor General asking to be released (no longer enclosed) Endorsed: Transferred to Secretary to Government Home Department

5477. Jun 1859. Letter from Baboo Greedhur Bose Roy and Company Projectors of the Bengaley Charitable School at Gurranhatta, Calcutta. Ask for a donation for the school. Copy of reply, referring them to the Private Secretary's reply of 26 Mar. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 4828, 4878, 5156, 5159.

5478. May 1859. Letter from Major H L Thuillier, Deputy Surveyor General, Calcutta. Sends atlas sheets to the Private Secretary (not enclosed). See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5005, 5146, 5150, 5188, 5201, 5271, 5319, 5391.

5479. May 1859. Letter from Colonel C MacKenzie, Governor General's Agent at Moorshedabad, Calcutta. States that the Nawab Nazim has postponed his departure. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5439, 5462.

5480. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Colonel A C Stirling, Military Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief, Simla. Advises receipt of the box with badges of the Bath, but nothing for Lord Canning. It is likely that the bounty question will be settled without a collision, but the 1st Bengal Europeans at Dugshai have submitted a signed paper to the Commander-in-Chief on the subject. Asks for a map of Italy. Endorsed: answered privately. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence no. 5398.

5481. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Mr C Alabaster, Hong Kong. Reports his arrival at Hong Kong, he has made over the body of Yeh to the Mandarins who were appointed to receive it. He will go with the Mission to Pekin [Peking] first and then perhaps to Foochow, where he is appointed interpreter. Has delivered the sword to Private Secretary 's brother as Sir John Bowring was away from Hong Kong.

5482. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Sir R W Shakespear, Governor General's Agent for Central India, Indore. Sends a copy of his note to Major Macpherson, proposing that the Soobah, who manages the 10 Central districts for Scindia should have a Vakeel with Captain Mayne. Would the Governor General be interested to receive copies of other demi-official letters from time to time? Copy of reply, grateful acknowledgement, the Governor General will always be glad to hear from Shakespear. He agrees with Shakespear in his definition of what should be the British diplomacy in India. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence no. 5591.

5483. Jun 1859. Letter from Lieutenant C H Grace, 30th Madras Native Infantry Calcutta. Sends copy of notice of his appointment as 3rd class Assistant Commissioner and states that en route he was informed that his appointment had been cancelled as he had not passed the necessary examination in Hindustani. In consideration of the heavy loss incurred by him to join his appointment, asks that his appointment may be allowed to stand provisionally, he hopes in a short time to be able to pass the examination. Copy of reply, he will be appointed 3rd class Assistant Commissioner in Oudh if he can pass the examination in 1 month. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5205, 5424, 5435.

5484. Jun 1859. Letter from Major A Fytche, late Officiating Commissioner, Tenasserim and Martaban Provinces, Calcutta. Is about to return to Bassein; asks what are the Governor General's intentions with regard to his employment elsewhere; asks to be appointed as the Governor of the Straits Settlements, or Commissioner of the Ceded Districts. Copy of reply, the Governor General declines to make any promises. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence no. 5403

5485. Jun 1859. Letter from the Honourable E Drummond, Accountant General to the Government of India, Calcutta. Forwards two bills for expenses at Madras of landing Lady Canning's servants, with a letter from the Accountant General of Madras. Bills no longer enclosed. Copy of reply sending payment.

5486. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Major J A Ballard CBE, Bombay Engineers, Mhow. Asks that his name and services may be put on record, so that he may be considered should there be a future vacancy as Resident at Baghdad. Copy of reply, application noted. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5349, 5417.

5487. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Mr W Boak, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Baraitch. Asks to be allowed to resign his appointment in Oudh and return to Bengal, he has applied to the Secretary to the Chief Commissioner.

5488. Jun 1859. Letter from Lieutenant C W Grace, 30th Madras Native Infantry, Calcutta. Will endeavour to pass the examination in Hindustani in 1 month.

5489. Jun 1859. Letter from Mr S Lushington, Assistant to the Magistrate and Collector, Goruckpore. Asks to be returned to his old appointment at Chumparun, Bengal. Copy of reply, if his transfer takes place, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal will decide on the district to which Lushington will be appointed. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5454, 5632.

5490. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Mr J H Batten, Officiating Commissioner Rohilkund Division, Bareilly. On behalf of a friend who is engaged to write an article in the Edinburgh Review on the subject of gold currency in India with reference to the recently published and somewhat alarming work of Monsieur Chevallier, asks that replies to certain questions on the subject may be obtained from those well versed in the subject. Copy of reply sending some information.

5491. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Lord William Hay, Deputy Commissioner, Simla. Reports the despatch of some Rampore Chudders. Asks if there is any chance of his promotion to a political appointment. Endorsed: answered privately.

5492. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Mr C Wingfield, Chief Commissioner of Oudh, Lucknow. In continuation of his last letter urges that the Governor General should confirm the present settlement in Oudh. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence no. 5456.

5493. Jun 1859. Letter from Mr R Simson, Under Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, Calcutta. Sends a letter from Mr G Campbell about Lieutenant Grace's appointment, with comments. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5205, 5424, 5435, 5483, 5488.

5494. Jun 1859. Letter from Lieutenant C H Grace, 30th Madras Native Infantry, Calcutta. Asks for a further two months time to enable him to pass in the Nugree character. Copy of reply, he will be allowed 1 additional month. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5205, 5424, 5435 5483, 5488, 5493.

5495. Jun 1859. Copy of a letter to Mr J S Tait. Asking about the arms he brought down from Lucknow for the Governor General.

5496. Jun 1859. Letter from Mr W Grey, Secretary to the Government of India Home Department, Calcutta. With reference to the appointment of a qualified military officer to be Assistant Revenue Surveyor, forwards a copy of a letter from the Government of Bengal on the subject. See also Private Secretary’s Correspondence nos. 5502, 4723.

5497. Jun 1859. Letter from Mr W Ford, Deputy Commissioner, Goorgaon. Asks that his name may be noted for employment in Oudh as a Commissioner. Copy of reply, there is not much hope for him in the Oudh Commission, Private Secretary would think that Ford's long service in the Punjab would have put him at the top of the list for promotion.

5498. Jun 1859. Anonymous letter, Calcutta. As Government have failed to raise the required amount on the 5.5% loan, and as the Secretary of State has authorized the Governor General to apply to him for the amount for which the loan has been opened, believes that if a notification were issued stating that in consequence of the amount required by Government, not being procurable in India the 5.5 % loan will be closed on the expiration of a certain time, the value of all kinds of paper currency would immediately improve, money would pour into the Treasury, and the whole sum required would probably be paid into the Treasury before the expiry of the prescribed time. Cover only Endorsed: Transferred to Secretary to Government Financial Department.

5499. May 1859. Letter from Mr C W West, Cannanore. Asks for money. 1/2 anna stamp

5500. May - Jun 1859. Letter from Lieutenant General Sir J Outram Bart GCB, Member of the Supreme Council of India, Calcutta. Sends a letter from Major Barrow in explanation of his proceedings connected with the Nawab of Furruckabad.