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Mss Eur F231/14/6

Record Id:: 041-002302491
Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:: 032-002302141
MDARK:: ark:/81055/vdc_100000001953.0x000385
LARK:
SLARK:
Format:: ISAD(G)
Reference (shelfmark):: Mss Eur F231/14/6
Title:: Letter from Canning to Vernon Smith
Scope & Content:: Acknowledges Vernon Smith's letter of 10 January; minutes and papers on Herat and operations in Afghanistan go home by this mail; only member of Governor-General's Council who hankers after advance on Herat is (Sir) J P Grant; refers to his letters of 7 and 22 December (1) and 8 January (2) and sums up his views on policy regarding future status and rulership of Herat, and choice between advancing there from Persia or through Afghanistan; policy towards Afghanistan should at present aim simply at establishing goodwill; recent negotiations will go far towards this, but a march through Afghanistan would revive the old suspicion and would be as risky as ever; extent to which he has been able to comply with Bowring's demands for troops – only some native troops can be spared, for strengthening Hong Kong rather than subjugation of Canton; only limited steamer transport available to take troops to Hong Kong; embarrassments caused by 'exhausted condition of Steam Service'; relief troops intended for Pegu cannot be diverted to Hong Kong since regiment to be relieved (47th Bengal Native Infantry) is reported to be disturbed by report that it is to be kept at Pegu for another year; three years is maximum term of foreign service and sepoys very sensitive on this point; another regiment is also similarly disturbed but with less reason has it has not yet served three years; rumour that his application for additional steam vessels will be refused on grounds that amalgamation of Indian Navy with Bengal Marine will remove deficiency; such refusal would 'seriously cripple and retard the movements of the Bengal Division in the Autumn' – Canning explains implications; outcome of enquiry into affair of greased cartridges and insubordination of 2nd Native Grenadiers divided between Raniganj and Barrackpore; events which took place; signs of disaffection among other regiments at Barrackpore and rumour that men were to be compelled to become Christians; action taken by General (Sir) John Hearsey (Officer Commanding Division at Barrackpore) to quieten the men who, apart from 2nd Grenadiers, are now using new cartridges; but 2nd Grenadiers still showing mutinous spirit 'which has not been roused by the Cartridges alone, if at all … General Hearsey is confident that they have been tampered with, and thinks that he has traced this to the King of Oude's people, at Garden reach'; his evidence is inconclusive, but if there has been interference Canning thinks this more likely source than Brahmins; if bad feeling were to spread, lack of strong European force near Calcutta would be source of weakness – except for one regiment at Calcutta there are no Europeans within three weeks march; memorial received from London on behalf of King of Oudh, his complaints, and efforts of his entourage to prevent access to him by Maj Herbert the officer appointed as Agent between him and Governor-General; reception accorded to Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior – Canning comments that he is 'young (about 22) and intelligent; but coarse, very dark, and with a villainously truculent look. Altogether a fair representative of the Chief of the Mahrattas'.
Collection Area:: India Office Records and Private Papers
Project / Collection:: India Office Private Papers
Hierarchy Record Ids:: 032-002302141
036-002302437
040-002302485
041-002302491
Is part of:: Mss Eur F231 : Papers of Robert Vernon Smith, 1st Baron Lyveden (1800-73) as President of the Board of Control 1855-58
Mss Eur F231/12-33 : 1st Baron Lyveden (1800-73), President of the Board of Control 1855-58: original correspondence and papers
Mss Eur F231/14 : Letters from Lord Canning

Mss Eur F231/14/6 : Letter from Canning to Vernon Smith
Hierarchy:: 032-002302141[0002]/036-002302437[0003]/040-002302485[0006]/041-002302491
Container:: View / search within Archive / Collection: Mss Eur F231
Record Type (Level):: Item
Extent:: 1 item
Digitised Content:
Languages:: English
Scripts:: Latin
Start Date:: 1857
End Date:: 1857
Date Range:: 22 Feb 1857
Era:: CE
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