Mss Eur F126/22, f 143

Demi-official letter regarding the Colonel's response, dated 1 September 1870, to Merewether's letter of 28 August and again expressing his despair at the Colonel's inability to view his position 'in the proper light'.

The letter goes on to remind Colonel Phayre that as his superior all communication and policy from him was to be observed and adhered to, and to state that neither he (Merewether), General John Jacob or Sir Henry Green ever persisted in adhering to their own views after having been informed to be wrong.

The letter goes on to state that he had fully concurred with Colonel Phayre endeavouring to settle Moolla Mahomed [Mullah Mohammed]'s differences with the Khan of Khelat, but that Moollah Mahomed's decision to reject the clemency offered by the Khan meant that there was nothing more British officer's could do for him, and that the Colonel should have from them onwards refused to meet or correspond with him, and should not have persisted with the idea that Moolla Mahomed and other Sirdars had been unfairly treated by the Khan.

The letter also discusses opinions expressed in reports and official correspondence by Colonel Phayre that the Khan had continuosly behaved wrongly, that his arrangements for governing his country were wrong and that the British Government ought to withdraw their support; opinions which were in direct contravention to Government's orders.

The letter continues by discussing what Merewether views as having become an open attack on the Khan of Khelat and the Political Agent at his court and that his actions in this matter are considred as active interference with the Khan, particularly in having accused the Political Agent of partizanship and forbidding him to comment favourably on what was occuring in Khelat.

The letter concludes with Merewether explaining further what he had meant by his references to Colonel Phayre having failed to take advantage of using the knowledge of Khelat accumulated by George William Macauley; and the reasoning behind his terminology in relation to Captain Robert Sandeman.