e, if possible, to meet your
Lordship where there is likely to be the least crowd of expectants
and parade to take up your time and distract your attention. If at
Cawnpore, I hope you will permit me to have my camp on the Oude side
of the river, with a tent in your camp for business during the day.
With your Lordship's commands to attend, it will be desirable to have
an order to make over my treasury to the First Assistant, to prevent
delay. Should you desire any memoranda to be sent, they shall be
forwarded as soon as ordered. If any further public report upon the
state of Oude affairs appears to be required, I must pray your
Lordship to let me know as soon as convenient. I shall not propose
any native gentlemen for the higher offices; but it will be necessary
to have a great many in the subordinate ones, to show that your
Lordship wishes to open employment in all branches of the new
administration to educated native gentlemen.

I remain,
Your Lordship's obedient servant,
(Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN.

To the Most Noble
The Marquis of Dalhousie,
Governor-General,
&c. &c. &c.

__________________________

Lucknow, 18th March, 1852.

My Lord,

I was favoured with your Lordship's letter of the 24th ultimo in due
course, and did not reply immediately as I had stated, or was about
to state, in a public form, all that seemed to be required about
Captain Bird and Dr. Bell. Dr. Bell had apologised for indiscretions
in conversation, but denied ever having authorised Mr. Brandon to
make use of his name; and pretended utter ignorance of the intrigues
which he was carrying on at the time that he was doing his utmost to
convey wrong impressions to the Durbar. I feel grateful for the
support your Lordship has given me. I cared nothing about the
intrigues of these very silly men while under the impression that it
was your intention to interpose effectually for the benefit of the
people of Oude, because the new arrangements would have rendered them
harmless; but when I found that you could not do so at present, it
became necessary, for my own dignity and that of the Government, to
do my best to put a stop to them. Most assuredly Captain Bird had
been trying hard to persuade the King and his minister that our
Government could not interfere, and that all the threats of the
Governor-General would continue to be wh