A corps of irregular cavalry might be sent to Lucknow from Goruckpoor, and its place there supplied for a season by a wing from the corps at Legolee.  There is little occasion for the services of cavalry at either of these places at present.  Without any cavalry of our own here, and with this corps of African assassins at Lucknow at the beck of the singers, eunuchs, and their creature, the minister, neither the Resident nor any of the Regency would be safe.  The treasury and crown jewels would be open to any one who would make away with them.  If, therefore, your Lordship should determine upon offering the king the alternative proposed, no time should be lost in ordering the irregular corps from Goruckpoor to Lucknow, to be held at the Resident’s disposal.  Its presence will be required only for a few months.

I have mentioned, in my private letter to Sir H. M. Elliot, three persons of high character for the Regency.  Two of them are brothers of the King’s father.  The third, and best, may be considered as in all respects the first man in Oude.  Mohsin-od Dowlah is the grandson of the King, Ghasee-od Deen; his wife, and the mother of his only son, is the sister of the King’s father, and his only son has been lately united in marriage to the present King’s daughter.  He and his wife have large hereditary incomes, under the guarantee of our Government, and his character for good sense, prudence, and integrity stands higher, I believe, than that of any other man in Oude.

All three belong to the number of the royal family who never visit the Resident except in company with the King, and I have, in consequence, never spoken to Mohsin-od Dowlah but once, and never seen either of the other two whom I have named, Azeemoshan and Khorum Bukeh, the King’s uncles.  The characters of all three are very high, and in general esteem.

Things are coming to a very critical state.  There is no money to pay any one in the treasury, and the greater part of what comes in is taken for private purposes, by those who are in power.  All see that there must soon be a great change, and are anxious “to make hay while the sun shines.”  The troops are everywhere in a state bordering on mutiny, but more particularly in and about the capital, because they cannot indemnify themselves by the plunder of the people as those in the distant districts do.

Fortunately the rains have this season been very favourable for tillage, and the crops may be good if we can preserve them by, some timely arrangement.

With great respect I remain,
Your Lordship’s obedient, humble servant,

(Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN.

To the Most Noble
the Marquis of Dalhousie.

P.S.—­I find that the irregular corps of cavalry has been moved from Goruckpoor to Sultanpoor Benares, and that Lagolee and Goruckpoor have now only one corps between them.

The Sultanpoor Benares corps might well spare a wing for Lucknow, and so might the corps at Bareilly spare one.