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

P.S.--I believe that it is your Lordship's wish that the whole of the
revenues of Oude should be expended for the benefit of the royal
family and people of Oude, and that the British Government should
disclaim any wish to derive any pecuniary advantages from assuming to
itself the administration.

(Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN.

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

__________________________

Lucknow, 21st September, 1852.

My Dear Sir,

I will reply to the queries contained in your letter of the 16th
instant to the best of my recollection. I was in Calcutta in January,
1838, when the late Dyce Sombre was there, and about to embark for
England. I had seen a good deal of him at Sirdhanah, in March 1836,
soon after the Begum Sumroo's death, and he afterwards spent a short
time with me at Mussoorie, and consulted me a good deal on the
subject of a dispute with his father.

Colonel James Skinner and Dr. Drener were, I believe, executors to
his will. Colonel Skinner was at Delhi, and Dr. Drener had either
gone home or was going, I forget which, and Dyce Sombre asked me to
consent to become one of his trustees, for the conduct of his affairs
in this country. I consented, and I think the circumstance was
inserted in a codicil or memorandum added to his will or deed; but my
recollection on this point is not distinct.

I had, however, nothing to do with the conduct of his affairs in this
country until the death of Colonel James Skinner, which took place in
December, 1841, when Mr. Reghilini, the overseer or agent at
Sirdhanah, got my sanction to the outlay for establishments, &c. At
this time I corresponded with Dyce Sombre, and continued to do so
until his affairs were thrown into Chancery. I then sought a lawyer's
opinion as to my proper course, and refused to give Mr. Reghilini any
further orders. The opinion was, "that my only safe course was to do
nothing whatever in the conduct of his affairs;" and I never
afterwards did anything. I never heard of any Colonel Sheerman, and
his name may have been inserted by mistake for mine; but I was then
(1838) only a major, and was not promoted until 1843. I never heard
of any desire on the part of Dyce Sombre, or