Page:John Russell Colvin.djvu/147

Rh a passage from Sir Jasper Nicholls' Journal. The asterisks are in Sir John's pages.

'March 26. Lord Auckland sent home a long Minute regarding Herát. * * * He means to preserve our footing in Afghánistán. Mr. Bird and Mr. Prinsep approve of this, though the latter roundly and justly asserts that it cannot he done under a crore and a quarter (a million and a quarter) annually; and that no present mode of extending our receipts to that extent is open to us. Lord Auckland wrote a note to ask our opinions on the subject. Mr. Maddock never circulated the note. Sir W. Casement and myself were therefore silent.'

Whatever the object of this 'note,' or the subject on which 'our opinions were asked' may have been, they are immaterial to Sir John Kaye's statement, which is that Lord Auckland aud the civilians alone decided in favour of the occupation of the country. The despatch of March 22, beyond all possibility of doubt, disproves this statement. Though the two military members did not record their opinions separately they expressed full concurrence in the views of their colleagues. Their opinions were to be found in the Minutes accompanying the Despatch.

In those last days of gloom and disaster it must have given pleasure to Mr. Colvin to receive, at a dinner given him by all his fellow-civilians in Calcutta, the warm tribute of their regard and affection. One of these on a subsequent public occasion, said of him: —

'Through six years he was the channel of approach to the Governor-General. It was through him that favours were