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180 the three Provincial rulers one only, John Lawrence, was in communication with the Commander-in-Chief. To Mr. Colvin and to Sir Henry Lawrence all to the North-West of Delhi was impenetrable silence. On May 17 General Anson had already written to Sir John Lawrence, telling him what was the prospect. Even on May 29, twelve days later, Mr. Colvin had not found it possible, as we have seen, to get a word from General Anson. On May 30 Sir Henry Lawrence, writing to Mr. Raikes, asks for 'an occasional line till Delhi is taken.' The measure of the delay in learning the truth, was the measure of the hopefulness of the Lawrences and Mr. Colvin. Sir John Lawrence learned it first of the three; but each as soon as it came to him fathomed the situation. On May 29 (his fiftieth birthday), opening a letter from Lord Canning to General Anson, Mr. Colvin first learned that the attack on Delhi must be delayed. From that day he had no illusions. He tells Lord Canning on that date that the only course now before the Government is a cold-weather campaign. There is no more idea in his mind of a speedy end to the outbreak.

The second point on which comment is necessary is Mr. Colvin' s Proclamation of May 25. On May 22 the Lieutenant-Governor wrote to General Anson: 'I would treat the Mutiny, on the part of many engaged in it, as a miserable delusion. Murderers and ringleaders I would except; but to the common herd I would offer remission of this punishment through