| Description | He has missed receiving a letter from home this post. His fate is now settled. [William] Grey and his Secretary [Augustus] Rivers Thompson have written to say they cannot find anything for him other than a Collectorship, which William prefers to the Purneah [Purnia] judgeship. Their tone was kind and did not imply that William was being unreasonable and they will give him first choice of something better. They are silent on what may be better, but William has said that his choice would be to stay with executive work and take his chance for a Commissionership. The Collector's role will be a temporary arrangement. He would take a Judgeship reluctantly if pressed and a Collectorship gladly. He has had charming accounts of Amelia [Wade] and William is curious to see what [Thomas Francis] Wade does about the Opium Treaty. Grey is very angry with [John Rutherford] Alcock, believing that the Chinese intend to put down opium by first growing it to kill the Indian trade, then stamp it out at home. William believes that if they take that course, they will be unable to suppress opium growing in China afterwards. |