JOHN L. LAWRENCE - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 04/11/1871 - HFSID 23814

JOHN LAIRD LAWRENCE. ALS: "Yours sincerely/Lawrence", 1¾p, 4x6¼, front and verso. 26 Queen's Gate, W., 1871 April 11. To "My dear Ernest". In full: "I have just returned from Brighton where I went to see the Review of the volunteers having two sons among them. It was a very fine day & the turn out, on the whole, was very good. On my return I found your letter of the 7th I leave early tomorrow morning for Edinburgh, & shall not be back until Saturday night, & perhaps not before Monday. I will then decide on the day for running down to see you - I am glad to hear that you are better. This is cold sharp weather & requires one to wrap up, & take care of oneself." John Laird Mair Lawrence (1811-1879), 1st Baron Lawrence, was both a soldier and diplomat, but he is best known as a British colonial administrator in India. The brother of Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence, John had first gone to India in 1829. He served in a number of administrative posts there before becoming Commissioner of the newly acquired Sikh territory after the first Sikh War. Three years later, after the annexation of the Punjab, John and Henry administered the province, creating a system in which government functions in each district were handled by a single district commissioner (Henry later resigned over differences with his brother). During the Indian Mutiny (1857-1858), John directed British troops in the recapture of Delhi before returning to England in 1859. In 1863, he was appointed Viceroy of India, becoming a vigorous opponent of the expansionist policies that resulted in the Afghan Wars. Light show through of ink. Lightly soiled at blank areas of front page and lower blank margin of signature page. Overall, fine condition.