Correspondence with Sir William Wallace, 1897; 1906-1907

Item

Shelfmark: MSS. Afr. s. 101*, fols. 213-265

Held at the Weston Library

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Comprises:

(fols. 214-216) letters exchanged between Eric Barrington, Foreign Office (fols. 214-215), and Scarbrough (fol. 216, manuscript draft in his hand) about informing Wallace by cable of the Queen's award to him of the CMG (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George), 15 and 16 Feb 1897
(fol. 217) note from Mrs Wallace to Scarbrough, acknowledging his congratulations on her husband's CMG, 20 Feb 1897
(fol. 218) letter from Wallace, Acting High Commissioner Zungeru, to Scarbrough about problems associated with implementing rubber and caravan legislation; road and bridge construction; the contrast between Chartered and government administration when 'tackling' particular districts, in this case Tiv ('Munshi') Territory and Akpoto; Sir Waiter Egerton's forthcoming visit; Wallace's attempts to decentralise, although otherwise following Lugard's policy, except when considering it 'hopelessly adrift' in trading matters, 20 Sep 1906
(fols. 219-222) letter from Wallace to Scarbrough, enclosing certified copies of extract of letter from A.J. Langley, Company agent in Muri Province (fol. 222), and reporting from Dr W.H. Langley, Acting Principal Medical Officer, to the Political Assistant (fols. 220-221): both enclosures concern coping with outbreaks of smallpox, and vaccination by government medical officers, 14 Jun-4 Oct 1906
(fol. 223) extract copied from memorandum by J.A. Ley-Greaves, Resident, Kabba province, to the Acting High Commissioner concerning local methods of perpetuating rubber vines, 16 Oct 1906
(fols. 224-225) initialled copy of letter from Scarbrough to Wallace about protecting root rubber; the Loko-Badiko road, and the need for cheap transport to tin fields; Lugard feeling 'low' about leaving Nigeria hastily; Scarbrough's suggestion to the Colonial Office that Wallace 'be left [there] undisturbed'; Major Burdon's poor health; own request to be allowed to be 'custodian' of CST [Royal Niger Company constabulary] flag seen in Government House, Zungeru, 19 Oct 1906
(fols. 226-228) letter from Wallace, Muraji, to Scarbrough, enclosing extract from own letter to Lugard about rubber control (fol. 226); favours plantations; is taking measures for 'an energic road policy'; cooperation with the Company over cotton and the ginnery at Shonga; considers retirement essential to Lugard's health, 'and the country will be all the better for a rest...'; trade harmed by tolls, so dropped from estimates, and revenue to be made up by Land Tax: 'my baby fashioned into shape by Sir F[rederick]'; fears damage to his own reputation in the Colonial Office by an erroneous impression of Lugard's; going to Sokoto, 'where our fellows are getting very jumpy... [and] want a bit of heartening'; no danger but anger at apportionment to France of territory to north and west of Sokoto, 20 Oct 1906
(fols. 229-230) unsigned copy of letter [from Scarbrough] to Wallace about sending out a Cape cart; new rubber legislation, and means of safeguarding quality; decision to establish at N'gaundere (Ngaoundéré) because of new German rubber regulations; and personal reactions to news of government transport for German salt cargo, 24 Oct 1906.

(fols. 231-242) Six letters, some with enclosures, from Wallace to Scarbrough, 12 Oct 1906-3 Jan 1907:

(fol. 231) at Zungeru, about the arrival of the Cape cart; drafting a Rubber Adulteration proclamation; reasons for transporting German salt cargo; [H.W.] Laws's complaints at restricted access to mines; own criticism of Hon. Oliver Howard's 'far too masterful and unexperienced' conduct as Resident of Bauchi Province; own impression that Lugard's continuing compilation of political memoranda 'is only wasted time... even Burdon said... he had never read them, so why does Sir Frederick bother'
(fol. 232) official letter enclosing a certified copy of one received from Howard reporting clashes between some soldiers and Company employees on the tin fields (fols. 233-234)
(fol. 236) personal note (fol. 235) to accompany copy of the letter received from Charles Temple stressing his responsibility for work on the Badiko survey
(fol. 237) writing unofficially on Proclamations relating to Company mining royalties, rents, and tolls; bearing comment in Scarbrough's hand
(fol. 239) constabulary colours to be handed over; anecdotes concerning Goldie's 'Scotch caution or economy'; note enclosed (fol. 238) from Chief Transport Officer, A.L., about Crown Agents paying Scarbrough for the Cape Cart, with comments by Wallace; own hopes for Company support in replacing Lugard, at least temporarily
(fol. 240) at Sokoto, about promising tin find at Ngell, and enclosing a telegram from Zungeru forwarding a message from Scott of the survey party at Keffi (fols. 241-242); own disapproval of the 'incubus' of the government transport service; soldiers sent to Ilorin 'just in case [Pierce M. Dwyer's] cry of 'wolf' is true this time'; problems over Howard's actions against Bauchi pagans, and the former's lack of discipline, without which 'a strong man is a positive danger out here when in a distant Province'.

Further:

(fols. 243-244) letter from H.W. Laws, from the London Office, to Scarbrough about the 'disturbance' between Company employees and soldiers reported by Howard [fols. 232-234]; to whose 'strong prejudice' against the Mining Camp he ascribes 'most of the recent difficulties' [initialled note by Scarbrough of sending copy to Wallace; see also MSS. Afr. s. 89, fols. 37-42 for subsequent 'difficulties'], 18 Jan 1907
(fol. 245) letter from Lugard, Abinger, to Scarbrough, explaining why he is unable to fall in with latter's suggestion of recommending Wallace for a Governorship and subsequent knighthood: 'I always thought him quite useless and I now begin to think him dangerous to the interests of the Country' because of reversals 'of things as I left them', 9 Feb 1907
(fols. 246-247) letter from Wallace, Zungeru, to Scarbrough about Girouard's appointment; the shortage of doctors; the Company's evasion of capitation tax on carriers; the impending visit of 'the Richardson party'; Howard's disobedience in enforcing repressive measures against pagans: 'he is simply impossible and the only Resident who has given me trouble... '; details of road building, the Loko road fit for carts and 'Ivel motor'; government tin finds on Angass and Sura plateaus; the possibility of indigenous people working these, and paying off taxes in tin sands instead of livestock; differing reactions from Muslims and administrators to the education scheme of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) missionary Dr Miller, 20 Feb 1907
(fols. 248-249) copy of letter (with emendations in own hand) from Wallace to Lugard, congratulating him on the Hong Kong Governorship and giving a brief account of staff, transport, and financial developments under Girouard; justifies own modifications to Lugard's 'structure': '... we have knocked a partition down here and there and smoothed the way for commerce for that must be studied now all things, believe me the building will remain in its great essentials just as you left it', 15 May 1907
(fol. 250) letter from Wallace, Qopu, to 'Antribus' [for 'Antrobus'] deploring the severity of reprisals against indigenous communities, and after the Satiru and Hadeija risings [enclosures missing]; progress under Girouard; reiterates his defence against Lugard's 'growling' about modifications 'for the sake of commerce, economy and decentralisation', 18 May [1907]
(fols. 251-265) thirteen letters from Wallace, on home leave, to Scarbrough: mainly dealing with aspects of government river and rail transport (fols. 251, 254-257, 261, 263-265); also about retaining Lugard's form of administration (fol. 253); mining prospects and finance (fols. 255, 258, 260); land rents (fols. 251-252, 256); trade statistics (fols. 259-260); and his knighthood (fols. 262-263), 12 Jul-19 Nov 1907.