2. Make general précis of the same letters.

3. Make special précis of the undermentioned with reference to the points named :

(A) The regulations at Montreal and New York.

(B) The reason why Lord Derby refused at that time to take any steps.

(D) The witnesses present at the signature of the deed of cession by Maafu.

(E) Cuba.

(F) The Insurrection in Cuba.

(G) The description of crimes committed by Gardiner. (H) The subordinate officers recommended.

49

CHAPTER II.

SERIES OF LETTERS.

HITHERTO We have only dealt with single letters; we shall now give some exercises in making a précis of series of letters. In doing this the same principles should be followed as in the case of single letters; but the larger and more important the series, the greater care should be taken both as to fulness and brevity. The whole of a correspondence should be read through carefully before pen is put to paper, so that the whole subject and the relative importance of the facts may be thoroughly grasped, and the writer may be able to make the précis a terse, continuous, and clear narrative of the whole case, purged of all irrelevant and insignificant matter, without redundancy of expression or repetition, a result which it is almost impossible to achieve if an abstract be made of each letter as it is read. If, however, the student find it difficult to retain in his mind the whole of a correspondence, he may make notes of each letter as he goes on, and write his précis from his notes, referring whenever necessary to the correspondence.

There are two forms in which a précis of a series of letters may be made. The contents of each letter may be written separately, or a continuous précis may be made, giving the gist of all the papers in a sequent history, with marginal references to the documents. The following is an example of a series of letters abstracted according to the two methods.

E

EXAMPLE.

PART OF THE CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY INTO THE CONDITION OF THE INDIAN IMMIRGANTS IN MAURITIUS.

No. 1.

The Earl of Kimberley to Governor the Hon. Sir A. Gordon, K.C.M.G.

DOWNING STREET: September 11, 1871.

SIR,-With reference to my despatch of this day's date, commenting on the serious state of affairs which has been brought to light by my enquiries as to the existence of suicide amongst the Indian population of Mauritius, I should wish you to report to me confidentially whether, in your opinion, a Commission of Enquiry into the general condition of the coolies, similar to that which has lately visited British Guiana, would be advisable in the case of Mauritius.

Governor the Hon. Sir A. Gordon, K.C.M G., to the Earl of Kimberley.

(Received December 18.)

MAURITIUS: November 10, 1871.

MY LORD,-In reply to the enquiry contained in your Lordship's despatch of the 11th of September, I have no hesitation in expressing my opinion that an enquiry of the nature contemplated by your Lordship would be of the utmost utility, and indeed, without some such investigation, it is impossible to speak with any confidence as to the position or treatment of the immigrants resident in this island.

2. I have already expressed to your Lordship my belief that, notwithstanding many serious and manifest

defects in the Immigration Laws, the treatment of the immigrants upon estates is, as a rule, kind and just; but, in the absence of anything like efficient inspection or accurate returns, this can only be taken as an impression, nor can it be denied that statements to an opposite effect have been made, not only in the pamphlet recently published by M. de Plevitz (whose assertions, so far as they are made on his own authority alone, cannot be said to carry much weight), but also by other persons of intelligence and character, and that an opinion most unfavourable to the existing system was about three years since publicly expressed, in his place in the Council of Government, by the Colonial Treasurer, a gentleman whose experience of the island is of long standing, and whose integrity is above suspicion.

3. The proceedings in the case of M. de Plevitz, reported in my despatch of the 17th of November, would, moreover, appear to show that an enquiry conducted here by persons connected with the island would be made under pressure of an intimidation which would seriously detract from the value of the conclusions at which they might arrive.

4. It appears to me, therefore, that such a Commission as that which so ably conducted the late enquiry in British Guiana affords the only means of satisfactorily ascertaining the true condition of the labouring population, and of securing the provision of efficient remedies for defects in the existing system of immigration, whether those defects are to be found in the law itself or in its practical administration.

5. I may add that should such a Commission be appointed, it is, in my opinion, absolutely essential that one at least of its members should be well acquainted with the position and treatment of immigrants in the West Indies -a comparison between the two systems being of the utmost importance in arriving at a just impression as to the position of the immigrant here-and should the services of any of the gentlemen who were employed in the conduct of the late enquiry in British Guiana be

available, their presence on the Commission would, I have no doubt, be attended with much advantage.

6. In making, in this confidential form, such a suggestion, your Lordship will not, I hope, think that I have gone beyond the bounds of propriety.

Governor the Hon. Sir A. Gordon, K.C.M.G., to the Earl

MY LORD,-I have the honour to enclose copies of a Memorial addressed to me by the Chamber of Agriculture on the subject of the pamphlet mentioned in my despatch of this day's date, and of my reply.

2. Your Lordship will observe that, by their second Resolution, the Chamber of Agriculture, in the event of my not adopting a course which, for the reasons given in the speech enclosed in my despatch of this day's date, I have not felt myself justified in pursuing, request the appointment of a Commission to investigate the condition of the Indian immigrants in this Colony, and I beg to commend this request to the serious attention of Her Majesty's Government.

3. That the enquiries of such a Commission might be attended with advantage, cannot, I think, be doubted, and the fact that its appointment has been requested by the agricultural body removes the objections which might have been felt to the adoption of such a measure had it been probable that it would meet with violent opposition or produce general excitement. The only serious objection that can now be urged is the heavy expense which such a measure would undoubtedly entail.

I have, &c.,

(Signed) ARTHUR GORDON.