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21 Apr 60 Julius Fyzabad Father ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Fyzabad
21 – 4 –60
My dear Father
You seem to have entirely given up all writing to me, excepting an occasional scratch on my Mother’s letters. I suppose, as usual, your time is fully occupied with plenty of other things.
Do you know I think a love of employment runs in the Family. A short time ago, when I was being worked off my legs at rifle drill, I used to wish for the time to come when I should have some leisure.
Now I have very little to do except to look after a Company and immediately I began to bother my head for fresh work, so the Commanding Officer of the 1st Regt. of Hodson’s Horse* applied for me as his Acting Adjutant. I rather jumped at the proposal. It would be a change & the pay is about £50 a month – The Colonel however did not seem to see it ‘He is on the Staff of my Regt.’ said he. So it appears I am doomed to pass the hot weather in ignoble idleness.
My Mother tells me you are going to migrate. I hope you will suit yourselves this time. I know you could never be happy in a small house.
I see one of the Capts. of the 4th (Paton, I think), has leave in General Orders for England. That will take an obstacle out of John’s way. I hope he may be able to get home. He has never seemed to be satisfied or happy since his advent to India.
This China war* seems to be almost knocked on the head. People seem to take it very easily. I think a fine opportunity has been lost for showing the Asiatics that the English never allow breaches of engagements &/or treachery. It is a piece of the old system – penny wise & pound foolish.
Did I tell you that we had received the Turkish medal* after all – you see your efforts effected it. Better to come late than never, but it is about as ugly a medal as ever I saw.
By the way, I think still I may some day get my Company. Two Lieuts. left: Mathew & Watson *. Major Cassidy has got an Inspectorship of Musketry in India & will be seconded, giving Wyse his Company & leaving me sixth on the list & I suspect second for Purchase. I cannot find out exactly but Powell would know.
The cholera, I am happy to say, is subsiding gradually again, having carried off over twenty English people here. The Natives suffer terribly from it.
How are Willie & the Volunteers getting on. I expect our noses will be completely put out of joint by the last brave military men. The movement I should think gave your friend Napoleon as great a shock as ever he had in his life. The idea was splendid – very much what the Hythe people were advocating when I was there in 56-57.
They have been giving our very particular friend ‘Jung Bahadoor’ a great tract of locality all about the ‘Serai’ where we were, as a reward for his loyalty. (?) I hope it may choke him.
I have not heard much of Arthur lately. He was talking about his head being bad when last I did. I impressed upon him that it was a very common complaint in this Country & tried to encourage him to get over it by keeping out of the sun, &c.
Give my love to my Mother, Helen & all
& Believe me
yr affect Son
J D Laurie
I was sorry to hear Mary’s boy* was ill.
I hope he is all right again
* Hodson’s Horse – 9th and 10th Bengal Lancers
* This China war – After a British naval squadron was defeated at the mouth of the Pei-Ho River in 1858, an Anglo-French force attacked and captured the offending Taku forts in 1860, before moving on to Peking (Beijing) to enforce trade treaties. (see Appendix - Europe and China)
* Turkish medal – Issued by the Sultan of Turkey to the Allied forces of France, Britain, and Sardinia who served in the Crimean War. A ship bringing part of the consignment of British medals sank, but the resultant shortage was overcome by the issue of French and Sardinian strikings to British troops. Julius received one of the latter, evidently after some delay
* Watson – Lt. Alexander Watson
* Mary’s boy – John Athelstan Riley, then aged 2 years. After Eton and Oxford he became a noted Anglican theologian, hymn writer (Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones), educationalist, benefactor, and Seigneur de la Trinité in Jersey, where he died in 1945