ject full justice and without which it is not easy to gather my reasons from the statements alone.

Certain passages in your Highness' note of yesterday have wounded me deeply and render it imperative that I should defend myself not only against the charge of reckless extravagance, whimsical and capricious action etc., in connection with this unfortunate subject-but also in res

pect of my financial management which is now so utterly

distrusted by your Highness-on the extraordinary ground of my being a minister at will. Though I perfectly knew that I was removable at your Highness' pleasure and even at my own, I never for one moment allowed this to influence my personal or official conduct-I always acted as if I was Dewan for life-as if I had no business more paramount than the discharge of my duties in a conscientious and faithful manner- as if I had no other person to please than your Highness (after God and my own conscience) and as if the weight of good government was on my own shoulders and on no other. It is this intemperate and imprudent excess of zeal which has been the cause from time to time of the disturbance of harmony between sovereign and minister. At the conclusion of your Highness' letter, allusion is made in a way, certainly not complimentary to me, to a subject which I had no idea of broaching myself just now or at any time. More than thrice in the course of the last three years, have I expressed my readiness to resign my post rather than hold it except on perfectly honorable terms, compatible with the dignity and responsibility of the high trust reposed I was prevented—I mean dissuaded—from doing so only by your Highness' kindness and the advice of the British Resident. Except it please your Highness to command me to stay longer, I have no idea of asking to be allowed to hold office one day longer than five years. It is a matter

in me.

which entirely concerns your Highness as the ruler of this state; and I shall certainly not seek in the least degree to fetter your Highness' decision by any solicitations on my part. Begging to be forgiven any inappropriateness or freedom of language, I beg to subscribe myself, &c."

An apparent reconciliation soon followed and the Dewan was not slow to follow up the advantage. Though His Highness had reserved the general revision of salaries for a future period, the Dewan thought that the cases of a few hardworked and under-paid officers might be rectified and recommended them to His Highness thus :

“The following requests are submitted for gracious, favourable, impartial and merciful consideration of your Highness by your faithful and devoted servant in the conscientious belief that they are nothing but what is deserved by the servants concerned, that they will redound to the credit of your Highness' just administration, that they will also in a manner tell the world that good service will not go unrewarded, that thereby a great inducement will be given for further and continued zealous and faithful service...."

His Highness sanctioned the increments solicited. Sashiah was immensely gratified. He wrote to His Highness :

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My heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude and in a few days probably many such hearts will equally rejoice when the news of royal liberality falls upon the ears of the servants like dew-drops on parched-up cultivation."

Sashiah's term was running out by May 1877. The Maharajah, though he was perfectly satisfied

with the manner in which Sashiah Sastri had conducted the affairs of the state, was loath to renew an engagement which had, he believed, placed him in a position practically subordinate to that of his minister. His Highness wished to appoint a native of the state and nominated Mr. Nanoo. Pillay, the Dewan Peishkar of Trivandrum. The nomination was approved by the Madras Government. At the suggestion. of the Resident, His Highness extended the term of office for six months to enable Sashiah to wind up his administration and, as was usually done to retiring Dewans, granted him leave on full pay. for three out of the six months. In the correspondence which passed with the Madras Government in connection with Sashiah's retirement, His Highness wrote:

"I take this opportunity of recording my high appreci- . ation of the several distinguished services rendered by Sashiah Sastri during his five years' successful administration."

The Resident, Mr. H. E. Sullivan, in communicating to Sashiah the wishes of His Highness, thus concludes:

"I need hardly say that the favourable opinion formed by the Maharajah of your character and abilities is fully shared by all who know you, especially by those who from their official connection with you are in a position to realise the onerous nature of the duties which you are called upon to discharge."

Sashiah soon after learning the wishes of the Maharajah wrote to him :

"Wherever I am and so long as I live I shall cherish towards your Highness the same sentiments of loyalty, gratitude and attachment to the person of your Highness with which I have been actuated throughout my service in this state. In service your Highness made me affluent by the grant of a high salary-out of service, your Highness makes me comfortable with a liberal pension and a generous donation. The bread thus given will not be eaten in ungratefulness or sulky discontent. The brightest chapter of my life is my service under your Highness. The little name and fame I have acquired is in reality but the light reflected on the servant by an illustrious master, to serve whom, even for a brief period, has been my pride and privilege."

In accepting Sashiah's resignation, the Maharajah wrote to him :

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...Having already given ample proofs of my sincere kindness, regard and esteem towards you I have now simply to repeat that wherever you may happen to be I shall always have the same lively interest in the well-being of yourself and all dear to you and my deep sense of the several distinguished services you have rendered to the state.....

The First Prince familiarly known as Vizagam Tirunal-the late ruler and distinguished scholar-wrote:

"I should feel thankful to you if you can without putting yourself to inconvenience or ceremony permit me to step into your official residence at about 5 or 5-15 this evening on my return from drive. I cannot better show at this

time my respect and esteem for your public character and services to the state and my regard to you as a private friend.

You will further oblige me by retaining these trifles* as specimens of Travancore work and in remembrance of their donor."

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After the visit His Highness wrote:

"I assure you most solemnly that if I left a pleasing impression on you by visiting, that fact in itself has been more than an ample recompense to me. I assure you, if such assurance is needed, that I will not dream of visiting A or B for whom I have no respect, for the mines of Australia and Potosi put together.

The case of my sending a few trifles is entirely different. You are about to leave the scene of your official labours after having won the esteem and appreciation of all whose esteem and appreciation are worth winning and what can be more natural in one of my position who has watched you with deep interest than to wish that there should be a few things around you from which agreeable associations may ever and anon spring and flow.”

His Highness the present Maharajah also paid him a visit and expressed his deep sense of Sashiah's brilliant statesmanship. The letter from the third prince, then a student and now no more, is worthy of reproducing

"I am very sorry that such a good Dewan as yourself is going off. I will see no other Dewan that takes so much delight in our studies as you do........I send herewith a copy of my photo."

*Some exquisite samples of workmanship in ivory.