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lly　sound　and　to　be　a　real　benefit　to　the　poorer　classes；　it　might　prove　a　useful　model　for　some　analogous　system　of　settlement　from　the　United　Kingdom　to　the　Colonies。

It　is　the　desire　of　the　Rhodes　Trustees　that　the　missioner　should　be　nominated　by　and　report　to　the　Secretary　of　State　for　the　Colonies。

I　should　be　very　glad　if　you　would　consent　to　do　the　work；　for　which　your　experience　as　an　observer　both　of　men　and　agricultural　affairs　so　eminently　qualifies　you。　The　remuneration　is　not　very　great；　but　the　interest　of　the　question　to　which　the　inquiry　will　relate　and　the　public　service　which　the　missioner　will　be　able　to　do　may　induce　you；　I　hope；　to　undertake　it。

If　you　go；　you　would　in　the　first　place　be　put　into　munication　with　the　Salvation　Army　authorities。　Mr。　Booth　Tucker；　who　mands　their　United　States　branch；　considers　that　the　missioner　should　start　as　early　in　the　year　as　practicable；　because　he　would　have　better　opportunities　of　seeing　the　settlers　and　talking　with　them　before　the　more　strenuous　agricultural　operations　have　menced。

I　should　therefore　be　obliged　if　you　would　be　so　good　as　to　let　me　know　in　a　few　days　whether　you　will　be　able　and　willing　to　go；　and　if　so；　whether　you　could　start　in　February。

Yours　faithfully；

Alfred　Lyttelton。

H。　Rider　Haggard；　Esq。

I　extract　the　following　passage　from　my　answer：

I　thank　you　for　your　letter　and　the　pliment　you　have　paid　me。　I　accept　your　invitation　to　undertake　this　mission；　especially　as　the　subject　is　one　that　interests　me　very　much；　indeed　I　was　speaking　on　a　branch　of　it　at　the　meeting　at　York　last　week　of　which　Mr。　Seebohm　Rowntree　was　chairman。　。　。　。　I　understand　that　I　shall　receive　my　appointment　as　missioner　and　my　instructions　from　you　as　Secretary　of　State；　not　from　the　Rhodes　Trustees；　and　that　it　will　be　so　gazetted。

Shortly　after　I　received　a　letter　from　Mr。　Lyttelton’s　secretary；　Mr。　Graham；　which　I　print　to　show　what　were　the　exact　terms　of　my　instructions。

Downing　Street：　January　31；　1905。

Sir；　—　I　am　directed　by　Mr。　Secretary　Lyttelton　to　inform　you　that　he　has　nominated　you　to　be　a　missioner　to　proceed　to　the　United　States；　and　to　inspect　and　to　report　to　him　upon　the　conditions　and　character　of　the　Agricultural　and　Industrial　Settlements　which　have　been　established　there　by　the　Salvation　Army；　with　a　view　to　the　transmigration　of　suitable　persons　from　the　great　cities　of　the　United　States　to　the　land　and　the　formation　of　Agricultural　munities。

2。　It　appears　to　the　Secretary　of　State　that；　if　these　experiments　are　found　to　be　successful；　some　analogous　system　might　with　great　advantage　be　applied　in　transferring　the　urban　populations　of　the　United　Kingdom　to　different　parts　of　the　British　Empire。

3。　You　should　pay　special　attention　to　the　class　of　persons　taken　by　the　Salvation　Army；　their　training　and　success　as　agricultural　settlers；　and　the　general　effect　upon　character　and　social　happiness；　you　should　also　consider　the　financial　aspects　of　the　experiments。

4。　It　would　be　desirable　that；　after　you　have　inspected　the　several　Settlements；　you　should　proceed　to　Ottawa　and　discuss　the　subject　with　Lord　Grey；　who　has　taken　great　interest　in　it；　as　well　as　with　such　local　authorities　as　may　be　indicated　to　you　by　the　Governor…General　as　likely　to　aid　you　with　advice　and　assistance　as　to　the　application　of　the　system　in　a　British　Colony。

5。　The　Rhodes　Trustees；　with　whom　the　suggestion　of　the　Inquiry　originated；　and　by　whom　Mr。　Lyttelton　has　been　asked　to　nominate　a　missioner；　have　made　a　grant　of　300　pounds；　including　all　travel　expenses；　to　meet　the　cost　of　the　Inquiry。

I　am；　Sir；

Your　obedient　servant；

Fred。　Graham。

H。　Rider　Haggard；　Esq。

I　remember　that　when　I　went　to　see　the　Colonial　Secretary　to　receive　his　verbal　instructions　before　sailing；　by　some　accident　I　missed　the　right　entrance　to　the　Colonial　Office　and　finally　obtained　admission　through　a　little　back…door。　At　the　time　this　circumstance　struck　me　as　curiously　emblematic　of　my　position。　For　after　a　cessation　of　twenty…six　years　was　I　not　once　again　entering　the　official　service　of　my　country　through　a　back…door；　by　means　of　this　unexpected　mission　with　which　I　was　now　honoured？