(Due to arrive Melbourne-30.5.25)

My dear P.M.,

I write on a few general topics.

You will be sorry to hear that Sir Eyre Crowe, Permanent Under-
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, died on April 28th after a
brief final illness. His condition for some time prior to his
final illness was, however, far from good.

I hear that it has been decided that Tyrrell [1] is to replace
Crowe. He had been anxious to go to Berlin as Ambassador, but as
his health is not very good, I expect he decided to keep nearer
home. This will mean someone else being chosen for Berlin. I hear
Sir Max Muller [2] may get it.

I understand that the arguments against the appointment of Sir
Eric Drummond (Secretary-General to the League of Nations) are,
firstly, that his withdrawal from Geneva would undoubtedly mean a
Frenchman being appointed to this post, and, secondly, it is
considered that Drummond's characteristics are tinged with
Pacifism and a too altruistic impartiality to make him a good
militant permanent head of our Foreign Office.

The reign of Tyrrell as permanent head of the F.O. will be of
interest if it eventuates. He is on the one hand a Catholic, and
is also an enthusiast for close touch with the United States.

Sir Edward Grigg [3] has been studying Imperial trade matters for
some time and is about to attempt to form a small wing (about ten
men only) of the Liberal Party in the House, who will follow him
on the subject of preference and the development of Empire trade.

He recently made what was, for a Liberal, a daring speech at
Oldham (his constituency), advocating Imperial preference, not on
the score of protection, but as the only means towards what he
called Free-er Trade' within the Empire.

He has told me since that he thinks there is sufficient revenue
collected on tobacco, tea, sugar and a few other minor items to
justify removing duties on these items and so enable duties to be
put on meat and wheat and a substantial preference given to Empire
meat and wheat. The lifting of the duties on tobacco, tea and
sugar, and the placing of a duty to return an equivalent revenue
from foreign meat and wheat, would mean on the balance no increase
in the general cost of food to the people. He intends to go in for
an educative campaign on these lines.

Grigg is looked on in strict Liberal circles with not a little
horror for his deviation from the path of profound free trade.

The Round Table, departing at last from its practice of avoiding
economic subjects, will have a general (and probably rather
philosophical) article on these lines in an early issue.

I cabled you yesterday the rumour that the press got hold of,
about the alleged plot to assassinate Chamberlain. [4] This rumour
was actually made known to the Foreign Office on Sunday, the 26th,
by the Polish Minister [5], who stated that it was from a source
(in the usual formula) 'usually considered as reliable', and was
to the effect that the attempt was being engineered from Vienna,
which has got the notoriety lately of being a Bolshevist centre of
intrigue. The police at once put in hand the necessary
precautions. The Press got the story yesterday, no doubt from
Scotland Yard. The F.O. have no confirmation or otherwise of the
story.

As a matter of general interest, it may be worth your while
knowing that the reputation that Amery [6] has in high quarters is
that of being a very hard worker, a most enthusiastic Imperialist,
but a man of very indifferent judgment. I have this from sources
that makes it worth recording.

A man who has good opportunity of knowing, summed up Mr. Baldwin
[7] for me recently. He said he had a most attractive nature, a
fine character, poor mental equipment, little initiative (Table to
fall into a mental armchair'), and a marked antipathy to Lloyd
George. [8]

The important questions of the continued slackness of business in
the shipbuilding and other major activities, unemployment, the
Dole and its suggested alternative, some form of subsidy to
employers to encourage the absorbing of more labour, are all
giving the Unemployment Committee of the Cabinet cause for worry.

The Government will no doubt take some action in the near future,
based probably on some form of wage subsidy. You will have seen
from the press cuttings that Sir Alfred Mond [9] put up a scheme
on these lines lately.

Berthelot [10] has been made Secretary-General of the French
Foreign Office. He has, I am told, a great influence over Briand
[11] and it is said that French foreign relations will be coloured
very much by what Berthelot thinks. Berthelot is a great friend of
Hankey [12], who is said to have had a good deal to do with
turning, Berthelot round from being very critical of this country
to being at any rate not antagonistic.

The election of Hindenburg [13] will slow down considerably
Chamberlain's progress with Security. I can't get anyone to commit
themselves to any more definite statement than this at present. He
will not technically have any influence on the German Government,
but his presence as the figurehead will undoubtedly have a
psychological effect on both Germany and France.

Hankey let me see the original of a letter he has had from Colonel
Twiss [14], who is on an Army Staff in India, and of which I
enclose a copy. Hankey sent the letter to Birkenhead [15] first,
who was very interested in it as a disinterested impression by a
man who knows India well.

You are being sent officially by the Colonial Office, by this
mail, copies of correspondence relating to the question of what is
actually included in the term 'Australia and its Territories'. It
arose through the Navy League asking the F.O. this question, on
their revising an Atlas that they produce periodically. The
Colonial Office have made a thorough search into the records and
have produced an answer, although they do not claim that it is
infallible, and Batterbee [16] asks that you do not fall too
heavily on him if Sir Robert Garran [17] discovers an error. They
suggested that you might consider the time ripe to incorporate all
the facts discovered in these old Letters Patent and Proclamations
in one single Act, which would put it on record and beyond doubt,
as far as the rest of the world was concerned, as to what
Australia has jurisdiction over.

I am afraid I have had no opportunity to talk to anyone about, or
even read, the Budget, other than the fact that there is sixpence
off, so I regret that I can't comment on it intelligently.

I am going with Hankey to spend the next week-end with Seely [18]
in the Isle of Wight.

I am, Yours very truly,
R. G. CASEY