Lord Elgin, to the Begum of Bhopal, Nawab Shah Jahan Begam, in 1894. This letter, authored by a secretary in palace script on a bifolium adorned with the royal arms in gold, is directed to Her Highness Nawab Shah Jahan Begum, G.C.S.I., C.I., of Bhopal. It is signed by Elgin, the Viceroy and Governor General of India, and bears the date of February 8, 1894, from Fort William. The letter is securely fastened within a simple card folder. It includes approximately eight pages of untranslated Persian script, likely comprising copies of the Begum's letters and their translated responses, with one letter bearing the signature and stamp of the Political Agent in Bhopal. Commencing with the salutation "My Esteemed Friend," this fairly formal introductory letter informs that Elgin assumed office on January 27, succeeding the Marquis of Lansdowne, and expresses his intention to take a keen interest in the state of the Begum. While such letters were typically dispatched to senior states, they rarely appear in the market, rendering this particular one unique as it is specifically addressed to the only female ruler of an Indian state in her own right. It was customary for most letters to be conveyed by the Resident or Agent of a state rather than directly dispatched by the Viceroy.