Letter from Thomas Manning to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Honorable Court of Directors of the East India Company asking for help with defraying the costs of 2 Chinese men he has brought from Canton - one, a literary Chinese, to help with his studies; the other, a native of the province of Honan, who speaks the language with the greatest purity, as a servant but also he thought would be of use to East India Company men at the College preparing to go to the factory at Canton. He estimates that the costs he will incur are £1000. Undated [1818], Handwritten, 1 piece, 3 sides

The Papers of P.E. Roberts consists of lists extracted from the India Office Letter Books for 1702 to 1753. These handwritten lists detail, for each year, all the East India Company ships sent out from Britain, their tonnage, the destination of each and the value of the cargo.

With the lists are two typed letters from Roberts to William Harrison Moreland, sent from Worcester College, Oxford. The first, dated 12 January 1924, explains that Roberts had been looking through old papers and had come across the lists which he had made about 23 years ago. Feeling he would not use them, he was about to dispose of them when he thought Moreland might find them helpful. He therefore asks if Moreland would like them. Roberts also comments on his admiration for Moreland's books on Indian Economic History.

In the second letter, dated 15 January 1924, Roberts thanks Moreland for his letter and writes to send him the extracts. Roberts recalls that he was working for Sir William Hunter at that time he made the lists and, that subsequently, he found the lists were accurate according to Hardy's Shipping Register.

Investigation into British warships entering Chinese internal waters which triggers an investigation of foreign business in the Canton area. The local government rules the pertinent issues are architectural forms of foreign shops plus the prohibition of locals contacting and working with foreigners without government approval. The local commander also discovered that compradors were negotiating business with borrowed funds from foreign businesses, some of which were not qualified to undertake this. There is a record of George Thomas Staunton's background including his contacts, length of stay, personal experiences and language skills. Four paper documents handwritten in Chinese. The paper is fragile. With these documents is an English abstract and translation into modern Chinese undertaken in 2018.

Letter from Joseph Dart, Secretary at East India Company, to Thomas Manning. This letter informs him that the Court will not undertake to defray any expenses Manning has incurred in bringing the Chinese men to England and that they have no need of them at the College. Dated 8th January 1818. Handwritten, 1 piece, 2 sides