Letter from Lord Wimborne, (1873-1939), Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to Sir John Maxwell, (1859-1929). In this letter Wimborne expresses his pleasure at the 'good progress and effective action' reported by Maxwell. The letter refers to an enclosed communique which seems to suggest a certain line of action, based on previous action in which the writer was involved. It also indicates that the Lord Chancellor provided a plan of the Four Courts which shows the position of a building in which contained 'all the most valuable historical and proprietory documents in Ireland'. A post script indicates that the letter was delivered in person by Basil Blackwood (Basil Temple Blackwood), (1870-1917), private secretary to the lord lieutenant.Sir John Henry Grenfell Maxwell was appointed commander in chief of the British forces in Ireland after the outbreak of the Easter Rising. Before 1916, Maxwell briefly held command of British troops in Egypt, where he successfully organised defences against a Turkish attack in February 1915 and presided over the huge expansion of his command as Egypt became a major British imperial military base. In March 1916, having been superseded as general officer commanding in Egypt, he was recalled home when the Easter Rising broke out. Ivor Churchill Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne was appointed the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1915. Guest worked closely alongside Sir Matthew Nathan (1862-1939) in the administration of Ireland. Following the suppression of the Rising, Guest, under pressure, was forced to resign as Lord Lieutenant. A later inquiry into the Rising exonerated Guest and held Augustine Birrell (1850-1933) chiefly responsible for the events that occurred. Guest would continue to serve as Lord Lieutenant until 1918.