| Description | These diaries were maintained and used by the departments of the Colonial Office which came under Joseph Chamberlain's jurisdiction as Secretary of State for the Colonies; there were six departments during the period in which Chamberlain held office; each department had responsibility for colonies within a broad geographical area: Australian and North American department, Eastern department, South African department, West African department, West Indian department, and African and Mediterranean department; diaries for the first five departments are listed; records of the last do not appear to have survived; the diary or diaries for each department are subdivided into the separate colonies/colonial offices for which it had responsibility; within each subdivision, the diaries are a chronological record; each volume also has a subject index; the diaries contain summaries of correspondence and communications, reports of economic performance, improvements in communication systems, fiscal relations, public order disturbances, legislative changes, and the activities of Colonial Office officials; these accounts are often annotated with Government publication reference details; in addition, there are records of correspondence between the Colonial Office and the governors and governor generals; these are either attached, or found as loose enclosures; the volumes also contain attachments of typescript transcripts and printed material from Government publications |