Correspondence with A J Balfour, Sir R Wingate, Lord Allenby, Lord Milner and others on Egypt [‎150r] (299/300)

[This Document is the Property of His Britumic Majeafrr’s (aprtriuatafc j
No. 1.—SECRETARY OF STATE.
EGYPT AND SOUDAN. [March 13.]
CONFIDENTIAL. Section 1.
E 2766/1/16] No. 1.
Field-Marshal Viscount Allenhy to the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston .—
(Received March 13.)
(No. 146.)
THE High Commissioner for Egypt presents his compliments to the Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs and has the honour to transmit herewith copy of a notice to
advisers and acting advisers of the Egyptian Government on the subject of impending
administrative changes.
Cairo, March 4, 1922.
Enclosure in No. 1.
Notice to Advisers.
IT is apparent from the terms of the letter addressed by his Excellency the High
Commissioner to His Highness the Sultan on the 28th February that His Majesty's
Government entirely approves of the intention of His Highness the Sultan and of his
Ministers to introduce parliamentary institutions in Egypt as soon as possible.
2. It is fully recognised by his Excellency the High Commissioner that the
introduction of this regime involves the responsibility of Ministers to a representative
assembly, and that such responsibility is incompatible with any limitation upon the
executive authority of Ministers which does not rest upon the Constitution itself, upon
the laws of Egypt or upon treaty.
3. In these circumstances it is clear that the position of the British advisers to the
various Ministers will require to be defined anew. In the course of years the tradition
has grown up that the responsibility of the Minister is shared by his adviser. But the
time has come to recognise that in future the function of the adviser will be limited to
giving advice to the Minister, who will be alone responsible for the decisions which he
may judge it necessary to take. It is, however, understood that, pending the definite
arrangements mentioned in the following clause, the present functions of the Financial
Adviser will not be modified in so far as concerns external loans or the eventual
assignment of the revenue of a public service.
4. It will probably be desirable very shortly to abolish several of the adviserships.
Two must in any case remain, pending the conclusion of an agreement definitely settling
the arrangements to be established in order to safeguard the interests which Great
Britain desires to ensure: these ore the posts of Financial Adviser and Judicial Adviser
respectively.
5. The Financial Adviser will cease to have a seat upon the Council of Ministers.
It will, however, be his duty to keep himself informed in respect of all questions having
a financial bearing which it is proposed to submit to the Council, and, to enable him to
discharge this duty, he will be provided with full facilities for keeping himself informed
on all matters within the purview of the Ministry of Finance; he will, more particularly,
receive communications in adequate time of all recommendations of the Finance
Committee, the attributions of which, as laid down by the D.C.M. of the 15th March,
1884, will be maintained.
6. The Judicial Adviser will in future concern himself more particularly with
matters relating to the Mixed Courts and to the administration of the law as affecting
foreigners.
7. It follows from the principles laid down above that British officials below the
rank of adviser will in future be regarded as being under the authority of the Minister
alone.
8. The High Commissioner has full sympathy with the desire of the Egyptian
Government to accelerate the replacement of Europeans by qualified Egyptians in
official positions, and, in cases where qualified Egyptians are not at present available, to
take the necessary measures without delay to prepare suitable candidates.
9. His Excellency the High Commissioner is confident that the Egyptian Govern
ment will be prepared, in consultation with him, to make arrangements in a generous
spirit to facilitate the retirement of European officials whose prospects or conditions of
service may be injuriously affected by the carrying out of the policy of this note.
[8056 n — l]