ملف ٤٦٧٣\ ١٩١٩ الجزء ١ "الخليج الفارسي:- زيارة نجل شيخ البحرين + مجموعة إلى إنجلترا. الترتيبات العامة + الإجراءات. مقدار التكاليف." [و‎‎٢‎٥‎٧] (٤٩٤/٤٩١)

9
dependency, having a public revenue of its own, the Home Government has
stood, and still stands, for the purposes which we have to consider, in
exactly the same relation towards that country as towards any other member
of the British Empire which has a separate exchequer and a separate
political organization. Invitations to Indian guests could thenceforward only
he issued in the name of the Home Government ; and that Government
must necessarily be regarded as having assumed, with the duty of issuing
invitations, the responsibility for the charge which they entail.
7 . We do not think that this view, which is in accordance with the usages
of hospitality as universally recognized, requires any argument to support
it ; and we consider that henceforward the incidence of charge and the method
of procedure, in respect of the guests of the Home Government, should be on£
and the same, whether the guests are Indian or Colonial.
8 . As regards the incidence of charge, this implies that all the costs of
entertainment in this country will be borne by the Home Government- It
should, however, be distinctly understood that His Majesty’s Government will
not be responsible for the cost of the journeys of their guests to or from this
country. All charges of this kind should fall either upon the revenues of India
or of the Colony concerned, or else upon the individual guest, according to
circumstances.
9. As regards the method of procedure, the initiative will naturally be
taken, in the case of Indian guests, by the India Office, and, in the case of
Colonial guests, by the Colonial Office. It will be for these Offices, before any
invitation is issued, to submit to the Treasury such proposals as they may
from time to time think fit to make as to the expenditure to be incurred on
account of those whom it is proposed to invite, together with all necessary
information as to their rank and position, the proposed duration of their stay,
an estimate of the cost of their entertainment with such details as it may be
possible to give beforehand, and any other facts or suggestions bearing on the
question. The invitations will then be issued through the India Office or the
Colonial Office, as the case may be.
10. In cases in which considerable numbers of troops, or other guests who
cannot be classed as individually “distinguished,” are invited to this country,
as was done, for instance, on the occasion of the recent Coronation, we think
that the same principles should apply. It would seem to be right that
India or the Colonies should bear the whole cost of transport to and from
this country, and, as a rule, of all pay and allowances to the officers and men
during their stay ; and, on the other hand, that the Home Exchequer should
be charged with all expenditure for board, lodging and entertainment. It
must atT the same time^be borne in mind that at the Jubilee of 1897, and
aoain at the recent Coronation, the non-commissioned officers and men of the
Colonial Contingents were regarded as temporarily employed on Imperial
service, and received pay from War Office funds ; and we think that in future
each case should, so far as the incidence of pay and allowances is concerned, be
considered on its merits.
11 . The Political Aide-de-Camp to the Secretary of State for India will,
we presume, be placed, subject to the control ol the Treasury, in charge of
the arrangements for the entertainment of Indian guests ; and an officer of the
Colonial Office will occupy a similar position in regard to Colonial guests.
But this will not affect the exclusive liability of the Home Exchequer for all the
expenditure which may be incurred.
12 It does not appear to us to be necessary to enter into any further
details on this subject. • But we desire to record our general agreement in the
opinions and arguments contained in the annexed letter from the Government
of India, dated the 23rd October 1902* ; and, if we may consider it to be
* No. 6 above.
14032
B