TAA i.2.1.127

                                             II                                                       127                                           

settlement – the settlement to be on the lines that the work be 
recommenced as soon as possible, and the question of division 
should be left open until the completion of the "déblaiement" of 
the Tomb. I added that I felt sure that all Almina, Countess 
Carnarvon, asked for was a generous consideration on the part of 
the Egyptian Government towards her with regard to duplicates. Mr. 
Furness asked an assurance from me that it would be solely of British 
interest and no press interests as formerly. I at once informed 
him that it was solely of British interest and that there was not the 
slightest chance of any press monopoly reoccurring. In fact the 
Clause (No IX) regarding this point in the proposed new Concession 
drawn up by the Director General Service des Antiquités met our 
unanimous approval. Thereupon Mr. Furness said that he was willing 
to place the matter before the Residency and would give an answer 
on December 18th. for which date he accepted an invitation to dine 
with me at the Continental Hotel.

          On Thursday night (December 18th.) Mr. Furness informed me that 
the High Commissioner would be willing to open negotiations with 
the Egyptian Government on the basis stated above, and that the 
Residency would approach the Egyptian Government on the subject. 
<I> immediately conveyed this to Merzbach and hence my cablegram:- 
19th. December, 1924.

"MOLONY JAPEN HOLB LONDON.

     PLEASE INFORM LADYSHIP AND ALL CONCERNED NEGOTIATIONS HAVE    
     BEGUN WITH EVERY HOPE OBTAINING FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS BOTH      
     SIDES STOP FOR DIPLOMATIC REASONS AND GENERAL WELFARE MAY 
     BE REQUIRED TO OPEN UP IN JANUARY SHORT PERIOD IN WHICH CASE           
     SHALL REQUIRE SMALL CREDIT SAY FIVE HUNDRED TO ONE THOUSAND
     STOP WILL ADVISE FURTHER PROGRESS IN FEW DAYS THIS STRICTLY
     PRIVATE HOWARD."

          I lunched with the High Commissioner on December 20th., but 
no mention was made upon the subject. 

          On the morning of December 26th. I saw Mr. Furness at the Resi-
dency who informed me that both Ziwar Pasha and Mahmoud Bey 
Sidky (Minister of Public Works) whom he had seen, were favourably 
disposed to discuss the matter, and he advised me to commence 
official negotiations. I saw Merzbach the same day who most 
rightly advised me to begin by obtaining an audience with the 
Prime Minister. This I did and it eveny/<t>ually took place on 
Sunday evening (December 28th.) at the Conseil des Ministres. 
I was requested to be there at 6.30 pm. but when I arrived I found 
that Ziwar Pasha had unexpectedly been called to the Palace. I 
waited in his private secretary's (Aly Bey Ismail's) office. Aly 
Bey was most pleasant and appeared to be very keen on an equitable 
settlement and showed every sympathy with me with regard to past 
events. Mr. G. Foucart (Directeur de l'Institut Français d'Arché – 
ologie Orientale) came into the office, conversed freely on Tut.
ankh.amen. and his (Foucart's) feud with Lacau, which struck me at 
the time as being somewhat inopportune. I was also surprised when, 
after an hour, the Prime Minister returned he immediately asked to 
see Foucart, though my audience pred/<c>eded his. Hardly a few minutes 
elapsed when Ziwar Pasha asked to see me together with Foucart. We 
discussed the Tomb question in Foucart's presence, Foucart intrigu-
ing against Lacau the whole time. I repeated to Ziwar Pasha my 
r/<e>arnest wish to come to an amicable and final settlement, suggest-
ing it should be on the basis that the "déblaiement" should proceed 
as soon as possible, the question of division or rather duplicates 
to be held in abeyance until its completion. Especially as we did 
not yet know of more than half the contents of the Tomb. I also 
told him that with the exception of that point and a few very minor 
details we were prepared to proceed under the conditions laid down