TAA i.2.1.131

                                                          IV                                                      129                                           

 

“MOLONY JAPEN HOLB LONDON.
PROGRESS SLOW BUT GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO GRANT CONCESSION TILL 
OCTOBER 1926 AGAINST RENUNCIATIONS AS MENTIONED LETTER MERZBACH 
JUNE 29 STOP GOVERNMENT WILL BY SEPARATE LETTER UNDERTAKE GIVE 
ALMINA SOME DUPLICATES AFTER COMPLETION WORK AS PER SIR JOHN 
MAXWELL LETTER ELEVENTH MARCH STOP FURTHER INTERVIEW SUNDAY 
WHEN HOPE IMPROVEMENT HOWARD.”

          During the interim the local press have been active in launching 
divers criticisms and attacks, the cause of delay in settlement 
declared to be owing to "l’intransigeance de M. Carter".

          As agreed Merzbach and I met Bedawy Pasha and Mr. Lacau 11am. Sunday 
January 11th., at the Ministry of Public Works. From inner know-

ledge obtained, we gathered that instructions originating from high 
sources had been issued to both Bedawy Pasha and Lacau to the effect 
that every latitude should be shown to us, in fact we were to be 
granted, onthe^sic lines already laid down, all that we reasonably asked, 
but that interview suggested complete opposition to those instructions 
on the part of Bedawy Pasha and Mr. Lacau. Here was the rub. How 
to overcome the continued hostile feeling on the part of those two 
people had been the crux of the whole situation. However, Merzq/<b>ach 
quickly and cleverly closed the interview to enable us to get that 
point home in the right source. I hope in the long run we shall wii/<n>.

          Lacau says he is leaving for Upper Egypt on Thursday next and 
Merzbach wants to get away if possible on Wednesday also for Upper 
Egypt.

          I lunched with Merzbach. He had arranged to see the Prime Minis-
ter some time that afternoon. At 3.30 we received the prospective 
documents from the Ministry, viz:- the draft of my letter to the 
Minister, and the draft of his reply embodying the question of duplicates 
and the draft of the new concession. In all the three documents 
there is a distinct improvement, in fact with the exception of small 
details there/<y> were acceptable. We have without doubt gained at 
least the principal part of our demands.

          January 12th. noon we met Badawy Pasha amd Mr. Lacau at the Minis-
try of Public Works when the question of the wording of the two 
letters and the concession was finally settled. Badawy Pasha pro-
mised to have the documents prepared for signature next day January 
13th (see copies attached). At the termination of the interview 
Merzbach and I called on the Minister of Public Works (Mahmoud Bey 
Sidky) who was exceedingly courteous. If in the future we have to 
deal with such gentlemen there should be no trouble whatsoever. H. 
E. the Minister mentioned that they wanted me to go to Luxor immedia-
tely and commence work. He particularly requested me to go to Luxor 
first, open the Tomb, and leave the unpacking of the mar/<t>erial here at 
the Museum until the end of the season. I thanked him for all the 
courtesy shown to me by the Egyptian Government, I said I would leave 
for Luxor on Wednesday 14th., and we parted best of friends. Hence 
our cable:-

“MOLONY JAPEN HOLB LONDON.

TO ALMINA AND ALL CONCERNED STOP WILL SIGN TOMORROW WEDNESDAY 
NEW CONCESSION WHEREIN GOVERNMENT IS WILLING TO GIVE AT HIS DIS-
CRETION ALMINA A CHOICE OF DUPLICATES AS REPRESENTATIVE AS POS-
SIBLE OF DISCOVERY WHEREVER SUCH DUPLICATES CAN BE SEPARATED 
FROM THE WHOLE WITHOUT DAMAGE TO SCIENCE STOP THIS MAXIMUM 
REASONABLE IN MY OPINION STOP PLEASE REQUEST ALMINA AND EXECU-
TORS TO ATONCE^sic RENOUNCE ANY CLAIM WHATSOEVER AGAINST GOVERNMENT 
STOP PLEASE SEND CREDIT NATIONAL BANK LUXOR WORK TO PROCEED 
AT ONCE STOP OUR HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS.

                                                          HOWARD MERZBACH.”