16 January 1925

CONFIDENTIAL

My dear Molony,        

Herewith a summary of what occurred in these last negotiations with the Egyptian Government with regard to the Tut.ankh.amen affair.

When I arrived in Cairo (December 15.) I found the general atmosphere for obtaining favourable conditions distinctly improved from that of last Spring when I left Egypt.

On the morning of December 16th. I had the fortune of meeting accidentally in the Continental Hotel Ziwar Pasha, the Prime Minister of the present government whom I have known and with whom I have been on very friendly terms for a long time. Ziwar Pasha was most kind and friendly towards me, and almost immediately turned our conversation to the Tut.ankh.amen question, using very strong terms in condemning the previous Zaghloul Ministry, their attitude and past actions. He was most anxious that we should come as soon as possible to some amicable arrangement, and particularly emphasized the importance of opening the Tomb and recommencing the work at once to improve the general feeling of security, and to attract visitors to Egypt as in normal times. I immediately assured him that that too was our sole wish, that we wanted nothing better, that I came to Egypt for that purpose, and that in consequence of the unfortunate past delays although I was not well equipped for immediate recommencement of the scientific work I would make every endeavour to begin again in January, and finally I asked if I could shortly discuss the matter officially with him. To this Ziwar Pasha replied most cordially in the affirmative. 

I found that the general feeling among the Egyptian public, the Pashas and notables, as well as the tourist and hotel Companies, was not only friendly, but they pleaded that I should open the Tomb at the earliest date possible so as to enhance the impression in Europe as to the political status in Egypt as well as security and goodwill. The hotel and tourist Companies in particular were anxious owing to the continued cancellations they were receiving from prospective visitors. Thus once again Tut.ankh.amen has become a centre of political intrigue, fortunately this time rather in favour of our interests than against them, and obviously a world wide advertisement for the Egyptian tourist and hotel Companies.

On the same morning I saw Merzbach who was of the same opinion of the general situation, who saw the advantage of recommencing the work as soon as possible, and who is a great friend of the Prime Minister as well as of Ismail Sidky Pasha the Minister of Interior - the moving spirit of the present Ziwar Ministry. I found that Merzbach had quite recently written to the Residency asking if we could have its support in obtaining an amicable settlement based on the lines of Almina, Countess Carnarvon, letter to the Egyptian Government 13th. September last. This procedure had in view a double advantage: (1) the Residency's help would certainly be a good adjunct, (2) the Tut.ankh.amen affair having been made a sort of National question, any leniency towards us on the part of Ziwar Pasha would more than likely be made the excuse for a strong attack on the part of the opposition Zaghloulists and possibly effect the coming Elections in this country, thus if any negotiations emanated from the Residency, the Prime Minister would have certain excuses on the grounds of pressure having been brought to bear.   

At noon the same day I saw Mr. Furness (Oriental Secretary) at the Residency and asked for their aid in concluding an amicable 

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 "Adéblaiement" 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 unwilling 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 Residency 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 eventually 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'Archéologie 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 preceded 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 intriguing against Lacau the whole time. I repeated to Ziwar Pasha my earnest wish to come to an amiable and final settlement, suggesting it should be on the basis that the "Adéblaiement" 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

in the proposed concession made by Mr. Lacau June last. Our conversation, prompted by Foucart, drifted towards the unfairness of the recent new Rules and Regulations which were to be brought to bear on the excavator. Foucart said that they practically prohibited further scientific investigations and research in this Country. Ziwar Pasha agreed, and he was most emphatic that both the excavator or discoverer should be fairly treated and he even went so far as to point out that the Civil Laws of Egypt dictated no other than that attitude. I then asked if he would kindly call a meeting between the Minster of Public Works, Merzbach and myself for us to discuss and arrange a final settlement. He said "No", but asked me to write him a letter embodying my request, when he would at once take the matter in hand. This terminated the interview, and I saw Merzbach that evening at his home when he drafted the letter (dated December 29th.) attached.

On January 4th., having received no advice, though apparently the Cabinet had had a special sitting on the Tut.ankh.amen question, and the Press reported the meeting as being favourable, Merzbach agreed to phone to Sidky Pasha (Minister of Interior) asking him to kindly expedite the matter and to appoint an early meeting for settlement. 5 pm. the same day at Merzbach's request I called at his house, when he told me that we were shortly to meet Sidky Pasha, Abd el Hamid Bedawy Pasha (Conseiller Royale) and Lacau at the Ministry to discuss the Tut.ankh.amen settlement on the lines of Sir John Maxwell's letter of March 11th. 1924. (see copy attached).

This introduced a somewhat upsetting element in the present negotiations. It appeared that the new Ziwar Ministry being necessarily ignorant of the facts connected with the Tut.ankh.amen question, were obliged to resort to our past enemies, Badawy Pasha and Lacau. This was unfortunate for us. We were thus brought into contact with the hostile feelings of the past, a fact which became apparent during a private conversation that I had with Ziwar Pasha at the Mohamed Aly Club the following evening. Ziwar Pasha informed me that the whole matter could be easily settled with the exception of the last paragraph in my letter - the question of division. He said that they wanted that point renounced, but that the Egyptian Government would in the end be generous towards Almina, Countess Carnarvon, in the matter of duplicates which would not interfere with "le grand ensemble". He also asked me to withdraw the law suit.

January 5th. discussed with Merzbach Sir John Maxwell's letter of March 11th. 1924 and various details in the clauses of the proposed concession of June last.

At noon January 7th. Merzbach and I went to the office of the Conséiller Royale at the Ministry of Public Works, where we met Bedawy Pasha and Lacau, and opened the negotiations based upon Sir John's letter. I much regret to say that there was a decided anti undercurrent throughout the whole discussion, but notwithstanding this Merzbach brilliantly carried many points through: we were to renounce all rights to a division but we were to receive a letter wherein the Egyptian Government would undertake to give Almina, Countess Carnarvon, some duplicates after the completion of the work. The vital point now rests on the wording of that letter - to be discussed in our next interview 11 am. Sunday January 12th.

I must say I was astonished how our request "not to oblige me to remove the royal mummy from its tomb" was opposed.

The summary of this interview was reported to you in the following cable of January 7th;-
 

"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 knowledge obtained, we gathered that instructions originating from high sources had been issued to both Badawy Pasha and Lacau to the effect that every latitude should be shown to us, in fact we were to be granted, on the 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, Merzbach 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 win.

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 Minister 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 they 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 Ministry of Public Works when the question of the wording of the two letters and the concession was finally settled. Badawy Pasha promised 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 will be no trouble whatsoever. H. E. the Minister mentioned that they wanted me to go to Luxor immediately and commence work. He particularly requested me to go to Luxor first, open the Tomb, and leave the unpacking of the material 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 DISCRETION ALMINA A CHOICE OF DUPLICATES AS REPRESENTATIVE AS POSSIBLE 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 EXECUTORS TO AT ONCE RENOUNCE ANY CLAIM WHATSOEVER AGAINST GOVERNMENT STOP PLEASE SEND CREDIT NATIONAL BANK LUXOR WORK TO PROCEED AT ONCE STOP OUR HEARTIEST CONGRATULATIONS.
HOWARD MERZBACH."
 

January 13th. Merzbach and self met Bedawy Pasha and Mr. Lacau at the Public Works Ministry (12.30pm.) when the two letters mentioned [above] were signed - one by H.E. the Minister and the other by me - now only the concession and the renouncement remain to be signed by Almina, Countess Carnarvon, the executors and myself.

Lacau was furious when he learnt the Minister's decision as to the unpacking of the cases at the Museum and he demanded that I should remain in Cairo for three or four days for this purpose. I said I was quite ready to conform with his wish but that he must first see the Minister on that point, as H.E. was most emphatic in his desire that I should go to Luxor at once and defer the unpacking until the end of the season.

Saw Furness and reported our successful settlement to him. At 4 pm. I called at the Prime Minister's office, not finding him in I was only able to see his private secretary Aly Bey Ismail. I explained to him the unfortunate incident regarding the unpacking of the cases at the Museum, and asked him to place the matter before the Prime Minister for advice, stating that, to prevent friction, it was perhaps better to give in to Lacau. Aly Bey said that he would place the matter before the P.M. and let me know. I also pointed out to Aly Bey the uncalled for attitude on the part of the local press, he agreed and said he would ask the Press Bureau to request the Press to moderate their language.

6.30 pm. I received a phone message from Aly Bey Ismail intimating that the Prime Minister thinks it better for me to remain for a few days in Cairo to unpack the cases as it was unwise to commence with any friction.

January 14th. Saw H.M. King Fouad at 3.30pm. His Majesty was most cordial. Our conversation was only very superficial.

January 15th. Received early in the morning your cable:-

"January 14th. London.
"PROPOSALS APPROVED BY LADY CARNARVON AND EXECUTORS RENUNCIATIONS SIGNED AND POSTED TO YOU TODAY CABLING FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS.
MOLONY"

which I handed over to Merzbach who immediately advised the Ministry.

As I was unavoidably prevented on Wednesday (January 14th.) from going to the Museum I called there on Thursday morning (January 15th.) when I saw Edgar on the matter of unpacking the cases of antiquities from the Tomb. I found that they had already unpacked a number of the objects and were about to place them in the exhibition cases! I explained to him certain technical difficulties in exhibiting some of the objects immediately more especially without Mace's (who handled and packed them) notes. For instance with regard to the chariots it was not yet certain which pair of wheels belonged to which chariot body, therefore only their separate parts could be placed on view for the moment. I offered to help him in dealing with the King's statue (half unpacked) which entails very careful handling owing to its weight and fragile ornamentation. I asked him to advise me directly he was ready and I would come - Saturday or Sunday at his convenience. I obtained from him a list of the boxes his Department removed during my absence, from the laboratory No 15 in the Valley. As I expected I found that part of an object is now in the Museum, while the remainder is still at Luxor! This makes me inclined to quote Göthe: "The past is fragile, touch it with awe as if it were red hot iron."
 

I am leaving for Luxor on Sunday 18th. and in all probability the official handing over of the Tomb, etc., keys and concession, will take place on Saturday 24th. in the presence of various Government officials. Merzbach has kindly consented to be present.

In conclusion I should like to express. very emphatically, my appreciation of the most efficient help and advice that Maitre Merzbach Bey has afforded me throughout these delicate negotiations. I believe I am right in mentioning that on one occasion in particular he saved a very grave situation. To his wise counsel I am deeply indebted.

Yours very sincerely.

[Cairo, January 16th, 1925.

HC]