TAA i.2.1.131

"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."