around Suakin, and restoring communication with Berber if possible by other means and influence of friendly tribes. Reports of effect of heat on troops strengthen desire of Government that your operations should be brought to speedy conclusion, and preparations made for immediate embarkation of bulk of force. Sir, "Report when you can dispense with services of regiments from India." No. 5. The Secretary to the Admiralty to Sir J. Pauncefote.-(Received March 26.) Admiralty, March 26, 1884. I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit, for the information of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, copy of a telegram, dated the 25th instant, from Sir William Hewett, in reply to Admiralty telegram of the same date, copies of which are also inclosed. Inclosure 1 in No. 5. I am, &c. The Secretary to the Admiralty to Rear-Admiral Sir W. Hewett. (Telegraphic.) Admiralty, March 25, 1884, 2.30 P.M. PLEASE report circumstances of alleged disbandment of Abyssinian scouts reported by press correspondents to-day. Inclosure 2 in No. 5. Rear-Admiral Sir W. Hewett to the Secretary to the Admiralty. (Telegraphic.) Suakin, March 25, 1884, 9.35 P.M. The Abyssinians, frontier robbers, &c., outlawed from their country, with Debbub, their Chief; they have been guilty of robbing many caravans and murdering people. Debbub has just been sent to Cairo by order of Government; nearly all are required as witnesses on his trial; they were taken from Massowah by Baker to prevent them committing further robberies. Graham tells me they are perfectly useless. During the last few days they have been entering Arabs' houses and ill-using their women, on plea that they are Abyssinians in slavery. One case was brought before me where an abducted woman preferred returning to her master to remaining with the Abyssinians; they have even now some women concealed. They were a danger to everybody with their fire-arms, and shot a woman dead the other day. I told them they must return their arms, which they did; also that they are to go to Cairo as witnesses. No. 6. Sir E. Baring to Earl Granville.-(Received March 27, 11 A.M.) Foreign Office, March 27, 1884. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's note of the 18th instant, which I have lost no time in placing before my colleagues in the Cabinet, * See "Egypt No. 12 (1884)," p. 174, No. 269. In that note your Excellency states that the Sublime Porte has carefully considered the despatch which I addressed to Lord Dufferin on the 29th ultimo* in reply to their proposals for an agreement in regard to Egyptian affairs. The principle of such an agreement having been favourably received on both sides, the Imperial Government think that it should at once be arrived at without awaiting the issue of events in the Soudan, and without limiting it to the settlement of that part of Egypt, or to the best method of securing the Egyptian ports in the Red Sea. They argue that as the subject matter of the negotiations would comprise the whole extent of Egyptian territory and the question of its integrity, the solution of the questions relating to the Soudan would necessarily be involved. You state that it is under the conviction that these views will be shared by Her Majesty's Government that the Imperial Government are ready to discuss the contents of my despatch, and that they are persuaded that, in presence of the disposition by which both Governments are animated, it will be easy to arrive at an understanding as to the fittest means of re-establishing order and tranquillity in Egypt, of assuring its prosperity and of confirming the authority of the Khedive, while securing the interests of the holders of Egyptian funds. I would wish briefly to remind your Excellency of the several communications which have passed between us in regard to this matter. On the 21st January last you communicated to me a telegram from Aarifi Pasha, expressing the wish of the Porte for an exchange of views with Her Majesty's Government on Egyptian affairs. On that occasion I told your Excellency that I was glad to receive the assurance of the friendly desire entertained by your Government for a complete understanding with Her Majesty's Government, and that if you would give me a sketch of the basis on which such an understanding should rest I would immediately submit it to my colleagues, who would, I had no doubt, give it careful consideration. On the 31st of the same month you informed me that the Porte had been glad to receive this friendly answer;§ you added that the basis of any understanding would naturally be the existing Treaties, but that although you expected instructions, you had as yet received none of a precise character. You also made some personal suggestions which, as they were put forward without authority from your Government, I did not think it would be useful to discuss in detail. I expressed, in reply, the hope that you would soon receive instructions which I could lay before my colleagues, adding that we had no wish to diminish the rights of the Sultan, and that Her Majesty's Government would be happy to consider any proposals which, without doing injury to Egypt, would give the concurrence of His Majesty to any course which it was found necessary to take. On the 20th ultimo your Excellency communicated to me a despatch from the Porte, the substance of which was to propose that the restoration of order in Egypt should be undertaken by the Sultan either by means of a Turkish expedition, or by any pacific method which might appear calculated to secure the object in view. To this I replied in my despatch to Lord Dufferin of the 29th ultimo, stating that the basis proposed was obviously not one upon which negotiations could be commenced to any practical purpose, but that Her Majesty's Government would be glad that any measures which are adopted in regard to Egypt should receive the full concurrence of the Sultan as Sovereign of that country, and that they would be prepared especially to discuss the questions of the settlement of the Soudan, and of the best method of securing the Egyptian ports in the Red Sea. Her Majesty's Government recognize and reciprocate the friendly desire which, in these communications, has been manifested by the Porte to have a good understanding with this country on the affairs of Egypt. But they must repeat that the only basis. which has hitherto been proposed by your Government does not appear to them to be of a practical nature, and they do not perceive that the contents of your Excellency's last communication contributes any further materials for a settlement. At the same time, it appears to Her Majesty's Government that it would be for the undoubted advantage of the Sultan, as Sovereign of the Ottoman Empire, that the steps which are being taken from day to day under the pressure of events, and which do not admit of delay, should be known to be acceptable to His Majesty. On their side, Her Majesty's Government have endeavoured and will continue to + See "Egypt No. 5 (1884)," p. 29, No. 43. Ibid., p. 31, No. 46. § Ibid., p. 40, No. 63. make it their object to consult the best interests of Egypt and of the Sultan's dominions in the policy which they are pursuing, and it would be a satisfaction to them that their action should receive the further authority, which would flow from the direct expression of the Sultan's confidence and agreement. I shall be obliged if you will communicate these observations to your Govern ment, and will invite some further expression of their views. My Lord, Sir E. Baring to Earl Granville. -(Received by telegraph, March 27.) Cairo, March 27, 1884. I HAVE the honour to inform your Lordship that having forwarded to General Graham the instructions contained in your telegram of yesterday, I have now received from him the following reply "I consider that my active operations are now completed, and I can at once dispense with the services of the regiments which came from India.” General Graham adds that he will report to-morrow upon the manner in which he proposes to deal with the friendly tribes for the purpose of opening up the road to Berber. My Lord, Sir E. Baring to Earl Granville.-(Received by telegraph, March 29.) Cairo, March 29, 1884. I HAVE the honour to request your Lordship to inform me whether it is intended to withdraw the whole of General Graham's force at once, or to leave any portion of it to garrison Suakin. Also if Her Majesty's Government has arrived at any decision respecting the naval force to be left at Suakin during the summer. The Egyptian Government proposes to dispatch a battalion of Sir Evelyn Wood's army to Suakin at once. It will be commanded by Colonel Chermside, who will have both military and civil command. I venture to request your Lordship to inform me whether you approve of this arrangement. I have, &c. The Marquis of Hartington to Major-General Sir G. Graham.-(Received at the (Telegraphic.) War Office, March 29, 1884, 3:30 P.M. CHERMSIDE should not go any distance with escort of few Arabs; but if large tribe with Sheikh would engage to protect him, if possible giving hostages, he might endeavour to open negotiations on Berber road with Bishareen tribe. It is arranged that battalion of Wood's force should occupy Suakin on departure of your force. Consult Admiral as to what marines he can supply. Keep force you consider necessary for defence of Suakin till arrival of Wood's battalion. Send home troops diverted on passage to England, and remainder to Egypt. Arrange with Stephenson for disposal of horses, guns, and stores. All further orders will be sent through Stephenson or Baring. No. 11. Earl Granville to Sir E. Baring. Foreign Office, March 29, 1884. Sir, Her Majesty's Government approve this proposal. Major Chermside should appoint a local magistrate to carry on the ordinary business, his own opinion being paramount whenever it may be necessary for him to express it. I am, &c. No. 12. Signed) GRANVILLE. My Lord, Earl Granville to the Earl of Dufferin. Foreign Office, March 31, 1884. THE Turkish Ambassador called upon me this afternoon, and said that he had hoped to receive some further communication from me on the subject of the proposed agreement with regard to Egypt. I told his Excellency that I was waiting till he received instructions which would enable him to reply to my note of the 27th instant. I then alluded to the fact that numerous questions were pending between your Excellency and the Porte, some of them of considerable importance, as to which you seemed to be unable to obtain redress, or make progress towards a settlement. I said that such a state of affairs was unsatisfactory, and caused me some uneasiness. Musurus Pasha said that, however this might be, and whatever might be the cause of any delays, he was convinced that the feeling at Constantinople towards this country was friendly, and as a proof of this, he handed me a telegram which he had brought to communicate to me, expressing regret and sympathy at the death of His Royal Highness Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. No. 13. I am, &c. Sir E. Baring to Earl Granville.-(Received April 1.) My Lord, I have, &c, (Signed) E. BARING. Inclosure in No. 13. Extract from the "Moniteur Egyptien" of March 18, 1884. Règlement d'Administration Publique, pour l'Application du Décret sur l'Impôt de la Propriété Bátie. bâtis. Titre I.-Recensement des Immeubles: Evaluation de la Valeur Locative. ARTICLE 1o. Il sera procédé tous les deux ans au recensement des immeubles La première opération de recensement sera effectuée du 1er Avril au 1a Juillet, 1884, dans les conditions suivantes. Dans chaque ville et village, des Commissions composées de membres désignés par les Ministres de l'Intérieur, des Finances, et des Travaux Publics, procéderont au recensement avec l'assistance d'écrivains au recensement, et dresseront un état de toutes les propriétés bâties, sans exception et sans distinction, entre celles qui doivent payer l'impôt et celles qui en sont exemptes. Dans les villes, les recensements seront faits par quartier, et l'état de chaque quartier sera divisé par rues et passages. Les états indiqueront la nature, le nombre d'étages et la destination de chaque propriété (maison, hôtel, moulin, usine, &c.), le nom du propriétaire ou usufruitier, et feront connaître si la propriété est occupée ou non, si elle est affectée soit à l'exercice d'un culte, soit à un service d'utilité publique ou de bienfaisance. Les états de recensement une fois dressés, seront déposés à la Daïra Baladieh, à la Moudirieh, ou au Gouvernorat, et, dans les villages, chez le Sarraf. Les propriétaires seront prévenus collectivement, par voie d'affiches, apposées à la porte de la Daïra Baladieh, de la Moudirieh, ou au Gouvernorat dans les villes, et à la porte des Cheiks-el-Beled dans les villages, qu'ils peuvent prendre connaissance, pendant un mois, des états de recensement et qu'ils peuvent faire réparer les erreurs, omissions, ou doubles emplois qu'ils contiendraient. Ces rectifications seront faites par les Commissions d'Évaluation, qui feront connaître au public, par voie d'affiches, apposées comme il a été dit ci-dessus, le jour, l'heure, et lieu auxquels elles se réuniront. Art. 2. Après avoir entendu les observations des propriétaires ou autres intéresssés ou leurs représentants, les Commissions d'Évaluation rectifieront et arrêteront les états de recensement. Elles fixeront ensuite, dans les conditions établies par le Décret, la valeur locative des propriétés sujettes, en inscrivant cette valeur sur l'état de recensement. Titre II.-Etablissement de la Matrice du Rôle d'Imposition et des Roles Annuels. Art. 3. Au moyen des états de recensement et d'évaluation, la Daïra Baladieh, la Moudirieh, ou le Gouvernorat dressera, pour chaque ville ou localité, la matrice du rôle, c'est-à-dire un registre contenant, par ordre alphabétique, les noms de tous les propriétaires et usufruitiers d'immeubles bâtis, et récapitulant en regard du nom de chacun d'eux, toutes les propriétés bâties sujettes à imposition qu'il possède dans les villes ou localités, avec les indications données par les états de recensement et d'évaluation sur la nature et la valeur locative de ces propriétés. La matrice sera signée par le Directeur de la Daïra Baladieh, par le Gouverneur, ou par le Moudir. Art. 4. Le rôle d'imposition sera établi chaque année par ville ou par localité, au moyen du registre-matrice. Ce rôle indiquera le nom de chaque propriétaire ou usufruitier, la valeur locative de ses propriétés bâties, et la cote ou somme d'impôt qu'il doit payer, calculée à raison du douzième de cette valeur. Le rôle sera arrêté, signé ou cacheté et rendu exécutoire par le Directeur de la Daïra Baladieh, par le Gouverneur, ou par le Moudir. Titre III.-Additions et Retranchements Annuels à la Matrice du Rôle. Art. 5. Chaque année, d'après les déclarations qui devront être faites par les propriétaires ou usufruitiers dans la première quinzaine de Novembre, les propriétés nouvellement construites ou reconstruites, devenues imposables, seront ajoutées aux états de recensement ainsi qu'à la matrice, et cotisées au rôle d'imposition de l'année suivante, conformément aux estimations de la Commission d'Évaluation qui sera réunie à cet effet. D'après les mêmes déclarations et estimations, les propriétés bâties qui, en tout ou en partie, auront été démolies volontairement ou détruites ou auront cessé d'être imposables seront, en tout ou en partie, retranchées des états de recensement, de la matrice et du rôle d'imposition. Art. 6. Les déclarations relatives aux additions et retranchements des cotes seront contrôlées par les Agents de l'Administration, en vue d'assurer l'application des pénalités et déchéances prononcées par l'Article 9 du Décret. Les omissions seront constatées par des procès-verbaux, én vertu desquels, après estimation dans la forme ordinaire, de la valeur locative, les propriétés nouvelles, non |