"لجنة بلاد الرافدين. تقرير اللجنة المُعينة بموجب قانون البرلمان للتحقيق في عمليات الحرب في بلاد الرافدين، بالإضافة إلى تقرير خاص أعده القائد ج. ويدجوود، الحاصل على وسام الخدمة المتميزة، وعضو البرلمان، وملاحق. لندن: مكتب الأدوات القرطاسية الملكية، ١٩١٧." [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٦] (٢٤٨/٢١٢)

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1 our Excellency’s suggested Draft Rule 3 (a) should therefore, in my
opinion, be omitted, and the reference to it in Draft Rule 3 should be struck out.
These suggested alterations will necessitate the striking out of paragraph (IV.)
.of Draft Rule 6 (a) as unnecessary. I also suggest that after the words
“Advisory ^Council ” in Draft Rule 6 (a) the words “and of the Mobilisation
Committee should be added, and paragraph (II.) of that rule should be
omitted. In Draft Rule 11 (2) (b) after the words “ Secretary of State” the
words “ in Council ” should be added.
It further appears to me that the Secretary to the Government of India
in the Military Supply Department should be a member of the Mobilisa
tion Committee ; that the Member in charge of the Military Supply
Department should be a Member of the Defence Committee; and that
the Governor-General should have power to appoint for the time being
to the Mobilisation Committee, the Defence Committee, and the Advisory
Council, or to any or either of them, such person as he may consider advisable.
I assume that any Member of the Mobilisation Committee may note upon any
case before that Committee, and such note, when made, will form part of the
case for submission to the Governor-General in Council.
10. The object of these amendments is to make sure that all matters,
before they reach the Commander-in-Chief, as Member in charge of the Army
Department, shall have passed through the hands of the Secretary.
I venture to hope that after considering the case as I have now put it,
\ our Excellency will regard this as a vital element in any scheme which is to
be at once workable and constitutional.
In your other amendments I have only to express my concurrence.
11. M ith entire freedom from personal prepossession, anxious to avoid
exaggerations, and strongly desiring to find myself in substantial accord with
the Government of India, I have done my best to decide in Council the questions
arising under the Draft Rules wholly upon their merits. I trust that the
opinions expressed in this Despatch will tend to compose a controversy too
long outstanding ; and will safeguard the fundamental principle that the
Government of India, in all its branches, aspects, .and divisions, subject to the
statutory powers of the Secretary of State, has been solemnly and deliberately
confided by Parliament to the Governor-General in Council.
^12. Lord Lansdowne, in his speech in the House of Lords on 1st August,
1905, said of the plan devised by my predecessor for reorganising military
administration in India : There is no finality in these things, and a moment
“ may come when it wall be necessary to reconsider some of the details.” This
remains true. Meanwhile, as everybody will agree, far less depends upon the
letter of the written rule, important as the written rules undoubtedly must be
than upon a spirit of harmonious co-operation in working them. That spirit I
confidently anticipate Your Excellency will have the high good fortune to
secure.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Y our Lordship’s most obedient
humble servant,
(Signed) JOHN MORLEY