مجموعة ٤/١٥ "الشؤون الداخلية: الوضع المالي" [و‎‎١‎٢‎٠] (٢٤٦/٢٣٩)

MM
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
* >
EGYPT AND SUDAN.
CONFIDENTIAL.
R 5 1
August 23, 1937.
Section 1.
J 3662/20/16J
Copy No.
Mr. Kelly to Mr. Eden.—{Received August 23.)
(No. 946.)
Sir, Ramleh, August 12, 1937.
I HAVE the honour to submit the following report on the series of festivities
which have been held in Cairo and Alexandria on the occasion of His Majesty
King Farouk’s coming of age.
2. His Majesty was accorded an enthusiastic welcome on his arrival at
Alexandria on the 25th July. The steamship Nil, on which His Majesty travelled
from Marseilles, arrived off Alexandria early in the morning and was met by a
squadron of twelve aeroplanes of the Egyptian Army Air Force and by two coast
guard ships, the Emir Farouk and the Emira Fawzieh, which fired a salute of
twenty-one guns and escorted her into harbour. The Khedivial mail steamship
Mohammed Ali-el-Kehir also joined the escort. The steamship Nil dropped
anchor at 8 a.m., and a number of Egyptian notables, including the two Regents,
some princes and nabils, the Prime Minister and Cabinet, went on board.
Incidentally, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, for the first time on record, were
dressed in grey frock-coats, a sensible break in the tradition that had hitherto
decreed the wearing of the conventional black so markedly unsuitable to the
Egyptian summer. Shortly afterwards His Majesty proceeded by launch to
Ras-el-Tin Palace quay, where His Majesty was met by Sir Miles Lampson and
the Diplomatic Corps.
3. From the palace His Majesty drove through the decorated streets to the
railway station and was given an ovation by large crowds. At the station there
was yet another assembly of personages, including a number of ex-Prime
Ministers, to greet His Majesty. It was noticed that His Majesty singled out
Ali Maher Pasha, and informed him that he wished him to proceed immediately
to Cairo. This incident was popularly held to confirm the belief that His Majesty
is determined to keep in close touch with Ali Maher and ultimately to appoint
him as his “chef de cabinet."
4. As is usual on these occasions, the Royal train stopped at the main
stations en route to Cairo to enable the assembled crowds to express their loyalty.
At Cairo the train went direct to Koubbeh Palace station and His Majesty made
no public appearance on that day.
5. On the 29th July the formal investiture of Farouk as King of Egypt was
marked by a short and simple ceremony in Parliament, when His Majesty took the
oath to the Constitution before the Senators and Deputies assembled in the
Chamber. Accompanied by the Prime Minister, the King drove in the state coach,
escorted by cavalry and mounted police, from Abdin Palace through crowded
streets to the Parliament buildings. Preceding His Majesty’s coach in two other
coaches were the Regents and palace officials. Queen Nazli and her daughters, the
princes and nabils, all the chief dignitaries of State, the Diplomatic Corps and
Egyptian and foreign notables filled the boxes and galleries of the Chamber. The
Queen and Princesses occupied a special central box with boxes on either side
filled by Egyptian ladies.
6. The Queen was warmly applauded on arrival, when the entire assembly
arose and clapped their hands vigorously. Her Majesty left her box again shortly
afterwards to watch the arrival of her son and, on her re-entry, Mme. Nahas, who
was among the ladies in a neighbouring box, made herself, I am told, conspicuous
by failing to rise from her chair—an unhappy but typical gesture of the Prime
Minister’s “ helpmate.”
7. Otherwise the ceremony passed off without incident and, in spite of a
heat-wave, in comparative comfort, thanks mainly to the recent installation of
air-conditioning plant in the hitherto notoriously ill-ventilated Chamber.
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