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'Mesopotamia Administration Committee. Position of Chief Political Officer (Sir Percy Cox).' [‎147r] (3/6)

The record is made up of 1 file (3 folios). It was created in 7 Aug 1917. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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5. A few days later Mr. Storrs, of the Egyptian service, who was on
temporary deputation to Basra, telegraphed privately to the Foreign Office
(3rd June 1917)-that “owing to the unsympathetic attitude of the military
“ to the Chief Political Officer’s advice and recommendations, we are in
“ danger of losing ground with the population, on the whole very friendly
“ disposed, with grave prejudice to the present and subsequent policy as
“ enunciated by His Majesty’s Government.” He added:—“ Prestige of
“ Chief Political Officer is very high throughout the country, and anything
“ done to strengthen his hand would tend to strengthen our hold on the
“ sympathies of the best and most powerful elements, without being in any
“ wa y incompatible with the necessary supremacy of the military.”
6. The Government of India endeavoured to find a solution of the
difficulty by inviting Sir P. Cox to proceed on leave to Simla to explain his
grounds of complaint, which (as they remarked to the Secretary of State)
“ appear somewhat vague.” This suggestion, however, did not commend
itself to Sir P. Cox and* was not pressed.
I4 2 -
7. The whole question was again carefully considered by the Committee,
with the result that, after consultation with the Chief of the Imperial
General Staff, who concurred in the terms of the proposed telegram “ subject
to what the Viceroy may reply,” the Secretary of State telegraphed
as follows to the Viceroy and Sir P. Cox on the 4th July 1917 :
“ Ju pursuance of the policy laid down by them and for their guidance
in settling questions which must arise from time to time, His
Majesty s Government think it necessary that the 3 T should iecei\e
regular and frequent information as to the political and economic
condition of the territorv and the establishment of civil institutions
and be able to satisfy themselves as to the progress made in
carrying out their policy. # in,
“They propose, therefore, that the Chief Political Officer shall be^ gnen
the rank of Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia, and shall in that
capacity submit reports on these matters at regular intenals 3}
mail and telegraph for their information. . .
“ The Army Council are strongly of opinion that in view of the present
militarv situation, the ultimate responsibility of the General Officer
Commanding must remain unimpaired. His Majesty s Government
concur, and in giving the Chief Political Officer the status of Civil
Commissioner, His Majesty’s Government do not propose to set up
in the occupied territories a civil administration independent oi
the militarv authority. So long as military conditions prevail
the General Officer Commanding, subject to the control of liis
Majestv’s Government, is the ultimate seat of authority, lo make
this clear, His Majesty’s Government propose that the reports ol the
Civil Commissioner should be submitted to me through the General
Officer Commanding, who will forward them with any obsen ations
which he may wish to make. It will be clearly understood by both
the Civil Commissioner and the General Officer Commanding that
His Majesty’s Government desire that the opinion and advice of the
Civil Commissioner should be given freely and to the best of his
judgment in these reports. As by degrees normal conditions are
re-established in parts of the territories and the civil staff is increased
and strengthened, it will be natural and desirable that a laiger
measure of independence should be conceded in civil affairs to .im
C ommissioner.”
It should be explained that Mr. Chamberlain’s telegram contained no
reference to Sir P. Cox’s “ personal ” telegram of the ~Oth May (see para-
«anh 4) the proposals' which it conveyed purported to be merely a
development -of t,he P policy laid down in the Secretary of State s earlier
telegrams of the 29th March and the 10th May (»ee paragraphs 1 and 3).
S 367 A 2

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Content

This document contains various extracts of telegrams of correspondence between Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Percy Zachariah Cox, the Secretary of State for India, the Government of India, and General Maude, regarding a possible change to Cox's professional position as requested by him. The changes to Cox's position suggested by the Secretary of State ultimately did not occur as they were said to give too much attention to the civil administration of Baghdad rather than focusing on immediate military concerns.

Extent and format
1 file (3 folios)
Arrangement

This file consists of a single document.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence for this description commences at f 146, and terminates at f 148, as it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is present in parallel; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

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'Mesopotamia Administration Committee. Position of Chief Political Officer (Sir Percy Cox).' [‎147r] (3/6), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B262, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100032846229.0x000004> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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