PZ 5636/35 'Egypt: Annual Reports 1934 -1938' [‎160v] (327/342)

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situation had changed. The matter was accordingly referred to the foreign Office
with a suggestion, that the Minister for War should be asked to hold the proposal
up for the time being.
398. Promotion of Officers.—The regulations regarding the promotion of
officers promulgated on the 24th duly, 1932, and ameliorated on the l-^th danuary,
1933, have been further relaxed by the decision of the Council of Ministers that
all local ranks shall become substantive after one year from the date of promotion
to such local rank.
399. The draft of the new Recruiting Law regarding a reduction of
conscripted service from five to three years is again being considered by the Army
Council.
Air Force.
400. The strength of the Egyptian Army Air Force was increased during
the year by the addition of a flight of ten modern general purpose aeroplanes.
401. The replacement of five obsolescent £ ‘ Moth ” aircraft by a more up-to-
date type is also being considered in connexion with the 1935-36 budget.
402. Approximately 3,800 hours’ flying was carried out in service training,
co-operation with Frontiers Administration and completing several photographic
surveys for other Government Departments.
403. The Egyptian flying officers have improved in flying skill with
increased practice, but the criticisms of their professional proficiency quoted in
paragraph 407 of last year’s report are still applicable.
404. One fatal aeroplane accident occurred during the year, resulting in the
death of the pilot and slight injuries to the officer passenger.
405. Fight front- and eight back-seat aircraft machine guns have been
received during 1934 and taken into use for training. Preliminary air and
ground training has been completed, but no air firing exercises have been
carried out.
406. No training or exercises in bomb aiming has been undertaken.
407. Arrangements were made during the year for three Egyptian officers
to be attached for a year to British infantry regiments serving in the United
Kingdom, and the M ar Office also agreed that an artillery officer should attend a
young officers’ course at the School of Artillery, Larkhill, in 1935.
r . - I-M iwo ^gyP^ 11 medical officers are also to attend at the Central Medica 1
Establishment to observe the methods adopted in the medical examination anc
assessment of medical fitness for the Royal Air Force
r romiers a amimstration.
tj ffL Pj Q ' ll S ■' eai ' a ri L ° major happenings fall to be recorded in (1:
fral?on trat *T^ * The was one of Political calm, and adminb
tration has been permitted to proceed without interference In addition to tl
maintenance of control over the wide areas administered by h s Departmen
progress has therefore been made in various directions. nieparrmen
• Ui- Notably is this so in the case of agriculture. It is well known that i
ancient times somewhere about the beginning of the Christian era the Wester
Desert was intensively cultivated, and it is now fairly generally accepted that tl
water for this cultivation was obtained from rock cisterns. Some thousands c
these are known to exist, but all have silted up with sand owing to long disus
steady S e nfa S li are Tb ed Wlth gr( f U P as the resillt of a few hour'
w falL are now being cleared as fast as money can be nrovide
for the purpose, and the water they retain is being' used for thl PcfoKiioU + e
olive gardens. Olives need very little water.
normal rainfall is sufficient for their needs, so that the scheme holds out almoi