883.05/148: Telegram
The Chargé in Egypt (De Billier) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received March 7—9:30 a.m.]
23. Mailing draft today laws for reconstruction the Mixed Courts. Article 1, explanatory memorandum reads:
“The reconstruction of the Mixed Tribunals amounts in effect to the transfer to the Mixed Tribunals of the jurisdiction hitherto exercised by the consular courts. The draft laws in which the scheme for the reorganization of the Mixed Tribunals is contained have been prepared upon the assumption that before they come into force the foreign powers will have entered into agreements with Great Britain for closing their consular courts. It is also assumed that such agreements will recognize the special position which Great Britain enjoys in Egypt and will confide to her the powers which are necessary to enable her to discharge satisfactorily the duties which that special position imposes upon her both towards Egypt itself and towards foreigners in Egypt,”