Granville to Sir H. Elliot, May 15, 1873

Earl Granville to Sir H. Elliot.

Sir: I stated to you in my dispatch No. 73, of the 15th of April, that, for themselves, Her Majesty’s government were prepared forthwith to accept the proposed arrangements respecting judicial reforms in Egypt, and to sanction the report of the international commission.

In your dispatch No. 111, of the 19th of April, you give an account of a conversation with the French embassador respecting the nationality of the judges to be named for the new tribunal.

It is of course very important that, in the selection of the judges, care should be taken not to give any preponderance to one nationality over another, and that the same rule should be observed in supplying any vacancies that may, from time to time, occur among them.

Her Majesty’s government consider this point so essential, not only for the interest of British litigants, but also to secure the new tribunals from any suspicion of partiality, that, to prevent any question of this kind hereafter arising, they desire your excellency to make their final acceptance of the new system dependent on the maintenance of this point.

I am, &c.,