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assured of such a guarantee as would be afforded by a Government subvention and approval.
The lines on which we propose to act, and any more particulars which you may desire, we will furnish as soon as we are furnished with your Lordship's wishes on this subject.
The subsidy or subvention which would be necessary to enable such a Company to enter upon its operations, with a good prospect of success, would be a mere fraction of the sums which would have to be expended in the military operations which now seem imminent.
We would also most respectfully submit that, as time is of great value, your Lordship would be pleased to take this letter into consideration at your earliest
We have, &c.
convenience.
Gentlemen,
(Signed)
V. LOVETT CAMERON, C.B., D.C.L. FRANCIS WM. FOX.
No. 2.
Sir J. Pauncefote to Captain Cameron and Mr. Fox.
Foreign Office, December 21, 1885. I AM directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, suggesting that a solution of the present difficulties connected with the Soudan might be found through the instrumentality of a Chartered Company, which should for a time receive a subsidy from Her Majesty's Government, and should devote its energies to the pacification and the commercial and administrative development of that country.
Lord Salisbury desires me to thank you for your communication, and to state that your recommendations shall be carefully considered by Her Majesty's Govern- ment, and that a reply will be sent to you as soon as a decision has been come to.
His Lordship would be glad to be furnished by you with details as to the amount of subsidy, and the powers which the Company would require from Her Majesty's Government.
Sir,
I am, &c. (Signed)
No. 3.
JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.
Captain Cameron and Mr. Fox to Sir J. Pauncefole.-(Received January 4.)
8, Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster, January 1, 1886.
IN reply to your letter of the 21th ultimo, we have the honour to request that you will inform Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs that we hope that the powers granted to any Soudan Company would be similar to those possessed by the Honourable East Indian Company. The inclosure is a draft which has been drawn up for submittal to His Imperial Majesty the Sultan of Turkey in consequence of his being the Suzerain of the provinces with which it is proposed to deal, and which would serve as a basis of negotiations as to the powers which Her Majesty's Government could grant to the proposed Company, and could be modified
in accordance with their wishes,
As our proposals include the granting of money by the British Government, their arceptance would of a necessity have to be discussed by the House of Commons, and both there and in the House of Lords provisions would doubtless be introduced which would safeguard the country in the undertaking.
As regards the pecuniary assistance which we would ask of Her Majesty's Government, it is impossible to do more at the present time than submit an estimate based upon our present knowledge, and which, of course, would be subject to considerable modifications hereafter.
At present, we think that the capital of the proposed Company should be 10,000,000/., and that they should have power to borrow a like amount, which would furnish funds both towards the pacification of the country, and also for its material development by the construction and maintenance of roads, railways, irrigation works, and other works of public utility.
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