SECRET
Colonial office,
The Church House Gt. smith street, London,
1.
14th June, 1949.
32
mydia frantham,
With reference to your telegram No. 573, I enclose herewith copies of the directives issued to the Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon, copies of which were also duplicated to the Governor. That
contained in a telegram to the Governor dated 5th March, 1942, was the first, and that headed Annex III was the directive issued in 1944 when the Commander-in-Chief became responsible to D.A.C., D.E.A.C.
I should explain that, when the latter directive was issued, a secret order-in-Council was made which laid down that at a time at which a proclamation was made either by the Governor or by the officer Commanding the Forces, the latter would assume administration of the Colony in place of the Governor, and the performance by the Executive Council of the Colony of their functions would be suspended. The Order further provided that all powers which the Governor or the Governor in Executive Council pssessed would be vested in the officer Commanding the Forces, who would, therefore, have powers to make any regulations, etc., which were vested in the Governor by the Constitutional Instruments. at the same time, a Dormant Commission was issued under which the Commander-in-Chief would supersede the civil Governor in all his functions if the Commander-in-Chief considered that circum- stances were such as
such as to make it necessary for him
SIR ALMAANDER GRANTILAM, a.C. G.
/to