The Struggle for Independence 145
The nationalists hoped that the creation of the monarchy meant
the end of the Mandate, and the establishment of full independence
sweetened with British financial support. The British, on the other
hand, proposed to retain control of Iraq's foreign relations and
'such measure of financial control as might be necessary'. The
King was to agree to be guided by the advice of the High Com-
missioner, and British officials were to be appointed to specified
posts. Negotiation over the terms of the Treaty to define Anglo-
Iraqi relations was protracted through most of 1922 owing to Iraqi
reluctance to make such large concessions as Britain required.
The King was inclined to associate himself with the nationalist
attitude. Five nationalist leaders were deported, including Harndi
al-Pachahji, and unrest in the provinces called for the use of R.A.F.
bombers on four occasions. In September Cox delivered an ulti-
matum to the King: H.M. Government could not further tolerate
his connexion with the nationalist agitation nor the delay in
ratifying the Treaty. At this moment the King had a very oppor-
tune, though entirely genuine, attack of acute appendicitis, and in
October the Council of Ministers ratified a twenty years' Treaty,
subject to its subsequent ratification by the Naional Assembly.
Every royal Act or ministerial order was to receive the previous
approval of the High Commissioner or British Adviser respec-
tively. If a minister refused to yield to his Adviser's disapproval,
the High Commissioner had the power eventually to 'advise' the
King that the measure should not receive the Royal Assent.
The National Assembly did not meet to ratify the Treaty till
March 1924. The High Commissioner had taken pains to 'make'
a pro-Treaty majority. The Opposition objected to the appoint-
ment of British advisers; it claimed that the financial stipulations,
which required one-quarter of the revenue to be allotted to
national defence and imposed on Iraq a heavy share of the Ottoman
Public Debt, constituted an excessive burden; and it complained
that Britain had given Iraq no guarantee over the question of the
vilayet of Mosul, whose ownership was being vigorously con-
tested by the nationalist Turkey of Mustafa Kenial. As the Assem-
bly proved unexpectedly obstructive, the High Commissioner
finally gave the King a fortnight's warning that, if the Treaty were
not ratified in time to place it before the next session of the League
of Nations Council, H.M. Government would put its own alter-
native proposals before the League. With only twenty-four hours