Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎75v] (150/176)

2
i
change of Government in Egypt does not necessarily reflect a revulsion of public
opinion, which in a population containing over 90 per cent, of illiterates represents
at most the views of the intelligentsia of the towns.
£ Resignation of Rushdi Ministry and Deportation of Zaghlul.
6. On the 2nd March, 1919, the Rushdi Cabinet had resigned, and the Sultan
had been unable to induce another Government to take office in the face of the refusal
of His Majesty's Government to receive Zagblul, who wished to state the case for
Egyptian independence in London. On the 9th March Zaghlul and three of his chief
associates, who in their endeavours to prevent the formation of a new Ministry had
resorted to methods of intimidation, were deported and interned in Malta. Egyptian
nationalism had definitely challenged British authority, and the challenge had been
accepted.
7. A week later, on the 16th March, General Bulfin, the Commander-in-chief
in Palestine in the absence of General Allenby, who had been summoned to the; Peace
Conference in Paris, arrived in Cairo and proceeded to take active steps to deal with
the insurrection which had broken out throughout Egypt.
8. By the 24th March General Bulfin had control of the situation, and the
leaders of the movement in Cairo were already frightened and seeking for a means
of retreat from the position which they had taken up. It is possible that, if the large
number of troops w r hich were then available had been employed to enforce a vigorous
and sustained policy of coercion, the Nationalist movement w 7 ould have collapsed for
a time, just as that which started in 1906 collapsed shortly after Lord Kitchener
became agent and consul-general in 1911. The effectiveness of a general strike of
civil officials as weapon in the Nationalist armoury had not then been demonstrated,
as was the case a month later. In any event, it is certain that at no subsequent period
did coercion offer the same chances of success, nor were the means to enforce it so
readily to be had.
Lcn'd Allenby takes over Control.
9. On the 26th March Lord Allenby took over control as Special High Commis
sioner and Commander-in-chief. The more violent phases of the insurrection weie
on the wane, and on the 31st March he asked for authority to remove the restrictions
on travel which had been imposed on Egyptians. In effect, he was prepared to allow 7
any Egyptians who were so minded to go to Paris, where they had vague ideas of
.laying their case before the Peace Conference. Lord Allenby was satisfied that the
moment was opportune for making such a concession, which, he w 7 as advised, would
render possible the formation of a Ministry.
10. Meanwhile, the active revolt having failed, its promoters in Cairo deter
mined to try methods of passive resistance, and on the 2nd April practically all
Egyptian officials in the Ministries and Government Departments in the capital w 7 ent
on strike. Even though this movement w 7 as almost entirely confined to Cairo and did
not appreciably affect the provincial administration, it produced a situation with
which is was practically impossible to cope for any length of time, and showed clearly
that the machine of Government could not be made to work without some measure
of co-operation on the part of the Egyptian officials of all ranks. On the 4th April
Lord Allenby renewed his request for leave to make the concession referred to above,
and on the following day he was authorised by the Prime Minister to do so.
Mr. Lloyd George at the same time suggested that the opportunity might be taken of
announcing that a special mission of enquiry under Lord Milner would be sent to
Egypt.
Release of Zaghlul and Strike of Government Officials.
11. Accordingly on the 7th April the restrictions which had been imposed on
Egyptians wishing to visit Europe were removed, and Lord Allenby extended this
concession so as to cover the case of Zaghlul and his three associates in Malta. At
the same time he informed the Foreign Office that the visit of the Milner Mission
would be desirable later, but at the moment would be useless. The immediate result
of the concession which Lord Allenby had urged and had eventually been authorised
to make, was to encourage Rushdi to form a rather feeble Ministry which took office
on the 9th April, and addressed themselves to the task of persuading the Government
officials to return to work. In this they were unsuccessful, as the departure for