Typescript and printed cabinet papers and parliamentary papers on events in Egypt [‎107r] (213/520)

In that case Sultan would probably offer premiership to Sarvvat.
Sarwat, however, was in difficulty as to programme on which he could
take office and form Ministry, and Adly thought Sarwat would come
to me and ask for advice.
Adly assured me that he personally would continue to support
Sultan’s Government, and forces of law and order.
He added that, though disappointed at his failure, he did not
despair of the future.
No. 6.
The Marquess Curzon of Kedleston to Field-Marshal Viscount
Allenby (Cairo).
(Extract.)
(Telegraphic.) Foreign Office, December 8, 1921.
A DEFINITE statement w as made by the Prime Minister on
the 27th October, in reply to a question in the House of Commons
that relations between this country and Egypt would not be modified
until Parliament had been afforded an opportunity of discussing the
question. In view of this undertaking it would clearly be impossible
as contemplated in your telegram of the 6th December to establish
the new regime which the withdrawal of the protectorate would
imply. We shall be in a better position to appreciate how far public
opinion will approve our going when Parliament meets next year, and
has discussed the papers laid before it.
No. 7.
Field-Marshal Viscount Allenby to the Marquess Curzon of
Kedleston.—(Received December 11.)
(Extract.)
(Telegraphic.) Cairo, December 11, 1921.
I MUST ask your Lordship and His Majesty’s Government
to believe me when 1 state the fact that no Egyptian,
no matter what his personal opinions may be, can sign any instru
ment w-hich in his view is incompatible with complete independence.
Consequently, it is necessary to abandon definitely the idea that the
Egyptian question can be settled by means of a treaty.
His Majesty’s Government therefore must renounce the hope of
•obtaining the advantages to be derived from a treaty in return for
concessions which they may make to Egyptians. The relationship
of Great Britain to Egypt to-day resembles that of Turkey prior to
the outbreak of the war, and, when concessions were made by
Turkey to Egypt in the past, the procedure which she followed was
unilateral in character—for instance, certain rights were conferred on
the Khedives of Egypt by a series of firmans between the years 1840
and 1892. Of these concessions the most important was that of
1873, bestowing certain rights with regard to the conduct of foreign
relations. The action of Great Britain in withdrawing from Egypt
what Turkey had conceded is to-da}' more resented than anything
-else.
The concession under which the draft treaty allowed Egypt to
•conduct her own foreign relations is, from the point of view of His