Typescript and printed cabinet papers and parliamentary papers on events in Egypt [‎183r] (365/520)

14. At that time I was in England, and I had the advantage of being consulted
by the Cabinet. Since it appears to be suggested that this involves me in considerable
responsibility for the course of action which His Majesty s Government subsequently
thought fit to adopt, it is necessary that I should remind your Lordship of the nature
of this consultation.
15. I was first invited to attend a meeting on the 24th October of a sub-committee
of four members of the Cabinet, to whom 1 read a scheme for applying an alternative
policy to Egypt : the. policy was, according to my notion, to be independent of a
treaty, and to take the form of a declaration by His Majesty s Government. It was
designed to combine the achievement of the aims of His Majesty s Government with
the satisfaction of the reasonable aspirations of Egypt, and included an
unconditional recognition of the independence of that country : we were to rely
upon our acquired preponderance there, and upon a reassertion of our special
position in the country, to secure the necessary practical safeguards tor our interests
and those of foreign colonies, as well as for the prevention of interference by other
Powers. It was a policy of certain definite concessions and certain definite
insistences, and it was not a policy of bargaining. It found no support in the
sub-committee, who made their recommendations to the Cabinet, and did not
meet again.
16. Later I was summoned to the Cabinet, whom 1 found preparing to decide
upon the text of a proposed draft convention between Great Britain and Egypt.
There was some disposition to shelve the whole question and to resume its considera
tion in the spring of 1922. I represented how disastrous an effect this renewal of
delay would have in Egypt : that after months of negotiation between plenipotenti
aries His Majesty's Government should be unable to make up their mind, would be
taken as an admission of indecision most detrimental to our prestige in that country.
1 was then shown two drafts of the proposed convention, each of which had its
adherents in the Cabinet, though the less liberal draft (which was eventually
presented to the Egyptian delegation) was evidentally preferred. I was asked
whether I thought the Egyptian delegation would be prepared to sign either draft:
I replied that they would certainly sign neither. 1 was asked what would be the
effect in Egypt of the publication of the preferred draft: I replied that the effect
would be bitter disappointment. I was there and then invited to formulate a policy,
which 1 necessarily refused to do, seeing that His Majesty's Government had been
for some months in possession of my views, and that l could not dictate a policy in
five minutes.
17. It was then enquired of me whether I could maintain order in Egypt if the
rejection of the proposals of His Majesty’s Government were to provoke a hostile
outburst, and I assured the Cabinet of my ability to do so. It was enquired whether
a Ministry could be formed upon Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. 's expected resignation, and I said that
I thought it could, though whether it* would be a political Ministry or a Ministry of
Affairs I did not know . Finally, I impressed upon the Cabinet the vital and urgent
importance of deciding upon and declaring their Egyptian policy.
18. That is the extent to which I was consulted. I observe that my perhaps too
sanguine forecast of the possibility of forming a Ministry of some sort is now’
represented as a confident hope of obtaining the co-operation of the Egyptian
Government. I neither cherished nor voiced any such expectation. A Ministry of
Affairs would have been politically a Ministry of non-co-operation, useful only for
maintaining the Administration and preserving law and order, and a political
Ministry would have been, as every political Ministry in Egypt has been during my
High Commissionership, a Ministry of polite opposition to the policy of His
Majesty’s Government.
19. Such expectations as I had were at first somewhat fortified w r hen I returned
to Egypt early in November by my realisation of the position which the Ministry,
under* the temporary Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. of Sarwat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , had secured for itself : tbe
country was still awaiting calmly the issue of the negotiations in London, and though
it was soon afterwards privately known that Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. no longer expected to bring
back a signed agreement, it w’as hoped that, especially if he returned with some
tangible concession, the existing Ministry, somewhat rearranged, might continue in
office; and in any case it was not doubted that they and their principal supporters
would remain attached to orderly government, and await a more favourable
opportunity of realising their aims of independence.
20. The confidence of the Sultan and of Sarwat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , which I communicated
to your Lordship in my telegram No. 620 of the 12th November, was not shared bv