Report of the Special Mission to Egypt under Lord Milner, and related papers [‎203v] (409/473)

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by Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . On the other hand, he would be willing to go to London if a wish
were expressed to that effect. He did not, however, press the point so far as he
personally was concerned.
Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. called upon me at 7 o’clock, and told me he had been asked by the
Sultan, to form a Ministry, and would be ready with his list on the following day.
The names of the new Ministry, which were communicated to your Lordship in my
telegram No. 175, call for little comment, beyond that, as I have already pointed out,
no Zaghlulists are included. Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , however, seems satisfied he can count on the
collaboration of the more prominent of Zaghlul's followers, who tnyve been despatched
by him to Paris with an invitation to Zaghlul to join the delegation. Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. tells
me that if Zaghlul refuses to be a member of the official delegation his followers will
probably desert him and support the Ministry ; if, on the other hand, Zaghlul consents
to join the delegation, his supporters will come in with him and the difficulty of
Zaghlul’s opposition to the official negotiations will have been overcome. On this point
we can now only await the result of Adly Pasha’s overtures to ZaghlubPasha.
Your Lordship will perceive that my policy throughout these negotiations has been
based on the fundamental requirements that the new Egyptian combination should have
reasonable certainty of securing the adherents of the future representative assembly to
the agreement to be negotiated with Great Britain. I repeatedly emphasised this point
both to the Sultan and to the leaders who visited me.
Considering that the matter was one for Egyptians to decide among themselves, I
had hoped that the Sultan would be able to come to an arrangement with leaders of
opinion on the basis of a coalition, with due regard to the claims of the party headed by
Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , which would embrace all parties. Mohammed Said not excluded, since I was
of opinion that it would be better to remove from Egypt such a potential danger as this
notorious politician.
Unfortunately, as the days went by it became apparent that the Sultan could not
be relied on to show the statesmanship required of him at a crisis in his country’s
history. Fearful for his own personal position and for the welfare of his dynasty, he
fell completely under the influence of Mohammed Said, whose aim I could interpret as no
other than to defeat the policy to which His Majesty’s Government stood committed
and which I had been instrructed to facilitate as far as possible. I was left no
alternative but to intervene with His Highness, with the result that Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was
summoned to the palace to assume the leadership. This result will, I believe, be
satisfactory to your Lordship, since His Majesty’s Government have for some time past
looked to Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. to carry through on the Egyptian side the policy initiated by
Lord Milner.
I should like to take this opportunity of paying a tribute to the statesmanlike
qualities of the late Prime Minister, Tewfik Nessim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . He was almost unknown
when he became Minister of Wakfs in the Cabinet of Mohammed Said Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. in May
1919, and when a year later he was summoned to the 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 the Council of
Ministers he still had to give final proof of the qualities which he had displayed as
Minister of the Interior in the short-lived Ministry of YYahba Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . He assumed
office at a difficult moment, when the lives of Ministers were in danger, the credit of the
Government in the country low, and the Government officials themselves restless and
discontented. By hard work, good sense, firmness and absolute integrity he succeeded
in the course of ten months in establishing for himself, both in the Ministry of the
Interior and in the other administrations of the Government, and finally, in spite of
much opposition and suspicion, in the country at large, a position of strength and
respect exceeding the most favourable expectations; and his services at a critical time
have been of inestimable value both to Egypt and to His Majesty’s Government.
The events of the last three weeks have brought Nessim Pasha’s statesmanlike
qualities into particular prominence. His position, as closely associated with the Sultan
and barely acquainted with Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , was a difficult one; but while not swerving
from his loyalty to the Sultan, and at the same time establishing friendly personal
relations with Adly Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , he realised that the situation demanded of him an attitude
of disinterested self-effacement, and he has consistently done everything within his
power to facilitate the achievement of the end in view.
In conversation with me on the 15th instant, Nessim Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. again emphasised that
he had not the least intention of claiming inclusion in the official delegation. If, however,
his services were required, he would gladly give them.
The Sultan has accepted his new Ministry with resignation, notwithstanding that
many members of it are personally distasteful to him. At an interview I had with His
Highness on the 16th instant he expressed no annoyance at the action I had taken, and
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