Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎40v] (80/176)

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82. In June 1921 the daily cost of maintenance of a refugee, including all
administrative charges, was as follows : —
Sidi Bishr Camp ...
Sidi Bishr Hospital
Ismailia Camp
Limassol Camp
Limassol Hospital
3
9
2
2
d.
6
2
9
8
5 10
83. In July the Administration reported a reduction of the daily cost of living
at Sidi Bishr to '2s. \d. per refugee, while at the end of the year the figures were
approximately :—
Per Week.
£ 5.
d.
Sidi Bishr—
Adult
15
11
Child
10
84
Ismailia—
Adult
.11
7
Child
14
34
Limassol—
Adult
19
3
Child
12
0
84. From the foregoing it will be seen that both the total numbers and the
individual cost of maintaining the refugees have been reduced during 1921.
85. In May His Majesty's Government authorised the payment of the cost of
transport to destinations beyond Egypt of such Russian refugees as would become
self-supporting on arrival. By the end of the year eighty-four Russians had been
despatched under this arrangement to Serbia, Greece and other countries, at a total
cost of some £800.
86. Apart from the desirability of enabling these refugees to make a fresh start,
this expenditure represents an eventual economy to His Majesty’s Government when
placed against the cost of the individual's maintenance in a refugee camp.
87. During the year a number of refugees put forward claims to nationalities
other than Russian, e.g., Polish, Esthonian, Latvian, &c.
88. These claims were forwarded by the Foreign Office to the Governments
concerned. After a considerable delay decisions were reached in the great majority
of cases. Of those recognised by their Governments, thirty-four were repatriated
before the end of the year. They consisted of Poles, Latvians, Lithuanians and
Esthonians.
89. Early in 1921 a number of refugees in Egypt had expressed a desire to
return to Soviet Russia.
90. The Foreign Office communicated with the Soviet Government accordingly,
but no definite reply was returned by them on the subject
91. In September, Lieutenant-Colonel W. Ainsworth, C.B.E., the inspector of
Russian refugees in Egypt and Cyprus, reported the presence of Bolshevik activity
at the Sidi Bishr Camp, the principal agents being among those who had petitioned
for repatriation to Soviet Russia. Authority was therefore requested, and obtained
from the Foreign Office, to despatch a party of refugees to Soviet Russia, and 102
Russians left Alexandria for Constantinople on the 29th September. It had been
contemplated that this party should be put ashore on the south Russian coast, without
the consent of the Soviet authorities, if the latter still refused to accept their own
nationals and sympathisers.
92. However, on the arrival of the party at Constantinople, Sir H. Rumbold
reported by telegram that he considered such a course to be impracticable, and since
the Soviet maintained its refusal to admit them, there was no alternative to the
return of the refugees to Egypt. The party therefore disembarked at Alexandria
on the 27th October, and returned to the camp at Sidi Bishr. Excluding the charges
for the return journey, which were not paid by the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , the cost of this
abortive move amounted to some £520.
93. The expenditure of £500 was authorised in September on material for
winter clothing for the women and children in the refugee camps in Egypt. This
material was purchased locally, and made up by the refugees themselves.