Reports and papers of the Egyptian Administration Committee [‎2v] (4/108)

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to the Egyptian Ministries of Public Works and Education, also Sir M. Cheetham
and Mr. Storrs, and I would strongly urge that they should be given an opportunity
of expressing their opinion.
P. G.
September 2, 1917.
Future Administration of Egypt.
The progress of Egypt during the last 30 years, from a condition of bankruptcy
and anarchy, to one of stable government and great economic prosperity, forms the
most striking instance of the success of British methods of administration. This
success, achieved under the Foreign Office in the face of unexampled difficulties,
has not been equalled in any of our other Colonies and Dependencies. It is due in
large measure to the wise policy adopted of trusting to the men on the spot and of
affording them a whole-hearted support. Lord E. Cecil refers to the only departure
from this rule, when an attempt was made to dictate a policy from London during
the early days of Sir E. Gorst’s regime, but this period was by no means the brightest
page in the history of our administration of the country.
At the present time Egypt is administered under a mixture of ordinary and
military law by Sir R. Wingate in concert with the G.O.C. I am in full agreement
with Lord E. Cecil, that at the end of the war the system of Home Control over the
Government of Egypt must necessarily be regularised, although I hope that it will
not be unduly extended. Full Official Reports must be received at the Foreign
Office in regard to the situation in and administration of the country, instead of the
voluminous private letters with which Sir W. Wingate now keeps us informed. It
should be remembered that the very detailed annual reports from 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. have
only been discontinued since the beginning of the war.
If eventually we have to undertake the administration of Mesopotamia, that
j country, Egypt and Aden should be administered by a special department of the
/ Foreign Office. But as regards Mesopotamia, it has been decided that the military
situation does not justify an attempt to place the civil administration of the country
on a more regular footing, nor even the dispatch of the proposed mission to study
the local situation, and the country remains for the present under purely military
control. In Egypt we are following the policy of giving Sir R, Wingate full
support and as free a hand as possible. I trust that this policy will be maintained
until the end of the war, and that no attempt will be made to hamper him or to add
to his difficulties by increased interference or control from London.
Lord E. Cecil urges that, leaving Mesopotamia aside, a Department should be
set up at once for Egypt with Political, Administrative and Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. sections. This
proposal may appear attractive in theory, but I do not think it would be justified
in practice. ^ At present the ordinary routine work in the Foreign Office connected
with Egypt cannot take up more than a few hours a week. Unless we call on Egypt
for reports on Political and Administrative questions and attempt to re-organise
the Egyptian administration from London, I cannot see how the Political and
Administrative sections could justify their existence. Lord R. Cecil in a recent
minute remarked that a reference in a memorandum of mine to the need of
reforms in the Ministries of Finance and Interior indicated that increased control
from London was required. I would respectfully point out that all such reforms
must originate in Egypt if they are to be successful. When proposals for such
reforms are received from Egypt, they can be considered here, if necessary, by a
competent committee. But the Egyptian authorities have their hands full at present
with the new Judicature Law, which is being considered, as the reports from Cairo
come in, by'a special legal committee already appointed, and in Mr. Hurst we already
possess a most competent legal advisor with special knowledge of Egyptian problems.
As regards the Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. section. Sir A. Webb’s office deals with Egyptian Government
contracts for railway material, coal, stores, &c. I should like to know whether Sir
P. Wingate and the Egyptian Government as a whole consider that there is any
thing tube pained by bringing this Office or the Educational Mission under the new
special department in London. I greatly doubt it!