Coll 15/5 'EGYPT British community in Egypt: problems of post-war reconstruction' [‎25r] (49/68)

basis for selecting potential emigrants in the light of the
classified requirements of territories willing to accept them,
27. The Committee regard it as important that the British
Community should be brought to a proper understanding of the
changed conditions under which they are now living in Egypt in
consequence of the political changes introduced by the Treaty
and the abolition of the Capitulations, and should realise that
if they are to have a stable and guaranteed position, still more
as it is hoped a special and (de facto) privileged position, in
Egypt in the future, they must offer something in return. There
are several ways in which this should be possible, both
commercially and culturally.
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28. Commercially the policy behind the immediate-post-war
trade drive should be to concentrate on the priority and on the
quality of supply - to get goods here first and to get first-class
goods. It is considered that the control of shipping could be
used effectively as long as it is maintained to further this
policy, and that preparations should be made before the war ends
so that at least token shipments of goods suitable to the needs of
the Egyptian market may be made at the earliest possible
moment when shipping space becomes available. It is of great
importance that well-known brands of British and Dominion
goods should re-appear in the local shops in order to counter
act the effect of their disappearance during the last few years
and the habit which has thereby been fostered in the consuming
public of using similar goods of other, especially American,
origin. It ^ight well be that the course of the war will be
such that lust as in the past the United States manufacturer
has been able to maintain supplies of goods for the civil market
longer than the United Kingdom manufacturer, so the United
Kingdom manufacturer may be able to return to the production of
these goods earlier than his competitor in the United States. It
is considered that any opportunity so presented to restore the
pre-war balance in the Egyptian trade of the United Kingdom and
the United States should not be neglected, and that there are
good ethical grounds for seizing it. The strength of our hand
will, it is emphasised, lie in our control of shipping, which is
bound to result in the dependence of the Egyptian consumer on ou:.
goodwill for the supply of the goods which he requires, and for
which the abundance of money which we have poured into the
country has created an enormous demand. The control of nitrate
shipments has already proved this to the Egyptian Government and
to Egyptian business men, and has also indicated to us the
bargaining value of such an asset.
29. At the same time every effort should be made to spread
British culture in Egypt, and to encourage and extend the efforts
which are so successfully being ^ade by the British Council to th.
end both directly and through their interest in the British
element in the Egyptian Ministry of Public Instruction, The
presence of Mr. Reed at the head of the Egyptian Branch of the
Council is a guarantee that its work will have the sympathy of an
important and influential element among Egyptians, and an
opportunity is thereby presented of strengthening the social
and cultural ties between the two countries which have already
been considerably increased by the amenities of the Anglo-
Sgyptian Union, In particular attention should be given to all
activities likely to spread the use of the English language,
which is regarded as of paramount importance in the furtherance
of British trade. It might even be possible to persuade the
Egyptian/