Correspondence with A J Balfour, Sir R Wingate, Lord Allenby, Lord Milner and others on Egypt [‎32v] (64/300)

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m ■ e Bedouin to loot the district and set fire to the Government buildings,
an t ey frequently carried out their threat. Bands of Bedouin had been organised and
vere in the pay of the Central Nationalist Committee. It is to be noted that
i rince Omar loussoun, cousin of the Sultan, but notorious for his pro-Turk and anti-
n is sympathies, was in Shepheard s Hotel in Cairo for some weeks past, and that
le et oum Sheikhs were constantly visiting him. It is generally considered that His
-Highness took an important part in the organisation of the movement.
Sir M. Cheetham has reported that, in the light of what has happened, he and his
competent advisers have come to the conclusion that some upheaval in the nature of the
present revolt was sooner or later inevitable. An Egyptian official recently arrived
iere declares that it had been fixed for July, but that the deportation of Zaglul and
his friends precipitated matters. However this may be, the Anglo-Egyptian authorities
appear to have been so greatly out of touch with native sentiment that such statements
must be accepted with reserve. They have indeed shown a complete lack of fore-
n ovv e S e which it is almost impossible to account, and an explanation has been
it queste . riom a political point of view the outbreak could scarcely have occurred at
a more unfortunate moment. From a military point of view the same cannot be said as
a year ago when we were still fighting the Turk, or six months from now when the
occupying oices might have been greatly reduced, the danger would have been more
formidable.
I he com se of events may be summarised as follows i
For some time past a subterranean, but carefully prepared and organised, move-
men , wi i a oung iuik undercurrent, has been in progress in Eofypt with a view to
complete independence. In November last this movement came out into the open, and,
emg left unchecked, m the course of a fortnight swept the whole country, including
tlm bultan, Ministers, Moderates, and such friends as we had, off their feet His
MajestysGovernment did what they could to stem the tide, firstly, by ordering the
agitation to be suppressed, and, secondly, by attempting to separate the Moderates
bom the Extremists, the. latter being refused permission to accompany the
\ 1Illst ^ r ‘ s M ^ eii they, were invited to London to express their views. Kuchdi and
Adly rashas then resigned, but other Ministers seemed ready to come forward. The
moment this was apparent the Nationalist leaders assumed a threatening attitude
four of them were deported, and the explosion took place. To have allowed the
i auonahst leaders to come here and be officially received would have been to give
official sanction to the movement for independence, and to have recognised their mandate
as the true representatives of the Egyptian nation. There was a great deal more to
)e said for the proposal that they should be permitted to arrive in London, but that
then no further, notice should be taken of them. This course was carefully considered
Py tlis Majesty s Government, and was twice deliberately rejected. Had it been
accepted the present outbreak might possibly have been avoided, but would more
likely only have been postponed. It is hard to believe that the Nationalist leaders
fully conscious of the power and organisation of the forces behind them, would have
submitted to humiliation without sooner or later bringing matters to a trial of strength
Be tffis as it may, the trial of strength has now taken place, and the British authori-
Hes in Egypt, invested with full discretionary powers, have shown themselves unable
or unwilling, to stand up to the forces arrayed against them. The principle at issue
las been surrendered, and the Nationalist leaders, including those deported to Malta
v y s °i‘tly arrive here. Thus a fortnight of violence has achieved what four months
o persuasion failed to accomplish. The object lesson will not be lost in Egypt and
throughout the East. m
April 9, 1919.
B. G.