Reports and papers of the Egyptian Administration Committee [‎front-i] (2/108)

Up to the present the Foreign Office has dealt with Egypt.
This was obviously right when the principal questions arising with regard to
Egypt were of a diplomatic nature and when Egypt was a foreign State under the
suzerainty of the Turkish Empire. Now that Egypt is a British Protectorate and
Great Britain has become formally responsible for her internal policy and adminis
tration, it would seem that some other authority is needed to deal with Egyptian
affairs.
The Foreign Office has nothing to do with administration, and naturally cannot
deal efficiently with such matters.
It is rumoured that it is intended to group the Near Eastern British interests
under a new administration, but whether this is the case or not, it is clear that this
question cannot be fully decided till the conclusion of hostilities. As the control of
Egyptian affairs is intimately bound up with other Near Eastern problems, the
ultimate decision as to its head must also remain undecided for the present.
It is not possible to solve this difficulty by deferring the institution of control
over Egypt till the end of the war. The crucial time when the control, advice, and
assistance of the Home Government will be most needed will arise directly hostilities
cease. The administration of Egypt must then be altered to fit her new conditions.
Many anomalies in her government which were forced upon her by her international
position will be swept away. Demands for the extension of general or local self-
government will be pressed on the British authorities. Many decisions which will
vitally affect her future must be taken, and taken rapidly, if the evils of agitation
and even unrest are to be avoided. It is all-important that by that period the
control of Great Britain over the political organisation and administration of Egypt
should be working smoothly and effectively.
If, then, it is essential to proceed with this matter at once, it is suggested that,
for convenience, Egypt should remain under the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs until other Near Eastern questions are settled.
It has been said already that the Foreign Office cannot cope satisfactorily with
questions of internal policy and administration. If Egypt is to be temporarily left
under the Foreign Secretary, it is necessary to form a special Department which is
capable of dealing with such matters. Though for convenience this new Department
must be for the time being under the Foreign Secretary, this should be frankly-
recognised as a temporary measure and the Department be so constituted that it can
be at any time detached and placed in the charge of any other Minister without
inconvenience.
The Department must be capable of advising the Secretary of State on all
matters connected with Egypt, and must act as the channel between him and the
Egyptian Government, but it will in no sense form a portion of the regular Foreign
Office. It is even advisable to keep the offices of the two Todies entirely separate.
The management of the foreign relations of Egypt will naturally continue to form a
part of the ordinary business of the Foreign Office.
In addition to the duties of the Department towards the Secretary of State, it
will act the representative of the Egyptian Government in England, obtaining all
information required by that body, carrying on negotiations on industrial leo-al
financial, and other matters, and deal with all questions of British personnel’
appointments, leave, &c. 1
In this connection it must be remembered that the amount of Egyptian business
now transacted by the Foreign Office will only form a small portion of that which
will pass through the hands of the new office.
It is almost certain that in future Parliament will take a deeper interest in
Egyptian affairs, and it* will be no longer possible for the British Government to
hold, as in the past, that the responsibility for Egyptian administration rests
principally on the shoulders of the Egyptian Government.
Sir A. Webb transacts a certain amount of business for the Eo-yptian Govern
ment, principally that connected with the Egyptian railways and War Office and
there are several other agents of a less official character. It has also been customary
m Egypt for years past to deal direct with many of those in Great Britain who have
business with the Egyptian Government, though the lack of competent representa
twes m London has been often very inconvenient. Naturally the Foreign Office
could not be employed on such matters, and practically it was only used for business
which involved communication by cypher. All this work will be dealt with bv the
new Department. Such a general agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. has been long wanted, and the Question
was raised as long ago as 1002, but for political reasons the matter has always been