Report of the Special Mission to Egypt under Lord Milner, and related papers [‎43r] (85/473)

The position of the British Hi^h Gomrrdasioner will
certainly be "exceptional*, — to my mind rather exceptional
than enviable. without under-rating the importance of
"precedence" in anOriental country, it need not imply power,
kay not the High bominiesioner 1 s position be, or became, one
of "dignity and impotence" ? Hitherto in ^pt we iiave
endeavoured to give the Native ae oaich precedence and dignity
as possible, but to retain the power in our own hands. There
is now a complete reversal of policy. What powers, if any,
will the High Commissioner have? 1 grant that Field-
karshal Allenby, with his imr^ense per so rial prestige, may for
some time to come exercise a great moral influence. But
will this bo sufficient, and will he have at his disposal any
machinery to do more than this? Yet 1 am .:>ure that more
will be required of him.
What is to happen at the Ministry of the Interior?
That Ministry is, when all is said and done, the political
and aduiniatrutive heart of the country; for which excellent
reason the 4^ptians have always desired to exclude ua from it
and to obtain complete control for themselves. It was due
to the breakdown of the British side of the interior and the
weakening of its Inspectorate,with the inevitable consequence
of mal-practice and maltreatment by native officials out of
control, that induced the general dissatisfaction leading up
to the events of ^arch 19th.
ihrou^i the ehange, .-udir - ..ainur - Omdeh, Uje Minister
of the Interior has almost complete power to squeeze the-
enemy or adversary out of existence without any attendant
circumstances which could be brought before a Court of Law.
My friend, Mohamet 3aid Pacha, when ^mister of the Interior,
repeatedly tried to initiate the process against his rivals
of /