مراسلات مع أ. ج. بلفور، السير ر. وينجيت، اللورد ألنبي، اللورد ميلنر وآخرين في مصر [و‎‎٥‎٦] (٣٠٠/١١١)

the minds of the intriguing Pasha class, that in the last
resort we could and would do without them. That convic
tion, for some reason or other, has been weakened of late
years. Hence the present troubles, which are simply a
"try on" on the part of the caste. The issue has now been
Joined, and ?/e have got & tout prix to show that their
original fear was right and their present presumption wrong.
Rushdi has gone and I hope we shall not for the moment
worry more about Rushdis. There will be plenty of them to
be had presently, if Allenby can get - as he soon will -
enough subordinate officials back to carry on, and maintain
order throughout the country. But the moment is a bad
one to announce a new move on our part. It looks as if we
were flustered, afraid of the situation created by the non
existence of an Egyptian Ministry and the naked assertion
of British authority, and felt that something must be done
at once to get us out of a hole.
I am as you know, a strong advocate of the Mission.
I think something must be done to put Egyptian administra
tion on a better permanent basis in view of the new
conditions. That is the business of the Mission, to lay
the foundations of a new system of Government. But it
must be kept quite clear of the present crisis. It cannot
even begin its work till the crisis is over, although,
no doubt, it was the present trouble which called our
attention to the necessity of overhauling the Government of
Egypt.
But if it is announced at this moment that we are
sending out a Mission in hot haste, the two things:
A. Restoration of order and,
manifestation of our
power to govern
Allenby
and
B. Cool-headed reconstruc- )
tion of normal system of) Mission
Government
will