The Egyptian campaigns, 1882 to 1885Royle, Charles
History
The Egyptian campaigns, 1882 to 1885
Royle, Charles
Egypt -- History -- British occupation, 1882-1936; Sudan -- History
Lord Dufferin, on the 28th December, was accordingly instructed to
reply, on behalf of England, "that Her Majesty's Government were not
prepared, in opposition to the wishes of the Egyptian Government, and in
face of the many objections which had been raised to the continuance of
the Control, to insist on the maintenance of an arrangement which, in
its last form, was only provisionally accorded. They thought, however,
that for the present it would not be wise on the part of the Egyptian
Government to deprive themselves of all European assistance in securing
the good administration of the finances, on which must depend the
prosperity and credit of the country, and its power to fulfil its
international engagements without undue pressure on the Egyptian people.
Her Majesty's Government would recommend that, in place of the Control,
His Highness the Khedive should appoint a single European financial
adviser. This officer would attend Cabinet Councils, exercise powers of
inquiry, and give advice on financial questions, but without authority
to interfere in the direct administration of the country."
The despatch continued that "Her Majesty's Government were aware of the
great value which the French Government had attached in the past to the
Dual Control. They did not deny the practical advantages which for a
time attended the system--advantages which were owing to the common wish
of this country and of France to promote the prosperity of Egypt; but
they were convinced that this feeling on the part of France would not
extend to thinking it possible that an arrangement of a temporary
character should be continued after two of the three parties to it had
become desirous to be freed from the obligation for reasons which they
considered to be of grave importance."
It was scarcely to be expected that France would accept the arrangement,
at all events, without a struggle, and M. Raindre, the French
Consul-General in Cairo, was instructed to deny the right of the
Egyptian Government to annul the existing arrangement. This in no way
altered the programme of Cherif Pasha, who, assured of the support of
England, proceeded with the measure; and on the 18th of January, 1883, a
Decree was issued, stating that the dispositions of the various Decrees
relating to the Control were repealed. The next day the Decree was
published in the "Moniteur Egyptien," and the Control became a thing of
the past.
On the Decree appearing in print, the French Consul-General addressed a
despatch to Cherif Pasha, in which the former stated that his Government
declined to recognize the right of the Egyptian Government to upset an
arrangement which he maintained was part of an agreement between the
French and the Egyptian Governments, and which, he said, formed an
essential security for French interests. The despatch concluded with a
formal reservation of the rights of the French Government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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