The Washington herald., 1908-03-22
Object Is 10 Place on Record an Ac-
curHte Narrative of Some of the
Principal Events which Have De-
cured in Egypt since 1S76-Be-
gins with IsmaiI Pasha.

secretary to Lord Northbrook during his
vice regency Of India. His service ~
Egypt dates from 1883 to 1907, a period of
twenty-four years.
Lord Cromer's work on Egypt is. he is
I careful to explain. simply an expression
OF his personal views and an exposition
OF his personal knowledge of Egypt. rs
preface consists Of two lines. in which he
says:
! am wholly responsible for the contents Of this
BOOK IL has no Official character whatever.
The Earl of Cromer's object IN writing
THIS book IS 10 place on record an ac-
Icurate narrative Of some Of the principal
events which have occurred in Egypt
and the Sudan since 1876. and 10 show
the results which have accrued from the
brlUsh occupation Of the country IN ISS2.
The whole history or the British govern
ment OF Egypt is peculiar. An alien
race, the English. have had 10 control
and guide a second alien race. the Turks
Dy Whom they are disliked. I'm the gov
ernment Of a third race the Egyptians.
TO these latter both paramount races are
I 10 4 certain extent unsympathetic To
ser down The changes that have occurred
1 ~ Esypt In the past thirty years i'm
plies certain positive knowledge of
Esypt and Egyptian affairs. and the Earl
OF Croner is quick 10 understand how
oiincut Il Is for European to arrive
~ true estimate of Oriental wishes.
aspirations and opinions Stiff. he saws.
would add that il Is not possible t live $, Ion,
as have lived IN Egyrt without acquiring a deep
sympathy Tor The Esyptian people The canse of
Egyptian reform Is one IN which take the warmest
personal interest. residence of hslf a Eferiroo
IN E'stein countries has made realize The force
| q kudyard hiriings lines:
II you've heard the East a-caun-
You won't ever heed aught else
The Earl OF Cromer begins his history
with the regime OF Ismau Pasha. who
Practically ruled the country from lsss 10
1873 AT the time that IsmaH Pasba suc-
ceeded Said Pasha the debt of EeHn,
amounted To g, ~. 600; IN 1879 the funded
debt. including the Daira loans. amounted
TO G6S.llo,ooo In addition 10 this there
was a floating debt OF about c2s.O0O GEO..
This shows that Isman Pasha added on
an average OF about E7000.Oe8 a year for
thirteen years to the debt OF Egypt And
all Of this money. except the el6.O00C00
spent for the suez Canal. was squan-
dered.
Vow. there is not space enough here TO
tel IN detail how Egypt was rescued from,
her anancia, difficulties Il sufices To saw
that the Earl OF Cromer, author OF the
present work. was the primo factor in
the rescue For four years prior 10 1876
II ne had occupied the post Of private secre-
tary 10 the viceroy OF India. and in
March, 1877, he was nominated as com
missioner or the debt IN Egypt From that
time dates the march forward of FevDt
The task of reforming Egyptian finances
was an enormously heavy one. and the
Earl OF Cromer. then Sir Evelyn Barring.
resigned his post IN 1879 He did NOT re-
J turn 20 Egypt untilfhe came as controller
general. after the abdication OF Ismail
Fasha Ine Earl Of Cromer was present
as controller general IN 1881. when oc-
CURED the mutiny OF the Egyptian army
which ultimately led to the British rniiY-
tary occupation OF the country. The
British and French governments demand
ed that Arab Pasha. who was responsible
Tor much Of the disaffection in Egvpt
should leave the country. but instead he
was reinstated in office as minister Of
? war, and shortly after there followed the
massacre OF Christians at Alexandria
. which brought about the bombardmeut
of that place by the British navy.
: England had gone too far now N 70.
treat. and she stepped in and with one
rapid and well delivered blow crushed
{ out rebellion in Egypt The British DO.
sition was admirably stated by Mr.. Glad
, stone in the House Of Commons. who said
I We fee thst We should not h,lly discharge ON
duiy II We did endeaVOr 20 convert the rreS@r-
interior state Of Egypt from anarchy and confic
70 Ieace and order We shall look during the rim.
that remains 70 rs 20 the cooperation OF the pow
ers % civilized Europe II II he In any case oren Z,
us. But. II every chance Of obtaining co-orerstior
Is exhausted the work wiz be undertaken by tn,
single power Of England.
Lord Cromer does not go into detail as
10 the military operations by which ths
5 insurrection in Egypt was crushed. II :,
= sufficient TO say that Lord Wolsele,
. moved 10 Cairo by way OF Ismailia. The
, canal was seized in spite Of the 0uerulou,
: cries Of Al de Lesseps. On September u
S ~, the Egyptian army was totally rout.
e ed at Tel-el-Kebir Thus was fulfIIe,
!; kinglake's prophecy that the Engllshrnar
would plant HIS foot firmly in the vale,
Of the Nile.
' Even at this time the British govern
; ment was desirOus Of sharing the burden,
i or occupation Of Egypt with foreign now
Z ers. Neither France nor Italy was in
! clined 10 take hold. and the British GOV
ernment was left to do The work bv itself
Sir Evelyn Barring was appointed go
: and consul general and Great Britai,
= was practically in supreme command.
1t was shortly after Sir EVELYN Rarfn,
took hold OF Egypt this time that the If
: fairs Of the Sudan began TO exercise a,
: important influence on the course ~
e events. false Mahdi had arisen tber,
s in the person of Mohammed Ahmed an.
0 all the discOntented and rebellious anon,
: the Mohammedan population of Egvp
a fiocked to his standard. The Egvptia,
: army ISas I'm bad condition. although eve,
= at thi, time the plan. since so successful
e ~ followed. Of putting British officers /,
command was being tried Among other
: was Gen. Hicks. who was IN command q
> Khartoum and who was placed in charP
\ of the first expedition sent against fh
= AIahdi. This expedition started on Sen
d tember 8. 1888, three days before the ar
D rival OF Sir Evelyn Barring in Egypt. o,
= November y news reached Cairo that OF
. the 9Th Gen. Hicks army had been entire
{. ly destroyed.
e For a long time after this the British
government remained firm in its deter
= minatiOn not TO employ Indian or British
}. troops in subduing the Sudan. and
E seemed for time that British author
: ity would have 10 be withdrawn from
4 that place. Indeed. il was for the purpos
= OF completing the evacuation Of the su
y dan that Gen. Gordon was sent out b.
!. the resident minister There was at frs
no question OF his defending Khartour
q against the Mahdists or of sustainin
British authority there Lord Cromel