Dee. 19.
Tur step which Great Britain has taken in declaring Egypt a British Protectorate is fully justified by recent events. When, at the beginning of August, the Turkish Ambassador in London expressed uneasiness in regard to British intentions, Sir Edward Grey gave him a definite assurance that his Government had nothing to fear provided Turkey remained neutral. A few days later a similar assurance was tel graphed to Mr. Beaumont, British Charge d'Affaires at Constantinople, in the following words. "Tf Turkey remains neutral and Egypt remains quiet and should no unforeseen circumstances arise, his Majesty's Government do not propose to alter the status of Egypt. A report has reached me that it is being alleged that the annexation of Egypt is under consideration by his Majesty's Government. You should emphatically contradict this to the Turkish Government and say that we have no intention of injuring Turkey, and you should add an assurance in the sense of the first paragraph."" No clearer or more binding promise has ever been issued by the Foreign Office, and had Turkey remained out of the war there is no question whatever that the promise would have been scrupulously kept. She chose, however, to go back on her original declaration of neutrality and. in obedience to German bribes and German insinuations, to throw Britain's guarantees of safety into the waste paper basket. Even if Egypt did not constitute a point d'appui for hostile acts, Great Britain would be within her rights in seizing the country. When, however, it is as plain as anything can be that Turkey has been influenced from Berlin in the hope of lessening the number of men who can be sent to Belgium and France, the declaration of a protectorate doubly justified.
Practically considered it was the only step left for the British Government to take. When the Khedive assumed a hostile attitude the system under which Egypt is governed. broke down. Ever since the revolt of Arabi in 1882 and the refusal of France to cooperate in its suppression Great Britain has wielded authority alone. She has done this, however, in conjunction with
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.