In Tuesday's papers is printed a short despatch from Lord
Cromer dealing with the employment of young English- men in Egypt and the Soudan. He has been overwhelmed by applications from young Englishmen who imagine that there are " berths " to be obtained in Egypt, and he states briefly the general principles on which the administration of Egypt is now carried on. "A very small number of Englishmen are employed in high positions. Every effort is made to restrict the number of Europeans, whether of English or of other nationalities, in the subordinate ranks of the public service, which is more especially—and, as far as is possible, exclusively—reserved for natives of Egypt." In these plain and straightforward words Lord Cromer has given the great bat simple secret of hie success. His principle has been, and is,as far as possible, to put no Englishman into a position which can be as well filled by a native, and no native into a position which can be better (i.e., more effectually) filled by an Englishman. This means that all the many subordinate posts are filled by natives, and that the very few posts at the top—i.e., posts where responsibility, moral courage, independence, and initiative are absolutely necessary—are given to picked Englishmen. The result is, as Lord Cromer has said, that he governs with English heads and Egyptian hands. The principle is that the native Egyptian has a right to every post he is really fit to fill. Contrast the French system in Algiers, and even in Tunis, where, though only a Protectorate colony, there are said to be five thousand small French functionaries doing work which natives could do just as well. Lord Cromer deserves high praise for his steadfast- ness in absolutely refusing to find billets for Englishmen. If the Empire is ever run on the principle of billets for our snemployed literati, and not in the interests of the governed, we shall infallibly lose it, and deserve to lose it.
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