In the House of Commons on Wednesday Sir Austen Chamberlain
announced that the Government regarded this reply as satisfactory enough to justify them in recalling the ships which were on their way to Alexandria. They had, however, warned the Egyptian Government that if ever the Bill were proceeded with Britain would again oppose an absolute veto. The Times published part of the text of the Bill on Wednesday, and from this it may be seen how outrageously the police were to be penalized for performing their proper duty of keeping the peace. The whole thing was an attempt to please the Wald extremists. We bave written on this subject in -a leading article, and will only say here that the Egyptian conception of the Constitution as something unrelated to the reservations made, by Britain in the. Declaration of 1922 is indefensible. Nevertheless, it was not desirable for the British Government to examine too critically the method of " saving face." We con- gratulate them on their successful emergence from anxiety and on the dignity and patience shown in Sir Austen's statement on Wednesday. These things were admirable. Egyptians will now have several weeks to think out the effects of Wafd policy and to ask themselves whether it is really profitable to estrange the British people, who are sincerely ready to help Egypt to a position of greater independence.
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