The evacuation of Somaliland, announced on March 24th, is discussed
and condemned in a vigorous letter from Lord Curzon in Monday's Times. He contends, first, that the withdrawal involves the break-up of settlements and the dislocation of trade which has grown up under the Pax Britannica, to say nothing of exposing the Protectorate to raids from the trans-frontier tribes. Next, it means the disbandment of local troops laboriously raised and trained among the tribes themselves. His third argument is that the withdrawal means the complete abandonment of our solemn pledges of protection given in signed Treaties twenty- five years ago to all the leading tribes. Lastly, this policy has been carried out without the approval of every authority officially consulted, and at a time when the power and influence of the Mullah were on the wane. Lord Curzon concludes by declaring that no shred of evidence has been adduced to con- firm the statement that the tribes consented to a withdrawal, which, in his opinion, has been dictated by either parsimony or vacillation, and seriously compromises the honour and repute of our Empire. The question is, we admit, one of great difficulty, and there is a good deal to be said against Lord Curzon's view. What chiefly weighs with us is the breaking of our pledges to the friendly tribes. For such
action no excuse can possibly be valid. •
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