The Prime Minister, in the House of Commons on Tuesday,
made his promised statement concerning Egypt. He said that, as no Egyptian Ministry would make a treaty safeguarding our Imperial interests, the Government had decided to declare their policy. The Protectorate was ended ; Egypt was free to work' out 'her national institutions. Martial law would cease as soon as the Egyptian Assembly had passed an Act of In- demnity. The British Government absolutely reserved full discretion in regard to (1) the security of our Imperial com- munications—that is, the Suez Canal ; (2) the defence of Egypt against all foreign ,aggression ; (3) the protection of foreign interests and foreign minorities ; and (4) the Sudan. Until Egypt had concluded agreements with us on these four questions, matters would remain as at present. We- should inform foreign Powers that they were not concerned, and that we should regard any attempt at interference in Egyptian affairs as an unfriendly act. It was to be hoped that the Egyptians, on attaini independence, would curb their anti-foreign passions.
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