Egyptian Sudan

14

This request, and Sir Evelyn Baring's argument was that Sudan's budget had a deficit of 260,000 pounds, and the Egyptian treasury could not bear this amount every year, and the English government would not agree to provide a single soldier to support Egypt's authority over Sudan. They insisted on Sharif Pasha's ministry evacuating Sudan, but Sharif Pasha refused to accept their demand and said his famous words, "If we leave Sudan, it will not leave us." But they forced him to resign, acting on the rule established by Lord Granville, which was, "Either the Egyptian official submits, or he resigns." When Sharif Pasha's ministry resigned, it was succeeded by Nubar Pasha's ministry, which immediately decided to evacuate Sudan (January 8, 1884). As for Sharif Pasha's ministry, it said in its resignation letter: "We request Her Majesty's government to allow us to leave Sudan: it is not our right to agree to leave it, because these lands, which belong to the Sublime Porte, were entrusted to us to protect them. Her Majesty's government says that Egypt must follow its advice without discussion, and this is a violation of the High Order issued on August 23, 1879, which states that the Khedive shall rule with his ministers and through them. So we are seeking a ruling because we are prevented from ruling according to the provisions of the constitution."