And the ambitions of British policy. 65 In 1884, an appropriation of 300,000 pounds was opened for this purpose, and this amount reached 11 million pounds. The campaign of 1896-1897 was also borne by Egypt. 798,802 pounds were relinquished by England for the railway, a branch from the railway to Cairo. But Egypt made its entire budget and all its possessions. Equipment was allocated to the campaign, and iron ships, warehouses, cars, gardens, and lands were sold, and everything possible was done to achieve this, as we said in a previous statement. As for the reasons for Lord Cromer's pessimism about the future of Sudan, they are: "scarcity of population, scarcity of agriculture, lack of irrigation, and decline of trade and industry." Therefore, the English adopted Lord Cromer's theory, which is to let Egypt bear the expenses of Sudan and its development gradually, while maintaining England's control and expanding this control as Sudan progresses and develops. This is the origin of the agreement of January 19, 1899, an agreement unparalleled in international dealings, because it is not a dual rule where the authority of two states is equal, but the entire authority is confined to the English, nor is it a double protection because the English claim that Sudan is their property by right of conquest. As for the men of law and Sharia, they say that the 1899 agreement is completely void because Egypt has no capacity to conclude a contract, as Egypt is an Ottoman province, regardless of its degree of independence, it is not permissible for it to conclude an international agreement. In addition to the foregoing, ownership is reserved for Turkey, and the Khedive of Egypt, who is appointed by a Sultanic firman, is in reality a guardian. He is a guardian of the Sultan's properties, not their owner, so he is not permitted to exceed the limits of the firman by which he was appointed in his actions. This firman has clearly defined his authority and its limits. In the firman appointing Abbas Pasha II in 1892, it is explicitly stated that he is not permitted to relinquish any concession granted to Egypt or any Egyptian land belonging to Egypt. Thus, the 1899 agreement contradicts every clause of the provisions of that firman. As for England, it has recognized all international treaties and agreements.