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and its impact, or its error in understanding the required changes. (1) And it is not surprising, for the system expressed by our vague term "foreign privileges" is a complex system. One does not grasp its meaning except after much thought and study.
As for the error in understanding the meaning of the changes we proposed, its evidence lies in the statements I hear from time to time, as their apparent meaning suggests that their speakers believe that if these changes were accepted, they would lead to either the abolition of the Mixed Courts, or the non-enforcement of personal status laws on Europeans residing in Egypt, or that the criminal courts that would be established then would not gain people's trust in their judgments, or leaving Europeans at the mercy of the national police. In short, the annulment of the rights and privileges that Europeans now enjoy, and their non-compensation with anything that guarantees them protection from government tyranny.
Furthermore, it is worthy of consideration that if the reform that a person seeks is given a name that provokes people to opposition, then its naming is one of the great misfortunes for that peace, because the words that please the ear stick in the mind and have a great impact on political discussions. Do you not see that Mr. Cecil Rhodes' project to build his railway, named in translation "From the Cape to Cairo," had a good reception among people, and in my opinion, the reason for this is that that great man, who knew how to win hearts and captivate minds, gave his project a name that resonates in the ears and sticks in the mind, even if it was not entirely accurate. (2)
For I and those who share my desire to reform the legislative system currently followed in Egypt have not been granted by fate the good fortune that Mr. Rhodes was granted, as people often describe our project as the project intended to "abolish foreign privileges," as described by the British Chamber of Commerce and the Mixed Chamber of Commerce.
However, this description is incorrect and also indicates the opposite of what is intended, as the issue intended to be resolved is not the abolition of foreign privileges, but the preservation of all that is worthy of preservation from those privileges.
(1) For example, a letter sent by the Italian Chamber of Commerce to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Rome and published by the newspapers. It is clear from it that its author did not fully understand what I proposed. Rather, the statements they made negate their fears and their concerns. (2) I said it was not accurate because if communication between Alexandria and the Cape were to be established one day, it would not be solely by railway, but also by river.