Egyptian Sudan 64 The Sudan Convention In the View of Politicians and Jurists Lord Cromer, the architect of the Sudan Convention, was among the first to acknowledge its invalidity from a legal standpoint. He praised Lord Salisbury, who approved this convention, for his courage and boldness in undertaking an action that was not sanctioned by existing laws, prevailing statutes, or agreements between nations and peoples. Jurists and politicians wrote extensively on this matter. Politicians argued that after the evacuation and subsequent recapture of the Sudan, and in the face of the world's perceived turmoil and anxieties, they viewed Egyptian Sudan from two perspectives: one of coveting it and annexing it to their possessions, and another of controlling it, monopolizing its benefits, and burdening Egypt with its expenses and liabilities. Those advocating for annexation argued that by annexing Sudan to their possessions, they would not be doing anything new but rather transforming a temporary situation into a permanent one. They pointed out that they had already taken Uganda, Unyoro, the Equator, and beyond from Egypt. As for the consequence, it was that the financial objection, though implicit, was disregarded. Those advocating for exploitation while keeping the financial burden on Egypt argued: Why should we burden ourselves with troubles and expenses when our share is guaranteed? The British government hesitated between these two theories and returned to Lord Cromer to ask for his opinion. Lord Cromer replied that he leaned towards the second theory because he was concerned about the fate of Sudan. In his report for 1899, he stated, "Sudan has always been like a sinkhole, swallowing millions of pounds, and these millions, when poured into it, dissolve like snow under the sun in the desert. This is also attributed to the bankruptcy of the Egyptian treasury. Britain also agreed on large sums that it hoped to recover upon the settlement of accounts. It is not forgotten that when the British government launched the Wolseley expedition to rescue Gordon..."