2 Minister, and entrusted with the mission of forming a new administration, composed as follows President of the Council and Minister of the Interior .. Minister of J ustice ., Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Education Minister of Public Works and War Minister of Finance Mohammed Said Pasha. Saad Zagloul Pasha. Hussein Roushdi Pasha. Ahmed Heshmat Pasha, Ismail Sirry Pasha. Youssuf Sana Pasha.

Though some of the Ministers have changed office, the only new recruit is Youssuf Saba Pasha, formerly for twenty years at the head of the Post Office, during which period he earned for himself a well-deserved reputation as a capable and zealous administrator. His appointment has been received with approval throughout tlie country.

The task of giving a calm and impartial review of the general situation during 1909 is rendered exceptionally difficult by the fact that it has to be undertaken at a time when tlie calamity which has cast a slur on the fair name of Egypt, and caused a general feeling of disquietude throughout the country, is still fresh in men’s minds. Up to the moment when this catastrophe happened there seemed every prospect that the wise and sober course pursued by Boutros Pasha and his colleagues, and their refusal to be hustled from the path of moderation by the extremists on either side, were gradually bringing about a better state of feeling. The Nationalist party was slowly but surely losing ground, the effervescence in the schools was abating, and the students appeared to be once more occupied with their lessons. The encouragement given to the Legi.slative Council to become a more useful part of the machine of government and the wider administrative functions conferred upon the Provincial Councils were beginning to convince such critics as were open to conviction that the policy of gradually training the Egyptians for self-government was intended to be a reality. That the improvement which had begun to manifest itself in the attitude of the country towards its rulers should be cut short by the mad act of one individual, and that justification should be given to the numerous elements which advocate a policy of stern repression, would indeed be a calamity, and the best tribute which his former colleagues, who are now responsible for carrying on his policy, can pay to the memory of Boutros Pasha is to ensure the continuation of the work of pacification which characterized his brief tenure of office as Prime Minister.

During 1909 the Press Law, which had been revived in the early part of the year, was applied with great, perhaps too great, moderation. Two native papers were warned, and one was suppressed, the latter having already been suspended under the ordinary law by the Native Tribunals and its editor sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment.

Sheikh Shawish, the editor of the “Lewa,” was also sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for writing an article which contained scurrilous libels on the late Boutros Pasha and another high native official. These warnings were not, however, successful in preventing the extreme Nationalist journals from continuing to pour odium and contempt on the authorities, and the Government may perhaps be blamed for not having used more freely the powers which they possessed to put a stop to these abuses. The Ministers against whom the diatribes of the Nationalist writers were chiefly directed were reluctant to utilize the Law to repress personal attacks upon themselves, and they preferred to take up the attitude of treating unfounded and libellous accusations with silent contempt. Sad experience has, however, now shown that this attitude does not suffice in Egypt. It is possible, though not, I fear, probable, that those who have been engaged for the last few years in stirring up the evil passions of the ignorant and credulous may at last perceive that they are playing with fire, and endeavour to mend their ways. If this should not turn out to be the case, it will become necessary to apply the Press Law with greater severity than heretofore. No obligation of Government is more imperative than to protect efficiently the lives and reputations of those who devote themselves to the service of their country.

Turning to the economic situation of the country during the past twelve months, the chief feature has been that, in spite of a good Nile and favourable climatic conditions, the cotton crop has been very considerably below the average of recent years. The high prices prevailing have, indeed, to some extent compensated for the falling off in the yield, but none the less the result comes as a great disappointment to those who had looked forward to an abundant crop, which might clear away the financial stagna-House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.