1906] Lcmsdowne's Policy in Egypt 157 



till midnight on the whole Egyptian question. George was very com- 

 municative, and he gave us an account of how the Anglo-French 

 Entente had been managed by Arthur Balfour, Lansdowne, and him- 

 self, and how they had expressly disclaimed all ulterior intention of 

 making the Occupation of Egypt, a stepping stone to annexation, or 

 a protectorate. This it is most important for me to know. George 

 assures me that the permanent retention of Egypt is not part of 

 English policy, at least of English Tory policy, and that they fully 

 admit that neither Egypt nor the Mediterranean could be held by us 

 in time of serious war. The new naval strategy is based on evacuat- 

 ing the Mediterranean in war time, and holding the Cape route to 

 India. The Occupation of Egypt was prolonged because a withdrawal 

 of troops would be interpreted as a provocation to Germany to send 

 in German troops. He had had, however, a talk with the German 

 Ambassador in London last December, which had convinced him that 

 Germany would abstain from intermeddling in Egypt if given a free 

 hand in the Euphrates Valley and the Persian Gulf-head. This he 

 thought would be the solution. As to Denshawai he admitted that it 

 was without precedent as an act of folly, and was only explicable on 

 the supposition that Cromer was failing in mind. George laid down, 

 as a general rule, that it was always folly to hang a man, unless you 

 intended to do a very violent deed, and to have that deed remembered. 

 He hears it commonly said now that Cromer's regime has been a 

 failure. I pressed him to help us in the House to get a day for 

 discussion of the case from Grey. He did not quite refuse, and will 

 leave a copy of my pamphlet in Arthur's way, and take half-a-dozen 

 more copies for others of his late colleagues. Dillon is to be back 

 in the House by Monday, and promises to do his best to bring it on. 

 I go up, therefore, on Tuesday, to help arrange the attack. 



" 14th Nov. — Chapel Street. John Dillon came to luncheon, and 

 we had a long talk about Egypt. He will bring forward the Den- 

 shawai case at once, and with Robertson will ask for a day to discuss 

 it. If that is refused he will ply the Government every week with 

 questions till the end of the session, and bring it on again on the 

 Address in February. He talked well about several of our leading 

 politicians. He considers the Independent Labour Party to be of no 

 importance, Keir Hardie, though honest, to have little weight. He 

 admires John Burns, speaks very highly of Churchill, who is ' cleverer 

 than his father, a better speaker, and with a sounder political instinct.' 

 Of Loulou Harcourt he has the highest opinion, a poor one of Herbert 

 Gladstone. He spoke more kindly of Chamberlain than he deserves, 

 said that there were only two men in the house who could hold their 

 own with him in debate, Asquith and Churchill, but Asquith had less 

 weight from having a lawyer's mind. He considers Haldane's position 



