1910] Egyptian Congress at Brussels 319 



was one of these.] The French made a condition that certain pro- 

 tected French subjects in Syria should be given up by the Ottoman 

 Government, and also a certain oasis on the Tripolitan frontier 

 evacuated, which, of course, could not be conceded. The answer to 

 this is a rumoured military convention between Turkey and Roumania, 

 and the all but certainty that Turkey will now join the Triple Alliance. 

 This is the best thing that could happen to Egypt, so I rejoice. 



" 24th Sept. — My letter in French to the Egyptian Congress has been 

 clearly a great success, the London Liberal papers giving extracts 

 from it, and describing it as a ' sensation,' and the ' Daily News ' giving 

 it three-quarters of a column under the heading ' Mr. Blunt's Remark- 

 able Prophecy.' I am sure this has been the right way to attack Grey's 

 position. It is announced now that Cassel has come forward with 

 an offer of financing the Turkish loan if the French Government re- 

 fuses to allow the Credit Mobilier's offer, and that he has support at 

 Berlin. 



" 26th Sept. — Worth Forest. The news from Brussels is excellent. 

 Keir Hardie has declared himself at the Congress in unmistakable 

 terms for evacuation. He has even told the Egyptians they must have 

 a revolution. The following are the resolutions agreed to : 



' (1) The occupation of Egypt by Great Britain being illegal, evacu- 

 ation must take place immediately. 



' (2) The Constitution of 1882 must be restored. 



' (3) The Press law must be abolished. 



' (4) The deportation law must be repealed. 



' (5) Control over the debt must be maintained as long as Egypt is 

 the debtor of Europe. 



' (6) The treaty of 1898 between the Khedive and Great Britain 

 affecting the Soudan is void.' 



" These are exactly the resolutions I should myself have drafted. 

 I mean now to take a holiday from the whole thing. Clementine 

 Churchill writes that Winston thinks my advice to the Egyptians very 

 good advice, but he will never consent to the evacuation. I have 

 answered that I remembered his saying so last year, and I also remem- 

 bered how Jules Favre said in 187 1 that he would never consent to 

 the surrender of a stone of France's fortresses. 



"yd Oct. — Newbuildings. Riza Bey Tewfik unexpectedly arrived 

 from London, having found his way on foot from Southwater through 

 the woods. We had a most interesting talk about Ottoman politics, 

 and he gave me an exact account of how England had lost her popu- 

 larity at Constantinople through the stupidity of our Embassy and 

 the mistake made in giving support to the counter-revolution. At the 



