baring caricatured spy vanity fair, 1902
the urabi revolt, led ahmed urabi, rising egyptian colonel, endangered khedivate. after subsequent intervention british in alexandria (the 1882 anglo-egyptian war), baring returned india egypt british agent , consul-general, mandate minor reforms , prompt withdrawal of british troops . baring though advocated longer british occupation , disparaged egyptian demands independence.
baring s first act consul-general approve of dufferin report, called puppet parliament no power. in addition, report asserted need british supervision of reforms deemed necessary country. furthermore, stated interests of suez canal zone should maintained. baring believed because of egyptian administrative incompetence, long occupation essential sort of reform. moreover, established new guiding principle egypt known granville doctrine (named foreign secretary, lord granville). doctrine enabled baring , other british officials dismiss egyptian ministers refused accept british directives. under baring, british officials positioned in key ministries , new system, known veiled protectorate, introduced. essentially, government façade. egyptian ministers outward form, yet british officials held actual power. baring remained real ruler of egypt until 1906, , arrangement worked first ten years of british control because tawfiq pasha weak man more happy abdicate governmental responsibility. egyptian army, baring considered utterly untrustworthy due previous mutinies against khedive, disbanded , new army organized along british lines (much in india). egyptian finances stabilised 1887, baring compelled government in cairo abandon pretension of reconquering sudan, egypt had lost control of following mahdist rebellion. careful (and stingy) handling of budget, plus promotion of irrigation projects, brought considerable economic prosperity egypt. baring believed @ point in future, british control of egypt end , full independence restored, once egyptian people learned proper self-governance.
afaf lutfi sayyid-marsot contends under baring, egyptian nationalists inert , many egyptians believed in britain s policy of rescue , retire , baring had no intention of doing as, marsot says, baring believed subject races totally incapable of self-government, did not need or want self-government, , needed full belly policy kept quiescent , allowed elite make money , cooperate occupying power.
in 1892, tawfiq died , abbas hilmi ii succeeded him. young, ambitious khedive wanted throw off british rule , end encouraged nationalist movement, had not reckoned baring, bullied him submission.
baring in august 1901 created viscount errington, of hexham, in county of northumberland, , earl of cromer, in county of norfolk.
in june 1902 received honorary doctorate (d.c.l.) university of oxford, , in 1906, baring made member of order of merit king edward vii.
baring embroiled in controversy in both egypt , britain in wake of severe punishments meted out egyptian peasants following 1906 denshawai incident, though out of country @ time , had no direct involvement. new liberal government under prime minister sir henry campbell-bannerman decided adopt more lenient policy towards egypt, , baring, sensing end near, offered resignation in april 1907. official reason given departure health issues. in july 1907, parliament awarded him £50,000 in recognition of eminent services in egypt.
Comments
Post a Comment