Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/309

 GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION. 257

Consul at Cairo. — A. D. Alban. Consul at Port Said. — F. G. Freeman. Commercial Agent for Eyypt and Sudan. — E. H- Mulock. There are also Consular representatives at Suez, Hansnra, Tanta, Zagazig, and Birket-es-Sab.

Government and Constitution.

The administration of Egypt is carried on by native Ministers, subject to the ruling of the Sultan. From 1S79 to 1883 two Controllers-General, appointed by France and England, had considerable powers in the direction of the affairs of the country (Khedivial Decree, November 10, 1879). In the summer of 1882, in consequence of a military rebellion, England intervened, subdued the rising, and restored the authority of the Khedive. In this intervention England was not joined by France, and as a result, on January 18, 1SS3, the Khedive signed a decree abolishing the joint control of England and France. In the plac«of the Control, the Khedive, on the recommendation of England, appointed an English financial adviser, without whose concurrence no financial decision could be taken. The Khedivial Decree appended to and approved by the Anglo-French Convention of April 4, 1904, removed moat of the restrictions which encumbered the management of Egyptian Finance. No modification may be introduced into the terms of the Decret without the assent of the signatory powers to the Convention of London of 18S5.

In November, 1919, it was officially announced that the policy of Great Britain in Egypt was to preserve the autonomy of that country under British protection and to develop the system of self-government under an Egyptian ruler ; and that the object of Great Britain was to defend Egypt from all ex- ternal danger and interference by any foreign Power, and at the suae time to establish a constitutional system in which, under British guidance, the Sultan, his Ministers, and the elected representatives of the people might in their several spheres and in an increasing degree co-operate in the manage- ment of Egyptian affairs. A mission under Lord Milner was sent to Egypt with the purpose of working out this policy. The Egyptian Government have now ^March, 1921) been invited to discuss with the British Government the question of substituting for the protectorate a relationship which, while securing the special interests of Great Britain and enabling the latter to offer adequate guarantees to foreign powers, will meet the legitimate aspir- ations of Egypt.

The Egyptian Ministry, composed of ten members, is constituted March 16, 1921) as follows :—

Prime Minister. — Adly Ycghen Pasha.

Vice-President of the Council. — Hussein Bushdi Pasha.

Minister of Interior. — Abdel Khalek Sancat Pasha.

Minister of Education. — Gaafar Waly Pasha.

Minister of Public Works, Marine and War. — Mohammed ShuJVc Pasha.

Minister of Justice. — Abdel Fattah Yehia Pasha.

Minister of Agriculture. — Xeguib Ghali Pasha.

Minister of Wakfs (Pious Foundations). — Midhat Yeghen Pasha.

Minister of Communications — Ahmed Zitcer Pasha.

Minister of Finance. — Ismail Sidky l'asha.

The new Ministry of Communications, established in 1919, comprises the following services : The Egyptian State Railways, Telegraphs, and Telephones ; the Postal Administration ; the Ports and Lighthouses ; the Harbour Works ; Inland Water Transport : Mechanical Transport ; Main Roads and Bridges ; Supervision, licensing, and control of civil aerial traffic.

On May 1, 1883, an organic law was promulgated by the Khedive creating a number of representative institutions, including a Legislative Council, a