DEATH OF LORD CROMER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2991, 31 January 1917, Page 5

DEATH OF LORD CROMER

PASSING OF A GREAT EMPIRE BUILDER

THE MAKER OF MODERN

EGYPT *

(itcc. January 30, 8.55 p.m.)

London, January 30. The death is announced of tho Earl of Cromor, aged 76.

Lord Cromor had boon ill for some timo, and had been unablo latterly to preside at tho Dardanelles inquiry (of which ho was ohairman.) Ho died of a stroke lato last evening.—Reuter.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Evelyn Baring, first Earl of Cronier, Ct.C.B K.C.5.1., C.1.E./G.C.M.G., w l Jintish agent and Conmil-Goneral in. Egypt, and formerly Indian Finance Minister, was born in 1841. He was tho ninth son of the lain Mr. Henry Baring:, M.P. In 185S he entered the J'oyal Artillery, and became in lSil, A.D.C. to- Sir Henry Storks. High Commissioner of the Towian Islands. In 1865 he acted as secretary to Sir Honry Storks in tho Commission of Inquiry into the Jamaica Outbreak. He was gazetted captain'in 1870, and two years later accompanied his cousin, 'Lord Nortlibrook, Viceroy of India, to Calcutta, in tho capacity of private secretary, which offico he held until im, when he became major, received tho C.S.]'., and wns appointed British Commissioner of the Egyptian Public Debt Office. In 1579 Major Baring was .ippointed Controller-General of Egyptian Finance, and becamo practically tho director of the Dual Control. His distinguished services in Egypt brought about his transfer in 1880 to India, where, under Lord Kipon, ho becamo Financial Member of the Council. He returned to Egypt in 1883 as .Sir Evelyn Baring, K.C.5.1., to assume complete control as Her Britannic Majesty's -Agent at Cairo, and Consul-Gencral of Egypt. For a period of twenty-four years the destinies of governments in the world wore vested in his Consulship. He retired in l!) 07 at the age of sixtysix, receiving the thanks of Parliament and a grant of JJdO.OCO.

Sir Evelyn Baring became Bardn Cramer in 1892, Viscount in 1899, and Earl of Cromer in 1901. He was twice .married. In -1876 he married Ethel, daughter of Sir Rowland Errington. His first wife died in 1898, and in 1901 ho married Lady Catherine Thyme, second daughter of Hie Marquis of Bath. The honorary degreo of D.C.L. was conferred upon tho statesman by Oxford University in 1593, and by Cainbridge in 1905. He bscnmc a member of the Privy Council in 19D0.

It is no exaggeration to say that Egypt of to-day owes its prosperity' in a very large 'degree to the policy and administration of tho late statesman. Egypt of 1883 was a complicated problem. The death of tho Khedive Ismail, whoso tyrannical despotism and unsparing use of tho kourbash (whip), had reduced' tho country to a elate of Billion passivity, and the accession of Tewfik, an aniiablo corruptible ruler who lacked the inclination and strength of character to maintain his position as an autocrat, had produced a condition of government vvhich was hopelessly chaotic. Administration was practically a dead letter, and corruption was rampant. Hcreovor, the circumstances that all questions of policy must necessarily, under the system of Dual Control, have reference to the criticism not only of tho British Government, but of France, lent to the situation an element of delicacy which placed upon the Consul-General' a grave responsibility. The histdry of Earl Cromer from ISS3 to 1907, therefore, is the history of Egypt—of the evolution of Modern Egypt. "With a full appreciation of these facts ho proceeded to carry out a policy which involved the temporary abandonment of the Sudan Provinces, at that time a prey to tho Mahdist hordes; and the entiro reconstruction of the various Departments of State—truly an heroic policy, exposed to an incessant, fire of criticism, both from within and without. The Egyptian finances claimed his first attention. At tho outset he realised that the country could only bo rescued from bankruptcy by strengthening tho basis of her products. Egypt being purely an agricultural country, and dependent 6olely upon the Nilo inundations for water supply, it was ovident that her agricultural products depended for their profitable increase upon a systematic scheme of irrigation. Willi the assistance of Sir Colin Scott HoncrielF, of the Egyptian Public Works Department, and Sir Edgar Vincent, as Financial Adviser, Lord Cromor proceeded to plan tho administration of those two Departments, Fioance and Irrigation, upon a sound and progressive basis. The Department of Justice, notoriously corrupt, was next dealt with. Tho War Department was placed lipon an efficient basis, and so on. each branch of tho Egyptian Government being taken seriatim, and in detail. ncconqubst of Sudan. Having restored order within, the Con.-sul-Goneral next gave his attention to tho fertile provinces of tho Sudan, at that time undor the undisputed sway of the Khalifa, the Mahdi'e successor at Khartum. The time was opportune. The Mahdist power in the Sudan, was torn with internal dissension, and tho fair provinces which had been laid waste by that hideous anarchy were threatened wjth absorption by tho territorial advancement of tho Italians from Massuwah, tho Belgians from tho Congo, and the French from West Africa. Prompt and decisive action was imperative if Egypt's legitimate interests in the Sudan woro to he protected, and lier political mana indisputably established. In March, 1898, following'upon, a carefullyprepared ..plan, of campaign, tho Sirdar (Sir H. Kitchener) advanced from Wady Halfa; two years later, in Soptombor, 1898, the Battle of Omdurnun was fought, the Sudan cleared of Dervishes, and Egypt's title to the territory confirmed. From that date the stability of Egypt as a State was assured, and her prosperity increased by leaps and bounds. To have accomplished all this, in the faco of tho greatest difficulties, local and international, places Earl Cromer in tho front rank of Imperial administrators. An ablo financier, ho combined an abruptness of manner with an autocratic demeanour which wero illsuited, it was thought, to a position requiring infinite tact and diplomacy. Strange to say, this autocratic disposition contributed very largely to his success as an administrator in a country in which tho conditions of government were of necessity bureaucratic. Lord Cromer's departurefroniEgyptinl9o7 was tho occasion of a remarkable demonstration in the Opora House, Cairo. Eoplyiug to the eulogistic speeches of Count do Serionno, Superior Agent of the Suez Canal, aud Mustapha Fenury Pasha, the Egyptian Premier, Lord Cromor, after hncfly reforring to the causes of his retirement, proceeded to deliver, for the first time in tho history of Egypt, a. great political speech, giving clearly and concisely tho main elements of tho presont situation. By way of preface, no remarked that when he arrived in Egypt in 1883, ho decided that two principal objects must be kept in viow—should dominate his policy, in fact. One was the restoration of a good understanding between Great Britain and France. This had now been achieved, and one of the happiest days in his careor was that in which the Anglo-French agreement was signed (April 18, 1904). By this agreement Great Britain's predominancy in Egypt was recognised, and although he did not claim to be one of tho principal authors of that agreement, he considered that the continuous efforts, during a long period in Egypt, by all concerned, had minimised friction and paved the way (o a satisfactory settlement.

"Of Necessity Bureaucratic." , Tho second point, his Lordship continued, wm to ascertain the trim state of public opinion, European and local, and give due weight to if in his efforts to instil a liberal spirit iuto a system of gOTornnient whioli wns of nrccsitr bureaucratic. The main factors, then, iii the present situation, wore, bia Lordship pointed outj .fireti .that the British peon-.

pation would continue for an indefinite, period; second, that as long as the oo*. oupation continued, the Brfch Governs) uient would necessarily be responsible' l for (!io main lines upon whioh. the ad', , ' ministration would bo conducted. /TW conclusion he drew from these two/facto was, that tho .present system of govern.-! ■ment, in upito of its defects and anom* alias, must bo continued, audj he be- . Sieved, bo one was more capable of safe-' guarding its continuance than his very;' , able successor, Sir Eldon Gorst. menting on this speech, the Cairo cor-| respondent of "The Times" 6aid: "Lor&j Cromer's declarations.concerning tlie du-J ration of the British occupation.- and ther continued responsibility of the Brinshi Government for tho conduct of the od--! ministration of the country, iowever un-| acceptable to the extremist group, wilL go far to restore that public confidence-' which Tecent events had began to dls-j quiet—even the news of Lord Cronaerff: -resignation did not produce a morepro-. found impression upon public opinion",) 'than did tho great administrator's fare-* well speech."