THE SUDAN

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 81, 2 October 1924, Page 7

THE SUDAN

THE AGREEMENT OF 1899

AFFECT ON THE PRESENT

THE AIMS OF BRITAIN AND OF

EGYPT.

As time' passes, and dramatic events of all,kinds make people. forget occurrences of the second order of importance, the milestones which mark the progress of events in distant lands become obscured, and few people heed them. Such a .mile-' stone was the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of 19th January, , 1899, relating to the future government of the Soudan, writes Lieut.-Colonel Repington in ■ the "Daily Telegraph." It was followed shortly afterwards by the Declaration of 21st March, 1899, which settled tho British and French spheres of influence in Central Africa. The agreement with Egypt was an amicable settlement to assure both to England and to Egypt a fair share in the administration of. the Sudan.

The preamble admits that the reconquest pt the Sudan was accomplished by the joint military and financial efforts of tho British and Khedivial Governments, and the .purpose of the text which follows is to define, and to give effect to, " the claims which have accrued to Her Britannic Majesty's Government, by right of conquest, to share in the present settlonmn ff'L futUi' e wo, l' kiȣ and development of the system of administration and legislation." The first article defines the word budan and need not detain us. Most people know that the Sudan is south of the 22nd parallel of latitude, and is some 1600 miles-long by 1000 broad, the second', article provides that the British and Egyptian flags shall bo used together, both on land 1 and water, throughout the Soudan. The third article declares that the supreme military and civil command shall bo', invested in one officer termed the " Governor-General of the boudan, who is appinteed by Khedivial iJecree on the recommendation of Her Britannic Majesty's 'Government, and can only be removed with the consent of the same Government. .

BRITISH PREDOMINANCE. The fourth article provides that laws, 'and also orders and regulations with the lull force-of law, for the good government of the Sudan may be made, altered, or abrogated by proclamation of the Gov-ernor-General. All such proclamations have to be forthwith notified to Her Britannic Majesty's Agent and Consul-General in Cairo and to the Egyptian Prime Min!w,„„ By Ar., lcle V- no Egyptian laws, decrees, or other enactments shall apply ,r-J„ f U, dan n" nless a PPlied by Proclamf. tl. on- °f tho Governor-General. By Ar„™Lii , ( "° spe^ial PrWeges shall be accorded to any Europeans to trade with and reside in the, Soudan. Article VII deals with import and export duties. Ai-1 nf fhJ M- 7 a md-u wn t hat, lhe Jurisdiction of the Mixed Tribunals shall not extend, nor be recognised for any purpose whatsothe town ot Siiakm. By Article X. no Consuls are to be accredited in tho Sudan M,W • 'r? COnsent of Her Britannic Majesty s Government. The two remaining articles prohibit slavo-dealing and on--B^>£P&.^ °f la9o %^^ From tho terms of the above aereement ,t ,s clear that wo were'propped ?h™ jnth Egypt the future admin^tra tion of tho .Sudan, but roservod in our Govornni-r' o,p insht, of »°"»»aUng the Tk Z r™ 1 il?r d °f I' e>»Ovillg bhi,i,. that meant, m eilect-considering the Arllcio m' Ut' M «»%" officer "binder Aiticlo 111.—British predom nanco in the government of. tho Sudan. Tl eso powers wo havo exorcised, and have noverTbanHon of tho Sudan when wo grunted inUnit Znghl.ll Pasha has recently' s d about the rights of lfi ffypt i„ tho Sudan s m direct conflict with the terms of this Agreement, and wo cm only si,pp oso / ? Egypt h-avo forgotten then. "umOUD o1

THE TEST OF ADMINISTRATION. v3m! ' tOS- °f, all ""'""'nislration is tho v.elbbciug and content of a population -id ministered Judged by Unit to Ly ail rulo 'from 1819 to 1 883 hopeless y failed, and Egypt had not even tho lust argument ot power to prevent her gar i wl?li £IWU aun «T "ut °f U,e Such ,t With our h o ) p , - alul IJliliu , ij/o'i 1; power, Egypt i s back in tho Sudan but i'.nglund remains, as she was during Urn rcconquort tho predominant partner* British .administration has passed ho to,t, under which Egyptian administration f-iil-o-l, and although, by intrigue an udorgiound machinations, Egyptian ,urnnf\ nmy bo able to cause treubo in * o Sudan all reasonable opinion will judge by whom, aud with what object Int of° U Zairl,u. C,lp Cd.- D° Sl, li- t<? «» "ttitudo ot z,ughul Pasha, wheh neccssiiriw arouses our suspicion, and make 3 0 « rL''?sirsN»£'v£f»l to Bntish and to Egyptian interests and in a conciliatory spirit on both sides pedtv of V T^l'!",- t,rido !" 'ho P'ospeuty of Egypt, which wo havo done so much to promote, and Egyptian security the Suez Canal, tho safety of which is n^'t Sh | mpU'c iniol' cst of tho «".»* ma£ lflfli ;. femco ,W? wtmt t0 %JPt in 1882 the population has doubled, and he .progress made in finance, agricul uro and commerco is known to U le world, 'lho reservoirs, dams, and bar" oXUT !' UCtad ft "s »!»ve eSSfmoX enhanced tho woalth and prosperity of in/THT' "ll'V'! "very' direction lho land of the British reformer has produced remarkable, results. Similarly °n ho Sudan, with its area of over am lwii,*iuuro iiiilcH, and a population of »« million., lho frontiers luZ boon doliu.iletl, schools havo boon raised a iu.'lU n I S' csl,, lbl! N h<4 irrigation impi-ov-o-l, iiuhvuvs built, internal and river communications assured, and both' telegraph and wireless communication g3of lho British Administrator remains the .fo.-n.or population of the Sudan will' lc-viye und the country becomo remarkable for its prosperity within tho limits imposed by Nature. u3 What is necessary now is that Egypt' should reahso. that hoi- interests and ours 'u',M, r fnf Cal','/' n1 c' ,at sl, ,e should «nto , fl? n' 9f ? o1; 1;- tt- i m' BWO,'l« a"d sit down with British Ministers to settle amicably .1. -the questions that aro supposed to I ,VIi?M UV r '.h ° re3P, rved tiuostions must be settled f.rst, and then wo can get down to tho heart, of all. matters in this part of tho .world, namely, the Nile. This mighty river is tho source of all prosperity in tho Sudan, as in Egypt, aid it is necessary, and lias .always been necessary, that Egypt and tho Sudan should havo a distinct uuderstaiidinn- and'"l a common policy on all irrigation scheme's proposed for'each country. This problem must ho approached as a.whole, whether on the Bluo or tho Whito Nile, for Egypt and lho. Sudan. Tho possibilities of tho luturo are so iminenso that they should silence tho petty disputants of Cairo and induce thorn, if only in their own interest!;, to unite with us for the full and fair development and distribution of the wealth-bearing waters of this great river. ■