ABSTRACT
From 29 January to 2 February, Wingate stopped in Paris, where the Peace Conference was in full swing. He saw Robert Cecil, Hardinge and Crowe and had lunch with both Lloyd George and Balfour, bringing away from the latter the self-deluding impression that the Foreign Secretary was ‘in general agreement’ with his policy. Balfour told him to go into the details with Curzon, Lord Privy Seal and Acting Foreign Secretary, in London, where he arrived on 3 February. (Bell noted Clayton’s comment that ‘his going was looked upon by all Egypt as a sure sign that independence was near’,7 but when Zaghlul learned that he was not appropriately met on reaching Britain – perhaps partly because so many people of note were in Paris – he drew the conclusion that this was another demonstration of the British government’s lack of interest in his country.)8 On the same day, Cheetham, Acting High Commissioner once more, reported that Rushdy and ‘Adly had – on the strength of the Wingate bargain of 16 January and without retracting their resignations – resumed their duties.
