ABSTRACT
Salisbury attached more importance to the establishment of British supremacy in Western Asia than to an exclusive footing in Egypt, although he tried to use British authority in Cairo to strengthen her position on the Nile, so as to withdraw from her responsibilities at Constantinople. Egypt’s importance to Britain chiefly consisted in its geographical position: political influence interested Salisbury only when it concerned Britain’s communication with India. Thus a predominant position on the strength of moral influence, rather than a paramountcy directly responsible for native rule, was what he wanted in Egypt; and he concerned himself more with the political aims of British policy there than with the interests of Britain as a big creditor. In contrast to his drastic opinion about Turkey, Salisbury embraced an ‘attitude of expectancy’ and a policy of inactivity towards the development of Egypt. The difference was explicable by reference to his concern for Eastern nationalism. Unlike the Turkish question, the Egyptian question involved no issues of racial conflict, therefore Salisbury held that Egypt could be left to the Egyptians themselves as far as British interests allowed. In this matter he was also influenced by his habitual scruples about adopting any policy that would entail a palpable repercussion in Islam.
