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The accidental tourist, Wilfrid Scawen Blunt, Islamic reform and the British invasion of Egypt in 1882 Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Berdine, Michael Denis Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 24/09/2021 02:53:13 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/289705 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST, WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT, ISLAMIC REFORM AND THE BRITISH INVASION OF EGYPT DM 1882 by Michael Denis Berdine Copyright © Michael Denis Berdine 2001 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2001 UMI Number: 3023536 Copyright 2001 by Berdine. Michael Denis All rights reserved. ® UMI UMI Microfonm 3023536 Copyright 2001 by Bell & Howell Infonnation and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microfonn edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17. United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Leaming Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 9 GRADUATE COLLEGE As menbers of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Michael Denis Berdine entitled The Accidental Tourist, Wilfrid Scawen Blunt, Islamic Reform, and the British Invasion of Egypt in 1882 and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Richard Co^rove _ [ Date ^ TT^nda Darling "j Date 0 ChafleS D. Sdiith Date Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recoaBcnd that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. Dissertation Director Richard Cosgrove Date 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial FuMllment of requirement for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brkf quotations from this dissertation are allowable without specif permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole of in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This could not have been done without the assistance and encouragement of my dissertation committee members. Professors Richard Cosgrove, Charles D. Smith, Jr., and Linda Darling. Their patient and helpful suggestions guided me from the original premise, through its development, and to its completion. However, any mistakes found m this work are solely the &ult and responsibility of the author. Finally, and most importantly, I coukl not have gone back to graduate school in the first place and realized my dream of getting a doctorate without the constant encouragement and support of my wife, Terri. She, ak>ng with her daughter, Stacy, put up with me through thick and thin, through deadlines and rewrites, crabbiness and irritability, over a k)ng period of time. One day, they will get their true reward for putting up with me during this extended period. Meanwhile, I hope to make it up to them somehow. 5 DEDICATION Denis Monahan Berdine (1914-1999) Louisette Bergeron Berdine (1910-1982) This paper is dedicated to my parents, Denny and Lou. It was thanks to my mom's kive of people and travel that my eyes were opened at an early age to the wonder and beauty of the worki around me and all it contained. It was thanks to my dad's work overseas that my younger brother and I were able to live and travel all over the worki as we grew up. Therefore, it is to them I owe my k)ve of learning and history. It is hoped that through this dedicatran their memory may live on. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 8 INTRODUCTION 10 CHAPTER 1: MAN WITH A MISSION 30 CHAPTER 2: THE FUTURE OF ISLAM 70 CHAPTER 3: BLUNT AND THE EGYPTIAN NATIONALISTS 101 CHAPTER 4: THE BEGINNINGS OF REFORM AND REVOLUTION 125 CHAPTER 5: OFFICL\L MANIPULATION AND INTERFERENCE 148 CHAPTER 6: "THE BATTLE FOR EGYPT'AT HOME 198 CHAPTER 7: THE "CIRCASSL\NPLOr 238 CHAPTER 8: THE INEVITABLE 275 CONCLUSION 328 APPENDIX A: SCHEME OF GOVT FOR TURKISH ARABIA 338 APPENDDCB: DEC. 20,1881 LETTER TOW. E.GLADSTONF 339 APPENDDCC: PROGRAMME OF THE NATIONAL PARTY OF EGYPT 342 APPENDDC D: MEMORANDUM ON THE EGYPTIAN NATIONALIST MOVEMENT BY SIR AUCKLAND COLVIN 345 APPENDDC E: FEB. 3, 1882 LETTER TO THE TIMES "EGYPT AND THE CONTROL" 347 APPENDDC F: FEB. 3, 1882 THE TIMES EDYIORIAL ON "THE SITUATION IN EGYPT" 351 APPENDDC G: FEB. 20,1882 LETTER TO W. E. GLADSTONE 354 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued APPENDIX H: MARCH 20, 1882 LETTER TO EARL GRANVILLE 357 APPENDDC I: EXTRACTS FROM TWO LETTERS FROM SHAYKH MUHAMMAD 'ABDUH 359 APPENDDC J: SIR EDWARD MALET'S ACTIVITIES, APRIL 22- MAY 9,1882 363 APPENDDC K: MAY 17, 1882 LETTER TO W. E. GLADSTONE 376 APPENDDC L: MAY 18, 1882 LETTER TO W.E. GLADSTONE 380 APPENDDC M: ARABI'S REINSTATEMENT 382 APPENDDC N: JUNE 21,1882 LETTER TO W. E. GLADSTONE 385 APPENDDC 0: ARABI'S JULY 2, 1882 LETTER TO W. E. GLADSTONE 388 REFERENCES 389 8 ABSTRACT The British invasion and occupation of Egypt in 1882 has long been a subject of interest for British Empire and Middle Eastern historians. This action by the Gladstone government is considered central to any discussion of the British in the Middle East and North Africa. As a result, its causes and major personalities have been examined in detail and discussed at length. Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922), however, has generally been overlooked, ignored, or dismissed as inconsequential by historians of these events. While words like "naive," "gadfly," "romantic" and other less charitable terms have been used by historians and others to characterize him, it is the contention of this paper that Blunt's attempts to mediate the crisis did have an impact on the course of events. Moreover, recent research, in particular that of Alexander Schdlch in his Egypt for the Egyptians! The Socio-Political Crisis in Egypt 1878-82, has shown that Blunt's TTie Secret History of the English Occupation of Egypt: Being a Personal Narrative of Events is a generally reliable and accurate resource concerning what took place in Cairo and London in 1882. Furthermore, Blunt was the victim of a government coverup aided and abetted by a jingoist London press at the time. Thus, his cause was considered treasonous in some quarters and his integrity questioned. The subsequent publication of the memoirs of others involved in the events supported the government's story (and their own involvement) only added to the negative perception of Blunt As a result, his attempts to bring about a peacefiil resolution of the Egyptian crisis in 1882 have generally been ignored by historians and Blunt considered to be of little consequence in the outcome of the entire episode. 9 This paper will show that this attitude towards Blunt is unwarranted and unjustified. Furthermore, his attempts to mediate the crisis were a factor in die British invasion and occupation of Egypt Finally, it will show that omission of Blunt and his activities, as well as his Secret History as a source, in any discussion of the British invasion and occupation of Egypt in 1882 makes that work incomplete. 10 INTRODUCTION What is the measure ofa man, or a woman? How can their worth be measured? Is it simply a matter of cataloging their lifetime accomplishments, celebrating their successes and overlooking their failures? Or is this treatment reserved only for the heroes and heroines of this world? Why are some people remembered not so much for what they did, but for what others thought they did, or thought of them? It probably depends on the person, or persons, making the assessment. So what about those who write and put their lives out there for all to read and admire, or to criticize? What about those in the public sphere, whose lives are constant fodder for the media? What of those who lived in the past and were involved in so-called "historical events" of enough importance to warrant their inclusion in history books? What about their legacy, their reputation? How can we judge from afar who they really were and what they were all about? All of this begs the question: how can we really know what a person is really like in the first place? In truth, we can't.