It is clear that the state of war puts an
end to all the complicated series of treaties and agreements with Turkey as to her suzerain rights in Egypt. These are done with for ever. The Capitulations automatically come to an end, since Turkey is not only at war with us, but with the other two most important of the Great Powers, France and Russia. They had already ceased to be operative in the case of the Powers with whom we are at war—i.e., Germany and Austria. The only remaining Powers that have a large number of their nationals concerned are Italy and Greece, and they will no doubt be quite willing to make reasonable rearrangements. Presumably we shall do very much what the French did in the case of Tunis, which had been subject to Capitulations, and also of Morocco, and what the Italians did in the case of Tripoli. It is hardly necessary to add that all pledgee to the bondholders, both as regards the tributes from Cyprus and Egypt, will be scrupulously respected.
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