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The Development of the Governor-Generalship of the Sudan, 1899–1934
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 January 2009
Extract
Following the Anglo-Egyptian conquest of the Sudan, British unwillingness either to annex the territory or to allow its reincorporation with Egypt was given expression in the Anglo-Egyptian Agreement of 1899, under the terms of which Britain and Egypt were to rule jointly. But the ' Condominium Agreement' was in reality a device by which Britain managed and Egypt paid for the Sudan's administration. The central figure in that administration was the Governor-General, who, although formally appointed by the ruler of Egypt, was the nominee of the British government.
The development of the Governor-Generalship from its inception until the resignation of Sir John Maffey in 1934 owed less to the formal arrangements set down in the Condominium Agreement than it did to relations between the Sudan Government and successive British representatives in Cairo, and to changes in the Governor-General's own position within the Sudan Government. He remained pre-eminent throughout the period under review, but by 1934 his relative independence of Cairo was balanced by the power, within the Sudan Government, of a Council of senior officials.
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References
1 Cromer to Salisbury, 10 Nov. 1898, Public Record Office, London, Foreign Office (P.O.) 78/4957.
2 Draft Convention, encl. in Cromer to Salisbury, 10 Nov. 1898, P.O. 78/4957.
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65 Archerto Allenby, 27 April 1925, encl. in Allenby to Chamberlain, 9 May 1925, P.O. 371/10880.
66 Ibid.
67 Archer to Selby, 3 April 1925, P.O. 371/10880. Sterry and Lyall were due to retire. The Foreign Secretary, Chamberlain, minuted to this letter that he was ‘really anxious about the weakness of his [Archer's] Council. It may be necessary to hasten changes in order to strengthen it.’
68 Lloyd to Chamberlain, 18 March 1926, P.O. 371/11609; P.O. minute by Murray, n.d., P.O. 371/11609.
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78 Minute by Murray for Loraine, 19 May 1930, P.O. 371/14614.
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80 Maffey to Loraine, 23 Feb. 1931, P.O. 141/721/97. (Italics added.)
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84 Loraine to Maffey, 9 April 1931, P.O. 371/15424.
85 Minute by Vansittart to ibid.
86 Loraine to Vansittart, 17 April 1931, P.O. 371/15424.
87 Minute by Murray, 21 April 1931, to ibid.
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