Suez Canal and Egypt

Question 1

Explain the increased interest in the Suez Canal and Egypt

Answer 1

• Interest increased in US civil war 1861-1865 -> mills were starved of raw cotton -> Egypt cotton was high-quality.
• Companies start investing in cotton and modernising programme of Khedive Isma’il Pasha.
  -> trade grew: 1870s, 40% Egyptian imports came from Britain.
• Pasha’s big project of cutting Suez Canal through Egypt to connect Mediterranean with Red Sea.
  -> Route to India 6000 miles shorter than that via Cape.
• PM Disraeli invested £4mill to buy Isma’il’s stock of the Suez Canal in 1875.
  -> British have more control over passage to India and on income from shipping tariffs.

Question 2

How did the British establish control over Egypt

Answer 2

• Khedive pasha’s son, Tewfiq became new Khedive -> appointed pasha’s allies to appease nationalist rebellion who held an anti-European stance.
  -> provoked concerns over trade and investment and the canal route to India.
• Revolts convince PM William Gladstone to send naval forces to bombard Alexandria.
• war is declared, British able to secure Suez Canal before defeating forces at Tel el-kebir.
• British retake Cairo and restore Tewfiq as a puppet ruler.
• Evelyn Baring made the consul-general and tewfiq forced to employ British military personnel and rely on British advisors.
• Influence was confirmed by 1885 Convention of London.
  -> Egypt held ‘veiled protectorate’ -> Baring ruled behind screen of Egyptian ministers.

Question 2

How did the British establish control over Egypt

Answer 2

• Khedive pasha’s son, Tewfiq became new Khedive -> appointed pasha’s allies to appease nationalist rebellion who held an anti-European stance.
  -> provoked concerns over trade and investment and the canal route to India.
• Revolts convince PM William Gladstone to send naval forces to bombard Alexandria.
• war is declared, British able to secure Suez Canal before defeating forces at Tel el-kebir.
• British retake Cairo and restore Tewfiq as a puppet ruler.
• Evelyn Baring made the consul-general and tewfiq forced to employ British military personnel and rely on British advisors.
• Influence was confirmed by 1885 Convention of London.
  -> Egypt held ‘veiled protectorate’ -> Baring ruled behind screen of Egyptian ministers.

Question 3

How did the British initially try to take control of Sudan?

Answer 3

• Colonel Charles Gordon sent to act as governor-general of Egyptian-administered Sudan (1877-1880).
• opposition from Muhammad Ahmad, June 1881, proclaimed himself the Mahdi (saviour).
• sought to liberate Sudan from rule whether Egyptian or British.
  -> 1882, took control over surrounding area of Khartoum.
• 1883: British-egyptian expedition under colonel William hicks launch counter-attack, British defeated.
• Gordon ordered to evacuate troops from Khartoum but his forces were overrun in Jan 1885.