§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (VISCOUNT HALIFAX) moved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty to convey to His Majesty the expression of the deep regret with which this House has learned the news of the death of the King of Egypt and to pray His Majesty that he will be graciously pleased to express to King Farouk the profound sympathy of 745 this House with His Majesty, Her Majesty Queen Nazli and the Royal Family, and with the Government and people of Egypt.
§ The noble Viscount said: My Lords, I rise to move the Motion that stands on the Paper in my name, and in doing so I desire to give some expression in your Lordships' House, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, to the feeling with which we here and the whole country learnt of the death of King Fuad of Egypt, and to our sympathy with the young King who succeeds him, the widowed Queen, and the whole people of Egypt in their bereavement. In King Fuad Egypt has lost a ruler who for seventeen years guided the fortunes of his country with both skill and success. ' A sagacious Ruler, under his direction and control it is true to say that his country has made a noteworthy advance in the elements, material, political, and social, which are the components of a progressive modern State. Under him, we may happily record that the relationship between Egypt and this country, which has for so long been and must always be of a very special kind, has been close and friendly. The late King fully realised that the co-operation of Egypt with Great Britain is to the mutual interest and benefit of both peoples, and it is not without significance that at the very moment of his death the representatives of the two countries were engaged upon discussions designed to strengthen the foundations of those cordial relations.
§ It had been at his particular desire that his son, who now succeeds him, should pay a visit of some duration to this country—which visit has now been so sadly interrupted. The new King returns to new and onerous responsibilities, but he may be assured that he carries with him from our shores many warm and respectful wishes of good will. We do not doubt, my Lords, that the historic friendship and understanding between our two countries, which are of such long standing and of such importance to both nations, will not only continue under King Farouk as in the past, but also draw new strength with the passing of the years.
§ Moved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty to convey to His Majesty the expression of the deep 746 regret with which this House has learned the news of the death of the King of Egypt and to pray His Majesty that he will be graciously pleased to express to King Farouk the profound sympathy of this House with His Majesty, Her Majesty Queen Nazli and the Royal Family, and with the Government and people of Egypt.—(Viscount Halifax.)
LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, I have to express the regret of my noble friend Lord Snell, Leader of the Labour Peers in your Lordships' House, at his inability to be present, and on his behalf and on behalf of my noble friends I desire to support the Motion made in such felicitous terms by the Lord Privy Seal. We wish to associate ourselves with the expressions of sympathy with the Egyptian people in the loss of their Ruler, with the Family of His late Majesty, and with his youthful successor. The Lord Privy Seal described the late King as a sagacious Ruler. He was certainly a most able monarch, and, I am sure, did his best, in very difficult circumstances sometimes, for the welfare of his people. Before he died the Constitution was resumed in Egypt, and we have seen the result already in the appeal to the Egyptian people. As the Lord Privy Seal has reminded your Lordships, there are at the present time very important negotiations in progress at Cairo between representatives of His Majesty's Government in Great Britain and the Government of Egypt, and we all hope that these negotiations will result in a new and lasting, firmly established understanding between the two peoples, bound together as they have been for these last fifty years by bonds which cannot lightly be severed.
With regard to the new King, my noble friends would wish to join with the Lord Privy Seal, and indeed with all your Lordships, in extending to him our best wishes and our sympathy and understanding in the tasks he will have to face. We trust he will be a worthy successor to a very ancient dynasty and the worthy Ruler of a very ancient people with a very old culture, many fine qualities of industry, and many high intellectual gifts, in paying tribute to which those who know Egypt will bear me out. We hope that the two nations—our own and Egypt—will have a long, happy, and peaceful association for the benefit of 747 humanity generally and, above all, that this association and the new régime will lead to the solving of the economic problems of Egypt which the late King certainly recognised and which are of very great moment. Egypt is an immensely rich country with a very hardworking peasantry, but owing to events, mostly of the past, and owing to conditions which are not easily remedied, there is great poverty and very great room for economic improvement. I am sure that anything our nation can do in that direction we shall be willing to do. Our relations with Egypt, I suggest, should not in future be regarded merely as political and strategical, but we should assist Egypt in her economic development and in her contribution to the progress and happiness of mankind.
VISCOUNT MERSEYMy Lords, on behalf of the noble Marquess who leads the Liberal Party in this House, I would like to associate myself with all that has been said by the Leader of the House and by the noble Lord who has just spoken. I may add that I had the privilege, when I was Military Attaché in Egypt, of knowing the late King Fuad fairly well. I always thought he was a man of outstanding personality and of very great sympathy towards this country; and I am sure his successor will maintain those feelings.
§ LORD LLOYDMy Lords, as one who for some few years had an opportunity of watching the great work which His Majesty King Fuad did for the people of Egypt, I should like to be associated with the words that have fallen from my noble friend who moved this Motion. His Majesty King Fuad will be chiefly remembered throughout the Nile Valley for the untiring energy and attention which he gave to almost every detail of the wide range of public questions which came before him. He developed to the full the Oriental habit of great accessibility to his subjects and people at all times. He took a particular interest in everything that appertained to the scientific advancement of his country, particularly in the realm of irrigation, which mattered so much to his people. He played a notable part in urban development, such as the improvement and expansion of Alexandria, and he will leave behind him the remembrance of a devoted life and of a live and forcible 748 personality which will be greatly missed for many years to come by the people of Egypt.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to nemine dissentiente: the said Address to be presented to His Majesty by the Lords with White Staves.