APPENDIX II

Mr. Gladstone's Answer

Hawarden Castle, Chester, *Jan. 20th, 1882*. My Dear Sir, You will I am sure appreciate the reasons which disable me from offering anything like a becoming reply to your very interesting letter on Egyptian affairs, which occupy, I am sorry to say, an insignificant share of my daily attention. But I am sensible of the advantage of having such a letter from such an authority, and I feel quite sure that unless there be a sad failure of good sense on one or both, or, as I should say, all sides, we shall be enabled to bring this question to a favourable issue. My own opinions about Egypt were set forth in the "19th Century" a short time before we took office, and I am not aware as yet of having seen any reason to change them. I remain, my Dear Sir, Faithfully yours, W. E. Gladstone. Wilfrid S. Blunt, Esq.