Financial Reconstruction 165
to criticism, as the increase of small holdings was partly
due to a resurvey and partly to a subdivision of joint
holdings for mortgage purposes (Egypt, No. L, 1910,
p. 12). But it is none the less incontestable that the
peasants' position was greatly improved.
Another service to Egypt deserving of honourable men-
tion is that chief contribution of the British to European
civilisation — domestic sanitation. So much was this
associated with our occupation that, recently, patriotic
Nationalists have been restoring their houses to a septic
simplicity. But it is none the less certain that not only did
the health of Egypt improve immensely under the spring-
cleaning administered by the British, but that both the
moral and material benefits therefrom have been lasting.
It will be seen that, apart from speculative calculations,
an audit of Cromerist administration shows a good
balance of material advantage to Egypt. It is difficult
to show a similar balance in moral assets on account of
the heavy deficiency on the score of education, both
scholastic and political The British are, indeed, in this
respect rather in the position of a guardian who, being
himself a creditor of the estate, has made it a paying
business, but has neglected the education of his ward—
the heir.
It is best to admit frankly the failure of Cromerism in
respect of Egyptian education. It is admitted by even
such stanch supporters of the British occupation as Sir
V. Chirol, who writes: "In no other field has British
guidance failed so signally as in that of education'J
(Egyptian Problem, p. 77). The first result of British
intervention was the complete disappearance of what re-
mained of Mehemet All's educational enterprises. Then
the concentration of the British on the *' race against
bankruptcy/1 their conservative retention of Islamic in-