841.74/10–2551: Telegram
The Ambassador in Egypt (Caffery) to the Department of State 1
niact
568. Stevenson was in despair last night. Notwithstanding Gen Robertson’s promise to him in the morning he was threatening last night to turn off tap again because he was not sure “Egypts had learned their lesson”. I took high exception to this and Stevenson promised to do his best with Brit mil. “Remember, however,” he remarked, “We in England are without a govt now”.2 In addition to formidable list consequence set out in mytel 55 [555]3 I should add important irrigation pumps and domestic cooking. Furthermore, bakeries have fuel oil on hand for about three days. What wld mobs do in dark streets?
Brit Shell manager says cessation fuel oil traffic out of Suez wld force refinery to close within two or three days owing lack storage facilities. This wld immed force shut-down producing fields and deny white refinery products for pipeline transport. Supplies thus lost wld be irremedial inasmuch as transport capacity normally worked at maximum.
Brit mil significantly have informed Stevenson that their position in Canal Zone is untenable unless they receive minimum coop from Egypts. I retorted, “That is not the way to get it”.4
- Repeated to London, Paris for MacArthur, and Ankara.↩
- General elections were being held throughout the United Kingdom on this day which led to a change of governments, the Conservative Party led by Winston Churchill replacing the Labour Party of Clement Attlee.↩
- Dated October 23, p. 407.↩
- In telegram 569 from Cairo, October 25, Caffery reported that Stevenson was able to persuade the British military not to turn off the oil taps again “and he is proceeding to Suez tomorrow to talk to Robertson and endeavor to persuade him that decision of that category shld be on cabinet level.” Caffery added that Stevenson was cabling London “to put whatever govt comes in as result of elections on notice that very grave decisions must be taken soon at London.” (641.74/10–2551)↩