He was conscious of it, and
shifted his ground, pointing out the dangers of doing what the other
nations interested in Egypt were not prepared to do.
"Have you asked them? Have you pressed them?" was shouted across the
House. Eglington ignored the interjections. "Answer! Answer!" was called
out angrily, but he shrugged a shoulder and continued his argument. If a
man insisted on using a flying-machine before the principle was fully
mastered and applied--if it could be mastered and applied--it must not be
surprising if he was killed. Amateurs sometimes took preposterous risks
without the advice of the experts. If Claridge Pasha had asked the advice
of the English Government, or of any of the Chancellories of Europe, as
to his incursions into the Soudan and his premature attempts at reform,
he would have received expert advice that civilisation had not advanced
to that stage in this portion of the world which would warrant his
experiments. It was all very well for one man to run vast risks and
attempt quixotic enterprises, but neither he nor his countrymen had any
right to expect Europe to embroil itself on his particular account.
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