Archaeology Magazine - Passport to Antiquity - Passport Stamp 9

Stamp text: "Diplomatic Visa. Seen at His Britannic Majesty's Residency, Cairo. (no 118). Good for journey to United Kingdom by any route and for return to Egypt. [signed] A. F. H. Wiggin [?] Third Secretary 10th June 1920. Stamp: High Commissioner Egypt. Stamp: Immigration Officer 3 Jul 1920 Southampton. Stamp: Immigration Officer 26 Jun 1920 Plymouth."

Upon returning to Cairo to prepare his purchases of antiquities for shipment, Breasted met again with Lord Allenby, the British High Commissioner of Egypt. Allenby was extremely interested in Breasted's account of conditions in the Arab State and asked him to return to London with a special diplomatic visa in order to speak with the British Prime Minister and Earl Curzon, the Foreign Minister. As Breasted reported their conversation: "Lord Allenby took me aside and charged me again to tell the Prime Minister and Earl Curzon all the facts, especially those which would reveal the hostility of the western Arabs to the British, who used to be so popular among them. ‘I am confident,' said he, ‘that they will listen to you, who are without prejudice, and have no interest to serve, much more readily than they will listen to me.'" Breasted thus became an accidental intelligence agent during the course of his trip.

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