director of Naval Intelligence in Britain, Captain Reginald 'Blinker' Hall, supported Clayton's concept and urged government approval. Establishment The result was a compromise. In January 1916, the Arab Bureau was established as a section of Sudan Intelligence in Cairo, ultimately answering to the High Commissioner in Egypt (Henry McMahon) who in turn was overseen by the Foreign Office and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Edward Grey) in London. It was staffed by Middle East experts from military intelligence, Egypt Force who shared Clayton's outlook. Closure Arnold Wilson later wrote that: The Arab Bureau in Cairo died unregretted in 1920, having helped to induce His Majesty's Government to adopt a policy which brought disaster to the people of Syria, disillusionment to the Arabs of Palestine and ruin to the Hijaz. Staff Gilbert Clayton was named head or "chief" of the Arab Bureau. David Hogarth, a naval intelligence officer, was acting director of the Arab Bureau and Kinahan Cornwallis his deputy. Herbert Garland, George Ambrose Lloyd, George Stewart Symes, Philip Graves, Gertrude Bell, Aubrey Herbert, William Ormsby-Gore, Thomas Edward Lawrence, Alfred Guillaume and Tracy Philipps were also part of the Arab Bureau. In 1920, Garland was appointed director, under High Commissioner to Egypt Lord Allenby. References Bibliography A Peace To End All Peace, David Fromkin, Avon Books, New York, 1990. Arabian Personalities of the Early Twentieth Century with a new Introduction by Robin Bidwell (reprints from Bureau's Handbooks ) The Oleander Press 1986, . Military Intelligence and the Arab Revolt: The First Modern Intelligence War, Polly Mohs, Routledge, New York, 2008. The Arab Bureau, Bruce Westrate, Penn State Press, 1992. External links Seikaly, Samir: Arab Bureau, in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War. Middle Eastern theatre of World War I Defunct United Kingdom intelligence agencies British propaganda organisations