1892] Death of the Khedive Tewfik 63 



tainly looks suspicious. They hurried on the funeral with extravagant 

 haste. Tewfik died at 8 p.m. on Thursday, and was buried the next 

 afternoon, Friday. The palace physician gave his certificate that the 

 death was a natural one ; no European doctor examined the body. It 

 takes us back to the good old times. 



" For the interests of the Egyptians I cannot pretend to be sorry. 

 I was talking on Monday to Mohammed Moelhi, and we agreed that 

 it was hopeless to look for any improvement as long as Tewfik was on 

 the throne ; he would never consent to a reconstruction of the National 

 Party or work with the Constitution ; latterly he had gone over very 

 much to the French. Of the prince heritier Abbas, Mohammed said 

 he was very anti-English, though too young to have fixed opinions. 

 A Constitution might be possible with him if strongly supported for a 

 few years by England. Lord Salibury will have his hand forced, to 

 make a settlement of the Egyptian question, and I am glad of it, as the 

 English Liberals cannot be trusted to protect native interests here, and 

 would probably hand over the Protectorate' in all but name to the 

 French. I have not seen any European yet, so do not know how Baring 

 takes the event." 



" 10th Jan. — Went in to Cairo to see Baring, and had a few min- 

 utes' conversation with him. I suggested that on the accession of the 

 new Khedive there might be a general pardon and amnesty. He said, 

 'Perhaps, but not for those in Ceylon.' 'Why not?' I asked. 'I 

 understood from you that it was Tewfik's personal unwillingness that 

 stood in the way.' He answered, ' Anyhow, it cannot be done. They 

 (the exiles) have got nothing the matter with them, and they only 

 want to go to Cyprus.' Again I asked, 'Why not to Cyprus?' But 

 he would not hear of it. We talked about the Khedive's death, and 

 he told me he had had an inflammation of the kidneys, and passed no 

 water for forty-eight hours ; he blamed the doctors. ' The Khedive,' 

 he added, ' always had a very bad entourage.' 



" Lunched with the Tennants. They had been to tea with us on 

 the last day of the old year, and Margot had been very charming and 

 very amusing. 



" Then to Helwan to see Minshawi Pasha, and hear his version of 

 the news. ' Ah,' said Minshawi (he was living in a villa close by the 

 Khedivial palace), 'if you had only come to see me a week sooner, 

 we should have had the pleasure of making Te\yfik angry.' 



"20th Jan. — Dr. Abdel Razak Bey came to see me. He had been 

 with Salim Pasha a day or two ago, who was one of the late Khedive's 

 two doctors. Salim had told him that what the Khedive died of was 

 in reality a stricture. Abdel Razak speaks highly of the young Abbas 

 as well instructed and intelligent, and we discussed the new situation 

 Tewfik's death must cause for the Egyptian National Party." 



