1893] Sheykh cl Bekri Sy 



who was brought up with Abbas and has great influence with him. 

 This young man was at first, like Abbas, under Baring's influence, and 

 Baring sent him to England last summer and introduced him to Glad- 

 stone and others, boasting that the Egyptians were becoming English 

 in their sentiments. The young man is of importance from his relig- 

 ious position, which is hereditary. On his way home, however, he 

 passed through Constantinople and there fell under the contrary influ- 

 ence of the Sultan, who gave him high orders and decorations, and of 

 Prince Halim Pasha, whose daughter it has been arranged he shall 

 marry. He returned to Egypt last autumn altogether in the Sultan's 

 interest, and has since received from Mukhtar Pasha a pension of ^300 

 a month out of the Sultan's privy purse. Abbas, disapproving of his 

 visit to Constantinople, refused to see him on his return. Nevertheless, 

 a reconciliation was effected through the mediation of the Khedive's 

 mother, urged thereto by a certain religious Sheykh of Alexandria, 

 entitled Sheykh Tekkiet Gulshani, who desiring to have his title con- 

 firmed on his son, which could only be done through the Sheykh el 

 Bekri's firman, interceded on his behalf. The Khedive's mother was 

 this old Sheykh's adopted daughter (god-daughter) and hence his in- 

 fluence. El Bekri then called on the Khedive and was well received, 

 and has since influenced him in favour of the Sultan's policy. Mukhtar 

 and Reverseaux planned between them with Riaz this sudden coup 

 d' etat which has just taken place, Bekri having got the Khedive to join 

 it. It was Riaz's suggestion putting Fekri forward, and it has ended 

 as planned in his own substitution as Minister. The following are the 

 chief personages concerned in the plot : Mukhtar Pasha, the Sultan's 

 representative, with his Turkish secretary Mohsin Bey, Abd el Salaam 

 Pasha Moelhi, Ibrahim Moelhi and his son Mohammed, Prince Hus- 

 sein, the Sheykh el Bekri, the Sheykh Gulshani, Mohammed Bey Zoghi 

 and his brother, Rushti Bey, Yussuf Sadyk, son of the old Muffettish, 

 Ahmed Bey el Kharmili, and Ahmed Bey Sofani, of the Legislative 

 Council, Mazlum Pasha, master of ceremonies, Tigrane Pasha, Zekki 

 Pasha, and others. They have made up their ministry thus : Riaz 

 Pasha, Mazlum Pasha, Boutros Pasha Ghali, Tigrane, and Zekki Pasha. 

 " Later in the day Fenwick Pasha called upon me. He regretted 

 that Lord Cromer had not gained a more certain victory in the crisis. 

 ' Cromer,' he said, ' had offered Mustafa Fehmi to back him if he 

 would remain in office, but Mustafa declined, probably afraid.' The 

 immediate causes of the coup d'etat were first the publication at Cairo 

 of Milner's book, and second the order issued by Coles Pasha (the 

 English adviser of the Ministry of the Interior) to the Mudirs in his 

 own name instead of that of the Egyptian Minister. 



" I have written to Labouchere and to Sir William Harcourt." 

 This was the Khedive Abbas' first revolt against Cromer. The 



