464 Appendix VIII [1883-5 



1882 guilty to rebellion, all other charges being withdrawn, he is con- 

 demned to death, but his sentence is at once commuted to one of 

 honourable exile. A general amnesty is proclaimed. 



Riaz Pasha resigns office, and Sherif Pasha is appointed to succeed 

 him. 



1883 The Joint Financial Control is abolished in favour of a single 

 English Adviser, with full financial power. 



Dufferin, in an eloquent despatch, while ignoring the existing 

 Constitution of 1882, sketches a future of freedom, happiness and 

 self-government for the Egyptians under free institutions. It is 

 hailed as a charter of Egypt's liberty. The English Army of Occu- 

 pation is to be withdrawn as soon as order can be made secure. 



Dufferin's new institutions for Egypt are to consist of a Consulta- 

 tive Chamber without power of naming Ministers, and a General 

 Assembly vested with the sole right of vetoing new taxation. 



The French Government, resenting its exclusion from the Financial 

 Control of Egypt, and prompted by Bismarck, turns its attention to 

 Colonial matters. It takes possession of Madagascar. 



Baring returns to Cairo as Consul-General, with special mission 

 to set the finances on a sound footing and carry out Dufferin's recom- 

 mendations as to self-government. 



He announces that the British garrison shall be withdrawn from 

 Cairo by the end of the year, leaving only " a Corporal's Guard " at 

 Alexandria. 



Bismarck's " Three Emperor " League. 



A large Egyptian Army, under an English General, Hicks, is 

 defeated by the Mahdi, who advances on Khartoum. A military 

 police force, under General Valentine Baker, is sent to Suakim to act 

 against the Mahdists. Baker is defeated, and Suakim is beleaguered 

 by Osman Digna. 



The Egyptian Government, being left without an army, Baring 

 insists on the Khedive abandoning the Soudan. 



1884 This being refused by the Khedive, Cromer dismisses Sherif, and 

 takes the Government into his own hands. He reappoints Nubar 

 Pasha Prime Minister. The withdrawal of the British garrison is 

 postponed sine die. 



King Leopold of Belgium is entrusted by the Powers with the 

 founding of the " Congo Free State " in the " interests of human- 

 ity," and as a bar to Mahdist progress in Central Africa. 



Gordon is sent to Khartoum to withdraw the Egyptian troops from 

 the Soudan. He is defeated by the Mahdi and is besieged in 

 Khartoum. 



1885 Granville, to create a diversion, encourages the Italians to take 

 possession of Massowah on the Red Sea and the French of Zeila, 

 both being possessions of the Khedivate. The Sultan protests, but 

 is disregarded. 



An English army is sent up the Nile under Wolseley to relieve 



