ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND EGYPT. 99 



the Throne, events which have proved of such serious importance, 

 not only to England and Egypt, but to Europe in general. 



EGYPT IN 1881. 



The year iSSi, opened with every promise of tranquillity in Egypt, 

 the financial difficulties were arranged, and the re-appointment of the 

 English and French Controllers-General, with the rank of Ministers, 

 was considered a guarantee, that the new Law would be respected. 



On February ist, 1881, this dream. of settled progress and tran- 

 quillity was rudely shaken by a Military Insurrection at Cairo, which 

 seems to have arisen from the financial exigencies into which the 

 reckless expenditure, and reckless borrowing, under Ismail Pasha, 

 had plunged the country, which compelled his successor, Tewfik, 

 from motives of economy, to make great reductions in Egyptian 

 Officers, whilst the Turks and Circassians, who held the higher 

 military posts, were retained in their positions. 



The Minister of War, Osman-Rifky Pasha, being a Circassian, 

 took the side of his countrymen, and on the occasion of three Arab 

 Colonels protesting against his favouritism, they were arrested, and 

 instantly their regiments rose in rebellion, marched to the prison, 

 forced the guard, released their Colonels, and bore them off in 

 triumph to the Palace, where the Council of Ministers was sitting. 



To allay the outburst, the Khedive sent his aide-de-camp to the 

 rebels, wlio demanded the reinstatement of the Colonels, and the dis- 

 missal of the Minister of War, Osman-Rifky Pasha, which was 

 eventually granted ; and accordingly Mahomed Samy Pasha was 

 appointed, and the troops fraternised, shouting Long live the Khedive I 



In consequence of the success of this revolt, the officers of the 

 Army, under the leadership of Arabi Pasha, fearing a reaction from 

 the Government and the Khedive, put themselves in communication 

 with those who were dissatisfied with political affairs in Egypt, and 

 by this means they formed the nucleus of an agitation, which steadily 

 extended itself over a wide area. 



On July 30th an incident occurred in Alexandria which, trivial in 

 itself, helped to precipitate the threatening crisis. 



An artillery soldier was accidentally run over, and killed in the 



