lOO ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND EGYPT. 



Streets of Alexandria, and as the driver was not punished, the 

 populace showed their dissatisfaction, by marching in procession with 

 the body of the dead soldier to the Khedive's Palace. 



The Khedive promised that justice should be done, which was 

 administered in a peculiar way, for the soldiers who had taken part 

 in the procession were tried by court-martial and punished, whilst 

 the driver was let off scot free. 



The severity of the punishment increased the excitement in the 

 Army, and a protest, signed by Abdelil Bey, was sent to the 

 Minister of War, and the Khedive, being displeased with the 

 Minister's want of energy in dealing with the matter, dismissed him, 

 and his successor resolved to pursue a more determined attitude 

 towards the leaders of the agitation, and, if possible, to crush it in 

 its infancy. 



On September 3rd the Khedive left Alexandria for Cairo, the 

 headquarters of the military party, and his first step was to threaten 

 the removal to other quarters of the disaffected 4th Regiment of 

 infantry, of which Arabi was Colonel, and Arabi, on hearing of it, 

 determined to make another military demonstration before the 

 Khedive ; and on September 9th, the Minister of War received a 

 letter from Arabi, stating, that in the afternoon the Army would 

 march to the Square before the Palace, and demand the execution of 

 the following programme : — 



1. The dismissal of the Minister. 



2. The summoning of the Chamber of Notables. 



3. The adoption of the recommendations of the Military Commission. 



At 3 o'clock the Square was occupied, and surrounded by the 

 rebellious Army, 4,000 strong, besides cavalry and Artillery, under 

 the command of Arabi. 



Seeing this, the Khedive, accompanied by the English Consul, 

 and his body-guard, advanced to the group of Officers, of which 

 Arabi and Abdelal, on horseback, were the centre, and politely 

 delivered the order, " Get off your horses," which they obeyed, and it 

 was followed by another order, " Sheath your swords," which was 

 also obeyed. 



The Khedive then demanded of them the reason for all this dis- 

 play of force, and Arabi answered, " that he came in the name of 

 the people to demand the three points of their ' Magna-Charta,' " 

 to which the Khedive replied by saying : — 



•' Have you forgotten that I am the Khedive and your Master f" to which Arabi 

 answered in the words of the Koran: " The Ruler is he who is just ; he who is 

 not so, is no longer Ruler." 



