18 WITH KITCHEHEE IN’ THE SOHDAN

andria, while pretending to be preparing for a raid upon the

Suez Canal. He was receiving the assistance of Dervish

Pasha, the Sultan’s representative, and had been recognized

by the Sultan, who conferred upon him the highest order of

Medjidie. In the meantime a conference had been held by

the Powers, and it was decided that the Sultan should be

entrusted with the work of putting down the insurrection, he

being nominally lord paramount of Egypt. But conditions

were laid down as to his army leaving the country afterwards.

The Sultan sent an evasive reply. The Khedive was too

overwhelmed at the situation to take any decisive course.

France hesitated, and England determined that, with or with-

out allies, she would take the matter in hand.

CHAPTEE II

THE RISING IN ALEXANDRIA

^"^HE harbour was full of merchant-ships, as there were at

present no means of getting their cargoes unloaded. The native boatmen had for the most part struck work, and had they been willing to man their boats they must have remained idle, as, in view of the situation, the merchants

felt that their goods were much safer on board ship than they would be in their magazines. It was settled, therefore, that

for the present Annie and the child should remain on board

the Simoon, while Gregory should take up his residence at

the office.

The fleet in the harbour was now an imposing one. Hot

only were the English and French squadrons there, but some

Italian ships of war had arrived, and a United States cruiser;

and on the 7th of July Sir Beauchamp Seymour sent in a

decisive message that he should commence a bombardment of

the fort unless the strengthening of the fortifications was at