20 THE WAR IN THE SOUDAN.

grasps the general character of a country, Lord Dufferin recognized at once the lamentable state into which Egyptian politics had sunk, and advocated sweeping reforms. He proposed amongst other innovations the establishment

of an Egyptian army of 6,000 men, a semi-military constabulary of 5,600, both officered to a small extent at first by Europeans ; an urban police force

of 1,600, to maintain order in the large towns of the Delta ; representative institutions comprising village constituencies, provincial councils, a legislative

council, a general assembly, and eight ministers responsible to the Khedive ;

a thorough revision of the codes ; the organization of new tribunals ; reassess¬ ment of the land tax ; assistance to the fellaheen in relieving themselves from the heavy debt encumbering their lands ; a national system of education ; reform of the civil service; and the effectual suppression of the slave trade.

The document containing these schemes of the noble Lord’s is already

famous, but to practically carry out its details was a task perhaps beyond human power. It is hard to conceive of the character of the Egyptian people.

One ludicrous example of their blunted intelligence and indomitable apathy is

seen in the fact that when asked to vote for the election of representatives, they displayed a wide-spread desire to pay a sum of money rather than cease their work to attend the polling, although it had been distinctly pointed out to them that the measures of reform undertaken were for their exclusive benefit.

Now come upon the scene two English names of merit—that of Colonel Valentine Baker, now called Baker Pasha after his services in the Turkish army, and that of Colonel Hicks. Both deserve some mention. Colonel Baker, a dashing cavalry officer of great popularity in the army, will perhaps

on this side of the Atlantic be best remembered as having been the object of an unpleasant accusation. Although the charges were not wholly substantiated

Col. Baker was forced to quit the army, and he was soon after heard from as having obtained a commission under the Sultan.

Colonel Hicks was one of those brilliant Indian officers, who having retired while as yet in the prime of life, discovers that a life of inactivity at home, separated from all the associations which have grown almost a neces¬ sity of existence, find it impossible to abstain from volunteering to under¬ take any expedition of novelty and danger which may be opened to them.

He was typical of his class : proud, high minded, imperious, yet withal gen¬

erous and tender to a degree ; hating sham and cant, but willing to take any trouble to benefit those in whom there is no taint of these. He was English to an extreme. A somewhat ludicrous incident has been told of his reply to

a young German officer who introduced himself to him in a ball room. He

was ignorant of the permissibility of this proceeding at a German military ball, and the young gentleman who with a nice bow remarked that “ he had