THE ANGLO-FRENCH MINISTRY. 191 execution the decisions of the council which have received my approval, and which concern the special department entrusted to his care. ... I consider that the appointment of a Ministry possessing these attributes is not incompatible with our customs and ideas, and is, on the contrary, in accordance with the precepts of the sacred law (of the Koran), and is consistent with an organized judicial system. The institution therefore (of ministerial responsibility) will be sufficient to meet the exigencies of our social system, and will permit us to realize our expressed intentions."

The purport of this letter, if not the letter itself, was communicated to the European Governments, and Mr. Rivers Wilson was informed of the Khedive's intention to offer him the post of Minister of Finance under Nubar Pasha as Premier. He therefore quitted Egypt with the object of obtaining, if possible, the consent of the British Government to his acceptance of the post.

On this news reaching Paris, the French Government insisted that their approval must be conditional on a French official being appointed to an important post in the Ministry, occupying an equal authority with that of his English colleague. This condition was not acceptable either to the Khedive or to Nubar.

It so happened, however, that political and financiaD \ reasons combined to render its acceptance a matter! of necessity. The British Government favoured the / idea of a French official being included in the Nubar I Ministry, on the ground that English intervention in t Egyptian affairs was thus rendered less conspicuous.

What was even more important, Mr. Rivers Wilson had/x