THE ANGLO-FRENCH MINISTRY. 199 administration had begun to get into working order, before the personal policy of the Khedive underwent a fundamental change, though his outward friendliness remained unchanged. As soon as the Khedive discovered that Nubar was able and willing to work in loyal co-operation with his foreign colleagues ; that the English and French Ministers could not be set one against the other ; and that the Ministry was determined to carry out the programme laid down by the Commission of Inquiry, he set to work to bring about the overthrow of the constitutional system which he himself had called into existence. Unlike Frankenstein, he met with little difficulty in destroying the monster of his own creation. Circumstances facilitated his endeavour. The conclusion of the Rothschild Domain Loan had been expected to meet all the urgent necessities of the Egyptian Treasury, and thus enable the Ministry to devote their attention to the investigation of the assets and liabilities of Egypt, with the view of proposing a permanent financial settlement between the State and its creditors. Thereupon sundry Alexandrian holders of unfunded debts obtained , judgment in their favour at the International courts, / and attempted, in virtue of these judgments, to attach properties already mortgaged as security for the Domains' Loan. In consequence, the Rothschilds declined to pay any further instalments of the loan till some arrangement had been concluded as to these alleged prior claims. The result was that the financial situation became even worse than it had been