THE ANGLO-FRENCH MINISTRY. 201 with the Consular body, came to the conclusion that, j if he had to get rid of his European Ministers, he had I no reason to apprehend any active intervention on the \ part of foreign Powers ; and this conclusion removed any hesitation he may previously have entertained. I am convinced, however, that personal causes had little to do with the final result. As long as Ismail Pasha remained the absolute ruler of Egypt, no Ministry, however nominated, could hold office contrary to his will. When he once made up his mind to dismiss his constitutional Ministers, their fate was sealed.

The occasion was soon found. In order to reduce the expenses of the administration, a number of officers in the Egyptian army had been dismissed ; and owing to the lack of available funds, the payment of the sums due to them on retirement had been temporarily postponed. On the i8th of February, 1879, a body" of some 400 officers assembled in the courtyard of the Ministry of Finance, the formerpalace of the ' Mufettish, and demanded immediate payment of the ■ arrears due to them. Nobody, who knows anything of Egypt at this period, can entertain a doubt that ' such a demonstration could not have been organized without the knowledge of the Khedive, and that its organizers, whoever they may have been, would never have ventured to commit an act of gross insubordination unless they had had reason to believe that their action was viewed with favour, to say the least, at the palace.