BRITISH INTERVENTION. 295 not be creditable to their political insight, is certainly evidence of their reluctance to commit themselves to any action which might lead to a permanent occupation. Again, on the 6th of July, the Conference, with the approval of the British Government, agreed to the signature of an identic note by which the Sultan was invited to send troops to Egypt. The Sultan thereupon consented to join the Conference, and professed his readiness to undertake the restoration of order by Turkish troops. By this time, however, the bombardment had taken place, and when his Majesty was asked by Lord Dufferin to proclaim Arabi a rebel, and to declare Tewfik the lawful Sovereign of Egypt, he declined to make any such declaration. On the 19th of July, when it was known that Arabi's military operations seemed to threaten the safety of the Suez Canal, England joined France in requesting the Conference to determine which of the Powers should be entrusted with the duty of protecting our highway to India. None of the Powers showed any eagerness to undertake the duty in question. Finally, on the 22nd of July, the British Government proposed to France to send a joint expedition '* to prevent further loss of life / and continuance of anarchy." To this proposal M. de i Freycinet replied " that France might be prepared to j co-operate with England in protecting the Suez Canal, ) but could not take part in any expedition into Egypt, outside the Canal." Finally, on the 28th of July, the French Chamber rejected, by an overwhelming majority, the proposal of the Freycinet Ministry to send a force