EGYPT UNDER BRITISH SUPERVISION. 443 But they objected to the corvee when resorted to — as it was in the old days — in order to work the lands or dig the canals of the Vice-regal families or of the Pashas and large landowners who stood well with the Government. The hatred entertained by the fellaheen for the corv6e would, with a less longsuffering population, have led to open resistance.

Even if our troops were to leave Egypt, and the old order of things were re-established, as it infallibly would be, the reintroduction of the corvee would be the last measure to which any native Government would venture to resort. That this is so, is mainly due to the influence of Nubar Pasha.

With the termination of Nubar s Premiership ~) the idea of administering Egypt by native officials, ( acting under British supervision, was finally aban- ] doned. The system which Nubar advocated of employing native judges to administer justice had been tried, and had, to say the least, proved unsatisfactory. The administration of justice was henceforth placed mainly in European hands. From this period the internal government of the country passed entirely under the control of the Power whose troops maintained order within its frontiers, and protected Egypt from external attack by virtue of their presence on Egyptian soil. It is only fair to say that this truth was not recognized at the time even by the British . j authorities in Egypt. Looking back, however, on* "\ \J the past, it is easy to see that the substitution of • V