THE ACCESSION OF ABBAS II. 463 offered to the judicial reforms introduced by the British legal adviser of the Khedivial Government. This second appointment was practically vetoed by Lord Cromer, who was instructed by our Foreign Office, then under Lord Rosebery's administration, to inform his Highness " that in alP important matters, such as the formation of his Ministries, he must act with the knowledge and approval of the British authorities." The Khedive found, to his surprise, that the only practical result of his having listened to the advice of his anti-British counsellors was an immediate increase of the army of occupation. .In one sense, all's well that ends well.

But it would have been better if British supremacy in Egypt could have been vindicated in a manner less galling to the pride of a young and ambitious Sovereign.

Finally, Riaz Pasha was nominated Prime Minister in the place of Fehmi Pasha. The appointment, in common with most compromises, satisfied neither party to the arrangement. The Khedive looked with disfavour on Riaz, because he was known to consider the British occupation, as possibly an evil, but certainly as a necessity, for Egypt. On the other hand, the British officials distrusted Riaz, because he was known to be hostile to British intervention in matters of internal administration.

Meanwhile the relations between the palace of Abdin and the Agency continued to be of a strained character. A French squadron was despatched to