THE ACCESSION OF ABBAS II. 467 Personally, I would sooner have passed over the '* frontier incident " in silence ; but in pursuance of my purpose to give a consecutive narrative of the manner in which the '* Story of the Khedivate '* has gradually paved the way for British supremacy in the valley of the Nile, I could not but state clearly and fairly one of the most important of the stages in virtue of which our occupation has practically developed into a Protectorate. The despatch in question — written, it is well to remember, under a Liberal Ministry — marks a new era in Anglo- Egyptian history. Possibly the declaration of our supremacy might have been postponed for some time longer, if there had been a little more prudence on one side and a little more consideration on the other. But the position of the Viceroy of Egypt, under the British occupation, had got to be made clear sooner or later. If two men ride on one horse, one of them has got to ride behind, and it is obvious that, under the existing conditions of Egypt, the rider in front must be the representative of England.

It is only in human nature that the Khedive should have resented the somewhat rough fashion in which this truth was brought home to his mind. Nor does it seem to me reasonable to expect that he should at once have altered his opinions and become a partisan of British administration in Egypt. It is, however, to his credit, that having once recognized the conditions under which he is compelled to reign without ruling, he should have abstained from any petty attempt to