478 THE STORY OF THE KHEDIVATE.

intrigues going on against? England abroad, that the British public has got to believe in this idle talk, which would lead to the conclusion that, in as far as foreign policy is concerned, England is heavily handicapped as compared with other European nations. Whether this conclusion is right or wrong in general, it most certainly was wrong in the present instance. Whenever the annals of British diplomacy during the last five years become public property, it will be found, in my opinion, that our Government were fully informed of all the steps taken secretly by France to bring about an effective occupation of the banks of the White Nile before England could raise any objection on the ground of prior occupation, and were cognizant of the intrigues with Menelek, conducted by agents of the French Republic. It will be found, too, that as soon as the existence of a serious possible danger to our position in Egypt became manifest, our Government averted the danger by prompt and decisive action.

In the early days of 1896, neither the Egyptian public nor the British civil and military authorities in Cairo had the slightest idea that the British Government contemplated any immediate advance beyond Wady Haifa, or, still less, any attempt to reconquer the Soudan. About midnight, on the 1 2th of March, 1 896, telegrams from London were received at Wady Haifa and Cairo, ordering the commencement of a forward movement without an hour's unnecessary delay. The Egyptian garrison at Wady Haifa were