126 The British Campaign in the Soudan.

the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, and the British occupation of Egypt in 1882.

These events made England the sole and absolute arbiter of Egypt’s fate, for France had withdrawn from the “ Dual Control” before the bombardment of Alexandria, rather than participate in that ruthless deed.

In October 1883, after one year of British domination, this was the situation of affairs : The young Khedive was deprived of all real authority, British commissioners having more than ever before absolute control of the resources of the country and its entire administration.

The Egyptian regular army was entirely disbanded, except a few of Arabi’s disaffected regiments, sent to the Soudan as a punishment for their rebellion.

A new native army composed of fresh levies, supposed by a convenient fiction to be the Khedive’s army, but commanded by British officers, was created under Sir Evelyn Wood. A native constabulary force called gendarmerie (whose officers were chiefly Italian), raised to serve as police and not as soldiers, was organized under Valentine Baker-Pasha, the British ex-colonel of hussars.

The hitherto undisputed power of the Egyptian government, which had enabled it to enforce order and obedience upon the turbulent and barbarous populations of the Soudan, was fatally impaired, for the garrisons had already been reduced for reasons of economy, in order that the bondholders’ coupons might be paid; and nowa general impression that the Khedive had sold his country to Christians and foreigners began to prevail among the people, and to give double encouragement to the Mahdi’s rebellion which had commenced two years before.

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