At the Council of Ministers which assembled immediately after the incident  of the petition the Khedive played a treacherous part. In order to involve the Ministry in an open quarrel with the officers, in which he knew the officers would have M. de Ring's protection, he proposed that they should be arrested and placed upon their trial by Court Martial, but to this `Uthman Rifqiy objected because he also would thus be put on trial, while Riyad was against making it a case of public scandal at all, and took the officers' part. It was pointed out however to Riyad  privately that his opposition would be misinterpreted, and wouId be looked upon as an act disloyal to the Khedive, and he withdrew his opposition, and a compromise was come to according to which `Uthman Rifqiy was to be left to deal with the officers summarily, and according to methods common in ‘Isma`iyl reign. No open action therefore was taken against the officers, and the case was left undecided by the Council.

What followed is well known. Some days later the three Colonels who had signed the petition received an invitation to attend at the Qasr al-Nyil Palace to arrange with the Minister what part their regiment should take in some festivities which were being organized for the Princess Gamiylah's wedding. Arrived there, they found a number of their superior officers, Circassians, with `Uthman Rifqiy and were at once arrested, disarmed, and insulted. `Urabiy has always maintained that it was intended to put them on board a steamer which was lying in the river outside, and have them conveyed up the Nile and drowned; and I see no reason to doubt that this was the case .`Uthman Rifqiy object was to avoid a trial, which would have exposed his own tyrannical proceedings, and it would doubtless have been reported that the officers had been dismissed the service and gone to their homes. Be this however as it may, they were speedily released by the soldiers of `Aliy Fahmiy's regiment, who, under the command of their major, Muhammad `Ubayd, a good and loyal man who was afterwards killed at Tall al-Kabiyr, marched down on news being brought and forced the Palace doors. The Circassian Generals then beat a retreat as they best could, and .`Uthman Rifqiy was forced to an undignified flight through a ground-floor window, whereupon the three Colonels marched back at the head of their troops, and with drums beating, to their barracks. Here they drew up a letter telling what had happened, and explaining that their action had been one of self-defense only, and in no way endangered the safety of any one, and addressed it to M. de Ring, begging his intercession with the Khedive, and that another Minister might be appointed in `Uthman Rifqiy's place, to which in the course of the day the Khedive readily acceded. It is certain, however, that he and M. de Ring together made a strong effort to get Riyad also dismissed, on the plea that as Prime Minister he was principally responsible for the disorder which had happened. Nevertheless Riyad was too strongly supported by the Financial Controllers and by the German Consul General, and, I think, by Malet, who was at that time, as I have recorded, by no means favorably disposed to the officers, and on the matter being referred to London and Paris the Khedive's wish was disregarded, and shortly after M. de Ring was recalled by his Government in disgrace.
 

The date of this first military disturbance at the Qasr al-Niyl  as 1st February, 1881. It took place while I was still in Egypt, but after I had left Cairo, and I do not remember to have heard `Urabiy name mentioned before it happened. The public part, however, that he played that brought him into immediate notoriety, and at once his name was in all men's mouths as that of a man who had been able successfully to defy the Government and bring about a change of Ministers. His position in a very few weeks became one of power in the country, or at least of imputed power, and, as the custom is in Egypt, petitions of all kinds poured in upon him from persons who had suffered wrong and who sought his aid to get justice. The fact that he had appeared in the affair as champion of fallaaH wrongs against the Turkish ruling class gave him popularity outside of Cairo, and many of the Notables (al-'A`yan) and country shaykhs (shuyuwkh al-balad) put themselves into communication with him. To all he returned what good answers he could and help as far as his limited power extended, and wherever men met him his fine presence, attractive smile, and dignified eloquence in conversation conveyed a favorable impression.
 

(To be continued)