NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ON Monday, the Khedive, without warning, deprived the Premier Mustapha Pasha Fehtny, and the Ministers of Finance and Justice, of their portfolios, and appointed Fakhri Pasha head of a new Government, Boutros Pasha Finance Minister, and Mazloum Pasha Minister of Jus- tice. Not only were these Ministers men opposed to England, but the new Prime Minister bad been removed in the time of Tewfik because of his violent opposition to reform ; while Mazloum Pasha was also known as a supporter of the unreformed regime. At a moment's notice, therefore, the Government of Egypt had become both reactionary and-anti- English, and our whole work in the Nile Valley was at stake. Fortunately, the Government realised that the moment was not one for inquiry, half measures, or dawdling in any shape or form. A special meeting of the Cabinet was held on Tuesday, and Lord Rosebery was authorised to allow Lord Cromer a free band in dealing with the situa- tion. Accordingly, Lord Cromer had an interview with the Khedive on Wednesday, and, backed up as he was in London, was soon able to convince Abbas Pasha of the error of judgment he had committed. In order to save the Khedive from humiliation, it was agreed, how- ever, that Mustapha Pasha Fehmy should not be recalled, but that Riaz Pasha should be Prime Minister. The new Ministers of Finance and Justice are to be allowed to keep their portfolios. At the same time, Roullier Bey, who had been the Khedive's Professor when he was at school in Vienna, who accompanied him to Cairo as his secretary, and who was afterwards appointed "chief of the Khedive's European cabinet," will be sent on leave of absence. It is to his bad advice that the Khedive's precipitate and foolish action is in a great measure attributed.
