The Khedive has taken advantage of Nubar Pasha's acci- dent
to appoint Negueb Pasha as Prime Minister ad interim. This Pasha is a favourite with Abbas II., but has as yet given no evidence of conspicuous ability; and he is understood to be entirely hostile to British dominance in Egypt. He was, indeed, made Under-Secretary of the Interior as a counter- poise to the appointment of Mr. Goret as European adviser in that Department. It is difficult for Lord Cromer to object to an acting appointment ; but it is not likely if Nubar Pasha resigns, as he is expected to do, that Lord Cromer will be able to work satisfactorily with Negueb Pasha. The constant, though latent, struggle between British and Mahommedan influence in Egypt has perhaps the advantage of producing more sympathetic government ; but it wastes European strength in mere friction, and prevents the perfect and easy working of any one reform. The international obstacles, too, are still very trying,—the French, for example, resisting strenuously any reduction of the peasants' taxation.
