Page:The European Concert in the Eastern Question.djvu/121

 In the Autumn of the same year Mr. Goschen and M. Joubert went out to Egypt as representatives of the bond-holders, whose interests were thought to be unduly trenched upon by the Decrees of May. Their proposals were embodied in a Decree, issued on 18th November, 1876, which again separated the debts of the Daïra from those of the Government, revived the Moukabalah, provided for the issue of Preference bonds, and, in particular, instituted the 'Dual Control.'

Under this Decree Mr. Romaine was appointed Controller-general of Revenue, and the Baron de Malaret Controller-general of Public Debt and Audit. The English government disclaimed responsibility for these appointments. Early in 1878 the state of Egyptian finance was again critical, and the government evaded the execution of Decrees granted against it by the International Courts. On 30th March appeared a Decree appointing a Commission of Enquiry, consisting of the four commissioners of the Caisse, with M. de Lesseps as President, and Major Baring and Riaz Pasha as Vice-Presidents. Their report, dated 19th August, was accepted on the 28th by the Khedive, who accordingly, with the approval of the British government, appointed Nubar Pasha prime minister, with Mr. Wilson as Minister of Finance, and M. de Blignières as Minister of Public Works. A decree of 15th December, suspended the Dual Control, and one of 17th December defined the powers of the ministers. On 7th April, 1879, the Khedive, who had long been chafing against the foreign ministers, accepted a 'nationalist' cabinet under Cherif Pasha, and a report having been made by the Commission of Enquiry on the following day showing the country to be bankrupt, prepared a counter-plan which was published in a Decree of 22nd April. The Caisse and the Consuls alike protested against this Decree, as being in violation of international obligations