The Nationalist movement was now at an end, the various garrisons surrendering one after another, and the greater part of the British army left Egypt, 12,000 men remaining behind to maintain order.  The Egyptian government wished to try Arabi as a rebel in a secret tribunal.  It was generally believed that this would have meant a death sentence.  Mr. Wilfrid Blunt, a distinguished British Liberal and a friend of Arabi, who had often expressed his sympathy with the cause of the Nationalists in their endeavour to free Egypt from the slavery of the foreign bondholder, now raised a vigorous protest in favour of an open trial.  He personally contributed to the defence of Arabi, and his efforts led to the commutation of the sentence of death to that of perpetual exile in Ceylon—­a sentence which was subsequently very much modified.  Arabi Pasha returned to Egypt in the year 1902, after an exile which had lasted about nine years.

[Illustration:  201.jpg PALACE OP THE KHEDIVE AT ALEXANDRIA]

The difficult task of readjusting the government of Egypt was then undertaken.  Proposals were made to France for a modification of the dual control, in which France was offered the presidency of the Debt Commission.  France, however, refused to accept the compromise, and the British government finally determined upon independent action.  In place of the officials through whom the two governments had hitherto exercised the control, a single financial adviser was appointed, who was not allowed to take part in the direct administration of the country.  The outline of this adjustment was given in a circular note addressed by Lord Granville to the Powers.  He declared that an army would remain in Egypt as long as it was required; representative institutions were to be created; the Egyptian army and gendarmery were to be placed in the hands of Englishmen; the Diara estates were to be economically managed; foreigners were to be placed upon the same footing as natives in regard to taxation.  The other Powers, including Turkey but excluding France, accepted the agreement.  The office of financial adviser was given to Sir Edgar Vincent.

The important work of the reconstruction of Egypt now began in earnest.  Sir Benson Maxwell set about establishing an effective means for the impartial administration of justice, and Colonel Moncrieff undertook the responsibility for the work of irrigation.  Mr. Clifford Lloyd created a police system, reorganised the prisons and hospitals, and set free the untried prisoners.  Baker Pasha formed a provincial gendarmery, and Sir Evelyn Wood organised an army of six thousand men.

In the year 1883, while this work of reconstruction was proceeding, a religious insurrection, which had originated two years previously, was forced upon the notice of the government.  It has already been related that the Ismailian sect of the Muhammedans had introduced the doctrine of a coming Messiah, or Mahdi, who was to be the last of the imans, and the incarnation of the universal soul.