Rebellion and Independence 237
The Egyptian Government had since December been
giving the Foreign Office a good chance of splitting the
nationalist front by pressing for passports on behalf of
the Premier, Rushdi, and the Minister of Justice, Adli,
so that they might confer in London before the Peace
Conference met. The object of the Conference was to be
elaboration of such further instalment of self-government
as would enable the moderate Ministry to make head
against the Wafd. For this purpose Ministers had in
1918 obtained the appointment of an Anglo-Egyptian
Commission to report on Constitutional reforms. No
report was as yet ready, but the Judicial Adviser, Sir
W. Brunyate, at the request of the Ministry, drafted
certain recommendations for a new Constitution. In view
of the storm that had been raised shortly before by this
official's proposals for revision of extra-territoriality, his
selection by Rushdi for this far more difficult and deli-
cate task seems suspect of a preconceived plan. For the
document, though confidential, was published by Rushdi
after the first refusal of his request to be received in
London. As was to be expected, in view of its author's
personality, its proposals raised a fierce squall Its
suggestion to subordinate the National Assembly to a
Senate which would mainly represent the foreign com-
munities was especially offensive. The Ministry, having
thus recovered some of the limelight, made a final re-
quest to be received in London, which was as firmly
refused. Upon which Rushdi resigned (March i, 1919)
and left the field to Zaglul. Thereafter, the political posi-
tion was simplified in that the nationalist organisation
was face to face with the British Army without inter-
vening authorities.
General Watson had by now become awake to the
existence of an agitation, and he was, of course, aware