278 Egypt
ledged in debate by the Conservative Government when
indignation had somewhat cooled down (November 15,
1924).
Egypt did not accept the loss of the Sudan without a
struggle. Representations from Ziwar to the British
Government produced the assurance that we "had no
intention of trespassing on the natural historic rights of
Egypt in the Nile/5 As earnest of this intention a Com-
mission was appointed under a neutral President to in-
quire into Egyptian interests in the upper waters of the
Nile. None the less the Nationalists succeeded in causing
another mutiny, and this time in a Sudanese battalion
(November 27, 1924). There was some severe fighting
in which artillery was used. Three British officers were
killed and three Sudanese officers were executed. But
the Sudan showed no inclination to support the move-
ment. The Sudan was evidently lost to Egypt, and it
seemed quite likely that any further aggravation of the
British would lead to a loss of the new independence of
Egypt itself and a restoration of martial law. The elec-
tions were held under this apprehension, and Zaglulism
kept well in the background. Accordingly, in these
elections (February and March, 1925) anti-Zaglulist
factions obtained, apparently, a small majority—one
hundred and eight to one hundred and two—over the
Zaglulists. A Coalition Cabinet was formed under Ziwar,
which included all anti-Zaglulists except the Watanist
faction, who had opposed Zaglul's co-operation. But
when it came to the election of the Parliamentary
President and other officers it appeared that the majority
contained a large number of disguised Zaglulists, and
that the Wafd had really a majority of about forty. This
resulted in Zaglul being elected President of the Chamber
instead of Sarwat, the Government candidate, and in