282 Egypt
high favour with the Constitutionalists and moderate
Nationalists, on learning that Zaglul contemplated office,
invited him to a friendly consultation as to the condi-
tions under which this would be acceptable to the British.
It was denied in the House of Commons that any condi-
tions at all had been imposed (June 7). But the general
circumstances attending this interview (May 30) may
perhaps be not incorrectly thus expressed. In any case
the first step had been taken towards co-operation with
Zaglulism.
Zaglul himself had wished his ally Adli to form a
Government. But his party rejected this and insisted on
the lately acquitted Ahmed Maher being included in the
Government. Fortunately this provocation to the British
was made impossible by the resignation (June 2) of
Judge Kershaw owing to disapproval of this acquittal,
which proved to have been by a majority only of a
Tribunal composed of himself and two Egyptian Judges.
This was followed up by a Note from the British Govern-
ment declining to accept the verdict as clearing the
accused. Zaglulism being thus again cast under the
shadow of suspicion of conspiring with assassins, a
Zaglulist Government became obviously impossible.
After another interview with Lord Lloyd (June i, 1926),
Zaglul, with the approval of his party, advised the King
to send for Adli.
Adli then formed a Government, in which there were
six Zaglulist Wafdists and one anti-Zaglulist Watanist
or extreme Nationalist, the remaining three, the Premier
himself, Sarwat, and Mohamed Mahmud Pashas, being
Liberals allied to Zaglul.
The situation therefore was and still is that Egyptian
nationalism, which up to 1924 was rapidly disintegrating
into factions representing various ideals and interests,