MUSLIMUNRESTANDGERMANSUPPORT 21ingtotheOttomansultan."Thefacthadbegunto have itseffectin
Egypt,"hedeclared,alludingto thecrisesofthepreviousmonths,
"andwhenyouhaveconflictofthatkindwiththeTurkishGovern-
ment...youmaybequitesureitisboundto have acertaineffecton
theMahomedanraces who areunderBritishrule or incountriesunder
Britishoccupation.?"
DespitetheBritishmaligningofthemasmerelyreligiouszealots,
thenationalistsdemandedsomemeasureofself-governmentfor
Egypt,greaterparticipationinthecountry'sparliamentarybodies,
andareformofthe"capitulations"(legalprivilegesgrantedbythe
regimeofthekhedivetoEuropeansin Egypt).Cromeragreedonly
withthelastdemand.TheGermanconsulate-generalinCairo,how-
ever,opposedchangeinthecapitulations,viewingthelaws as neces-
sary forprotectingthelimitedGermantradein Egypt.^13 Germanop-
positiontoalteringthecapitulationstookvariousforms.Although
JohannHeinrichCountvonBernstorff,theconsulgeneralinCairo,
carefullyavoideddiscussionofthematterinmeetingswithCromer,
hewarnedtheforeignministryandReichchancellor,Bernhardvon
Bulow,ofthesuspectedBritishaction.Anti-Britisharticlesonthe
issueappearedintheGermanpress.SuchaccusationsirritatedLon-
don,andLascelles, itsambassadorinBerlin,complainedtotheReich
government.Ultimately,however,theBritishdidnotchangetheca-
pitulations. 14
AGermanactivitythatreceivedmostattentionfromCromerand
hissuccessorscenteredontheconsulate-general'sties totheEgyp-
tiannationalistsandthekhedive,AbbasHilmiII.Thelatter'sinflu-
encehadbeensteadilyerodedbytheBritishsincehisassumptionof
thethroneandsubsequentrebellionagainstthemin 1892 and1893.
Sincethenthekhedive,amasterofpoliticalintrigue,hadcontracted
withGermanfirms,suchasKrupp,toexpandconstructionofrail-
roadsownedby Abbas. Hisnegotiationswiththerecentlyestablished
GermanOrientbankinCairoto sellpartofhisextensiveproperties
inordertoprotectthemfromconfiscationdirectedbyCromerespe-
ciallyprovokedtheBritishresident'sire.IS
RelationsbecamesotensebetweenCromer,thekhedive,andthe
Germanconsulate-generalthatshortlybeforeCromer'sresignation
theGermanforeignministrydirectedBernstorfftopersuadeAbbas