general wingate, the british high commissioner, understood the strength of the nationalist forces and the threat the wafd represented to british dominance and had tried to persuade the british government to allow the wafd to travel to paris. however, the british government remained hostile to zaghlul and the nationalists and adamant in rejecting egyptian demands for independence. general wingate was recalled to london for talks on the egyptian situation, while sir milne cheetham was appointed acting high commissioner in january 1919.