The Sun.
London, England, 1801-10-08 00:00:00

BRITISH REVIEW.

POLITICAL RECOLLECTIONS RELATIVE TO EGYPT,
, lIY J. BALDWIN, ESQ. LATE HIS MAJESTY'S
CONSUL-GENERAL IN EGYPT ; AND ATTACHED
.TO THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF DURING THE
ABOVE GLOtt/OVS CAMPAIGN..
THE importance. of the events which have, lately
been passing in the political world, has distraded
our attention from this part of our Paper. The
calm which is now to succeed, will, we trust, en.
able-us to make ample amends to such of our Readers
as have had reason to complain of our neglea in
this respea.
In resuming our labours in this department, we
cannot, however, pass over a - work' which isi.,in
some degree,• conneeted with the War. Mr.
BALDWIN'S Pelifical Recolle,lions relative to Egypt
will be read with pleasure, by those who wish to
form a correfa judgment of the importance of that
part of the world, which is now both by the.for-
- tune of war, and by the result of .a well conduced
Negotiation, rescued fiom.the hands of the French.
The plan of the work, which appears to be the
transcript of Memoranda, does not admit of our
doing more than making sornesextrafts from the
work, recommending it to the perusal of our Read-
, ers. The offfcial situation of the Author as Consul
General in Egypt, seerns,a pledge for the truth of
those fa6ts, which, in the different parts of his work,
he advances,

The Situation of Egypt relative to Other parts of the

Globe.

Egypt.c minnunicates with the Coasts,of Syria,
Caramania, Natolia, and the Coasts of the Black
_Sea-; with the Coasts of Greece, of Italy, and
France ; with the coasts of Spdin„
,the Northern
Coast ofAlrica, and all the Islands of the lYlediter-,
lanean, in a -space- of twenty days : it -communi-
gates with the Coasts of Arabia FeliX, of the
tilphs of Persia and Bengal, the Eastern Coasts of
Africa, Madagascar, and the Cape of. Good Hope,
forty days ; with the Coasts of Sumatra, Java,
Japan, and China ; the Philippines, the. Coasts of
Brazil, and teat part of America ; with al,l the
interior parts of. Asia, Aftico, and ,;Europe, in
pinety days ; it approaches England to her posses
ions in the East Indies, by a communication •of
sixty days ; and in one hut.dred days may send her
tidings to the farthest corners of the Earth.
'These atings ate not merely possible, but from
natural causes,. providentially and periodically re_
3.!olving, often practicable and certain.

Commerce of Egypt.•
Having enumerated with what wonaerful celerity
by reason of its favoured position, can
communicate with every other Country of the
globe, I may reasonably take this advantage .like.
;tvise to the. account of its Commerce-; for what
advantages do not derive to Commerce from brevity
and expedition ? But Egypt •has other advantages
as important as these ; she has the same facility of
intercourse internally, and can onvey,her produce
,
and importations to every Town and Village in the
Country, with equal proMptitude and ease. The
'Nile provides for this ; but Egypt has.a more essen_
tial ob/igation to the Nile. •

produßions and Commercial Resource:.

Were it needful, I woura enter into a detil of
the various prodations of Egypt ; but sufficient
fur the present purpose may be to aver from obser-
'Nation of my own, that having supplied herliatnral
wants, she car, send annually a thousand ships abroad
with her superfluous prodidions..
She is the magazine of all the trade of Yeinen ;
the mart for all the coffee and rich gums of that
Froud Territory ; she is -the magazine to all the
interior parts of Africa, producing gold dust, ivory,
§enna, druggs : she is the resort of- all the Traders
of the World;. it seems a common centre of uni-
versal Commerce; the coin of all the World is cur
rent here.

Importance €,.7 the Situation of Egypt to England,
simply in subservience to her Political and Com-
m ercial Correspndence with India.
A communication with. India by the Red Sea
pay be established,,.which, in its consequences,
will have this, operation : it will create a call for
the Manufatures of Bengal principally, which
contribute to the-prosperity of that country. It
Will, in exchange, sup;lly them with a 1:-;oTce 'return
.of Specie, the sinew of our Importance in India.--
4 wiil deduct from that'of the French; by 'taking
away the foundation of their Trade. It will afford
channel of expeditions correspondence, which is
the soul of Government, between England. and the
East-Indies -; and in the event of a sudden war, may
enable us to conquer our rivals, and add their
sessions to our own:
That event did Lppen, and the establishment I,
formed with these views, was the.vehicle of our
salvation in India; was.the vehicle'of our_preserva-
tion in the West Indies was the instrument of
wining that only equivalent we had to, offer in our
egotiation for Peace ; was. a circumstance which
bad a consider:ble share in saving our National Ho-
nour. _ _

These sitould be earnests of its -future import-
ance ; but more may be • said. Very little indeed,
1' need now be added, tp prove the communication
I>y Egypt to be a neces,:try link in the chain ofour
conna_tion with India. It will appear with more
cffect, in 4 view or_the importance of this situation
to France. I foresee, that the topicis replete with
nutter of afdaous spculation.

Importance of if.g.ypt to Frage,.

Before the fate of America was decided, I took
into my licad to argue thus,—,oBo ; but the argu.
bent was not without extraneous provocation,
" Should France be sensible of the advantage of
adding Egypt to lul,r dominions, and were tempted
to try the conquest of it ; supposing her triumphant
ik she present. contest upon th,!-'un ; what fower on
Eartn`couid prevent her designs ?"
But the question being yet doubtful as to its
issue, this might be 6444 "- Weg France to M. 14,0

the best vie ocher present power, 'het plan would
be to leave America to. her fate ; to preserve her
.present Naval Consideration entire; and to secilre.
the Ncr aridity of England to .this more .plausible
design', It will bear investigation."
For America independent, may grow to be a
more danger. us Enemy to France than England is.;.
first, from the proximity of .her power to the
French Island's ; and next, from the irreconcileabie
principles of American policy, with the known
maxims of French GovernMent.

Because France will secure, without fighting,
what all her efforts have never obtained—to say,
" as strong a Fleet as England, and a Colony more
than adequate to all her Islands, and all her pros_
peas from American conneftions."
Because the Commercial Interests of England and
Fttince, drawing thence to opposite points, may re-
move the ancient bone of contention.

BeC.:Labe every consideration conspires in such a
System to aggrandize the power,- increase the wealth,
and insur,t, the tranquillity ofFrance
The Navigation is short and sale.
The Colony subjea neither to hurricines, i.ck-
neSs," nor earthquakes.
No rival in the way of her Commercial opera_
tions.

No Enemy to intercept her succours, in case of
alarm.

No need of transporting subsistence to her Forces
4
when there.

Were alr this to he obtained, Nvduld not France
take' it for a. doubtful cause ? Would- not England
accede to it, to purchase her defeCtiori from Ame-
rica ? - • •

The idea of recovering America from an actual
uncertain state of the War,: would have weight
with England ; but irt contemplation of her East
India Possessions, and the .prosper of danger to
these from the growing power of America, in any
future contention, ought to dispose her for such an
accommodation. France would have nothing to
fear from the resentment of America, because it
must he the interest of 'England' to deprive her of
her strength. The accession of Egypt to France
might be disarmed of iti danger to Englan,i, by an
arrangement which shOuld secure the navigation of
the Red Sea exclusively to England ; and nature
has concurred to every other disqualification. 'The
independency, of America, or even an unrestrided
trade, which has already been offered to them, are
naught with mischief; to the interests of England
I, rather than '4grant them, would vow perpetual
War with Fr.ince.

But this opportunity is gone ; at the time I now
write, America is independent. Let us revert to
our text. -

The importance of this situation to France is, I
think, trancendently shewn in the'refiedions we
have just read. England must now look with 'a
jealous eye to the machinations of. France.

Conpest of Egypt by Fiance.

.There is 3 long preliminary to be settled before
this can be attempted with any certainty. of effett.
The temptation is, however, paramount to all.

When I said, that the independency. of America,
or even an unrestricted trade allowed to them, was
pregnant with mischiefs to England; I confess that
I smipeCted .from the least of them almost nbavoid-
able perdition to our Settlements in the Est
The effeet of the former I considered to be nearer ;
buti looked for the same consequences, more remote
in the prospe&, even from the . latter : - I would
rather 'have vowed perpetual War to France..
Some reasons will be elyefted from me, I suppose,
for this inveterate pre-elation.
If the latter may be vindicated by argument, the
first, of course, will speak for itself : i shall only
speak to the latter.
Then; I say, an unrestriaed trade will admit the
Ships of Anietica into all the Ports in the East
Indies ; and this intercourse with our Settlements
will produce the effec".-.1.
What is the state of the English Possessions -in
the East Indies ?

A Country almost equal in extent to all Europe,.
and richer in it-s natural resources.
An Army, of one hundred and twenty thousand
•
men, well disciplined.
A Revenue badly administered, capable of defray-
ing such an Army ; of defraying the Civil Govern-
ment ; and still of retni:ting :Millions- sterling an-
nually to England. •
At a distance mocking all coercion.
France and -America nearer to them.than England,
and ever anxious to favour their defeCtion.
With such truths to, revolve in minds' already'
complaining of the arbitrary exercise of authority,
the Americans arrive among them free, exulting,
broke loose from all. restraints, Need any' thing
be 'added ?
:But I do not insist
.upon this, as a sole and indis-
pensable incentive : it has a portentous look, no
doubt, and .may clime in as a cause, or be conco-
mitant to die effed. : •I construct my motive to tliis
conquest upon other grounds.
I constru4 it upon the degeneracy and degrada-
tion of the Turks ; upon the weakness of the
\Egyptians ; upon the common policy of 'Empires
and of States ; and upon; its general cnmpatibility
with the views and • Interests of every , Ai;uropean
Maritime ,State encompassing the Mediterranean Sea.
These considerations united, (and who shall say
they have no existence in fa& ?) The opposition of
England, and of all who may be disposed to-join her,
will fail in their best efforts to prevent it.
Must-I support my propositions by argument ?
Then I appeal. to the state of the Turkish Ernapire ;
an Empire dismembered by revolt ; despoiled of
revenue ; having no resources ; their military spirit
debased ; their Fleet degraded ; their power a phar.-
. tom ; their Government deceditig under its Con..
st icor ional Defects.
And is it still for me to prove the the nature of
all power is to assert itself ; to encroach where it
.can 1- Then appeal .to chg face of Poland ; appeal
to America,- appeal.to the Crimea; appeal to Hol-
land ; appeal to the History of the World., I believe
there is an essential principle in the doctrine of
power.: it is another atmosphere;, it can know no
void ; it .rushes, in upon every recess ; it is domi-
nion% tide ; its causes 'goat upon the Fissions and
distempqs ®f men. •

In this -View, were the Powers of Austria and
Russia to_ press in upon the yielding provinces of
the Turk ; France, unable to oppose them, .would
eMbXee the alternative and join in,the ipoil': Egypt
would be the natural lot of France.; and Russia and
Atistria, elated and sated with the division of the
rest, applying to the advantages'contained in the
completion of these events, conspire, concert, and
mutually abet the general and separate interests of
the Whole. • .
I 'have before described the defenceless state of
Egypt, as to its 'proper resources ; and now; the
prote6tion they derived from their nominal depend-
ence on the Porte, is lost in the octinEtion of that
power itself. Who, •then 7 is to, resist the Powers
which may assail her ? •

If Venice is .to recover a portion of her lost cOm_
merce and estates; if Spain, and Genoa, and Malta,
allured by the prosped of gain to themselves, from
the consequences of success in these schemes; should
join their confederate force to the Fleets of France ;
would F.ngland singly oppose them ? Or who is
,to
oppose them with any effea ?

, Francerin possession of Egypt, would possess the
master-key' to all the trading Nations of the Earth.
Enlighterttd; as the times are, in the general arts of
navigation and commerce, she might make it the
emporium of the , world : she might make it the
awe of the Eastern• world, by the facility she
would command of transporting her Forces thither,
by surprise, in any number, and at any time ; and
.England would hold het Possessions in India, at the
mc.rcy of France.

.11 The .drtick fxon ItTa;zebester is cbargcable as an ildler-
'll*

tirrsttrnt.

THE SUN.

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