The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-19 00:00:00

EGYPT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sig,—At first sight it will appear strange and out of
place that an individual of so humble a standing as my-
self should write to you about Egyptian affairs, but
seeing that no Newspaper in this country affords even
its sympathy towards our Egyptian brethren ; seeing.
moreover, that out of some fifty or more talented men
of both Houses of Parliament, who have .li4tcd that
country during the 'apt five years, who have bad audi-
ences of its Pacha, and scanned the whole, it does then
appear to me the more strange that they do not come
forward in tither House to express their opinions about
that country, and our future policy with respect to it.
All parts of the globe appear, to be interesting to the
British Press except the solitary subject of Egyptian
regeieration. .Does the Presiof England thus tolerate
that all nations except the Egyptian are to work out
their own regeneration by their own means, and that
Egypt is not to be permitted to do so ? By a right
principle this sanction has been so permitted, and as-
sisted- by 'British means of every description, to all other
different countries. Why then is not Egypt allowed
to work out her's as well as Greece? We talk about
the rebellion of Egypt anainst Turkey, but we never
talked about the rebellion of Greece against Turkey!!
How is this ?

Why does it surprise the British people that a man
of Mehemet Ali's great talent should be found in Egypt
to induce the Arabs to come forward to regenerate
themselves, or rite in their efforts to attain it ? For in
all kingdoms, from earliest history, men in small coun-
tries depending upon greater ones have alwaysWash-
been
found to assert this principle of independence.
ington did it in America ; he, too, was declared a rebel
at the time, but the successful rebels on that and other
occasions had their names immortalized in the annals of
'their respective countries.
What is it that Mehemet Ali asks for ? Answer—
He asks for hereditary possession of those countries into
which he has introduced a new and improved organiza-
tion. He asks to remain a vassal of the Sultan, to con-
tinue to pay tribute as heretofore, and to bo allowed to
assist the Sultan in the work of regenerating the Turkish
empire, and inspiring new life and energy into its de.
clining powers. And I appeal to all those who have
visited the two countries recently whether the admi-
nistration of Mehemet Ali does not posssss, in a more
eminent degree all the qualities of progressive improve-
ment and freedom from corruption ? This last is the be-
setting sin of Turkey, and the mill-stone that is sinking
her Government in the opinion of her own subjects, and
of Europeans in general.
I know it is not the fashion to write of Mehemet Ali
except as a rebel, but the time for that consideration
was more than a generation ago. Since that period the
politics of England, and the world at large, have per-
mitted Mehemet Ali to become greater than his master ;
and n ;Iv we come forward to keep him within a limit
too circumscribed for his acceptance. Failing that ac-
ceptance, do we intend to coerce him, by taking back
the Turkish fleet, &c., by force ? If so, war will be
commenced with the Mussulman population of Egypt,
&c., which may not end so speedily and happily as we
may wish to suppose. Will putting down Mehemet
Ali's principles by a second "untoward" event, save the
Turkish Empire from Russian possession? Will de-
stroying the Turkish and Egyptian fleets; and the de-
struction of Alexandria, add to the better prospect or
condition of the Sultan ? No ; on the contrary, it will
be another blow to his decaying power in his present
circumstances.

If any blockade or hostility is commenced between
us and Egypt, the transit through that country, to and
from India, would immediately become unsafe, as the
Suez desert would again swarm with Bedouin robbers.
At a time like this, when our relations with China are
in so critical a position, such an event would be doubly
felt and deplored.

The Frricli Government act on quite a different po-
licy towards Mehemet Ali than we do. Theirs is a
courteous policy, ours a discourteous one. Our Consul-
General in Egypt is always employed in complaints and
threats from our Government to the Paella ; while the
Fieuch and ail other Consuls-General, on the other
hand, conciliate him, thus showing that respect which is
due to him as chief.

Egypt, under Mehemet Ali, has already become a
secondary power, and from its central position, as re-
gards our Eastern interests, to my thimkinm, is likely
to become much greater. Already is Egypt more
powerful by land and sea than Spain and Portugal put
together.

The general opinion of ;England appears to me in
error with respect to Egypt ; it thinks that the power
of Egypt will die with Mehemet Ali., No—it will
not. Mehemet Ali. has one son, Ibrahim, aged 46,
Commander-in-Chief of his armies, every way qualified
to carry out his father's enlightened views. Another
son, Said Bey, aged 19, commanding a ship of 80 guns,
is also promising; a grandson, Abbas Podia, aged 28,
Governor of Cairo, the post of trust next to the com-
mand of the armies. There are many of the great men
of Egypt married and intermarried into the female
branches of Mehemet Ali's family, and he has several
grandchildren, wha are sons of Ibrahim and Abbas
Pachas before named. All these are brought up to,
and at a proper age, arc sworn to maintain the regene-
rating principles of :Egypt. and certainly they are all
fitting to succeed Mehemet Ali.
During my sojourn in Egypt off and on since 1829,
(eli'ven years) I have seen its rise, and monthly can
trace fresh proofs of its further rise.
The resources of that country are very great, the soil
even of which has always belonged to the governing
authority, since sold to it by its people in the days of
Pharoah, as proved by the 47th chap. of Genesis, from
the 20th to the 24th verses. As tb'm, so it has been
through all Egyptian, Roman, and succeeding dynasties
till now ; and this, and no other cause, has kept up the
wretchedness of its inhabitants in those successive ge-
nerations, because the people have always been slaves
to the soil, tor the benefit of the Governments, and not
themselves.

Within the last year, Mehemet Ali, even in a state
of warfare, has begun to alter all this. There are now
English and French firms in Egypt, farming portions of
its lands, varying from ten thousand acres, to three
thousand acres, and if the Pacha could only be re-
lieved from his warlike attitude, I have heard him often
declare, that freedom of the soil to the Egyptian people
should be the signal of relief and happiness to them.
ABOUT TURKEY.---I have a conviction that there is
only one way left to keep the Turkish empire from
falling into the hands of Russia, which is to place Me-
hemet Ali and the Sultan in amity once more. Then
the regeneration of Turkey will follow, without which,
to me it appears hopeless. Weighty considerations
also call upon us to keep this rising power of Egypt as
our friend and ally for the present and the future. Not
only ought we to act in a much more courteous manner
towards Mehemet Ali, but we ought to give a helping
hand, and in many ways we can do so from our civilized
country, to our brethren the Arabs of the Desert of Egypt,
&c., once our foes, now our friends. IVhoever thought
these wild men could be tamed by the Pacha's rule,
so as to afford even servile attentions to our country-
women and their children in passing over thorn ?
But enough of this subject, for I know it is unpalat-
able to many that Mehemet Ali's merits, and his rc-
generating principles of government, should be publicly
known.

Will the Press of England continue to rest in this
view, of the case ? That Press tolerates freedom of
regeneration to all the earth except to Egypt.
A something intuitive tells me that Egypt ought to
be the ally of England, and not of France. If once
we let Egypt have only France. to depend upon as an
ally for support is time of future need instead of us,
most surely shall we find the mistake of such policy
when too late.
At present the Foreign, Minister of England has a
most difficult task to pursue, because he hits to coon-
teract and amend the errors of our past policy with re-
spect to Turkey, and it would be some better hope for
him were a man of greater promise now Sultan, that
Turkey might be kept from increased decay. There-
fore, I repeat, the councils of Mehemet Ali in aid of
the Sultan arc requisite.
I shall be happy to continue these letters, and give
you my humble opinion for the benefit of Egypt, pro-
vided the Press can be arousal to its regeneratiug
principles.

I have the pleasure to be, S!r,
Your's very faithfully,
THOMAS WAGHORN.
1840.
London, May 18,

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