The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-20 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, A UGUSI 20, 1869.

The remonstrance of the SULTAN with his vassal, the
Viceroy of Egypt, has now appeared in extenso. As

yet we know nothing, however, as to the nature of
the reply transtnittel by the Khedive from Cairo to
Constantinople. Nothing could well be more digni-
fied in tone, and at the same time more reasonable
in character, than the communication recently for-
warded, in the name of ABDUL-AZIZ, from the VIZIER
to the VICEROY. It is a document presenting an

extraordinary contrast to the diplomatic statements
formerly setting forth, on the part of the Sublime
Porte, the haughty claims of the Sultan Caliph to
the allegiance of those recognising the dominant
authority of his supreme power as Suzerains. There
is no abatement, nevertheless, in the Sultan's claims

upon the loyalty of his Vassal, the Viceroy. On
the contrary this missive is the distinct vindication of

the pride and glory of the Ottoman Sovereign. The
Grand Vizier, in addresing himself to the Egyptian
Viceroy, reminds the latter clearly enough in so doing

that ISMAEL PACIIA, in his character or capacity as

Viceroy of Egypt—is What? King,Lord,orKhedive?
Delegated Monarch or anything equivalent? Nothing
whatever of thekind, simply—" one of the chief mem-
bers of the SULTAN'S Government placed at the head of
the Egyptian Government." Reminding theVICEROY
in the very preamble of the despatch that, in virtue
of his right as SOVEREIGN of the country, the SULTAN,
" our august master," as he calls him, would be en-
titled to exercise a supervision over the expenditure
which weighs so heavily on the present as on the
future of Egypt--the Grand Vizier adds, addressing
himself pointedly to the grandson of MEnEmET ALT,
the present viceregal ruler of the Egyptians—" If
this supervision has not been exercised, if the other
rights and duties specified by the Imperial firmans
which conferred the hereditary administration upon
your family, have not been invoked, it has been, not
because his Mansry meant for a moment to renounce
any one of either h.'s rights or his duties, but solely be-
cause his MAJESTY was convinced that your High-
ness, in your wisdom, would not abuse his abstinence,
ant that, appreciating rightly the benefits of which
you have been the object, you would never diverge
from the path of loyalty and devotion." Bitter and

sweet are therein, it will be seen, very strongly

and intimately mingled. The words italicised are
calculated to bring down the soaring ambition of the
Pacha of Egypt to its proper level, and to remind hint
that though a vassal of the highest (lass, he is still
after all nothing more than a vassal of hisliegelord and
Suzeraine, the SULTAN CALIPH of Turkey. Although
their relative positions are thus powerfully, and it
might evtn be said poignantly, recalled to the mind
cf the VICEROY, immediately after his all but royal
tour among the Courts of Europe, the facts
embodied in that reminder are altogetLr in
their nature undeniable. Pointedly though
they are brought under his recognition, they
are notwi hstauding submitted to his consideration
with all courtesy. His Imperial Majesty the SULTAN,
speaking as it were through the mouth of the Grand
Vizier, recalls to the remembrance of his Highness
the Egyptian Paella, the eNideaced of implicit trust
in his loyalty and discretion manifested, up to the
present moment, not intermittently, but systematical'y
by the Supreme Government at Constantinople.
The Viceroy is then reminded that—as the Vizier
puts it—" Although your si had been good
enough to apprise us of your departure, you did not
deem it incumbent on you to afford us the least in-
f.,rma.!ion as to the in3tives “ssigued by public re-
port for your voyage, nor to give any answer what-
ever to the requests for explanation which were
officially addressed to you." Astonished at this
silence the Sublime Porte with Turkish impassive-
ness, it might even be said, with haughty dis lain,
" thought it right," as the Vizier expresses it,
await the moment which would throw light on those
facts." Meanwhile the Viceregal vassal of the Sultan
Caliph, while on his trave's from one European
Court to another, gave invitations to the various
Sovereigns, beginning with his Majesty the
King of the lIELLENES, to be present at
the inauguration of the Ship Canal through
the Isthmus of Suez. Again, with a mixture
of reproof and suavity the Vizier addresses himself in
the name of their " August Master" to the Egyptian
Pacha or Viceroy. " Only that your Highness," he
says, " is too enlightened to render it necessary, we
might remind you that the invitation of an inde-
pendent Sovereign to a foreign country should be
made by the independent Sovereign of the country."
The Vizier, adding thereupon, " The contrary in-
fringes alike upon the dignity of the invited and
the rights of the territorial Sovereign." Later
on in this remarkable despatch, the Vizier writes
to the Egyptian Pacha " we cannot repeat it too
often, his Majesty the Sultan, our august Sovereign,
animated by the liveliest solicitude for the welfare
and prosperity of Egypt, and desirous to see that
province enjoy its privileges within their legitimate
limit', can never consent to see the ties weakened
which attach it to his empire." The Viceroy is,
thereupon, reproved for the excessive expenditure upon
which the Sultan's Government conceives him to have
adventured in fife purchase of ironclad vessels,
and warlike arms of all descriptions. Remembering
the state receptions accorded in the different Courts
of Europe to his Highness ISMAEL PACIIA, and read-
ing the despatch just now addressed to him in words
of courteous but severe reproof by the SULTAN'S
Grand Vizier, we cannot but recall to mind the trite
old axiom, that " Pride shall have a Fall"—while we
look forward with something like eager curiosity to
the announcement of what may have been the nature
of the reply tolthe Ottoman Porte transmitted from
Cairo in the name of his Highness the Egyptian
Viceroy.

" to

AMONG the measures which have passed through
the shoals of committee and the rapids of the
division lobby is one that has been granted as an
instalment of more thorough legislation to take place
two years hence. The " Wine and Beerhouse Act,
1800," came into operation nominally on July 15,
but, practically, its effect will not be felt until next
Brewster Sessions. This Act was almost extorted
from Mr. BRUCE by independent members, who,
impressed by the evils of our licensing system, insisted
that the often-made pledge of successive Ministries
to deal with this question should no longer be left
unfulfilled. It is admitted on both sides that the
present measure deals with but a small portion of
that question, ameliorates but one of those evils.
Nevertheless, it was thought better that a partial
and temporary remedy should be obtained at once
than that the country should wait any longer for a
radical cure. The bill just passed is therefore
limited to two years, and before that term has ex-
pired it is to be hoped that Mr. BRUCE, or whoever
else may preside at the Home Office, will have dealt
boldly with one of the most gigantic evils of the day.
I The particular defect which the Vine and Beer-