The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-11
The Present Administration and Its Ap-
preach to Independence.
IMPORTANT DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS.
Position of Foreigners and the Con-
sular Court System.
a.OIicy of England and the
United States.

BY mail from England we have the following I'M
portant correspondence from our special cores
pondent in Alexandra, Egypt, detailing the present
position OF the executive government OF that coun-
try the situation Of the foreign interests and the
probable issue OF the great diplomatic changes just
at hand--home and forelgn--under the government.
Egyptian AdDiinIstration-The Executive-Al.
most MISREPRESENTATION IL Became SO-Im.
pOrtant Diplomatic QnestiOns-PrOp0sed Abo-
lItion Of Consular Courts Of Administrations
The Remedy Of Nubar Pachn--Its Certain
ResuIts-POlicy Of Englnnd-The American
Representa- tiOn.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, July 20. 1868.
Egypt, although nomnally province OF the Otto
man Empire Is 10 nearly all intents and purposes an
independent power the government despotism
hereditary in the family OF Mehemet ALL This was
settled in 1S4l. when Mehemet Ali, having extn-
guished the Mamelukes who were the real masters
OF Egypt, was pushing his victorious arms through
Syria towards Constantlnope. The "great
Powers" OF Europe interviewed, and an arrange
ment was concluded by which Mehemet Ali recog-
nized the Sultan at Constantnople as his suzerain
while the Sultan recognized Mehemet Ali as the
founder of q new dynasty for the government OF
Egypt. Mehemet Ali In his Old age was succeeded
died before his father. Mehemet Ali himself died in
1s49. According to the Mchammed law of family
succession it is the next member Of the family &C
cording to age, who succceds-sometimes an uncle
or a nephew instead of son. Accordingly, although
there are now living sons of Mehcmet Ali, his imme-
date successor In the Of Egypt, after his son
Ibrahm, was Abbas, a grandson; after Abbas, who
died in 1854, came Said, son OF Mehemet ALL Said
died in 1868 and succeeded by Ismail Pacha, the
present ruler OF Egypt who is son Of Ibrahim, and
thus grandson of Mehemet Ali.
Isma has obtained two important concessions
from the Sultan. In the first place the direct sue
cesson, rule by which he will be succeeded ny his
own son instead OF the next member Of the family,
and In the second place rman, which guarantees in
express terms many of the privileges heretofore
joyed by Mehemet Ali and his successors in the
government Of Egypt. For instance, they were
known at Constantinope by TIE simple title
of Wall, Governor General. The title Of Hideur,
or Viceroy, Is now expressly rec Ognized, together
with the eXpletive "his Highness." ellis Highness
the viceroy OF Egypt" pays tribute to the Sultan,
and in OF need furn shes contingent OF soldiers
to the Ottoman army; but In other respects he Is
quite independent. lie has his own army and navy,
his Post once, exclusive powers Of internal adj
ministration In Egypt the right OF concluding COM
mercal treaties ana OF accrediting agents to other
nations the right OF granting decorations, and some
others TO which considerable i'm portance is attached
The present Viceroy has established an Assembly
OF Representatives, which meets annually at Cairo.
1t consists Of seventy-dve members Two annual
sessions have already been held.
The whole population of Egypt at the present time
Is estimated at 5OOo 900 or these By far the greater
number say 800 900. the "Fcllahs." or Arabs,
who cultivate the soil; 900 are Copts, believed to
be the vertabe descendants OF the ancient Egyp-
tians 600 wandering "Bedouins," as few as
$4,000 are Turks and 25J. 900 are Europeans, count
ing in this last number some Levantines.
Alexandria has population OF 200, O00 OF which
about haf are Europeans, thus classified according
to Observation-Disclosures, $1,000; Italians, 20, 900;
French, 1900: English Gncluding Matesel, $4,000;
Levantnes, by which is meant persons Of European
parenage born la the East, 1900; German and
Swiss, 5000; OF other nations, $780,
1t is only recently that the number OF foreigners
has been so considerable. The revival of the ancient
route to india by the opening OF the overland mail
gave the first stimulus to the recent growth Of the
country in this respect. II was, however, the out
break of the Southern rebellion in America which,
by enhancing the value OF the cotton culture OF
Egypt, caused enormous fortunes to be easily made
in the first years OF the war and attracted great
number of people from all parts OF Europe to Egypt
The relations between natives and foreigners in
Egypt are based certain treaties called "captua-
tons,' to which frequent reference Is made by this
title with little knowledge on the part Of those using
It Of the exact provisions which 1t is meant
TO describe. The earlle3, Of the capitula-
tons which Is OF authentic record bears
date as long ago as ll7s; it is treaty
between Sultan Saadln OF Cairo and the Italian re-
public of Pisa. This sultan Saladin is the one who
recapturcd Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1lST
Similar treaties with other Italian governments fol-
lowed, notably with Florence in 1853 and Venice in
1854. The latter was male with the Sultan, as have
been all that have followed. England had made
treaties as early az the time OF queen Elizabeth
'The Imperial Mussulmanlike Hiyhness OF Sedan.
Murad Khan and the sacred Regal Majesty OF Eliza
beth Queen OF England" are named as the contracting
parties in 1870 These and other early treaties
were renewed with considerable additions at Adria
nope in 1915 The first treaty with Austria bears
date in IT'S, the first with France in 15i0 and the
frst with Russia In 1888. To these ancient treaties,
or "capitulauons which settle the principles of
intercourse with foreigners succeed by long inter-
val that between the ottoman Porte and the United
states OF America in 1870, TO which commercial
convention was added IN 1862
~he principles OF the ancient capltulatlons may be
summed up as ioliows:-
!. Free permission to foreigners TO enter Moslem
territory To navigate IT'S waters and use It's harbors
according 10 Their own pleasure.
2 Free permiss likewise 90 reside in Moslem
territory and to practise there their own religion.
3. Freedom OF fore gners from all local taxes, ex
cept such "A are especially agreed to.
4. The right OF foreigners TO be judged by their
own consular authorities In oil cases, and the duty
OF the local government TO aid the consuls when
called upon.
5. Even regards complaints Of foreigners against
natives the capituatiOns appear to recognize some
right OF the consular authority OF the foreigner to
have part In the proceedings.
9. Inyoiablity OF the domicile OF the foreigner
which can only be entered when required in the in.
ferests OF justice, win the PERMISSION OF his
suar authority.
!. Right OF foreigners TO have the estates OF de-
cedents distributed according 10 the laws Of inherit
lance of their respective countries.
g. Prohibition TO consuls TO grant protection to
natives except those who may be necessarily en-
Dloy d I'm the actual service OF the consulate to
whom the privilege OF protection would belong by
general International law.
1t will be seen at glance from this summary that