The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-25
Tho Sultan and the vlcerey-A Crisis
Threatened.

! Threatened.
A cable despatch from London informs us
that the Sultan has grown more angry with
the Vlceroy. The Viceroy in his own name
has made certain efforts to have the canal
proclaimed neutral. A commission Of kind
somewhat doubtful has sat on this matter.
AS result we had but prospective tolls
and dues given in detail. A good deal has
by the Viceroy been taken for granted. He
has good right to presume, but, perhaps, he
has presumed too much.
This, at least, is certain-the Sultan Is
angry 1t is true the Sultan is not what he
once was. His wrath, we must admit is not
much dreaded. But the Sultan is still recog-
nized as great European Prince; and SO
long as he is so recognized his ire is to be
appeased rather than provoked. II this were
the first intimation of the kind we should
have made less of it. But 1t is neither
the first nor the second The Sultan,
as all the world now knows, is really angry
nay, he is insulted. He has, however, behaved
well. 1t would have been inconvenient on
the eve of the opening or during the open
ing OF the Snez Canal to create for Europe
cdsus 6elG. The Inconvenience was intensi-
fled by the action of France and Austria.
With the Empress and Emperor as his pro-
missed guests-as his actual guests, as the
guests of his vassal-how could he forget the
gallantry, the hereditary hospitality and gal
lantry of the East, and provoke war? He
could not.
But the canal is now open. The ceremo-
MES are ended. The Empress Of France, the
Emperor of Austria and the other lesser
potentates and princes have had their little
pleasure. The canal is now so far fact.
The Viceroy's chances are over. The canal
is now before the world and so far open to
the world, and its worth must be measured
by its own merits. What these merits are time
must tell. So far as promise goes the merits
are great. The real trouble in the
case is that the Viceroy during these months
and weeks has been greater than his master.
The additional trouble, aggravated if not
created by the former, is that the Sultan may
now take some decided action. If he does, the
action must be directed against the Viceroy.
1t cannot mean more-it may mean less
than an armed occupation Of Egypt, coupled
with the deposition of the Viceroy and the
appointment of his successor.
In such case how will Europe act? Who
can tellP Will the great Powers of Europe go
in for the Sultan and the integrity of his
dominions, or will they go in for the indepen-
dence of the ViceroyP The alternative thus
presented is the real difficulty of the hour.
Austria, France, Great Britain and even Prus-
STA prefer to maintain the status quo. Russia
would like, above all things, in spite of the
inaction of the present Gar, to see rupture
between the Viceroy and the Sultan, and if one
half that is told be true she is doing her best
to foment quarrel. The Suez Canal, rich in
promise, rich In actual worth, gives US reason
to believe that it will by commerce or by
war reconstruct Europe. This is another
and not the least important Of the questions
which have been raised and which must be
settled by the necessities Of modern progress.