National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-07-12
THE KnEpIrrs coon 1lxp M.
What His Lavish Expenditures Have Done
for Egypt

What His Lavish Expenditures Have Done
for Egypt
Edward dc Leon in the July International Re-
view.
The stranger who enters Egypt either at
Alexandria or at Port Said, &c the mouth Of
the Suez Canal, Is astounded at tho immense
works and vast outlay made at either point
At Port Said modern science aud skill have ac-
complished that in which King Canute failed,
and havo compelled the sea TO retire and yield
possession of his domain. OF the millions
Of pounds required to build those sea walls,
create that port, and cut the canal from
sea to sea, Egypt contributed fully Gi0,-
100000, directly and indirectly, besides lis
supplement- the Sweet Water Canal, from
Ismalia TO Cairo. which costs G1, 500, 900 more
At Alexandria, the new harbor and docks,
which now equal any in the world and afford
shelter and safety to foreign shipping, have
already cost f2,000,000, aud will probably
reach f5000,00O when completed by the Eng
lish contractors who have them in charge,
with q lien upon them. About 1000 miles Of
railway and rs many of telegraph have been
constructed during the present reign ut an es-
timated cost Of fl0,000,000. including repairs
quarter Of million sterling has been ex-
pended on lighthouses along the shores of tho
Mediterranean and Red Sea COASTS. Tho
introduction Of gas and water works into
Alexandria and Cairo. both of which
are now well supposed with these
two nccessaries together with the sewerage,
paving, and Improvement in the latter city,
whose European quarter is now quite Parsian,
having solid blocks of shops and dwelling
houses, where ten years ago were mud build
ings and sycamore trees OF the Ezbckieh, or
Central Park, have been estimated at $1,000.
600 more. The Khedive also established "a
fleet of merchant steamers TO ply between
Egypt, Turkey, and Greece, the estimated cost
(which was 81, 100000. Besides these direct
outays the Khedive has redeemed 100000
acres Of land, and dug several hundred miles
of new rrigating canals, the cost of which in
money, rs well as in fellah flesh and blood, It
is impossible to compute.
Thus much IL is possible TO pass to the Khe-
dives credit, for these works are there To speak
for themselves. But there is an opposite side
to the account, wherein he does not figure 50
well. In familiar conversation with the writer
of this article, three years since, the Khedivc
said reflectively speaking in French, as lie nj.
ways does): Every man is mad on some one
subject. My mania is for building" Gal une
manic en- pierre. He might have added that
his passion for the acquisition of land was an
other of his besettng sins, whether on a large
scale in the way of annexing Central
African jungles and savages or appro-
priating 100000 acres of arabic land for
himself and E,mily-though 1t must be added
that lie has given up this latter property
for the purpose of paying State debts. His
passion for territory has cost him any number
of small wars, rs we'll us n large one with Abyss
sinia, while his Lieutenant Gordon is still
shooting and Staying in the Soudan under his
authority. The cost of the Abyssinian CAM
paigns must have been very heavy indeed.
His confessed craze for building led him into
erecting numerous palaces for himself and DIFF
fercnt members of his family, at immense cost,
and which were furnished with utter disre-
gard of expense. How many millions this
taste has cost him no one can tell or even con-
lecture, but the sums expended must have
been very great.
lie has also another expensive manila
namely, for entertaining. He thus found use
for many palaces in affording hospitality to
foreign guests from tho Prince of Wales down
to the smallest German or Austrian prince
lings with moro pedigree than pocket money,
lending them steamers that they might pass
the winter up the Nile, and furnishing them
with princcly rctinucs. He even extended
such iavors to his own foreign employees, who
were lodged in palaces and driven about in
khedivial equipagcs. During tho winters lie
gave frequent aud sumptuous entertainments
to the foreign visitors and residents of Cairo,
numbering several thousand dinners and balls
and splendid suppers, and allowed the young
princes and courteTs to waltz with the Euro
poun ladies who attended them, in very UNI
oriental style.
lie caused not only fine opera-house, but
also French theatre 10 be erected Mt Cairo,
aud engaged Verdi to compose n special opera
cAida') for him. which was produced at Cairo,
with costumes (which must have cost II princes
rausom) made from designs furnished by Mari
eta Bey, from the old hieroglyplIs, and pre-
pared at Paris. In his mode of living and that
of all the member of his family, no bounds
were set TO cxtravagant expenditures and show.