The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-23
THE REIGNING house In EGYPT.
The strong Character of its Founder,
Mehemet Al, and of Its Present viceroy.
from the London Times. !

| ALEXANDRIA, Jan. 18.-This day sixteen
years ago Said Pasha died somewhat sud.
| denly; his nephew, .Ismail. the present Vice.
| roy and Khedive, assembled the throne OF
Egypt, and all loyal Egyptians have now
come to Cairo to congratulate his Hghness on
| the anniversary. This modern Macedonian
dynasty seems as firmly planted on the banks
Of the Nile as was the ancient line of the
Ptolemies. The hereditary succession is
secured, the internal administration of the
country is Independent Of the Porte. tribute
is almost the only proof OF dependency, and
foreign attack Is impossible as long as the
present protection Of England and France Is
extended to Egypt.
Yet ninety years ago the grandfather of
Ismail Pasha was tobacco dealer at the
little town OF Cavala, in Albania; and II the
first Napoleon had not stretched his conquer
ing arms across the Mediterranean, Mehemet
Ali would never have joined a volunteer corps
raised to resist the French In Egypt, and his
grandson would not now be ruling at Cairo.
The history of the family is one of the
strangest of the century. The grandfather
was born to be ruler of men. From the po-
SitiOn OF petty officer in q volunteer corps he
rapidly rose to be the first man In Egypt. He
destroyed the power OF the Mameluke Beys,
recognized tyrantS by prescription of cen
turtles, he reduced the country to order and
obedience; he Subdued the savage races Of
the Soudan he conquered the fanatical tribes
OF Arabia, he captured Syria with all its
strong places; he defeated the Turks and
overawed the Sultan; and he would have Ger
tainly founded second great Mosem en-
pire, greater than Turkey Itself. IL the west
ern powers in 1910, had not checked his am
bition and confined the limits of his rule to
the valley OF the Nile.
Thus thwarted, he turned his attention to
internal administration, but without the same
SUCCESS. He cleaned out Old canals, made
new ones, introduced the cultivation of cot
ton, organized military schools, and called in
Europeans to assist him. He even tried to
make Egypt manufacturing country and
spent vast sums on factories and machinery.
But he made no serious attempt to found a
system based on just law, which would live
after him. All his officials were Turks of the
old school, and his rule did not in any way
improve the condition OF the Egyptian ma
tiveS. His role was that of q conqueror, not
lawgiver or administrator. His inexhaustible
energy was constantly ill-directed, and anus
ing stories are told OF his blunders.
He insisted on the existence of mineral
wealth in Egypt; would not listen to engi-
neers who showed the country to be pure
alluvial deposit, and was not satisfied until
vast holes had been dug in many districts
without result. He had plan for utilizing the
stones OF the Pyramids in the construction
OF public works, and only desisted on proof
transport. He had an Oriental contempt for
human life; the canal from the Nile to Alex
| andrla was constructed by him in seven
months; 100000 men were taken from the
HeiuS ana made 10 work, and 900 of them
are SAID to have persisted by sickness pro-
duced by exposure and want Of food Want
Ing to get rid Of the Mameluke Beys, he in
vlted them to his palace, and when they were
assembled in the court yard he had them all
shot down without mercy,
Mehemet Ali died in his eightieth year, and
his three immediate successors -Ibrahim,
Abbas and s .id-bore little resemblance
to him; but his grandson, Ismid, has the
same intellectual activity. He works late
and early, and his mind is crammed with ad-
ministrative detail. Before the present regime
he drove the State coach single handed, and
all his Ministers were mere subordinate Off
Gals. He can point to great results When
his grandfather died the national revenue
was barely three millions; it is now variousIy
stated from eight to ten. The exports were
two millions mil Ions IL yalue the imports little