New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-27
THE SULTAN'S DILEMMA.
.r,,o,1o Dbl rT,Cs IN TURKEY.

,ra NJ Turkish Government departments
a. hoon practically to suspend oil business uuiiue
.hs fast of Ramazan. Sleep alone can anoru l''"
o,iet from the pains Of this religious ooSoi AM
INT during the present Ramazan ,nUro - 'l'''.
800 paobas at the Porte What Pacha can sleep
30, ~ to,ocronb cvery hour brings news of fresh
,O,,+;orsnf british troops and of additional
.sos dcsnoration committed by the Egyptans'
o. thooo long summer days the fast OF Ramazan
means seventeen consecutive hours OF pa'"o
.canst all physical cravings. With the therho'n-
etcr in the nineties the position OF the Dusy
pachas is very like that of the rich man OF inc
parable CRYING for q drop of water to nolsten 'no
I'm of his tongue. Yet the Ministry Is IN cohs'"n'
session, though no light comes upon theIr '''N
The original purpose to send troops lh'o HHS P' -
order IN seize the country for the sultan WAS "o
$500 ~, tho onnosition of the European Powers
+o- tho nurposc TO avoid that open opposition 10
hro,i Pacbo's party. which would he revealed oy
sendino troops TO Egypt, was defeated by the ne
termination of England to act Now III these Gays
nj fierce heat the Ministry is finding that us
sudden decision to send troops to Egypt is likely 10
80 too lare TO check the English occupation of
The country The anxiety of the moment Is tremeh-
dous Tho Ministers have not hours enough III the
long hard day for the necessities OF their deiOcra-
tons.
During two weeks the Turkish Government mas
yainly sought TO break the European agreement rs
IN the necessity for restoring peace in Egypt on the
basis of a restoration of the pucky Young hhedlVe'
The most interesting and the most threatening
uaunuvres have not led a single Power to iaiter III
adhesion TO this basis of action. The result has
only leen to convince the Ministers that. if Turkey
will not act the Powers viii not object TO the
action of England.
This agreement of the Powers upon a measure
distasteful 10 the Turkish Government is most
pregnant fact. 1t is not yet escaped from mems
memories that four years ago Germany was rather
anxious to have England take Egypt The I'M
rrosSion then prevalent was that mighty
scheme Of BIsmarck's for the remodelnG OF the
man of Europe hinged on the undertaking, by
England. of an enterprise that would in some
decree deprive her of the power to protest. This
immersion still survives and has been heightened
bv the memory of the blandneSs with which the
great Prince approved the French operations IN
Tunis Moreover, the effcrvcscence among me
Arab tribes caused by the crisis in Egypt Is moro
than likely 20 lead TO necessity for French inter-
yention in Tripoh. The idea has been suggested
that other eftervescences of MOslem 1eellng thau
begin 10 show themselves in Syria may have TO he
checked by other European forces-Say those OF
Italy. All the world knows that Austria has an
eve on the peace of the whole Balkan peninsula,
and might find it desirable in an entirely friendly
WAY. to help keep the peace in that region with
troons Meantime Russia IS concentrating heavy
force upon the borders of Armenia. and has called
ont the reserves of the Army of the Caucasus All
these considerations suggest to the mind OF an
astute diplomatst like the Turkish Prime Minister,
that persistent incrtness while there are men who
are CRYING for an uprising of Islam, might easily
lead to a partition of the Turkish Empire by
European Powers acting in concert IN behalf of
peace and good order.
Some such consideration as this has lei turkey 10
decide 10 send troops to Egypt 1t has no troops
that it can conveniently send. 1t has no money
with which to equip and move them. Yet the
decision to send troops to Egypt is most telling
blow at the agreement between the European
PAYERS Ii Instantly raises the question whether
England ought not TO suspend operations pending
the movement of Turkish troops. More than one
of the Powers is inclined to insist that England
should do So although the Turks have net COM
mitted themselves to any dlsapprova OF the acts OF
Arab Pacha of his fanatic followers. II Turkey
by preparing to send troops to Egypt can break
fine European concert. she VIII have achieved Il
great victory and will feel safe on her own
ground again The life OF Turkey has depended,
during the last fifty years on the lack OF unan-
unity IN Europe as 10 re pressing Turkish c1cesSes
The interest OF the moment centres about the
Question whether Turkey Will yield to the demand
OF England and agree to punish Arab Tor MS war
on women and children. The Turkish Gov
eminent is controlled by two opposing forces.
1t has Its thoroughly political party,
made up Of men who know something OF the world
who are well read IN foreign literature, have stud
led history have mingled with foreigners. and who
know something OF the weakness OF the Turkish
Empire. But these men OF politics are hampered IN
their discussion of measures 10y the fact that they
are MoSlems and are responsible to the Moslem
world for Their thoughts and acts. OF the same Ie
lcious faith a. the purely political party among the
Turks and yet opposed to its methods in almost
every particular is the religious party. This
party is composed of men of great weight IN learn
ing and Is supported by the mass of the people.
But the learning of the great men of this party is
learning IN the Arabic philosophy OF by-goue cen
turics. These learned men are occupied with prob
lens of hairsplitting in the Interpretation OF the
Koran and completely out OF the world as
If they III equatorial Africa. They live IN an
age long gone 10y aud have idea that science
has made any progress since Arabian science led
the world, or that InGdels can have any knowledge
or any moraI greatness any physical power that
can cope with Islam This party sees Turkey
hampered by demands of luGdcls Here in Con-
stantinople in Egypt, the sole measure that 1t
has to propose is the adhesion OF the Turkish Gov
eminent to the ancient principle Of Islam: If
man is an unsubmitted Inide, Kill him. This
religious party has been enormously strengthened
OF late By the adoption 10y the Government of the
Pan-lslamic theory of recovering strength. 1t is
fully capable of thwarting measures concoctcd by
the Porte in open council. II is undoubtedly the
that the same party in Egypt, with It's massacres
and outraces, has gone far beyond Arab Pacha'S
original intention. The Sultan has thought to use
tbs religions party TO strengthen his position,
pecting lie able to control its ercer tendencies
But he finds 1t mighty power and stands
before 1T in great dilemma This ignorant party
OF action has made Arabl Pacha its hero and sings