New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-12
WAR IN EGYPT.


and war in Egypt has begun. 1t is possible
that it may be brief, but for the present city
of 200, 900 inhabitants lies under the fire of
the most terrible guns known to modern war
fare. Not in form but in reality, England is
avenging a massacre in winch hundreds Oh
Europeans persisted. Great Britain is lighting
for the sanctity of international cOmpacts and
the freedom of great highway of the worlds
CONNER CO, and is generally held Justlabe by
other European Powers, even though some may
be unwilling to accept the logical consequences
of the event.
The uncertainty as to the disposition OF
European Powers renders the duration and
extent of the contest altogether uncertain. by
itself, Egypt could not make very prolonged
resistance, except in regions at some distance
from the mouth of the Nile Troops from
India and from England can be landed stimuli
taneously at the entrances of the canal and at
Alexandria, and the Notifications are not such
that they are likely to stop British fleets ard
forces many days. Assuming that Arab Bey
will fight as long as he can, and will be sup
ported by the army and the populace, his
mower ought to be broken i'll Lower Egypt with
ONT great DELAY. if British forces are handled with
energy. If lie is driven from Alexandria and
Cairo, but succeeds in escaping up the river
with an army the struggle might be continued
in some form for a considerable time without
materially affecting European commerce. 1t
is likely however, that he has taken steps to
break the canal and pc sible that his resistance
in Lower Egypt may reuder the channel unsafe
for free commercial use several weeks or even
months. Much will depend upon the temper of
the fanatical Mussuimans. If, as many believe,
he has faithfully represented and led real pop
ular revolution against European domination,
and the payment of oppressive debts contracted
10y wastefu tyiaDts in tie past, the struggle
may move longer and more costly than England
now expects. But even i'll that case, the end
would not be far distant nor doubtful.
But there is the greatest uncertainty as to
the course of European Powers. Beginning
with Turkey, the conduct OF the Sultan has
caused many to doubt whether Arab Bey was
not secretly insligated and supported ty him,
in order TO get rid of iIksome obligations and
restraints. Outwaydly, the revolutionary
leader of Egypt has deded both the khedive
and the Sultan, and, when summoned TO Con-
stantnople recently, according to report re-
fused to 90. 1t is not at all Inconsistent with
past experience that the Sultan may have in
stisated the revolutionary outbreak, and with
the intention of supporting or profing by 1t if
it should succeed, but with a deliberate pur-
DOSE TO disavow and denouDce it, and to bebead
its leader, if the movement should fail TO get
England, France. Germany and Russia into a
quarrel.
The bombardment of Alexandria and the
movement of troops by Great Britain have but
one logical resut-the conquest and occupation
of Egypt 10y that Power If England had any
right to begin war; ayOwedy for the enforce
ment of international obligations and the main
tenance of order in Egypt, the exercise of that
right involves on the part of England the duty
and necessity of such occupation and control of
Egypt that order and the performance of in
ternational obligations shall be defnitively
assured. On any other hypothesis, the bonn
bardment would be an outrage. Butitisa ques-
ton VIII Their any other great Power of Europe
will be content to have Great Britain occupy
Egypt and control 1t. Indeed the course of the
Conference and the declarations of some of the
representatives therein show that there is
grave doubt whether the European concert
can he any longer preserved.
Il is in the mind OF almost every intelligent
observer that Russia may have done much to
cause the disturbance iii Egypt. The course OF
events fits Russian Interests so closely as to
suggest relation of cause and effect, though
there is no known evidence that Russian di-
plomacy has had any hand in the matter. For
many centuries the great Power OF the North
has longed to reach India and COnstantinople,
and has been stopped in both directions by
British arms.s The WAY IN Afghanistan was