New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-02
EGYPT AND THE PORTE.
THE DEVIOUS WAYS OF TURKISH DIPLO-
MACY

compared to the quiet centre OF a.cyclonc. You
may hear the Kissing of the tempest and even tho
roar of the ruin which it is making. But you have
less Knowledge OF the extent of its destruction than
those who stand outside and ilook on The calm OF
the city in a critical moment is due to the lack or
community of interest between the people and tho
Government The Government bears It's own
grefs takes its own decisions and entirely omits W
see in the people the natural. sympathizers AMI
supporters on whom it might lean. In the Egyr-
tan crisis although the existence OF the Turkish
Empire is in jeopardy and although the Ministers
are haggara with desperate resolutions the people
are entirely excluded from knowledge of the exist
ence of q crisis III Egypt. Six weeks ago the MIN
istry sent notice to all newspaper Offices eom'
manding the editors to publish no news from
Egypt, and also to refrain from mentioning that
they had been Commanded to keep silent. This
notice was the fist intmation of new crisis IN
Egyptian affairs, but from that day to this no news.
paper has dared to mention Egypt. The only tele-
grams which have been permitted TO appear from
that unhappy land have been the thrilling reports
of the weekly traffic of the Suez Canal! The only
political news from Egypt given by any paper has
been shrouded in darkly worded paragraphs which
hint that the editor knows of exciting events in
Africa but may no; tel. Consequently the mails
from Europe are eagerly awaited by multitudes OF
people who derive their whole information as to tho
condition of the Empire from the foreign news
papers. The result of the secretve policy of tho
Government has been to increase enormously the
popular impression of the importance OF the crisis.
The situation had been pictured by the people as
desperate four weeks ago. Egypt is the subject OK
gossip at home and in the market. Every morning
gives birth to new patches of rnmors and startling
descriptions, passed from mouth to mouth in
whispers and in spite of the swarms of spies who
haunt the reading rooms and infest the streets.
There seems To be little doubt that the Govern
ment really intended some weeks ago To lana
troops in Egypt secretly and suddenly The pre-
paratons were made, and the Porte relied upon the
assent of its new friends Of Germany to authorize
the movement withou. reference to the behests OF
England and France. But Germany would not give
assent, and the feet still lies IN the Golden Horn
and troops yet rest in their barracks. But both
are ready to move at moments notice. while the
complications drag their slow course into new COM
plicatons and the tangle Of cross purposes becomes
more and moro hopelessy cntangled. The authori-
ties hero have had their ups and their downs
through il all. They have grieved at the shock
ingy cool attitude of Germany, from whom so much
was expected, and they have chuckied as only
obese Pachas chucke at the spectacle OF the
English aud French ironclads assembling at Alexan-
dria in foolish hopes thereby TO control Cairo. At
present the Government is in secret council nearly
all the time and all regular business is suspended
at the Porte The result of these incessant councIA
has been so far only in the dispatch of a COM
mission 20 Cairo, in the refusal to join conference
of the Powers to consider tLs Egyptian question,
and in increased activity in the Arsenal What
over results from the great muddie, may be sure
however that tho Turkish Government has more in
view than the mere preservation Of the peace, and
more than the defence Of the sovereignty of the
sultan"
In order to fathom the meaning of the complica-
tons of this Egyptian affair, it is necessary to
member that there are in fact several objects before
the mind of the Turkish Government Egypt has
been for long years PRIVILEGED province, ruled by
q hereditary Governor on an autonomous basis
The province pays annual tribntc to tue Sultan;
but that tribute long ago set apart as interest
on loan of which the St.ltan enjoyed the proceeds.
The tribute therefore, instead of being paid to the
Turkish Treasury, IS paid to the Bank OF Eng
and. Aside from the tribute. Egypt used
to render various indirect revenues to the
Turkish Government to members of it
in various unregistered ways The re-
organic alton of Egyptian finances under the control
of European officials has cut of from Turkey these
chance sugar-plums. In fact, tar any profit
to the Porte is concerned, Egypt might inst as well
belong to the Pope or Rome to the Sultan OF
Turkey Moreover, desire TO consolidate into ono
whole all available Mos!em territories is prominent
among high circles at Constantnople The Turkish
policy, then. for powerful reasons, aims at changes
in tho present state of the province of Egypt.
FIRST il seeks to break up the European financial
control in Egypt in order again to find the mouth
of the Egyptian monevbag; second, it con.em-
plates the substitute of the direct rule of the
Sultan in that country ror the indirect and unsats-
factory arrangement of hereditary Governor who
1.-, ind lan in iiern
State tribute of which the Sultan cent.
On the other hand the Egyptian national party,
restive under the burden OF paying the enormous
debt of the last Khedive Ismai Pacha desires first,
to break up the European control OF the finances or
the country in order to repudiate tie debts of .
tyrant; and second, TO establish n free and inde-
penden. Egyptian Government by Egyptians and
for Egyptians England and France have under
taken TO thwart the aims of both Turks and Egyp-
tians by maintaining tho joint control of the
finances of the country aud by consolidating tho
poycr of the Khediye as seml-irdependent
tributary of the Sultan.
The Turkish Ministers have therefore difficult
part to perform They must accept with cheerful
ness the sympathy of England and France IN regard
to maintaining the statu quo in Egypt. They must
also see to it that England and France fail in every
endeavor to restore order in that country. They
must respond with ready alacrity to every appeal
by which the Khedive, loyal vasSal. invokes tho
authority Of his master against rebels. Thoy must
at the samo tine encourage tue national party
under Arab Bey III ITS attempts 70 break up tho
European control; and finally, they must guard
AGAINST any growth of the Egyptian national party
into movement toward independence which might
nroye contag among the neighboring Arab popu
lations Of Syria and Mcsopotamia and Arabia. Tho
Turkish Ministers have an uncommouly difficult
task in their hands. As Turkish gentleman gIee-
fully remarked to-day; =" II Is diplomacy alone
that is required Diplomacy, you know, means