The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-08-09
ENGLAND'S WAR IN EGYPT.

ENGLAND'S WAR IN EGYPT.
Ito Cause Explaiped-Arubi Pnsha und HI
Followers.
Probably eighty Americans out of a
hundred, says the New York Null and
Express, know as little of the origin
a1d the causes leading to the present
crisis in Egypt as about the history Of
Timbuctoo. They have at the best a
vague idea hat the Europeans settled
in Egypt on the ore side, and Arab
PAsha and his followers on the other
commenced the trouble a few months
ago, and that the present hostilities are
q result of the massacre of the former
on June II. In reality the origin oil
the outbreak Is far more remote. Like
many Other countries, Egypthas suffered
of late years from the dissensions OF It's
different political parties. and it is these
parties which are now bringing it to
the verge OF ruin.
They are more OF less the outcome of
the terrible maladministration of the
country's affairs during the reign Of
Ismail Pasha, the deposed khedive and
father OF Tew6k. Ismail was known IN
all the bourses of Europe as q mer-
chant prince" and combined with the
unscrupnlous Spectator the tendencies
of the most illiberal exclusionist. He
was at the same time producer and
farmer to an enormous degree, exporter
and controller by all means of transport
by land and water. HE compelled
his suhjects-the small proprietors-to
sell their land to him, fully %one.fourth
of the arabic soil of his dominions,
chiefly sugar plantations; and his
command over all means OF trans.
portation was the most potent
instrument in his scheme OF
exclusion" says the Philadelphia Press.
eff an outsider attempted to compete
with the enormous prices he established,
the whole railroad system, being his
lackeys, would combine to delay mate
rial, and the unfortunate shippers were
thus put to absolute loss. so that in
time no one dared to enter the market
with so powerful a rival. The laws
which exact enormous tonnage duties
from all the ships entering Egyptian
rivers and harbors his feet of private
transports escape, and up to the late
attempt at an outside dictation the
whole carrying trade of the country was
in his own hands and those of his favor
ties"
Ismail was first aroused about ten
years ago by the circumstances OF
England and France to the imperative
results of his reckless administration
of affairs. It was under the knowl'
edge OF this intending national bank
ruptcy that he signed a convention IN
November, 1876, giving England and
France the virtual control over Egyptian
finances until such time as the credit.
ors should have been, if not REIN.
bursed, at least assured of the safety of
their Investments. Under the compul-
sion of foreigners he for the moment
broke of his system of squandering,
closed his sersglio, turned out doors
his crouies in speculation, and
for the moment discontinued
his vast and ill-considered plan
of creating in Egypt an army, navy and
national establishment, which nations
of The first rank find it difficult to pay
for. Goschen. one of the first English
fnanciers, was received by him, though
somewhat sullenly, as the representative
of the English creditors, and Joubert, q
Frenchman Of high reputation in com
mand of affairs, vas delegated on the
part of France. The subsequent ex-
animation justified the worst a%pprehen-
sions of foreign creditors, and even
alarmed the khedive himself. Rivers
Wilson, al Englishman, was appointed
controlle, Of the general receipts OF the
country, aud Blignieres was appointed
controller of general expenditure, and
with these we're associated four Euro.
peau commissioners of public debts.
Protocols were drawn up by the Eng.
lish and French COVE rnments, protect
ing their controllers, but of course with
a ruler adverse to them they found
everything next to impossible in the
way OF reform and retired in disgust.
Such were the evils that finally led to
the deposition OF the Khedive Ismailin
favor of his son Tewik, and to the for
nation OF two of the three political
parties now striving for supremacy.
The first party is represented by the
khedive. Ever since his accession to
the throne he has been q puppet al
ternately in the hands of England and
France, but more so of the former. The
two powers have exercised a virtual con-
troll of his finances, and in return have
practically pledged themselves to keep
him in his seat, much to the indigna-
ton of the Egyptian people, with whom
the khedive is anything but popular.
The second party to be considered may
be called the Turkish p,rty. It is
conferred manly in the class of civil
and religious f~unctionaries, for the
ministers of the Mcslem law and
religion cannot overlook the fact that
Abdul Hamid, the sultan OF Turkey, is
generally recognized as Commander of
the Faithful; while ever since the time
OF Mehemet Ali the posts of influence
and profit in the Egyptian administra.
ton have been held by Turks. Numer-
ically the party is weak, but morally and
financially it is strong. Its object is to
strengthen the bands which unite Egypt
to Turkey, if not to make the former
country entirely dependent, politically,
on the latter. The third party in Egypt
headed by Arab Pasha, is undoubtedly
the strongest, because, being an essen.
TALLY national one in it's platform, it
is backed by the great mass of the
native population. Arab has been
practically master in Cairo since Feb
ruary of last year. Immediately upon
entering office he made a bid for popu-
larity by opposing the French and
English acknowledgements and with
drawing the finances from them. Then
he commenced removing foreign Office
holders on a large scale, including
Mahometan Turks and Circassians, and
replacing them with native Egyptians.
The khedive, spurred on by the
English and French, protested against
these acts, but, confident in his strength,
Arab continuedhis work of decapitation
in all serenity.
Thus matters stood about ten weeks
ago, when the khedive committed the
sentence of death pronounced on some
Oircassian officers who had conspired
against Arab. The Egyptian party
were greatly incensed, and the minis
try, who were all ~nationalists, immedi-
ately convoked the chamber of nota-
bles and avowed their intention of de-
posing the house of Mehemet Ali. A
surprise was, however, reserved for
them. The notables, though commonly
supposed to be the tools of the minis
try, actually refused to be convoked,
and Arab Pasha was consequently
obliged to declare that he would try to
attain his ends with the help of the army
alone.
At this point, when everything looked
dar for the khedive, the English and
fleets entered the bay of Alex
Seized with q scare, Arab and