The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-08-19
M. DE LESSEPSON TIE EGYPTIAN
WAR.

WANs
Notwithstanding some extravaganza
of utterance and action, De Lesseps has
found it possible to retard to consider
able degree the movements of the
European powers, against Arab Pasha.
This has probably been due more to
his personal influence with political
leaders in France than to any consider
alton for the supervision that he eXer-
cises over the Suez Canal.
Nevertheless, the success with which
he has been interfering in the Egyptian
conflict invests his movements with
some importance, and imparts interest
to views recently expressed by him.
At dinner given at Dove by direc-
tors of the Channel tunnel enterprise
he assured his astonished and mortified
English hosts that England would
make great blunder, as well as per-
petrate glazing wrong, if it levied
that he knew Arab to be an honest
and well-meaning man, and he predic-
ted that emo Ministry or Government
in France would be able to combine
with England in war upon Egypt"
Thus far this prediction has been strik-
ingly verified.
Subsequently,, in conversation with
a representative of the Paris journal,
lie asserted that, apart from the money
question, over which France is bound
to exercise supervision as creditor of
Egypt, the French Government has
nothing to do in that country. In his
view, while Egypt is generally regar-
ded as "wholly barbarous," as matter
of fact, it has made immense progress.
The Egyptian Viceroys, since the time
of Mehemet Ali, have been sending the
sons of their first families to England,
Germany, and France to be educated;
and this has not been without marked
results. The younger generation has
brought home progressive ideas that
have been surely bearing fruit. For
these reasons the Egyptians ought to
be allowed to work out their own for
tune without Interference from Europe
except so far as may be necessary to
guard vested financial interests. To
illustrate the soundness Of these views
he points to Italy where French inter-
vention was unjust, and to Mexico,
where 1t was both wrong and disastrous.
ttArabi Pasha," he says, ttis the inevi-
table man of the moment. He repre-
sents the newer Ideas. Tho movement
of which he is the head has begun, and
nothing can arrest it,"
OF Ragheb Pasha NJ. de Lesseps's
opinion is equally favorable. After
knowing him for twenty-five years he
pronOunces him honest and intelligent.
He was Minister of Finance under Said
Pasha, and quilted Office with clean
hands, a rare occurrence in Egypt. lie
was in one sense the founder of the
Suez Canal. The assertion that he is
a fanatic is unfOunded. He is the PreSi-
dent of a Mussulman university in
VT r H. = ~F
illogical jurisdiction that possesses i'm
he alone is able to restrain and control
the Ulemas, whom he is accused of
melting to fanaticism.
Reasoning from these opinions, DE
Lesseps naturally concludes that the
proper course to be pursued now is
simply to withdraw the fleets and let
Egypt take care of itself. He is conf
dent that the engagements entered into
by that country with European credi-
tors will be observed, and that the
revenues heretofore appropriated to the
payment of the interest on the national
debt will be devoted in the future to
the same uses. Neither will the Euro
peans resident in Egypt be nolested if
the war like demonstrations are not
pursued further.
De Lesseps is not an impartial obser-
yer of Egyptian affairs. His solicitude
for the Suez Canal naturally colors his
views and ideas. While, therefore,
the opinions expressed by him explain
the course that he is pursuing and are of
interest for that reason, it is not likely
that they will influence the final solu-
ton of the::situation. Events have reach
ed a stage in Egypt where they begin
irresistibly to shape themselves, aud
get beyond the control of individuals.
On Sunday the telephone wires were
connected with the Western Union
wires here at Minden, and an ANNA
ted conversation carried on by several
gentleman here with their friends in
Minden and at Long Springs.-,&rere-
port Standard.