New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-05
THE EGYPTIAN SITUATION.

THE EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE PRESENT coMPrI'
CATIoSs-ARABI PACHA's CAREER AND AMBITION
THE COST OF FOREIGN ADMINISTRATIONS
| RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY.
George s. Batcheller one of the Judges OF the IN
ternational Tribunal in Egypt is at present in this
city on vacation. He has been resident OF caro-
for seven years and is thoroughly conversant with
Egyptian affairs from his long residence IN that
country and because the court of which he IS men,
Der adjudIcates all questions arising in Egypt be-
tween foreigners and natives, foreigners OF differ
ent nationalties and foreign claims against the
| Egyptian Government or members of the khedlves
family A few days ago TRIBUNE reporter, IN con-
versation with Judge Batcheller, at the Brevoort
! House. obtained from him the following expression
on the Egyptian questions
"The present aspect of the Egyptian question:"
said Judge Batcheller, sis so transitory and Its
issue so uncertain that would be impossible to de-
| eide whether tins movement will result III the anne
Iteration or ruin of the condition of Egypt One
| thing IS certain-that the original movement OF
Arab Pacha was that Of patriot seeking to relieve
his countrymen of foreign oppression, and to estab-
| lish what IS popularity known as Home Rule
| His partisans style themselves the National
| party and their watchword is Egypt for
| the Egyptians The movement bears some
| analogy to that in Ireland and by many Arab IS
STYLED the Parnell of Egypt Whether he is patriot
or demagOgue and bully, depends upon the stand
point of those who estimate and judge his actions
| There is no doubt that nne-tenths of the better
| classes of the Egyptians, including the local
Christians Copts, Syrlans and Armenians) sustain
| his movements.
ARAB PACHA'S RISE TO POWER
"Arabi Pacha is about forty-fvc years of age,
| should say. pure Arab, and born IN Arabia while
his parents were on pilgrimage to Mecca-hence
| his name Arabi He has risen from the lower ranks
of the people his present station, and is what we
| would call here a sef-made man. He received what
| we would term a common-school educatlon,and then
entered the army in one of its lowest grades. lie
| gradually advanced to the rank OF major. lie mas
| always manifested great desire for learning, ana
has read extensively the histories of the Western
| Governments. and especially has studied the ele-
| ments of their constitutional organization. lie Is
said also to have mastered military SCIENCE and was
an excellent officer in fact good an officer that
| Khedive Isma contrary to the rule that none but
| Turks should occupy commanding positions in the
! Egyptian army, lew years ago advanced him to
| the grade of colonel hey and gave him command
| of a regiment At this point Arabl began to mani
fest his superior qualities and gradually succeeded
| in advancing two of his colleagues TO the rank OF
| colonel and command of regiments. Finding HIM
| self and two other Arabs in command of nearly all
the effective troops at Cairo, he began to develop
| plan for the promotion OF ARABS, instead
| of Turks or Circasians, to the higher
| grades of the army. Hitherto the khedlves OF
Egypt had taken care to surround themselves WIN
| n strong force Of Turks or Janssades. 1t should
be always understood that the knedye's family and
the governing Pacnas of Egypt are turks ana ta the
nopniatlon are Arabs that the two races are essen
tialv different-that the Arabs feel themselves SUI
| oerior and are III fact superior to the Turks. The
Arabs have schools and universities literature. art
aud architecture, and most OF the refining and CIVIL
| ling influences of society, whereas the TURK Is
Tartar with literature, ana only distinguished
| Tor brute force and intrigue. - r
| ain February 1880 the then Minister OF War of
Egypt. a Turk, made number OF promotions III the
army, advancing Turks TO higher grades, 10 the cA-
cusOn Arabs, aud at the same time he dismissed
| numerous Arabs from his Ministry aud replaced
them by turks This brought out firm but respect
| mi renonstrance from Arab and his associate
| colonels Ii simply asked that promotions should
| be made according to grace. and tnat the Arabs Arabs
should receive their share OF the positions and emo
uents of the military administrator ms rel0n-
STRANGE was treated Dy the Ministry as an act OF III
subordinatIon, ana Arab was ordered 10 report to
fine Minister of " ar for discipline. c0ur-martlal
was then sitting to try him tor INSTRUMENTATION. Be
fore leaving his regiment ne told his men tat IL ne
| didn'. return soon they might know that ne was
being tried for having circulated and presented tins
relnOnstrance He dId not return, and his regiment
went armed TO tine Ministry, broke open the doors,
drove out the Minister of War, overturned the tables
of the court, beat and assaulted the Oncers consul
tutIng il, and bore Arab back IN triumph 10 ms
| ouarters Inis was the first overt act
| on the part of the military or OF AraDl,
| and lie Government, instead OF Furnishing the Oh
|
him to his position and dismissed the Minister oi
| War.
| THE ARMY AND THE MINISTRY.
This occurred i'll February 1850, under the
| Ministry known as the Riaz Pacha Ministry, which
WAS the unquestoning supporter of the Anglo
| French financial control From the events o. Feb
| ruary down to september following there were con-
tinuous conflicts aud difficulties arising between the
| army and this Ministry In September last Arabi
and his military colleagues were brought to believe,
| with "A pretty strong degree OF reason, that they
| had been secretly tried by the Ministry as traitors
| and sentenced to banishment TO the penal colony
ON the White Nile, which In their case meant DEATH
| In the presence OF this state of facts Arab main
tains that he had no other choice than 10 overthrow
the kiaz Ministry submit to the alleged condem-
| nation The sentiment III the army was unanl-
| mously with Arab and on the 4th OF september
| ArapI appeared with three regiments, armed with
| bennington rifles, and a full battery or artllery
armed with krupp cannon, all charged ready Tor ac-
| ton before the khedyes palace OF AOdlne at
Caro- de called for the kbedive ana after StaIlng
the grievances of the army, and declaring that the
| nuhhc hentluent OF the country was Win them,
| demanded that the Riaz Ministry should be dis
| missed tnat the CneTIf Pacha should be lntrusted
| win the formation of "a new Ministry tlat con-
| stitutlonal form of government should be eStab-
| lished and that Parliament OF ChamDer OF N0ta-
| HIS snoud be decreed ana elected Inc hnedlVe
| after learning that all the troops III and about
| s1a,ro we're Ia sympathy with this movement, and
| having no means OF defence or resistance yielded.
| A neu Ministry was formed, the Parliament was
cOnyoked and during the last winner was occupied
in framing an organic law or constitution. Arab,
after having accomplished this purpose quietly
obeyed the orders OF the Ministry 10 take MS reg
mem INTO the country fifty miles away fron Cairo,
and tine other insuborilnate troops were dispersed
| about the country leaving only two eolored Tegl-
| mems commanded by Turks, at the capital. these
| troons were of course presumed TO have no SYM
pathy or knowledge of this national movement Inc
iraming of the constitution went on wilhou serious
obstacle until the financial department was reacned
the ,lnislry and the knedlye. respecting the con-
v.ntions with England aud France. lelt the question
OF the financial control AZ IL had existed since Io'