New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-08
GLLMPSES OF ENGLISH POLICY.

England's position in Egypt still remains
subject for vague conjecture. No member of
the Cabinet has un lertaken to define the policy
of the Government. The Liberal leaders who
have made addresses to their constituents have
discaimed any knowledge of the intentions of
The Premier and spoken only in their private
capacity as members of Parliament. Mr.. Glad
stone has avoided the subject SO far as he could
do 80, pleading diplomatic embarrassments as
an excuse for retcence and deferrng formal
explanations to the regular session OF Parla-
ment In spite of his dexterty one important
admission has been forced from him. That re-
lates to the expense of the expedition and Occu-
patton While he knows no reason why the
cost of the campaign should not be charged to
the account of the British taxpayer, he has de-
clared that the Egyptian Government will be
required to contribute toward tho expense
of the military occupation. This is the only
authoritative expression which has been given
to the Ministerial policy. Even on this point
the Premier had been anticipated by his
son, Mr.. Herbert Gladstone, who in the
course of a speech at Leeds had declared
that at the utmost it would only be right to
call upon the Egyptians to bear the cost of the
army of occupation. 1t was not to be expected
that the Government would be guilty
of the intoerable meanness of cheapening the
expense of an expedition which the English
people have regarded with patriotic pride and
exultation! by negotiating war indemnity in
any form. The distinction between the cost of
the campaign ard the current expenses of occu-
patton is not an obvious one, and Mr.. Glad
stones proposal to demand n contribution from
the Egyptian Treasury may meet with consid-
cradle resistance below the gangwsy. 0ccupa-
ton, lie remarks, is the result of the campaign.
True but if the English taxpayer be responsible
in n pecuniary sense for the expedition, why
should he not pay for all the consequences
Moreover if the Egyptian Government is to
defray the expense OF occupation, it ought
TO have the privilege of deciding how long the
troops shall remain and how many shall be en-
ployed.
One of the NEST significant speeches in rea-
ton to English policy in Egypt was made by Mr..
Goschen on the eve of the reassembling of Par
lament. AS the founder Of the system of finan-
cial control, an ambassador who had mastered
the intricaces of Eastern diplomacy, and the
slecial rcpi sentative not only of the Wings,
but of the great banking houses of London he
could not have spoken on this subject without
rivcting the attention of the country Evncing
a critical appreciation of the stupendous diff
culties of the diplomatic campaign upon which
the Government had entered, be made mas
terly plea for international morality. He
reminded his constituents of the duplicity of
France in pledgng itself not to annex an inch
of territory, and then breaking its word in
order to satisfy public opinion at home. He
warned the Government against following so
bad an example and thereby striking great
blow at the peace of Europe. lie contended
that the magnitude of the victories in Egypt
must not be allowed to modify the purpose
declared before those victories were won, but