Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-05
England and the Egyptian Situation.
To the Editor Of Tn EVENING star:


To the Editor Of THs EVENING SrAa:
Although a naturalized citizen of the United
States. serving Uncle Sam diligently and faith
fully, and removed for seven years from the
immediate arena Of European politics, l never
theless take q lively interest In the action.
OF the government Of Great Britain-''the best
according to the late Ralph w. Emerson ''of
actual nations-the modern world is hers the
English have made it day by day." Well. she il
now involved in trouble arising out Of the
Egyptian revolt. All Europe, through ambs s.
sailors, m inisters and the press express approba-
ton OF the course she has adopted-but not one
nation offers a helping hand-and out Of her
isolation springs a ridiculous notion that she
must succumb to circumstances She will not! The
page of modern history shows that, In all the
most critical events Of the century, she has
stood alone, and triumphed by her steadfastness
OF purpose over every difficulty. When Napo-
leon L. had lost all means of contendiug with
her ct sea. owing to the victory OF Trafalgar. he
thought that he might cripple her trade by is
suing decree in 1906 at Berlin, commanding
all nations, at their peril, to hold commercial
Intercourse with England. Portugal, alone,
held to her alliance, for Englishmen drank Port
wine. and she could not exist If John Bull were
deprived of "the fruty." To supply the def
ciences of the French navy, Napoleon encour-
aged Denmark to prepare naval armament.
The destruction Of this armament by Great
Britain was sine qua non. "The might Of
England flashed, to anticipate the scene" Ac-
cordngly fleet and a small army were sent to
Denmark in 1897, and Campbell's stirring song,
''The Battle Of the Baltic" tells how the deed
was done.
.Then Denmark blessed our chief
That he gave her wounds repose.'
But England was all alone in this exploit.
Spain and Portugal were overcome by French
armies In 1903. England, unsupported, sent
small force to Lisbon, thence to OpOrtO, under
Wellington. The result was the battle OF Vi
miera and the passage of the DourO, which cleared
Portugal. and five years later after continuous
fighting, every Frenchman including King
Joseph Bonaparte and his court, fled to France.
wellington holding the Pyrenees against all
fresh attacks. The battle of Toulouse wOun
up the affair. Spain was thoroughly emanci-
pated.
In 1915 Napoleon I. had returned from exile
and challenged all Europe England alone met
him on the fields of Quatre Bras and Waterloo.
Some Dutch troops prOffered aid, but Wellington
had no faith in their courage and steadiness,
and desired them to quit the field before the
battle began. They very readily acquiesced.
For twelve hours 1.-The pounding match,' as the
Duke called it, continued. until, at pm, the
final charge of the Guards and infantry drove
confused retreat, Napoleon taking the lead.
The Prussians coming up at the juncture, old
Butcher. at tine Dukes request, pursued the
flying army, and thus capped the climax of
victory.
In 1854, to save Constantinople from the
grasp of Russia. England alone blockaded the
Black Sea- The Crimean war followed
In 1855 eighty million of MahOmedans, sup
ported by one hundred million HindOO fanatics.
massacred nearly all the English in India. In
less than two years (by 1850 England, unaided,
stamped out the military rebellion and brought
the whole country under the dominion Of Queen
Victoria, who has thus become Empress" to
the great delight Of the Feudal Kings and
Princes, who were ruffled at being ruled by one
OF their own rank. The imperial dignity assumed
by England satisfied them OF her superiority,
and no greater blessing was ever conferred on
nation. Compare the condition of India in 1882
with its moral and material state in 1857. Edu-
cation, religion. Loyalty. prosperity are now the
distinguishing features of India.
After the Crimean war the Emperor Napoleon
III. invited the Royalties of Europe to the Con-
gress in Paris with great political objects in
view. The trembling Princes Of the continent
OF OF Europe crouched and accepted the invitation
Two or three Of the Great Powers waited for
the action of England Her answer was: II
will not come" That was enough. The Con-
gress could not be held.
1t is unnecessary to call to the recollection Of
the reader that at the Berlin congress in 1873.
Lord BeacOnsield represented the might and
majesty" of old England and that the cOnse-
quence was her sending aid to Turkey against
Russia. She was again alone in the task, and
Russia, even after the victory of Plevna, was
stantinople. England received her reward in
the cessiOn Of Cyprus and certain control over
affairs In Asia Minor.
The misfortune Of sending a small force under
an incapable commander, to meet an immense
body Of warlike Africans in Zululand led to q
terrible sacrifice of soldiers; but England lost no
time in dispatching reinforcements and an able
leader-the effect of which was to paralyze the
Zulus and make prisoner OF their king CetawayO.
England had no foreign aid.
irn al
different times regarding France, Spain and
Italy, in which England distinctly refused to
join, come to the present imbroglio.
England has endeavOred to obtain the assent
and support of Turkey in her operations against
Arab Bey-more in her political justification
than for any need of the doubtful Turkish
trOOps-and in all that has been said to the
Sultan by Lord Dufferin, the able representative
OF Great Britain, an assurance has been given
that If Turkey did not assent and help the
Khedive with authority and troops England
would do the needful alone; and she is fulfilling
the promise. And now comes the question OF
the immediate future. The delay has enabled
Arab Bey to do much mischief. He has as
sumed the holy character of a khalf, making
the contest partially one Of religion; he has
increased his force by the alliance Of BedOuins
and raised fOrtresses at Aboukir. The same de-
lay has promoted the embarkatiOn OF British
troops and the dispatch of force from India,
and when Sir Garnet WOlseley with 10000 men
lands in Egypt he will renew the prestige Of
Ralph Abercombie at Alexandria in 1901, while
Seymour initiates Nelson at AbOukir. History
often repeats itself. If the guns Of the admiral
do not reach and silence the forts, Wolseley's
troops will storm and spike the guns. Ii Arab
Bey gets together too large and efficient force
for the English to contend with, the latter may
have to get aid in men from Belgium and HOl-
land. from Portugal. from Canada and the col
Onies. and again from India. Her resources are
boundless. The cost Of all this will fall on
Egypt, and England will not quit the country
until she has been reimbursed. This is the
humble opinion of yours,
J. II. SIDDONS
John Browns Family.