The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1882-10-04

as country has some special claims TO con-
sideration England has fought for Egypt and
for Turkey again and again. Indeed it may be
said that both owe their continued existence to
England. When Napoleon invaded Egypt in
lT9s, he would have taken the country and
kept it if it had not been for England. The
Egyptians could do nothing. Napoleon swept
away the Mamelukes at the battle Of the Pyr-
amids- 1t was an English feet under Lord
Nelson which fought the battle Of the Nile.
II was an English general who gained the hnal
victory on land which drove the French out Of
Egypt Napoleon invaded Syria and, carried
everything before him till he encountered the
English at Acre, who soon put a stop TO his
victorious career. Again in 1881 Ilrahim Pa
sha invaded Syria, and would have marched
on Constantinople if he had not been stopped
by the European powers. In 1854 England
and France went to war with Russia TO pre-
serve Turkey. Thus often has England fought
for Turkey and for Egypt, and the bones Of
her soldiers who have fallen in defending
those Moslem powers, are scattered on many
battle fields in three continents-in Europe, IN
Asia, and in Africa. 1t is not yet five years
since England put forth her powerful hand TO
save Turkey which was at the feet Of Russia.
A Russian army was at the gates Of C0nstan-
tinople 1t had always boon a mystery to US
why it did not enter. There was no power 10
oppose it. Russia could have planted her guns
on the heights overlooking the Bosphorus, and
the Russian flag might have waved from all
the minarets of Constantinople. When lately
in that city, we had pointed out to us the po-
sitiou Of the Russian army, which was camped
almost under the walls, and again we asked,
as We had So often before, why did not that
great army march in and take possession? In
every case the answer was the same it was
stopped by the English feet, which came up
the Dardanelles and through the sea Of Mar
mora and anchored in sight OF Constantinople.
The Sultan, who has lately protested SO enor-
getically against an English feet in the harbor
Of Alexandria as an invasion Of his sovereign
rights, was not at all disturbed at the sight
them, but on the contrary felt an Unreasonable
relief, as if he had been reprieved from a SELL
ierce Of death, when be saw the flags OF the
great English ironcads from the windows Of
his Palace. After thus saving both Turkey
and Egypt again and again, we think it not a
great presumption for England to ask whether
she has not some rights in the East which
Turk and Arab arc bound to respect?
England has great material interests in
Egypt We say nothing of the interest Of bond
holders, or money loaned for internal improve.
ments-for railroads and canals, and piers and
ports This very harbor Of Alexandria, which
has been the scene Of such great events. was
built largely by English money But leaving
aside all that, the interest of England in the |
Suez Canal is greater than that Of all the world
beside Eighty or ninety per cent. Of all the
ships that pass through that Canal are Eng |
lish. 1t is the highway from England to In |
dia. The distance from London or Liverpool |
to Bombay is nearly five thousand miles less |
by the Suez Canal than by the old route around |
Africa. The control Of this therefore is not |
only commercial convenience; it is a mill |
tary necessity. Suppose there were another |
mutiny in India, and that Arab Pasha had |
command of the Suez Canal, and should think |
it good time to get even with England by |
stopping all transit, and that the English
troops should have to be sent around by way
Of the Cape Of Good Hope, She two or three
weeks delay might cause the loss Of the Eng
ish Empire in India. Is England going to
leave matter Of such vital interest to the
chance Of the caprice Of military adventurer?
Now we think it is not difficult to UNDER
stand what England is fighting for. She has
interests in Egypt, and Egypt is in
state of anarchy which threatens to destroy
hose interests. England is fighting to put
Town that anarchy, and to restore order and
rood government In this she is fighting for
he real interest of Egypt as well as her own.
II the present state of things continues, Egypt
S utterly ruined. The only hope is in prompt
md decisive action, which shall crush rebel
ion and re.estabish order. At the same time,
England is fighting for the Suez Canal, as she
would fight for Malta and Gibraltar, out
works of Britain, whose preservatiou concerns
he integrity and safety of the British Empire.
For these reasons, which might be enlarged
o any extent, it is clear to us that England
las right to send her troops to Egypt to set
le this business between faithful ally, the
resent Khedive, (whOm the military party
would sacrifice simply because be has been
uch friend to Engand,) and his rebellious
oldiers. She has right to go there, If she
as a right to 90 anywhere, to fight for the Sc
urity Of her Indian Empire. In the battle
which she has undertaken, she is lighting for
a- interests as well as her own: to make it
afe for Americans to visit Egypt, and 90 up
he Nile, and to pursue their lawful callings-
heir travels, or their business affairs, or their
Missionary enterprises-in the East. But this
ads to another question which we may con-
der hereafter Whether Christendom has any
chts in the East which Moslems are bound
} respect?