Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-19
CUTTING THE CANAL,
HOW IT MAY BE PREVENTED BY THE EN-
GLIsH AND THE FRENCH.


GLIsH AND THE FRENCH.
Commander Gorringe, who, it will be re-
membered, removed the obelisk from Alex
andrIa to the Central Park in New York
and who spent eight mouths in the former
city, was recently interviewed by the New
York World, and had this TO say about the
Suez canal, Arab Pssha's designs upon it
and how they might be prevented by the
English feet:
"When did Arab Bey begin 10 take a
prominent part as a Nationalist"
"When 1 left Egypt Arab Bey was moi
very well known, except as one of the earn
est leaders of the National party. / met
him frequently and conversed with him on
Egyptian politics upon several occasions.
He struck me as man of much force, but
not of remarkable capacity. In manner he
was always earnest, and the mainspring OF
his thought and actions seemed to be patriot
ism Of the most lofty type. He never ex-
pressed any dislike for christians, but ire
quently gave expression TO feelings of the
most intense bitterness against the English.
In one conversation he spoke OF the great
harm that had resulted to Egypt and the
great benefit that had accrued TO England
FROM the construction Of the Suez canal.
With the whole history of this work be
was perfectly familiar. He dwelt with
great esrnestness on the brutal treat
ment of the native force OF laborers by the
French engineers, and his earnestness rose TO
eloquence when he related how they had
been left TO starye and famish without water
on more than one occasion. He was keenly
alive to the fact that so long as the Suez
canal remained open Egypt could never
profit BY her natural position as lying on the
shortest route between England and India
One thing struck me as very sensible, and
that was that a small tax should be levied
on the tonnage that passed through the
canal, which should be used toward the pay
ment Of the interest on the Egyptian debt.
He said openly that had he the power he
would destroy the canal unless such 8 tax
were consented 10 by France and England.
To destroy the canal is the evident purpose
of his movement eastward, and / am afraid
he will accomplish this unless the English
can get their vessels into it and hold it
against his army"
Would the English vessels be able 10 pre-
vent his destroying III"
81 do not see why not. 1t would only be
necessary TO patrol about fifty miles f the
canal by gunboats, and FIVE gunboats ought
to be quite enough to keep that ech of
canal open. The English have fifty vessels
available for that service if they choose TO
so employ them. The canal is simply a
ditch through the sand and dynamite would
be of little use. The most rapid and e6ectual
way of shutting the canal would be to shovel
off the sand from its banks into the channel
and this could be done easily if the caral is
left unprotected, but could easily te pre-
vented by gunboats. When last saw Arab
he seemed to believe that the Egyptians
would gain control of their country by
peaceful means. But he WAS fully olive 10
the importance of the canal 10 England and
to its injury to Egypt. He has gaiied the
influence he has by resisting with all his
power the effort of the comptrollers toreduce
the strength of the Egyptian army which
was tbs immediate cause of The wa. The
Egyptian soldier gets very little pay but he