New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-15
TIE TR1GRDY IN TIE FIST.

THE TRAGEDY IN THE EAST.
Alexandria has been bombarded, plundered,
and burned. Before they fled from the city
which they had taken into forcible and lawiess
possession, the Egyptian army sacked 1t and set
it on fire in many places, while the mob COM
pleted the work of pillage rapine and mass
acre. The scenes of these awful days must
have been beyond conception, nor is it any sat
isfaction to remember that the helpless vic
tins who fell by the thousand were mainly OF
the same race and religion with the creatures
whose brutal massacre of Europeans some time
ago brought on this terrible retribution. The
rightful ruler of Egypt, in the judgment or
European nations, has been reinstated IN his
half burned palace by English marines, who
are now guarding him, and trying to extinguish
the flames in ruined city. Arab Bey, Win
a large part of the inhabitants who support
him, has an army at the junction OF the rail-
roads from Alexandria and Rosetta, and Will
doubtless fall back upon Cairo, which is SAID TO
have been strongly fortified. The pilage and
sinking of one vessel in the Suez Canal is
already reported, and the canal is closed TO
trade.
Does it pay7 England resorted to force in
order to maintain order in Egypt. Can the
result possibly compensate for the horrible
consequences, which the civilized world APP
pears to be just beginning to realize 7 very
curiOusly, it seems to strike many Intelligent
Englishmen with surprise to learn that the
bombardment of q city involves much loss of
property and of life. What did they imagine
the consequences would be- when they berated
the Government for weeks because it did not
L. 20 Alexandria Tins
avenge the blood of Engishmen slain in the
massacre Did they imagine that fleet OF
iron -clads could be turned loose upon a modern
city without hurting anybody The hesitation
and reluctance of the British Ministry to resort
to extreme measures can be appreciated, If We
suppose that Ministers knew, as their assail-
ants apparently did not, that the bOmbardment
of city of 200, 900 inhabitants would ineyit-
ably cause burning, rapine and bloodsled.
After an earnest endeavOr to avoid the catas-
trophe, after appealing in vain to France, to
Turkey, and to the European Conference, to
prevent war by a manifestation OF force and
will which the Egyptian insurgents would not
have yentured to resist, and after bearing
much abuse because the Government refused
to strike first and count the cost afterward,
England has resorted to force at last, and now
the people who scolded because the lombard
ment was delayed are scOlding because the
inevitable consequences have followed.
Mr.. Gladstone is reported as having SAID that
no one could have anticipated the abandon
ment of Alexandria by the insurgents. If he
said such a thing, it was a foolish thing to say.
The probability of this very result was in the
minds of those who sent press dispatches on
the morning when the bombardment began,
for it was stated that the fleet commanded
the railroad to Cairo, so that the escape of
Arab aud his army could be prevented.
Was anybody foolish enough to suppose that
he would wait quietly i'll bombaIded city
until troops could be so placed as to cut OIL
his retreat In fact, the one thing absolutely
certain was that he would fall back toward
Cairo as soon as the ability of the fleet.
to demolish his Notifications had been proved.
The European Conference, it is stated, will
call upon Turkey to restore the authority of
the Khedive, and if that Power hesitates, will
Justify England in UNFOLDING him meanwhile.
The irritation in France is natural, because of
the prominent part which was taken in the
earlier steps by the Government of Gambetta,
and it is quite likely that the present Govern
ment may lose materially in public favor. But
with Germany and Austria sustaining its
course, Great Britain does not need to be anx
ious about the approval of any other Power
except Turkey The Sultan even if well dis
posed, is likely to find it difficult and danger
ons to uphold England in suppressing an out
break of fanatica MahOmetans, who profess a
longing to get rid of infidel rule. The COM
plication is the greater because Great Britain is
not entirely sure how far it can rely upon its
Mahometan soldiers and subjects in India,
in case of any rupture with the Porte. Mean
while, a strange person who claims to be The
Prophet and deiverer for whom true worship
pers are waiting, and whose coming in this very
year was predicted in MahOmetan sacred books,
is said to be marching down from SOudan, hav
ing defeated and dispersed all armies sent
against him. and it is by many imagined that
Arab Bey has already made or will make com
mon cause with him. If struggle between
two great factions of the Mahometan faith
should result, the war might last longer than
has been expected.
THE DIPLOMATIC SITUATION
The answers of Mr.. Gladstone and Lord
T. ranville IN in0ulrips in Parliament as TO the