The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-09-09
England and Turkey.

The military situation in Egypt alters very
little from day to dav. There are, however,
some changes in the diplomatic situation in Con-
stantinopie, which seem to be reliably reported
and which merit comment. England, 1t is now
stated, has overcome some of the friction with
Turkey, and has almost forced the Sultan to de-
clare Arab a traitor, the representatives of the
Powers advising him that that would be the
proper course To pursue. The troops which he
sends to Egypt will therefore go as allies Of Eng
land, aud not as a separate force to affiliate with
Arabis army and thwaTt English operations in
every manner possible. Any Turkish contingent
will, nevertheless, be regarded with dstrust, no
matter what promises the Porte may make be-
forehand, and the London Times advises the Gov
eminent, after all the diplomacy and delay, not
to permit Turkey s assistance on any terms. The
~ituaton of England is perplexing. She cannot
keep Turkish troops out ola country of which the
Sultan l. Suzerain without open war, and
Turkey army is larger than that of Eng
land and more easily modified to say nothing
about that of Arabs. which is all that Mr.. Glad
stone desires to deal with inst at present. The
only safety for any one in the crisis is the Eu-
ropean accord. The only fear of any of the ma
tions interested is that it will be broken. 1t is
not probable that Turkey. uninhuenced by Ger
many, would reuder England any assistance, or
would even hesitate at open war with her, the
friendly feeling entertained when Disraeli stop
ped Russia at the gate of Constantinople being
changed To litter hatred toward Gladstone, who
compelled the eession of the territory to Monte
negro and Greece ordered the treaty of Berlin.
The slowness with which troops are eoncen-
trated in Egypt shows that England hats been
Incorporating as a military nation without suf6-
cient land force to make her pretensions good.
1t proves the assertions of Continental writers
TINT her army is without proper organization for
great efforts, and that even a few regiments can
not be modified without serious delays. With
the exception Of the war with Americain 1872,
she has net carried on any large independent
military operations during the present century.
" hat could have been accomplished a; Waterloo
without BlucI.er2 What could have been done
in the Crimea without Louis Napoleon? Individ-
ually the British soldier is brave and possessed OF
staying qualities. Collectively-that is in large,
tactical units-it Is not known what he can do,
for these units do not exist. In the mean time
the English army gathers slowly. the Turk
dIplomalizes, and the world waits. The English
army, If not decimated by heat and disease, will
soon be. aided by the overflow of the Nile, which
will furnish abundance of water. while the
weather will render movements easier. The
Turkish army in Egypt, even as the ally OF
England, can prUcrastinate, delay advances, and
make operations difficult. If Arab surrenders it
will be to the Sultan; and when the war is ended
will the British troops withdraw and leave the
Turks in Egypt, OF vice versa? 1t looks now as
if when the war is over the difficulties will only
be begun. No doubt the Times is right about
the undeslrabiliiy Of having a Turkish army in
Egypt, but how can it be prevented? That is
the question.-S. f. Chronicle.