The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-09-30
Arab Pasha and His Party.

The following interesting account of the
leader and of the party he represents
published in the London Standard, just be-
fere the bombardment of Alexandria:
'Arabi Pasha, although his name pronounced
.Aa'ra6ee) would seem to imply descent from a
family, has none of the ordinary Arab
but is really an Egyptian of the
purest type, his lineaments, like many of the
better class Fellaheen, bearing "A strange and
striking resemblance to those of the ancient
Egyptians, as represented upon the hleroglyphlc
In personal appearance he Is tall
and muscular, and though no fat, has a heavy
and rather ungainly look. When speakings-his
ordinary stolid manner gives place to an ami
mated expression, and his features relax into an
agreeable smile. Arab is the son of the Sheikh
of a small village in the Delta, not far from
Damanhoor; he claims to be a Saiyid-that is,
"a lineal descendant of the prophet through his
daughter Fatima-and this title, by which he is
always addressed by his %soldiery, has no doubt
something to do with the great influence which
he has acquired. He was born in 1889, and
studied for a time ut the Ell Azhar University.
He does not. however, appear to have completed
his course there, but on his fathers application,
received permission from Said Pasha to enter
the military school at Cairo, which, after four
years study, he left with the rank of Lieutenant.
His earlier training at the more scholastic es-
tablishment has left IA decided mark upon his
character, and manifests great interest III all that
relates to the history and duties of his religion.
In the ordinary Arabic literature he is very we'll
read, and can quote freely, not only from the
Koran, but from the Bible, especially from the
Gospel, the Psalms, and the book of Isaiah. Ex-
cepting a little Turkish, he speaks no language
but Arabic. Without being f%anatictl, he is OF u
religious temperament, and SO far from being
the hectoring tyrant which some writer's describe
him. he is mild in disposition and essentially
humane. His manner is digniied and earnest;
he is a man of few words, and always appears to
think twice before he speaks; but though not
possessing the Oriental gilt ri eloquence, he has
the facultV of Undressing uDOl us hearers a be-
lief in his own sincerity. No one can be long
in his company without coming To the combustion
that he has at last made himself believe that he
has a miSsiun-nUi, indeed, to bring about amy
great religious reform, but to secure good gov
eminent and fair dealinS for his c"HGtry. This
is the keynote to his whole character and al
though he, undoubtedly, has personal ambition,
he has hitherto avoided the appearance OF eXer-
cising il in a selfish or mean direction. The secret
of his success, if it can be called a success to have
created one of the most difficult Eastern questions
which have, perhaps, yet ariseni lies III his sound
political instinct; and since the representa-
ives of the Powers persist IN treating him
as though he were u mere ignorant
barbarian, this gives him u decided advant-
age, of which he is not slow to avail him.
self, In his domestic relations Arab Pasha be-
longs to the new aud more moderate school of
Mahometans, and, although he has been married
twice before, he has but one wife, with whom he
lives on the most affectionate terms. Since he
has occupied the high position OF Minister, he has
taken a good house in Cairo, but in the menage
he has carefully avoided giving any indication of
the vast wealth which he is supposed to have
accumulated if his reception-room may be taken
as q fair specimen of the household. he would
seem to live in the most Spartan simplicity, for
the furniture therein would certainly not fetch
thirty shillings at q public auction. Both Arab
! and his two brothers, who are also in the army,
have some little landed property, but the family
is by no means Il rich one. The first thing
that brought Arab Pasha into notice was a
charge preferred against him in the time of
Ismail Pasha, which led to his being degraded
from his military rank. After a long legal pro-
cess, however, he was acquitted, reinstated IN
his former petition, and entirely Tehabllltated.
He served in Abyssinia without much military
distinction, but was remarked for the great
personal influence which he acquired over the
men under his command. In tins campaign H.
gained the rank of major, and in 1880 was pro-
NOTED to that of colonel
1t is q mistake to suppose that Arab Pasha
has called the National party into existence nor
can it even be regarded as a trne and SeGGfne
military movement at all. It mas existed in
Egypt for several years as a secret society, AID
has only made use of the army, which it easily
converted to it own views, a, a safe means for
publishing Those views TO the, country at large.
The real wire-pullers are not soldiers. and many
of them must be looked for aTnong the Sheikhs
and Professors of the Ell Azharr University. This
institution, one of the largef. and most i'm
portant in the Moslem world, contains as many
as $1,000 members, professors. lecturers, and
bIuuCnlS ACi44C0, al " "A III, ID II HAIL.. TIT
devoted to the cause of their faction,
The account of their motives given by the
National party is, of course, highly creditable to
themselves. They protest. that the principal
raison d'etre ofthe movement is discomfort with
the Control, which the Egyptians, rightly or
wrongly, believe has exceeded its legitimate
functions of giving advice and acting AZ inter-
mediary in financial Affairs. With this pre-
conceived idea, Esyptii n patriots not u%nnatur-
ally looked with suspicI on upon the strong oppo.
sition which they have. met with nj the hands Of
European Consuls, an / attribute i; to Interested
motives. They profefr,s perfect readiness to do
their best to ensure rthe prompt and puuctual
payment OF the just lebts contracted by former
Governments, for LIQUIDATION, they say, would
ruin their cause. slice no country c n hope to
retrieve its p~ositiFn by committing an act of
national bankruptcy. After this protestatior, if
they are worried by foreign Intervention they
will always be able to cast their published pro-
gramme in the bGndholder's teeth, and say that
they have only tn idnselves to thank if the coupons
are not paid regularly in he future.
A