The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-08-18
IN FOR A LONG WAR.

The suppression OF Arabi's rebellion does
not progress very rapidly. IL Is considera-
bly, larger contract than England contempls-
ted when Seymour impulsively and unneces-
sarily knocked down the forts and burned
the city Of Alexandria. That was month
ago and although the Egyptians were driven
out by the heavy metal Of the sea guns the
English have still been held under their
cover and the city is practically invested by
the army Of Arab Pasha. And although the
Porte, under heavy diplomatic pressure, has
declared the Egyptian leader rebel and has
estensibly assumed the task of suppressing
him, Ii 10 evident the English consider the
Turkish action unreliable and they are mass
ing troops from every available quarter at
Alexandra before again attempting TO route
the rebel host. England is right In not
placing much reliance In Turkey. The lat
ter power Is doubtless In sympathy with
Arab, but to protect Its home dominions Is
compelled TO accede to the demands Of En-
gland for armed interference In the affairs Of
Egypt. In recent interview the Sultan
said the great cause Of the trouble was the
carpet-bag government England and France
had forced upon Egypt, the departments
having been kept filled with foreign EN-
ployess TO the exclusion Of Arabs. This led
TO o dissatisfaction that might have been
adjusted pesceably had not the presence of
armed fleets aggravated the people and
afforded Arabi an opportunity to organize
bis rebellion. The blow hastily struck was
regarded Is an attack by the Christians upon
Islamism and now the contest is assuming
the character Of religious war. In this, as a
defender of the Mnhammedan faith, Arab
has the vantage ground, and 1t Is doubtful II
the Sultan, even II he 30 desired. could wage
an effective war upon him. Arab is deter.
mined to fight II out and believes he has the
moral support Of France and Italy. Russia
was doubtless communicated with by Tur-
key with view TO forming new alliance |;
but, although none has been announced, and
the reluctant assent to the demands Of En-
gland for Intervention would indicate that
negotiations for alliance had failed, IL seems
possible that an arrangement has been made
In which the entire responsibility of the war
is thrown upon England, which is left to
light out at leisure the campaign 50 hastily
begun. The end seems further of than At
the beginning. The details Of the Alexan-
drian bombardment show that instead Of
having hastily abandoned the forts, the Egyp-
tisns really fought with skill and great cour-
age, and ouce out of range Of the heavy guns
VI the feet they may make eight that will
give them prominence. The English sol
diers can not make . summer campaign
across the Egyptian deserts. The Indian
contingent only numbers ten thousand men
"a force that can not drive Arab. France,
aside from the equities Of the contest and
the influence Of De Lesseps, does not forget
the Egyptian campaign Of Napoleon aud the
part England played In that memorable adj
venture, and 10 better content to watch her
neighbor across the Rhine than 10 engage In
an ingiorIous campaign In Egypt. All the cir
cumstances indicate that England will prac-
tically have TO fight this war out alone, and
ell indicate more protracted struggle thar
was anticipated n the outset.