The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-02

Iefuuy by Jne fREGClNEr taDlnct. But
enough will be remembered to reddcn
the check of the French patriot
with shame, and 10 cover with oppro-
brium in the eyes OF foreign nations a
country whose name was once a synonyme
for bravery and honor. The man to whom,
unluckily, the Government of Franco has
been confldcd ut this crisis has justified tho
passionate reproach uttered by GAMBETTA
two weeks ago, and has fulfilled the hostile
prediction OF the rcactionists that Egypt
would prove the Sedan of the republic.
What was the conclusion reached by the
French Cabinet in Yesterdays council? 1t is
well To mark the precise terms in which the
ignominious declaration was set forth. The
Cabinet decided, we are told. that France
is not in honor bound to support the Khe-
dive, if the people meaning the armed rab-
BILE which passes for an ARMY are persist
emily hostile to him. and the great powers
meaning BIsMARcK are ready to support
a candidate to be agreed upon betWeen ARABI
Plsha and the Porte" The more these disin-
genuous, disloyal words are pondcred in
connection with the previous actions of
France in Egypt, and with the pledges
given to England, the more incredible ii APP
had the cynical audacity to utter them. II
France recognizes no obligation to uphold the
prince who risked his throne and his life in
her behalf, no obligation to cooperate with
England in an Intervention which she herself
proposed she has no place for the word
"honor" in her vocabulary, and must forego
hereafter the pretence Of self-respcct.
Let us see what the facts are in which NJ.
DE FREYCINET can see nothing to estop
France from conniving at the dethronement
OF Prince TEwFIK and the virtual accession
OF ARAB Pasha to supreme power in the
Nile country We shall not dwell upon the
vast amounts Of French capital invested in
the Suez Canal, in the Egyptian bonds, in
public works and industrial enterprises OF all
kinds, neither need we do more than glance
at the private interests of the 10000 French
residents who month ago were peacefully
pursuing their legitimate vacations. We
pass over such considerations, although they
have shaped for years the policy of France
in Egypt, although tho Khedive has UNI
swervinglv observed his engagements in
respect of them and although they were for
the first time contemptuou5ly disregarded in
ARAB Pasha' programme of Egypt for the
i
pose to begin with the ultimatum delivered to
the Khedivcs Ministers by the French and
English Consuls-(iencral. This demanded, 1t
will be remembered, the removal of ARAB
Pasha, and expressly avcrrcd that force
would be employed il necessary. The
official documents which have been published
in Paris and the announcements made by
the English Government in the House Of
Commons concur in fixing upon France the
initiative OF this move to which, it appears,
Lord GRANVILLE asSented reluctantly, being
doubtful as to the readiness of the
two allied powers, to enforce their
demand 1t is also established by the
same indubitable evidence that the despatch
OF an allied squadron to Alexandria was pro-
posed by France.
From the ultimatum. as we know, no
substantial results followed, and the ap-
pearance OF the feet, far from dsmay-
ing the native population, merely ag-
gravated its animosity. Then it was that
the French Ministry, finding that their
bravado might really involve fight, began
to waver, and to doubt whether it would be
prudent to protect the lives aud capital OF
French citizens, and to sustain the Khedive
had placed him in imminent peril, without first
humbly requesting leave from the German
Chancellor Accordingly, on May 81, the
French Cabinet suggested that all the great
States of Europe should be invited to take
part in a conference on Egyptian affairs. In
negotiations however, with England, 1t still
kept up bold 'front.' declaring that as the al
lied powers had pledged their word to assist
the Khedive il he complied with their
advice, that pledge must be faithfully
fulfilled. Moreover in the Chamber Of
Deputies on June NJ. DE FREYcINET averred
that the conference was recommended
on the distinct understanding that the
basis Of its deliberations should be the main
tenance of the Khedive's authority and the
fulhlment of the international engagements
in regard to the French and English control
OF the Egyptian finances.
But what asked GAMBETTA. will you do
In case the conference violates the con-
ditions you lay down? To this peril
ncnt inquiry the Minister returned a shut
fling reply to the effect that France had
no wish to embark alone in dangerous ad
ventures, but he gave no intimation that
France would refuse to cooperate with Eng
land in project she herself had set on foot
Next came, on Juno II, the frightfu riot in
Alexandria, in the course Of which at least
400 Europeans were butchered, and the mas
sacre was promptly followed by an exodus Of
the French residents, the sweeping sacrifice
Of the French capital invested public works
and industrial enterprises, and tho collapse
Of that fiscal control on which the efforts Of
French diplomacy had SO long been ex-
pended, Under the first shock of this
calamity M. DE FREYoINEr found himself
constrained to put on show Of resolution,
and two days afterward he proclaimed in the
Chamber Of Deputies that the Government
would not fail to adopt measures necessary
to secure the safety Of French Citizens
Meanwhile the Khedive was still relying on
the promises of the French Ministry
and the English Government had not
yet begun to suspect It's good faith
for on June A. when Sir HENRY
WOLFF denounced the association Of
England with France in the Egyptian