Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1882-12-21
IsmaiI Pasha and Egypt.

The reign of Ismail Pasha was a gallop
at full speed. He was the moving spirit
of progress; but unfortunately bY this
untiring energy he had gained reputa-
ton for generosity" 1t was a natural
consequence that Egypt became a field
for rash adventures. Public companies,
contracts, and preearious schemes, in
all of which the ever busy Khedive must
have share, terminated in costly litiga-
ton. The rival COnsulates of European
States, ever jealous of an opposing in
fluence, supported their individual sub
jects in every enterprise. After the ex-
plosion of these bubbles came the suits
decided by consular jurisdiction. Nubar
Pasha, at the instance of the Khedive,
laid bare the gross injustice of the sys-
tenn and succeeded after great opposi-
ton in producing the much needed re-
form by the establishment of an Interna-
tional Tribunal The debt of Egypt had
necessarily Increased to an amount
which threatened bankruptcy. The fell
laheen who had become enriched
during the interval of the Ameri-
can struggle by the advanced
price of cotton had not lost only
their temporary profit, but they had be-
come absolutely Impoverished by the
fatal murrain of 1868 and 1864. The
worst plaques of Egypt had afflicted the
pest-stricken country. The murrain de-
strOyed the cattle, and the cholera, not
contented with the sacrifice of the first
born, had ragged throughout the land
Locusts had attacked the crops of the
Soudan. Those who are practically in
experienced in Egyptian agriculture can
not understand the full extent of such a
scourge as murrain. In all countries
the loss of cattle must be serious blow
to the agricultural population; but in
Egypt, where the artificial irrigation is
dependent upon waterwheels,T worked
by oxen or bulfaloes, the death of cattle
was simply the abstraction of a motive
power without which the crops must
perish for want of water. No Govern
mept could have surpassed the eXertions
Of the Khedive under the pressure of this
dire calamity. Cattle were purchased
from every port in the Mediterranean,
and We're imported into Egypt. These
We're sold to the impoverished farmers
upon credit, and a security was accepted
for future payment There was a
short pause in the destroying course of
the disease, as the cattle had nearly all
fallen victims, and there remained
no objects or material upon which
the scourge could be eXerted. This
interval was of short duration; the
epidemic returned with its original
virulence; the newly imported cattle
were destroyed and the fellaheen
We're left almost destitute-their oxen
dead the water-wheels inactive, their
crops parehed and withered, themselves
ruined. In the midst of this calamity
the expenses of the country were in
creasing, which necessitated a cor
responding squeeze in the taxation.
Such an atfliction requires many years to
repair, and up to the present moment
Egypt has not recovered from the loss.
The KhediVe lad borrowed largely at q
financial disadvantage. The debt be-
came burden that necessitated fresh
debts to meet the interest. The Suez
Canal had been a costly luxury to Egypt.
In 1869 it was thrown open to the world
with great ecL0t at an outlay which eX-
hibited Ismail Pasha's character for
generosity" Egypt was sliding down
the incline toward ruin with frightful
velocity His Highness, lsmail Pasha, had
achieved great work, but at an expense
which his country could not bear. From
1864 to 1873 he had effected an eXtraor-
binary change, which was only too rapid
for the capabilities of his administration;
DuC Vic CHbu9C WIS pLOS lcSSifc anu tIlc
seeds were sOwn of future greatness.
Eleven hundred miles of railway had
been constructed. The outer world had
watched the extravaganza development
of Egypt with undisguised anxiety,
Those who were experienced authorities
of Egyptian affairs foretold approaching
dissolution. The Khediye was forced to
borrow at ruinous sacrifices, and the
floating debt was the nightmare of
finance, representing a formidable but
unknown quantity of chaotic proportions.
Egypt became virtually bankrupt. Stocks
which had been issued ut seven and eight
per cent, were reduced to. an interest of
five, and those loans which should have
been paid off at par were hquidated at
eighty; thus the bondholders were di-
rectly robbed of twenty per cent.-Su
Samuel Baker, is For!rDgktlQ ReUie10,