New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-15


to which England, Prussia, Russia, Austria
and the Porte were all parties, and the con-
vention of the following year. which included
France. These treaties settled the Eastern
question for the time being, and in so doing
they included the status OF Egypt. Mehemet
Ali and his descendants were confirmed as the
hereditary rulers of Egypt, subject to the pay
ment of tribute to Turkey and OF the llmita-
ton of their powers in certain respects Inc
Khedive is the grandson of Mehemet Ali, and
is the heir to Mehemet Ais rights as enlarged
by subsequent dealings between the Sultan
and the late Khedive, Ismail Pacha. To those
more recent alterations of the status arranged by
the Treaty of 1910 England was no party, but
they were submitted to and approved by her
and the other contracting Powers.
Mr.. Gladstone's present policy, therefore, Is
contained within the simplest lines. 1t Is the
fulilment of obligations incurred by his
predecessors. The Khedive having escaped
with his life, the situation is unchanged, and
accordingly Admiral Seymour has landed ma
rines and sailors, not to seize the town, but
simply for the purposes of police Inc ex-
tensive preparations which are telegraphed are
not the indications of policy of annexation,
but the determination to be prepared for any
event It is now a question for Europe to
say what shall be done next. The extent of
the massacres at Alexandria will, in all prob
ability, never be known; but certainly hun
dreds of the subjects of nearly all the great
Powers have persisted. What will these Pow
ers dof They must vindlcate justice upon
the perpetrators, either by their own action or
through some accredited authority. England
may now say with reason that she has
avenged the death of her subjects, and it
is for the other great European Powers to take
measures for the protection of their own
people. How important this is will be seen
when it is remembered that the European
population of Egypt is calculated at 100000,
besides 10000 Jews and 10000 Armenians.
Many of these are far up the country. 10
such escape is impossible. Most of the en-
gineers employed on the railroads and
in the factories are either English or
French. These men have entered the SER
vice of the Khedive under the protection of laws
supported by treaty with their own Govern
mcnts. Such men are entitled to demand pro-
lection at the hands of their respective SOW
eregns.
The proposal that Turkey should send troops
to Egypt is in fact proposition strictly within
the four corners of the diplomatic situation.
The Treaty of 1910 recognizes the Porte as the
suzerain of Egypt. In that event theoretically
the Sultan is the proper person to
interfere. 1t is stated with the utmost con-
fidence that a secret protocol has been
signed, or at all events the terms have been
agreed upon, between England and Turkey
as TO the accord of the two countries. The
real difficulty consists in the practical features
of the situation. The army OF Turkey is I'M
paid. To send such troops to Egypt would
only be to unloose upon the devoted country
another horde of barbarians. The great idea
of the Turkish soldier is loot. Pay he seldom
receives but he is occasionally allowed to in
demnify himself by robbery and plumber. If
the Turks do send any troops they
will require quite as careful surveil-
lance as the others. The most likely course
now is that without the distinct recognition of
the other Powers, England will refuse to take
any further step. In spite of tremendous pres
sure that will be brought to bear upon him,
it seems probable that Mr.. Gladstone will refuse
to carry the separate interference of England any
further, except as the recognized representa-
tive of all the Powers, or so far as action may
be necessary to protect the canal.