St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-07-21

which had its own special cause of dis
content in the reduction of its cOmpen-
sation, numbers and privileges, in or
der to allow the regular payment of
interest to European bOndholders,
gradually became the centre and the
agent of disaffection. Its mutinies be-
came more ominous and violent, and
among its leaders one figure, that of
Arab Bey, began to loom into promi-
nence. The opinion which unpreiu
diced observers entertain concerning
the right and wrong of affairs in Egypt
depends upon the point of view from
which the character and motives of
Arab Bey are regarded. On the one
hand he is represented as a mere mill
tary adventurer, who would get rid of
the European control only that he
might himself enjoy the privilege of
grinding taxes ont of the people; on
the other hand, he is depicted as true
patriot, who has the misfortune to he
in advance of his time and his people,
but who has sincere aspirations for re-
leasing his country from a calling for
eign yoke.
The power of Arab Bey has grown
rapidly, until he may be said to have
eliminated the mild figure of the pres
ent Khedive altogether. To he sure,
he owes allegiance to the Khedive, but
it is only by courtesy, and practically,
it is Arab Bey against whom Admiral
Seymour is directing the guns of the
British fleet. The first clear indica
tion of the power of Arab Bey was
obtained year ago last February,
when the Egyptian troops rose and re-
leased him from arrest. In October,
Arab Bey and his troops obtained by
force the inStallmcnt of the Minister
whom they wanted, and the promise
of a Parliament and a Constitution.
But the Chamber of Notables, as the
| Parliament was called, soon became
too strong for the Minister who had
been installed. and virtually depOsed
him because he was not progressive
enough to carry out the military pro-
gramme.
The circumstances which have led to
the present complications are, i'll brief,
as follows: In January, Arabi was ap-
pointed Under Secretary of War, and
soon after induced the Chamber of
Notables to demand the right of regu-
lating the budget of receipts and eX-
penditures. This was a direct blow at
the European Control, and the English
and French ContrOllers-Gencral ap-
pealcd to the Khedive to respect the
the privileges granted to them by his
own decree. The NOtables, supported
by the army, persisted in their de-
mands Cherif Pasha, who had been
made Minister short time previous
by the same military and National par
ty, was compelled to resign the Pre-
miership, and there was put i'll his
place Mahmoud Baroudi, who was
more i'll sympathy with the military
party. and Arab Bey was made Minis
ter of War. Arab Immediately began
enlarging the military expenditures,
making numerous promotions among
the officers, and increasing their pay
the English and French Controllers
General i'll the meatime protesting in
effectually against the usurpatiOn OF
the Khedive's authority and their own
privileges. But there were certain
officers, most of them Circassians, who
thought they had been slighted by
Arab Bey, and accordingly they plot
ted his assassination and the restora-
ton of Ismail to throne. The plot
was discovered and the conspiratOrs
convicted, but the Khedive, at the
suggestion of the Controllers, commu-
ted the sentences. Then followed
what was virtually revolution. The
Ministry demanded that the Khedive
} should reconsider his action, and on
his refusal to do so, summoned the
NOtables to meet, in defiance of his
authority. The Notables, however
! refused to support the Ministry and
recommended the banishment of Ara
hi. England and France sent an ''ul-
timatumn to the Khedive, demanding
the dismissal of the Ministry and the
banishment of Arab within twenty
) four hours But the Khedive finding
himself without authority, and the
troops insolent and mutinOus, instead
of complying with the demands of the
; ultimatum, called Arab back to the
Ministry. Then came panic i'll Egypt
and dismay in Europe. English anC
French ships of war were dispatched
t to Alexandria, but under their very
, guns occurred bloody rising i'll the
city against Europeans, i'll which hun
dreds of lives were sacrificed.
For the past month and more all thu
, foreigners III Egypt who could get away
= have been fleeing for their lives
crowding the ships at Alexandria to
such an extent as to make it hazardous
: to navigate them. England has made
hasty preparations for war, and ha
2 dispatched additional ships and troops
and yesterday morning, Arab still per
sisting in Strengthening the forts anC
, mounting heavy guns, Admiral Sey
mour began the bOmbardment of Alex
andria from the British fleet, with re
suits which are described elsewhere
In taking this decisive course England
is impelled not only by the necessity
of defending the creditors of Egypt
and of vindicating the Anglo Frencl
,, control, but by the peril to the Sue.
Canal, to her commercial interests, anC
to the "highway to India" involved il
the overturn of the Khedive's author
L