Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-29

The Egyptian Middle
The outcome Of the crisis in Egypt is
dificult to fOresee. 1t seems improbable
hat the terms prescribed by England
and France for Turkish Intervention will
BE agreed 70 by therepresentatives Of the
other powers in the Constantinople con-
ference Germany, Austria and Italy are
credited with admitting the complete
suzeTainiy Of the Porte over Egypt,
and il is, probably, for this reason that
the Sultan again declares the conference
inoppoTtune. Though England and
France admitted the Portes suzerainty,
when they appealed TO it for the depOsi-
ton Of Ismail and the elevation of Tewfk
- Khedive, they now wish the Porte TO
appear solely as the mandatory Of the
powers
Though Bismarck would find t hard
. 70 set Up any special interest of Germany
II Egypt. he has chosen to assume the
role Of protector Of the Sultan. and
hint from him has its weight Italy is
ambitious, and having an opportunity to
show her importance embraces it and
( sdds TO the complication of the problem.
Ausiriss interest Is more in what may
+ follow than in what is actually occurring,
and il suits her to range herself with
Italy and Germany. England and
France have appealed to The
/ conference. but have reserved the right
not 10 be bound by its decision, should
I il be counter 10 their wishes. They
/ have assumed that the powers should
{ order the Porte to tranquilize Egypt,
+ and declare that, if this is not done, they
vii undertake the work themselves. 1t
would appear that they should have
done this already. In fact, they did I'M
dertake the task by sending irOnclads to
overawe the rebels. They should have
sent armies with the squadrons
II the other powers had
/ then insisted on the rights
% the Sultan, they could have pru
IDENTIFY halted ere proceeding further
with their self-appOinted task. Now
they will have to get their forces ready,
and. possibly. land them in opposition
% the wishes of the other powers.
What would follow such a course is
uncertain, but the probabilities are that
the other powers would insist upon their
wishes being needed. Again, arab
claims that he is able to prove that the
Porte has instigated his whole con-
duct towards the Khedive If this
Is the case, and there are good grounds
for thinking it is, England and France
would risk great deal in allowing the
Sultan to interfere in Egypt. even as the
mandatory OF Europe. Moreover, it is
intimated that Bismarck has been the
P0rte's teacher in its attitude towards
Arab, and this affords the most likely
explanation of his sticking for the
POrte's rights Thus II would appear
that, II the task is assigned the Sultan of
restoring order in Egypt, it will be in
his character of sovereign. This Eng
land and France dispute, and they
must let their interests in Egypt
60 by the board, or boldly proceed to
quiet tie country themselves. Both M.
de Freycinet and Mr.. Gladstone have
stated that when the time came their
respective governments would be pre-
pared TO do their part in the premises.
That England is preparing for the con-
tiugencY is evidenced by the signs of
preparation that are manifested In the
British arsenals and dockyards.
The possibilities of the question are
so numerous and grave that one would
need the gift of prophecy TO foretell their
sequence. England and France could
solve the problem speedily if suffered to
do so. But whether, if the other powers
should resist them in the undertaking.
they would persevere, is doubtful.
National pride and the rights of their
subjects in Egypt would dictate the
straining OF all their resources to maintain
their position. But a war with
the rebels would be quite a different
thing from a conflict with the powers
that maintained the rights of the Sultan.
Arabs conduct justifes the conclusion
that he has friends in Europe, and the
hesitancy Of the Western powers would
imply that they feel that their position is
critical, and that however easy
OF solution the Egyptian prob
lem appeared at first view. it
has become so complicated as to call for
IN expenditure of thought and atten-
ton that they had not bargained for.
The question may be settled peacefully,
but from its present aspects it foreshad-
ows more momentOus possibilities
than have followed few social
disturbances since the French revolution.
The rise Of Arab, the humiliation of the
Khedive, the dispatch of the squadron
10 The Nile, the riots in Alexandria and
the conference of the diplomats have all
been mere by-play. The drama has yet
70 begin.