The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-01-14
The End of the Egyptian Control.

Not fortnight has elapsed since GAMBET-
TA's death, yet already tho British Foreign
ONCE, relieved from tho pressure which he
exercised, has abandoned the policy OF rcti-
cence and hesitation, and has announced q
programme In regard to Egypt which, in one
respect at least, is definite and resolute. Sir
AUCKLAND CoLv1N. the English Comptroller
General, has resigned, and Lord DUF-
FERN has notified tho Egyptian Ministry
that England renounces the powers OF control
over the fiscal administration which she has
hitherto enjoyed jointly with France. OF
the details Of the now scheme OF government
for the Milo land, which was on Friday
handed to the Porto and will be presently
submitted to the powers, we as yet know
nothing. except that 1t totally abrogates the
old system under which France occupied a
position OF influence and authority coordinate
with that held by Great Britain So far as
its interests in the Levant are concerned,
the French republic must hereafter content
itself with such minor privileges as are con-
coded to Italy and other secondary maritime
powers. 1t is now clear that France lost the
only opportunity OF making good Its claim
to share with England an ascendancy In tho
eastern Mediterranean. when the GAMBErTA
Cabinet was repudiated In the latter days OF
january. 1882, and with 1t the firm, con-
sistent, and fsr-sighted policy to which that
Ministry was pledged.
There are few moro striking examples OF
the irony OF fortune than tho fact that a war
begun for the avowed and exclusive purpose
OF sustaining the joint control should have
resulted In its summary abolition. To
Fronchmen 1t must be bitter reflection
that, next to ARABI and his conspicuous par
tisans, the chief sufferer by the movement
Of events In Egypt should be the very power
which first advocated resistance to tho
encroachments OF ARABS party, and
induced the British Foreign Office.
much against its will, to concur
In the threat OF armed intervention. The
English expedition was the direct and in
evitable outcome Of the ultimatum presented
by the two powers to the Khedives rebel
lious Ministry, and but for tho vigorous
measures taken by GAMBErrA during his
brief term Of ONCE, that ultimatum would
never have been put forth. There Is proba.
bly, not another iirst-class nation In the
world which, after publicly committing
itself to bold, unfiinchinR course. would
have disavowed. It's share Of RESPONSE
bllity and called its forces away from
tho scene OF action the moment 1t
became necessary to translate threats into
deeds. Yet such Is the humiliating situation
In which France has been placed through the
action Of the majority Of her Chamber of
Deputies. When French legislators refused
to vote penny to carry on war which their
country had herself provoked, and when the
French squadron left its ally In the lurch In
the harbor Of Alexandria, the political and
commercial interests Of France In Egypt
were irretrievably sacrificed, and her prestige
was seriously dimmed In tho eyes OF Europe
and Of her own people.
1t was, OF course, an untenable, not to say
absurd, proposition that France, after declln-
ing to cooperate In enforcing the joint ulti.
matum, should nevertheless receive an equal
share Of the profits accruing from such en-
forcement There could be no moro impress
sive proof OF the influence welded by GAM
BETA than the fact that, 10 long as he
lived, even this grotesqus-and ground
less claim commanded some attention,
and forced the British Ministry to
waver and hesitate before plucking the
fruits OF victory. That they have now COM
pletely recovered from their indeclsIon IL
sufficiently plain, a. 1t also 10 that France
must henceforth expect to reap precisely
what she has sOwn. There u, however,
much difference Of opinion In Great Britain.
and especially In the ranks OF the dominant
party - to the scope and form Of the
guarantees by which British interests In tho
NUE. lapd sA0uld hereafter DO projected. and