The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1884-07-10
Egyptian Corruption.

passed MaSSOWah on the way from
Harrar to Suez. These men had spent
many years twelve was told in tho
equatorial province. Mo>tof them were
completely broken down. But they
had no medical attendance, and nothing
TO eat or drink except parched grain
and muddy water. The Egyptian Gov
eminent may be unable to afford either
food or phySic, but in that case it has
no right to extend what it is pleased To
call its sway over three thousand miles
of land southwark from the Mcditcr-
ranean. For enduring his worse than
dogs life the Egyptian soldier in these
province receives scventy-five piastCrS.
or considerably less than pound per
month. The men complain that, even
with their melgtr ra'ionS. they can
scarcely keep body and soul together
with such pay. With better class of
officers and an increase of pay 10 10
piaSters the service might be rendered
both popular and efficient
The evidence which has been col
lected on the point namely. the rela-
tons between the Egyptian Government
and that of AbvS>inia is extremely
discreditablc to the former. BY gov
Crnmcnt need not ncce .sarilv be meant
the ministry at Cairo With the best
intentions in the world the khcdive's
advisers NAV not have been able to
control his highness' representatives in
the southern territories. ] am only
speaking of the conduct of these par
ticular representatives,. They are uni
verSally mistrusted and deSpised. Ras
Alou'a. commander in-chief of the
Alb, ssinian army, acknowledgements them
of sharing in the plunder of caravans,
and Egyptians themselves generally be-
lievc that the charge is only too well
founded. 1t is doubtless true that
Abyssinians are Us guilty of aiding and
abetting in briraudage Is any of the
khedive'S otlicials; but Ras Aloula. on
behalf of King Johannes. contends
that those offenders are renegadeS
and outlaws, who would be imprisoned
ii they returned to their own country.
The very fact that AhySsinian caravans
ere sometimes looted within two hours
Journey of Massowah, and the plumber
publicly sold in the markrt-place of the
town, suggests reflections more I'M
favorable than otherwise to Muktar
Bcv. the local governor. Said Muktar,
the other day: Bring the thieves TO
me, and | shall punish them What
would a London householder say if the
police authorities should give a like
reply to his complaints about burglary
on his premises? The instance in which,
on that occasion, Muktars protection
was asked for was that Of the robbery
of large company of merchants and
priests who were on their way from
Abyssnia to Egypt and Palestine.
There were about hundred of them in
all. The priests had II. 900 in cash.
One of the merchants had fifty ounces
of gold-dust. There was considerable
sheep and mules. Soon after entering
the narrow strip Of territory which
divides Abyssinia from the sea, and
which the Egyptians claim as their own,
the caravan was attacked and plundered.
Some of its members We're killed and
wounded, and the rest escaped, after
having been pretty well stripped of their
clothes, to MasSowah. They have since
had the satisfaction of seeing their own
property exposed for sale in the bazaar.
This is merely typical case. What
irritates the AbysSinian minister most
of all Is the indifference with which the
Egyptian governor of MassOwah re-
CARDS his demands Tor redress or al
any rate Tor inquiry. Inc natural re-
suit has been that the AbySslhlahs
accuse the Egyptian oihcialI OF copart-
nership with the thieves ana nrlgands.
A still more fragrant eNhiDillon OF
raScailty on the part OF Egyptian ON
Gals Is their participation In the prohtS
of the slave trade. 1t IS mistake &c
imagine that the slave trade Is eXtinc'
in the Red Sea. Arab dhows carry
slaves every day from the western ports
to liodelda' Mocha ana other p'aces
on the eastern shore where ihey are
conveyed 10 mecca tie chIel save
market IN southwestern ASIA. capita
ton tax on every slave VINO leaves an
EGYPTIAN port mas us way 10 inc
pockets OF the hheoiVe olilciais' IL l.
one OF the means by winch they increase
their frequently meagcr salaries ne
chief slave-dealers IN the southern
provinces are Abou Bekr faSha' gov
ernor OF Jena, ana ms TWO sons lheSe
three worthless derive a good income
from the export OF "alia girls ana
eunuchs to the Arabian coast
The AbysSinian Christians are as
fanatical in their way rs any MOham-
medans. The former boast that they
are the only Christian State in Africa: