Evening star., 1884-01-12
EGYPTIAN AFFAIRS.
Achieved by An Egyptian Staff Officer
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR

To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR
As much is now being said about Egypt, the khe-
dive Its ministry and False Prophet it may not be
unintereSting to the reader OF your valuable Jour
nal to hear from an eyewitness some truth con-
cerning the situation in that far-on land and the
| chances in favor of Ell Mahdi's marching to the
very gates Of Cairo, unless England or Turkey
show different policy than Of late they have been
willing to do
If we can rely upon our foreign news the Prophet
thuS FAR has had 'walk over" having in every
case defeated and maSSacred each Egyptian force
sent against him, and they armed with the most
improved modern weapons. commanded and OFF,
cered oy Engllshmen, whereas the Prophets horde
are armed with only swords, spears and Bedouin
guns, more dangerous to the shooter than to his
enemy.
Egyptian soldier, with his sword bayonet and forty
round OF ammunition. with artillery to support
him; but when we take into consideration the
OllcerS ana soldiers are forced into the army-cOn-
peled to leave family and friends and go forth to
pa1te against an enemy who in their heart, they
pose OF keeping on the khedval throne an 1mbecile
prof1igate whose every thought and deed is at va
Rance with their own, and in whom they put no
trust as sovereign or master, people who are
forced tO obey-wtth the cOurbash or rattan law
ever ready for use-yOu can feel with what little
ht;trG the poor soldier goes forth to meet his So
called enemy.
THE EGYPTIAN AS A soLnIER.
The Egyptian is but soldier in name He Is a
Child In war, and will never be anything else The
writer was with them when everything was in
their favor-posii0n, arms. force-and their natr-
raj enemies christian AbbySsinians) armed only
with guns, spears and clubs Uhe club pretlomina-
ting; but Notwithstanding all their advantages the
Egyptian army We're driven like sheep to the Slaugh-
Ter Dy these nude SlyageS, without Obeyin~ the
nrst ~ instinct OF nature-self-defense;-a these
are the people England now leaves in the lurch
alter forcing them TO reduce their standing army
discharge their only competent officer, Stone Pasha
and making them believe. by intrigue and false
promises, that all she advised was for their ult-
mate permanent benefit. and that the khpdiye'S
crown was safe and secure so long as an English rifle
remained in Egypt History often repeats itself
ana mere we have Great Britain {aS in India) send
Ing an armed force OF great strength into friendly
property; whereas her true scheme is now, and
always has been, annexation; and the reader need
not De surprised II he soon sees the following from
Egypt 1t 5 sure to come:
egyptian lorce fleeing before the False Prophet
no reinforcement to go to their relief; KhartOum
sacked and burned the enemy marching unOn
CairO the khedlve and ministry seeking protection
from the English flag: Egypt again under English
Iar,ia law; lower Egypt seeded from Turkey;
atty p ''''u - Ely i''iu 'S d 'ice-io'-
ENGLAND AND THE EGYPTIAN PEAR.
1hls may seem sweeping assertion to make, but
during the writer's stay in Cairo and Alexandria he
met many leading Englishmen, and their every
thought was taken up with the one idea, the ad-
vantage 1t would be to England to have Egypt an
neNed, the richness of the Nile valley and the great
importance to her OF holding the Suez canal. Her
very l1e as nation depends greatly upon the lat
lti anu she VIII leave no stone unturnCd to accom-
PllSh her purpose. From time iminenoral her one
cry mas bcen for more territory. and will continue
81, just 80 long as she can recruit soldier. or has
pound sterling in her Golfers. and no matter what
means sle mas to employ Egypt, its fertile valley,
ana SlleZ canal must be hers
II the present sad state of affairs I'm Egypt was
nor originally brought about by England and Eng
ilsfllncn they have ut least added fuel to the fame
ny NOT at once sending troops to khartOum and
suhinl; ana so Keeping open communication be-
l"cen lheSc important points and Cairo. 1t would
nave taken but short time to have brought trOOps
from India Tor this purpose, landing them at Mas
sanah as a check to King John of AbySsinia, Occu-
pSlhg Sllaklm in force, and reinforcing Khartouin.
IL iletutu. from that point; but the pear was not
Ilpc enough to pluck, and If IL had been she would
nave waited while IT fell into her hand.
However, the time draws near. the Egypt1an tree
Is wen guarded. and no fear OF its rich fruit falling
bruised and rotten to the ground. Englands 1eai-
Gus eye Is upon 1t, and woe be to other hands
'et|Aeu loitn 10 grasp IL. u. f. PORTER.