The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-21
Egyptian Corruption.


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 Mediter-
ranean. For enduring his worse than
dogs life the Egyptian soldier in these
provinces receives seventy-five piasters,
or considerably less than a pound per
month. The men complain that, even
with their meager rations, they can
scarcely keep body and soul together
with such pay. With a better class of
officers and an increase of pay to 40
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 Abyssinia is extremely
discreditable to the former By gov
eminent need not necessarily be meant
the ministry at Cairo. With the best
intentions in the world the Khedive's
advisers may 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
Aloula, commander-in-chief of the
Abyssinian army pointedlyaceusest them
of sharing in the plumber of caravans,
and Egyptians themselves generally be-
heve that the charge is only too well
founded. 1t is doubtless true that
Abyssinians are as guilty of aiding and
abetting in brigandage as any of the
Khedive's officials; but Ras Aloula, on
behalf of King Johannes, contends
that those offenders are reneoades
and outlaws, who would be imprisoned
if they returned to their own country.
The very fact that Abyssinian caravans
are sometimes looted within two hours
journey of Massowah, and the plumber
publicly sold in the market-place of the
town, suggests reflections more un-
favorable than otherwise to Muktar
Bey, the local governor. Said Muktar,
the other day: Bring the thieves to
me, and shall punish them" What
would London householder say if the
police authorities should give like
reply to his complaints about burglary
on his premisesp Theinstance in which,
on that occasion, Muktar's protection
was asked for was that of the robbery
of large company of merchants and
priests who were on their way from
Abyssinia to Egypt and Palestine.
There were about a hundred of them in
all The priests had $500 in cash.
One of the merchants had fifty ounces
of gold-dust. There was considerable
quantity of other property, besides
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 were 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 ali is the indifference with which the
Egyptian governor of Massowah re-
CARDS his demands for redress, or at
any rate for inquiry. The natural re-
suit has been that the Abyssinians
accuse the Egyptian officials of copart-
nership with the thieves and brigands.
A still more fragrant exhibition Of
rascality on the part of Egyptian Off
Gals is their participation in the profits
of the slave trade. 1t is mistake to
imagine that the slave trade is extinct
in the Red Sea. Arab dhews carry
slaves every day from the western ports
to Hodeida, Mocha, and other places
on the eastern shore, where they are
conveyed to Mecca, the chief slave
market in southwestern Asia. A capita
| ton tax on every slave who leaves ar
Egyptian port finds its way to the
| pockets of the khedive's officials. 1t is
one of the means by which they increase
their frequently meager salaries. The
chief shareholders in the southern
provinces are Abou Bekr Pasha, gov
ernor of leila, and his two sons. These
three worthless derive good income
from the export of Gala girls anC
eunuchs to the Arabian coast.
The Abyssinian Christians are a:
fanatical in their way as any Moham-
medans The former boast that they
| are the only Christian State in Africa;
that theirs is an original and independ-
ent church, purer than the Church OF
Rome; and that they have even con
ceived the idea of a crusade against
some of their half-subject tribes which
have not abandoned the rites of heath.
enism. No one who has heard of the
Massowah church bell can doubt the
religious zeal of the Abyssinians. This
bell, it seems, was bought by them
Egypt, and paid for. 1t was brought
up to Massowah by steamer, but special
arrangements had to be made for the
overland carriage of monster weigh.
ing q quarter of ton. The Egyptians
will not forward it and the Abyssinians
will not take it away The detention
of the bell il one of King Johns pet
grievances, but has caused as much ILL.,
feeling between Egyptians and Abyssin-
ians as the theft of the province
of Bogos by the late Khedive's officer,
Munzinger Bey.
So long as Egyptian governors de-
cline to attempt the capture of brigands
who carry their depredations to within
two miles of the provincial capital, SC
long will Abyssinia be justified in pro
testing on behalf of her traders. -
| MdsSoUah Cor London Ne2DS