New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-09

press and discourage the Diach Noiy ~"
famous traffic of slave-hunting ana k'unappns'
and if the revenues were reduced mucn W '"o US
pnst of the officials at Cairo, 1t was because 'ne
slave. hunting pachas were no longer allowed to ply
their nefarous business with IMMUNITY on cohai'oh
of sending subsidies regularly to Cairo.
We have singled out these passages in order 10
5;r.ct attention to one of the few blemishes OF an
otherwise important and useful book. I'll th's
taut of partsanship and prejudice that exposes inc
author to criticism and impairs the erect oi
volume conspicuous throughout for literary merits
and characterized ill the main by sound logic ana
vigorous reasoning, AS n sample OF the author
mature Judgment and political wisdom the Hollow
ing admirable reflections upon the future OF Egypt
and the Soudan may be cited
Should England so shape her policy as TO establish
such protectorate over Egypt as wouIu suiv INC
administration of Just laws over that country teIo
can be no question that the terrible ordeal through
which the unfortunate land has passed VIII lhuIe "
its permanent benefit As the Egyptian people are
no doubt excited and discontinued, ana now, tiiaU
they have a new war to deal with, England mas
plausible excuse before the civilized wOtlu LOT re-
tanning her armed force there 10 preserve ,ia -
0uillity The safety of the Suez Canal, as desI 10
her as the mouth of the Thames, and her mnlense
commercial interests throughout the East with
many other political reasons OF paramount import
ance are considerations which must induce heI
through her diplomacy and by other means Oh d
peaceful character. TO retain her forces III lhe cum
try, until by wise government lhe Ptopo oe5 oc
and of Europe will come to look ~ an aiIneu ~?
cupation as matter of necessity. NOW thal sho 10
free from the entangng alliance with france, anu
is entirely responsible the world nu ust,e am'
auiet settlement of the question win Pat'hcc'
IsmaiI Pacha has recently said that the gIeat
event in the Eastern problem is the creatiol tnc
ganizatioD of great Arab natlonality' s oT The
Standing Englands attitude now, the DAYS VI tdG
Turk are numbered in moral. material ana llfl Iva,
mower There is no question but that lsnialI nau
in his mind when III IN P wEeb ' he speaks. and
ambitious of empire, by SLOW ana o Tt
methods he was laying the foundatlQh III hg tb;
for the consummation of this design through thiS
very nationality. lie was aware how degraded anu
ignorant were the masses he had TO deal WIN, anu
that the worn. ont creed called religion Is out u
degraded superstition which must De IeloIihou
Engaged in building up the cCdntry ana inspiring
industry, he provided largely Tor the educaIIon VI
the masses. The writer III TINS WORK mas deinon
strated the progress which was made under MS au-
spices and the large amounts lie expended 1Or that
purpose He knew that the entire people were ouC
degree above savages, wllnouo ENTHUSIASTICALLY the
various episodes of his reign he never iost sght VI
one absorbing thought-the education OF the people
Their education he believed "onid result III tilo
ameioratlon of their religion, and thus 10y SLOW
movements he expected TO accomplish tne OBJECT nc
had at heart. With Egypt as nucleus, ne knew
that il was an easy matter to extend IT over te en-
tire Arab race. His fame had favOrably spread be-
fore his fall throughout Arabia ana SYRIA, ana
caused serious concern to those who were propping
up Turkey. Had he remained on his throne Il lew
wears longer. he would have been a tar more
dangerous element in causing alarm TO turkey ll1
the movements of Russia, or even Austrla pacAeu
bv Germany. in their designs upon the f0Ite' ;.
IT is extremely doubtful whether I'll Mahdl VIII
be able to organize the Arab race, even tnose Ill tle
Soudan for any useful purpose, as ms ntlul ruiz
after creating great excitement. must eVeutualy
end in turbulence and anarchy. Even IL lie had an
intel gent material to work with, IL woniu ne
equally necessary that he should he; as Isil ISM
Pacha saws a great apostle of their faith ana
great soldier of their affection III order 10 COM
bne the crescent and the sword IN Great hg "a ma
tionalty to become benefactor OF the hldp;
The abandonment of khartOum VIII give IL
Mahdi an opportunity In this new arena ne WI
he both prophet and political leader. His people
wild horde of saVages. without thought oroughu III
contact with civilization, he must at once prove
whether he is equal to the great work promised Dy
his devotees. II another Mahomet shall weld, an
iron despOtsm over their minds ana Dodles, anu We
at the same time capable of organizing ana dlfect-
ing the vast numbers of sayages who surround nm
very similar to those in the earlier day, the small
force at AssOuan will not be aDle 10 secure Ila1
perfect safety expected to the Suez Canal.
The descriptive portions of this work are always
invested with animation and sometimes display
rugged beauty and masculine power. Alexandra,
Rosetta Tanta Cairo Thebes, the Suez Canal ana
the Nile Lands are described in detail and there are
interesting chapters on the condition OF the teilah-
cen. marriage the harem, the Mahonetan religion
the climate of the country and habits and customs
in Abyssinia One of the most charming chapters
describes a visit to Mount Sinai and the Greek Con-
vent of st. Catharine. The following passage Illus
trates the literary method:
Nothing could be more exciting than our first full
view of the mountain and OF the celebrated Oreek
convent of St. Catharne, which is nestled among
these wild ana desOlate rocks Immediately at the
base of Mount SINAI. can never IoIeeI iIoM iIie
mountains clear outline broke upon US, towering
above all Others gstening III the morning sum- ana
surrounded on all sides bv the uttermoSt c0ncelV
able desoatIOn. Everything impressed the nina
with a great past The mountain and valley nave
their wonderful story to tell. Upon the summit
according to Biblical tradition, Moses tarlcd uhdcT
divine inspiration. Here the Law was given direct
from Jehovah, while the valley beneath was nlIed
with the chosen people, awed by the nat that went
forth in the thunders of heaven: On TINS scene, so
awfully cOnsecTated, unlmaglnabIe desOiation
Te;Gne3 AS we neared the cOnN ent the eye To-
lieved by the sight OF green trees-the 0ty cypress
and strange to say, the orange-tree with IT'S golden
fruit, and the pOmegranate-in the long garden OF
the convent stretching out toward MS as II TO wei
come us TO its shade This garden, filled with
nlants vegetables and flowers, is ten led with great
care by the monks who inhabit the old convent
tme-honored refuses, whose history dates back TO
n very early Christian epoch, ana VINO are only
moved from their ethargI When party Ike ours
journeys far. TO visit the Venerated scene close
by Soon the time-wOrn outer walls came III slgnt;
These surround and hide the inner buildings All
we could see were the watch-towers upon the
heights. Huge walls they are, mostly built to
guard against the torrents III winter, which some
times sweep down IN immense volume carrying poT-
tons OF DOtn the DullulhB ana INC mountdIH with
One ought always to be prepared here for a
storm In winter, as 1t comes, sometimes as
early as the time of our arrival with great VOL ence
About midnight the gathering OF the black clouds
made il as dark as Erebus and soon the fOodgates
were opened and such terrific storm set in as is
seldom witnessed in any other portion OF the globe;
1t was the first rain since the previous winter, ana
peut-up nature seeming angry with the eternal sun,
visited It's wrath amid the loudest pcas Of thunder.
Crash followed crash, accompanied 10y vivid light
ming the thunder Teverberatlng from mountain 10
mountain until one could imagine he saw Mount
Sinai lit up just 1t was upon the day when the
Mosaic law is said TO have been gwen to man. II
it must have made the chosen people quake. This
splendid scene was agreeable beyond express ion,
and fixed forever in our minds Mount Sinai and its
surroundings. At the same time the roar of the
torrent on either side of WAS distinctly heard as
it rushed past carrying earth and rock with 1t. In
the midst of the dcuge by the flashes OF
lightning hooded monk in the dim distance crop
L. nf he m