New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-22
TIE LAND OF PARADOX.
EGYPT. PRESENT AND FUTURE.
ENGLAND IN EGYPT BY Alfred Mllncr SNo. PIP
AS. New York Macmillan ~ Co.

ENGLAND IN EGYPT; by Alfred Miner svo PIP.
AS. New York: Macmillan ~ Go.
Humility has become - rare virtue IN the
literary world as to be conspicuous when II l.
displayed. The author Of this work, from his
position aS Under Secretary FIR Finance ~ Egypt
had exceptional facilities for inves'i sating the
complex problems of government IN what mas
mayer ceased 10 he a land of paradox. He has
made excellent use of his opportunity, ana mas
prodncnd a volume of great practical valuc; yet
he intr, dnccs il tmOrousy 10 the pu'Ic Ill
prcface unnecessarily apologize in tone. Since
he was compelled TO shorten his Official service III
Egvnt his studies were not so exhaustive a. lie
had MANNED and since also, he has been forced
f., br;no ont the book under stress Of other en-
crossing business he apprchcnds that 1t may De
cond ,mncd for defective form and lack o. lihi'h
in STYLE Probably the work - Il better on"
than he would have written if he had remained
in Egypt for longer period and b"'a laNof',
with more leisure for polishing his periods II
that be paradox il will not b. ont OF pIa'" III
a book on Egyp;-tnat PanGora's bon Of dnonllI''
But it is undoubtedly tue that, while Iittl'
knowledge an0ut great subject Is ddh."r'u
thing TOO much of it often disGualiiics ar author
from making complex questions intelligent" 10 hi'
readers, since it dcprivcs him Of the faculty oil
percciving the general in the particular. more
difTusc and elaborate work would not nav" p'"n
SO useful as this volume which j. conspicu MS ior
lucidity and orderiinCss Of treatment ana "Npo'-
,on. The literary style is also distinctly bette:
than it would have been if 1t had been oNcfiai'
with a veneering Of finish
The volume opens with classical parallel
showing that Egyptian politics to-day are com
tern,rt 10 the customs of the ancient people a.
tbev appcarcd 10 the astOnishcd eye OF llcrDd"thS
This genius for ccccn,ricty is something that no
cb,noe can exercise Nowhere do East ana West
iostlc each other in such startling contrast or
with more grotcsu,ic results. Nowhere i civilized
Government carried on under more lncicnlpl" COZ
ditions A people the most docilc ana good-rhi-
porcd in the world is III the grip OF III" most
ntoierant and fanatical religion, and Is Hung INTO
| The maclstrom Of European rc>'eSsncss. Inc
country is full of turbulent foreigners, VINO can
| NOT he tried in the courts except Tor III" most
| insignificant offences. and for whom the 'oN'ri-
ment cannot lcgislatc without IN" consent IL u
| dozen dist ant Powers Business - carried on pV
| the Government in foreign tongue, wIich Is
not the language of the predImInant race current
expenditures are regulated by bndgc auap''" W
| ,ha minimum requirements Of the day before yes
| tcrday: Ministerial DEGREES are set at naught ny
| the Government courts. and the policy Of the
| STATE - in-plT'u anu uH'''" ~ "'i '''''' ''
Theoretically is an adviser without cXecutiv" funr-
tions and only one of large number Of Foreign
| Ambassadors having coordinate powers APP
| parentIv tin, conditions are Incompatible with In"
| most elementary kind Of decent government, IL
| say nothing of development and progress: yet
| cranes grow from th,rns ana figs from thistcs
| and the revival OF the country during IL" last
few wears j. almost worthy of a fairy tale. Here
| again. in the authors words, the spir. of Tho
| eccentric and the improbable, which seems IN
scparahlc from all things Egyptian. has rollrkcd
| i'll a new surpris,.
| Mr. Miner describes the task which GIca,
| Britain found upon its hands after Tecl-k"bii
| as one of the most thanklcss unpromisns and
| hopeless ever thrust upon an unwilling actor
Yet the result lbs hcen beyond all human eN
| pectation An ideal standard OF civillzafIon Oh
administrative excellence has not been estahlishc l.
| but the difference between Egypt now and Egypt
| in the latter DAYS If Isma Is as Tho
difference between light ana darkness. The
most absurd experiment in government has been
| productive OF one Of the most remarkable hdrvests
| of human Improvement The army, finance
| agriculture, the administration Of justice, and
| the everyday life of the people and OF then
| relations TO their rulers reveal the same tale OF
| revival OF promise, and Of progress III the place
| of almost general ruin and depression of "A tota
distrust in the possibility of just government and
! of "A Footed belief in administrative corruption
| This revolution has been wrought by the appi
| cation Of Il reasonable amount OF common senst
| and common honesty in country ruined by the
| absence OF both
The authors motive il 10 disclose the work OF
the English in Egypt during the last dccale, anc
| the difficulties under which Ii has been done
| lie dc,otcy three chapters TO an analysis OF tho
oorditi,ns confronting Sir Evelyn barring and Iii: