, 1896-03-21
DAILY Telegraph 25th Feb

There is not the %faintest Indication of any
intention on the part Of the French and Rus
sian Governments to call upon England,
through the medium of the Sultan, to evacu-
ate Egypt. A few weeks ago it was reported
that Baron de Courcel was returning to Lon
don with instr uctions to reopen t~heEgyptian
Question. At that date | expressed myself
scepticAI on the subject Of this rumour, and
its present rivival IN another shape is not, so
far, supposed by the smallest title of evidence
1t will be remembered that at the time when
France was backing Russia in the Chino
Japanese affair a good deal was said here
about Russia, eventually giving France a qNid
pro qUo. Only the p%artlSans in Paris of an
adventurous policy, however, pointed straight
to Egypt az the country In which Russia'S
influence would be exerted. Months have
since rolled by, and nothing more has been
said about the matter either in France or in
Russia. BY Muscovite authorities generally
such a course is not only disclaimed, but it is
argued that the Ears Government las al
ready more than sufficiently nix on its hands
in the development of the resources the EN-
pire. They point to RuSSia's reserve IN con-
nectiOn with the Armenian Question. for
instance, as a proof that thai Power is ox-
tremely anxious to steer clear of foreign
complications. Russia great preOccupation,
they declare, is peace, will enable her to
proceed to the arrangement Of many domPs-
ito affairs, the settlement Of which is Of para
mount Importance to her. Under such cir
cumstances, therefore, what possible inter
est could they have in the re-orening Of a
question of such magnitude Russia. they
add, only concluded her entente with France
because she believed that by so doing she
would assure peace to Europe, and her views
in this matter were thoroughly known to-,
and and understood by, the Government of
the Republic. 1t may be that some slight
attempt has been made TO ascertain how mat
tars stand, and the inference has been drawn
that there was q disposition to conf ont Eng
land with an ultimatum On this matter
nothing is known here, nor, indeed, is it
thought to have happened. No moment, in
dsed, could be more i'll chosen for France
and Russia, even if they were SO minded to
approach England ON such q question with
tho Ottoman Government as an intermtdla-
Ty. Although, unfortunately. the so-called
European concert has created great disap-
pOintment by it's powerlessness to deal effeC-
lively with the Armenian Question, the Am
bassadors of the Powers have been cO-Cperat-
ing At Constantinople for months. manly at
highlands initiative, in the attempt to i'm
prove the condition of the presented race.
Such a sudden transformation scene as the
request by the Sultan, at the instigation Of
France and Russia, to England to leave
Egypt, appears on the face Of it more than
improbable. Russia is anxious to avoid any
irritnting or burning question, and NJ. Ber-
helot, on his side, is too prudent and cir
umspeot a statesman to rush rashly on amy
adventure. At the present moment other
questions between England and France are
in process of settlement, and it is considered
extremely unlikely that any move Of the
kind should have eInated from Paris and St.
Petersburg.