The Portland daily press., 1896-07-11


Nile Viewed in the Light of the Past
Newspaper Correspondents Graphic
Account.
: A great historic drama is being enacted
In this part of the world, writes Will j.
Roe, correspondent of the New York
World at Cairo, Egypt. 1t Is sequll to
many tragedies aud comedies that have
held the boards here in other days and
gains its interest both strom the recog-
nized past and the uncertain future
To fully comprehend the significance OF
the events now taking place in Darkest
Africa it is necessary for the reader to
review the recent history of Egypt. BY
This means added interest will be given
to the approaching occurrences in the
Eoudan, where events of5sgroat moment
are in process of incubation.
When Sultan Ismae came to the throne
Of Egypt, in 1868, he found his country
In comparative financial security. Being
naturally of weak and pIeasure-loving
temperament. little travel in Europe, a
taste of European luxury and slight
draught from that spring of whose waters
little is said to be dangerous thing
to Egypt he plunged into every form of
folly and extravaganza
Palace after palace was built. some of
which he never visited, railroads were
projected. mills put in operation and @
thousand and one innovations inaugural
ed without either time or forethought.
There were naturally. even in EGYPT,
soon Bill Tweeds enough to fyece SO wan
ton government, to the end that two
years after the succession of Is-nael's son
Tewfik (Which followed his fathers depo-
5ition in 1879 the national debt was up-
ward of $50 600, 600, and the, country be-
same bankrupt The heaviest, creditor
being, Turkey, Egypt must have fallen
under Ottoman control had not England
inteprosed and enforced hef recognition
to suzerainty by the powers. Hence be-
gan, twelve years ago, the British ocou-
panoy, which, in all honors be it said,
has been boon beyond price to thesland.
The country's finance has been brought
to credit, railroads have been built and
the possibilities CT the land. mills have
been brought 60 successful operation and
a paying basis, the poorly disciplined
Egpy titan soldiers have been converted
under English officers into formidable
body of men; in a word, system was in
Produced through the entire organization.
Up to this point all was we'll, but for
I,o al
has been clear to all but "the good
Samaritan himself, that his work WAS
complete, that the fallen brother was able
to walk alone. For months the English,
urged more by French and other foreign
criticism, than Egyptian unrest, have
been talking of evacuating Egypt at
time Indefinitely near.
The khedive himself, rather impetu-
GUS, heady young fellow, is very bitter
towards those whom be does not scruple
to call his oppressors. with the reward of
being termed "a sulky boy" By the Eng
lish. who are profoundly shocked at his
Ingratitude and lose no opportunity of
Wanting their Egyptian occupancy as a
purely missionary work. Impartial be-
lief is that the khodivo islaquite man
enough to govern his own country, al
though it is known that on several occas-
ions lately he,has been unreservedly bull
dozed by the imperious English president
Lord Cromer. into granting the will of
the government, (which is only advis-
ing" as in the case when he was given
twenty four hours to dismiss his prime
minister.
Such was the state of affairs when the
feeling both at home and abroad would
have demanded an early evacuation had
not new bomb exploded at peculiarly
opportune moment The success of the
Abyssinians against the Italians EN- bold
khalifa in the Soudan to an attempt to
wrsst still more territory from its old
enemy, Egypt. The English at once
seized on this and brought it for immedi-
ate decision to the khedive-a problem
difficult, indeed. The alternatives pre-
sented to his mind were practically these:
"Shall / refuse the help OF these detest-
ed English and in so doing insure the
rulership of my own country. though l
lose to the dervisos the upper half of it,
and thus grant them such control of the
Nile that, should they seek engineering
aid from outside, irreparable ruin would
oTertake nay whole country? Or shall
submit to indefinite English occupation
and perhaps regain the Soudan and coz
troll of the Nile?"'
= Wisely or foolishly he in desperation
chose the latter course Che was given no
time to deliberately, and Is said to have
regretted it ever since. In the English
papers the object of Ebe Dongola expedi-
tion is proclaimed to be two-fold one OF
helping Egpyt to defend her frontiers
and assisting the Italian campaign" but
hlthough have come in contact with
many soldiers and English correspond
ents on the expedition l have not met
one hypooritical enough to assert that it
was other than an attempt to gain tori
tory il the Soudan, which would render
indefinite occupation of Egypt not only
DlaUsible but imDeratiua