New-York tribune., 1898-11-20

Who supported tbe latter in her struggle for
independence from Turkey. when all the other
Powers were against her. b. their opposition
preventing that Independence from becoming
complete Il Uas 10 France that Nehcmet Ali.
the founder Of the present Khedivial dynasty
turned for aid IN his attempt to ciN.iize Egypt
as ne understood the meaning Of civilization.
For something Ike hall century French law
yers French engineers and French men OF
learning were engaged in doing their best to
cndow Egypt with the fruits Of Western culture;
and although their efforts may rot in every
case have been crowned with immediate sue
cess much good seed was sown which has since
come TO ripencss Frcnchmen, in one word
were the pioneers OF European influence and OF
Western civilization IN the Land OF the Nlle
and to such extent is the latter impregnated
with Gallic ideas that the French language
shares with the Arabic the distinction Of being
the official tongue. and Englishmen in Egyptian
service have actually to carry on their official
correspondence with one another In French
Finally, il is To France that the nineteenth
century owes the discovery Of the means Of
unraveling the mysteries Of the times Of
the Pharaohs 1t IS 10 French enterprise and to
French capital that the world is indebted Tor
the Suez Canal. constructed in the face Of the
strongest kind Of English opposition: while
last but not least. wellnigh the whole of the
national debt Of Egypt. aggregating some 500
0UNU is held by French investors.
From this it will be seen that France has GER
tain preferred rights in Egypt. which until lSS2
were to such an extent recognized by the Eng
lish that the latter readily agreed to work IN
conjunction with France at Cairo the two
Powers being on an equal footing in every par
ticular.
FOREIGN INTERFERENCE BEGUN.
I'D 10 the time OF the construction Of the Suez
Canal there had been no attempt on the part OF
any Of tn. EuroIean Powers TO interfere with
the internal administration Of Egypt. a coun-
try which go recently as forty years ago was
entirely free from any national debt. Increased
intercourse with Europe brought about by the
construction OF the great water way between the
Red Sea and the Mediterranean led khedive
said and after him his nephew Ismal. to begin
an era Of such insane extravaganza that in the
short space Of sixteen years debt Of more
than S6OO.OOO.OOO had been piled up and the
Egyptian Government had been brought iace 10
face with bankruptcy. As the money had been
entirely borrowed in Europe and as. moreover.
the governments Of the countries to which
Egypts creditors belonged we're convinced that
the interest upon the debt could be paid II only
there was anything in the nature of an honest
and capable Administration Khedive Ismail was
induced unde- threats Of deposition TO submit to
the nomination Of English Mrister OF FL
nance and French Minister OF Public Works
In his native Cabinet. it being understood that
their directions were to be obeyed.
This arrangement. after a three months trial.
was brought to close by riot. in which the
Egyptian Premier and his English colleague
were grossly maltreated Investigation proved
that it was the Khedve himself who had in
sugatea the riot, with view OF putting an end