New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-09
EGYPT.
rrrr IMPRESSIONS AND NOTES OF AN Elk
DIPLOMATIC AGENT AND
CONSUL GENERAL.

PenHeld United States Diplomatic Agent a III
peni pS,linpoteaux and r. Talbot Kelly a no
from photographs Oc'aVo pP' Nh"
Century Company
Mr. Penield Is most to be praised FOR the eoou
.ense with which he has handled a theme over
which so many travellers are dlsposeu " W
come dthyrambic and obscure. His experience
as a diplomatic representative OF the O"''eu
st.,.. IN revpt showed him that for the proper
administration OF his Office alertness and shre"o-
ness were constantly required. These qualities
90. ,,,s,ble IN his book He has abundant re-
snect for what has been done and what Is
beinv done by the British in Egypt. but he has
~ illusions as 10 the British occupation
Whether he Is describing the city Of CAIRO OF
telling the story OF the Suez Canal, or comment
inc unon Lord Cromer's remarkable rule, ne
writes with cleo rness and goes straight 10 the
pont present Day Egypt illustrates the com
bination none too familiar of enthusiasm
combined with the judicial faculty. The author'
like every one else who has fingered long III
the East is more or less in love with the coun-
try and the first two chapters OF his WORK are
entitled I'm Fascinating Cairo, when oesisna
ton shows clearly enough through what lrlehuis
eyes he regards the city. But Mr.. Fehneiu
thinks nothing OF stripping the glamour from
any subject His main point Is to set down the
truth Thus he does not hesitate 20 Inform the
suokcr that the name Egyptian cigarette II.
strictly speaking. a msnomer, for he says no
tobacco is grown in the country, and. In fact.
cultivation Of the plant has been foroiddeh
since 1890 by Khedval decree. cigarettes
made in Egypt" he observes would be the
truthful description. Practically. all the TO-
bacco comes from Turkey. where 1T Is shipped
chiefly from KavaIa, Latakia and Yendje. The
I'D Itolx nd
major part Of the labor employed is Greek ex-
cept for common cigarettes, which are made by
native workmen The manufacture is very
largely In the hands Of Greeks, and so deeply
founded Is the belief that Europe and America
will buy only Egyptian cigarettes made by
Greek firm that several Cairo manufactures
are carried on under trade names invented or
borrowed in pursuance OF this strange notion"
Mr.. Penfield notes that the Cairo made Gig
arctic is the best Of all those manufactured In
Esypt The same tobacco and Workmen as skill
ful as those in Cairo used elsewhere. but
the peculiarly dry climate OF the capital is said
TO be better adapted than any other to the fabr-
cation OF cigarettes We may mention here an
interesting point connected with the native de-
sire for some stimulant. Since the Koran for
bids the use OF liquors and wines. the people
have turned TO hashish. The importation OF
this noxious Indian drug is forbidden by the
most drastic laws and Mr.. Penfeld informs us
that hundreds Of miles Of ttoral TO the east
and west Of Alexandria, and every foot OF the
Suez Canal. are deliberately patroled with
view TO the prevention OF smuggling Never
theless. in one way or another the hemp COM
pound IS brought into the country, and II Is
used throughout Lower Egypt by thousands
In regard to another matter OF antiquarian
rather than present interest, Mr.. Pen1eld is
also notably candid. Tie will have none of the
old traditions in regard to Cleopatra, and re-
fuses TO believe either that she was a half-caste
or that she used an asp TO bring about her death.
Touching the latter point he says: THE theory
OF the poisonous reptile. conveyed TO the I'M
happy queen in a basket OF figs. is improbable
Cleopatra was too experienced in Eastern ways
not to have understood the secret Of posons
and have them at hand The brother-husband
sharing with her the throne had died from poi
son years before, under circumstances that in
dicated his murderess. and. besides. a woman
OF her vanity would choose from Of the
DESTROYING drugs known 10 her rather than from
the poison of the asp, dsfgurng in its agency
Of destruction"
The traveller in Egypt who takes Mr.. Pen
fields volume with him will be grateful for the
descriptive passages in which II abounds, for
its informal but practical directions as to the
best way Of seeing the sights. making pur-
chases, ETC.; but II he is a thoughtful traveller
ne will feel especially indebted for the chapters
which set forth the administrative methods Of
the country. and It's general political and in
dustria condition The author is uncommonly
lucid and helpful in the matter Of that complex
piece OF machinery which has been devised for
governmental purposes through the cooperation
OF the alien Powers the Khedive and the Sui
tan. Egypt has six partners, we are reminded
France. Germany, Russia. Austria and Italy. as
we'll as Great Britain. Mr.. Penfed is luminous
on the subject Of their various responsibilities
and privileges He admits that 1T would tax
the capacity Of the proverbal Philadelphia law
yer" TO understand the situation sufficiently 10
be able to expound It with authority, but he
has taken pains to give full an account as
possible Of all the devious windngs OF those
policies which meet and, so far as they can, fuse
in the land of the Pharaohs The "capitula-
lions so frequently mentioned in books and
newspapers and we fear, so rarely understood
he treats with admirable skill. He points GU
how the religion and pride OF the Oriental mad,
Il impossible for him TO treat with other nations
according 10 the international laws OF Chrsten
dom, and how the necessity for commercial in
tercourse. on the other hand. compelled SOM
mutual adjustment OF the East and the West
Treaty measures were thought Of But
would never do 10 call them treaties The repre-
sentative on earth Of the Prophet could neve
treat a Christian ruler as an equal. The Sultan
considered themselves the only sovereigns o
the earth; all others deserved nothing but pit
and federation. Treaties could be entered int
only with their equals. they argued. To thei
interiors only grants and favors were possible
So the word 'capitulation. meaning letters o
privilege, was brought into use. No reciprocal
obligation was constituted by the capituatior
as it was meant to be purely gratuitous con
cession and favor granted TO Christians, b.
virtue of which they to be tolerated upo'
the soil OF Islam" Into the labyrinthne result