Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-15
KHED|VE OF EGYPT
Frugal Yourg Man Of Bust
ness Hab is.
FOND OF AMERICANS
GIVES FIVE OR SIX HOURS A DAY
TO HIS DUTIES.
Seventh in Descent From Mehemet Ali,
the Adventurer, Who Founded
the Dynasty.
FOND OF AMERICANS
BY WILLIAM f CURTIS.

CAIRO. December -, 1903.
The Khedive of Egypt is his highness Alb
bas IIilmi ii. seventh in descent from Me
hemet Ali, an Albanian adventurer, who
was elevated to the throne in 1900 by an
election by the people. Abbas H1lmi was
born in Cairo July Ii, 1874, and is there
fore nearly thirty years of age. He sue
ceeGed his father, Tewiik, who died after
a short illness January {, 1852. Abbas
was then eighteen years old and q student
at Vienna University. pursuing special
course under the supervision of Francis
Joseph. Emperor of Austria, who took 4
kindly interest in the lad and endeavored
to direct his training so that he might be
fitted to rule the oldest nation in the
world. Abbas hurried from Vienna to Con-
stantinople by order of the sultan. and was
escorted to Cairo with great ceremony in
April
Mehcmet Ali founder of the present dy-
nasty, was born at Cavalla, il small town
on the seasoast of Albania, about ITO. His
father was a fisherman, or at least that is
the understanding. but nothing definite Is
known concerning him except that he came
of humble parentage, had no education.
and even when viceroy of Egypt could
scarcely write his name. He possessed
great force of character however, and I'M
bounded ambition, and, what is most i'm
portant of all in conspirator, unlimited
IL.
was destined to be second Napoleon Bon
aparte. This fancy stimulated by
similarity In their origin and early careers
They were born the same year, and both
rose from obscurity by force of arms
When he was a boy he served in the Turk
ish army and, being natural soldier. was
rapidly advanced in rank. He married the
daughter of the governor of Albania, and
by her had three sons, 1brahim, TuSun and
Ismail.
After the evacuation of Egypt by Ma
pcieon. in 1875. Mehemet was sent to Cairo
in command of Turkish troops. About THIS
time the Mamelukes, who were mobiles OF
high rank. rebelled against the Turkish
governor, and Mehemet. foreseeing that The
latter would be overthrown. took sides with
the natives. who elected him their leader
Cairo is for sale" he declared, and the
strongest sword Will buy ii.
Massacre of the Mamelukes
He took possession of the citadel with mis-
Albanian regiment and invited the Name
lulxes. 800 in number, to a conference there.
Unsuspicious of treachery they came. wear
ing their richest apparel and riding their
finest Arabian chargers. They must have
made a splendid appearance, for they were
the cream of Egyptian nobility and the
finest fighters in the world When the last
man in the procession had passed through
the arched gateway of the citadel the great
oaken. iron-bound gates fell and trumpet
was heard. At that signal storm of lead
the windows and the roof of the barracks
that surrounded the parade grounds. where
they were drawn up in line to be received
by Mehemet Ali. Caught as in trap, re-
sistance was impossible and the massacre
continued until every man lay lifeless upon
the gravel except one, who, according 10
tradition (Which is disputed), broke through
the storm. galloped across the parade
ground and forced his horse to leap over
wall upon the rocks thirty feet below. The
story says that the horse was killed. but
the man escaped and fed from the country
He afterWard returned TO his home, died III
Cairo and his grave is pointed ont
This "hecatomb to the peace of the prov
irce.' 1t was calmly described by Me-
hemet. removed all opposition TO the Turk
ish colonel and 1t was easy for him 10
negotiate with the Sultan of Turkey for
the privilege of ruling what had been a
very troublesome province.
The history of the next forty years chron-
ices the greatest progress ever made by
Egypt for until his death in 1919, Mehemet
developed the industries and the resources
o. the country, encouraged trade, eStaD-
Iished schools built canals and other pub
lie works and did his best to Introduce
western civilization among his subjects
lie taught the people to grow cotton and
sugar and provided system of irrigation
which extended the cultivated area by
many thousands OF acres. II 1t mad not
been for the intervention of the great pow
ers Mehemet would have overthrcwn the
Sultan of Turkey and placed himself upon
the throne OF the Ottoman empire. Had IL
not been for the British government ne
would at least have secured the lnoe-
pendence of Egypt
Mehemet was succeeded on the throne by
his son lbra him. who had been commander
in-chief of his fathers army and won the
military glory which the latter enjoyed.
Ibrahim was one of the great soldiers of his
time, and an able. patriotic and progressive
ruler He created an army and navy FOR
Egypt, imposed just laws, founded schools
and colleges and did much for the welfare
OF the people. But ne was allowed to live
only short time after ascending the
throne and succeeded by Abbas,
nephew. who proved TO be incapable, and is
said to have been strangled in his palace.
In 1854 Said Pasha. the fourth son Of Me-
hemet became the ruler of Egypt for ten
years, and. although not a great man, ne
was just and progressive. He abolished a
number of cruel monopolies. started sys-
TEN of railways in the Delta, enlarged the
irrigation canals founded the museum at
Cairo and gave NJ. de Lesseps concession
for the SueZ canal.
The Extravagant Ismail.
In 1863 Ismail son of Ibrahim Pasha and
grandson of Mehenet, was made khedive
and became famous for his extrava gance
and enterprise. He extended the railways,
established more schools, introduced for
eign methods of agriculture and engaged in
every undertaking that was suggested TO
him for the benefit of his people. regardless
of KS cost or practicability. He had no
penses of his household were fabulous. 1t
cost $2l 100000 to carry out his program
for the opening of the Suez canal He built
useless palaces in all parts of the country:
he expended vast sums upon experimental
projects he surrounded by officials
whose corruption and extravaganza sur
passes belief. and when he had exhausted
the credit of his government and was not
able to borrow another dollar a commission
appointed by the great powers to investi-
gate the finances of Egypt, found that he
nHa fo,. ,;.t
was little or nothing to show
The powers, representing the bondhold-
ers took charge of the government and de-
manded his abdication When he refused
they appealed to the sultan, who sent two
kilograms to Cairo. June 26 1879. One or
them notified Ismail that he deprived
Tewfik. of his elevation to the throne. Tew