The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-29
SULTAN NOW BRAVES BRITAIN
WILL HE YIELD NOW AS HE HAS
DONE IN TIE PASTP
EpiSer Probably Making q Catspaw Of the
Turk to Get Revenge for the German
Rebun at Algeciras-NO Previous Quar-
brl With the Sultan Has Been Serious.

Turk 10 OeJ Revenge IOF inc ucEWah
Rebun at Algeciras-No Previous Quar-
tl With the Sultan Has Been Serious.
spsd1, odob Despatch % TIE SUN
LONDON, April 2s.-Although the Sultan
has given way at the last moment in every
serious dispute in the last twenty years,
rLare is q feeling Of grave uneasiness in
Government circles over the present Egyp-
tan boundary crisis.
The Turkish attitude is one Of determined
aggression and the British authorities have
10 option but TO resort to the prompt one
# military and naval measures to drive
Islam from it's present position.
Whether a display Of force will result in
the usual retreat depends entirely on what
is behind the Turkish policy. The Sultan
has deliberately opened the whole Egyptian
question and has done it in a manner which
leaves only two possible issues Of the crisis.
He must either push his claim to Egyptian
sovereignty to q logical conclusion, which
means war with England, or by backing
down he will virtually recognize British
dominion In Egypt and the present farce
Of the Khedfve's vassalage, and Englands
Temporary occupation will come to an
and.
Whatever may be said Of the Sultan, he
h too shrewd a man to raise this issue lightly
and without some great plan and motive
regarding future Developments. The idea
which naturally eeizes the British mind is
that the Kaiser, out of revenge for Ageciras,
lie making Turkey a catspaw to annoy Great
Britain. There are strong reasons for dis
aRreeing with this view. There is no doubt
that one of Germany's most effective moves
Aeainst England in case of war between
theee countries would be to arouse the
Moslem world against Great Britain both
in Eeypt and India. German influence at
constantinople is perhaps great enough to
secure Abdul Hands cooperation in such
an emergency It is obviously not to Ger
nany's interest. however. to provoke a con-
fict between Turkey and England when the
latter is free TO turn her whole energies
against the Ottoman Empire. German
intrigue at the present moment, therefore,
could only be accounted for by the Kaieer's
purpose to begin a struggle himself against
England as DOR az the present crisis has
developed
Nobody seriously believes that any such
move is contemplated at Berlin. The most
reasonable superstition is that the Sultan
lie acting on his W initiative. What then
ts his design? Some argue that he is merely
attempting 70 put pressure on Great Britain
10 gain her consent to an increase OF the
Turkish customs OF TO pay an indemnity
for the disputed territory. Most diplo-
natists regard this motive as wholly mad
edrate. There are others who seei this
nanduvr the elimination of the great
plan to open the long threatened holy war.
r. ia only a serious view Of this nature which
can explain the great alarm Of Downing
Street and the hurried return of King Ed
ward to England.
The correspondent Of The sun has made
q careful examination of the technical
rights involved in tine disputed territory
and il must be said, despite the sweeping
claims bv the British press, that the Sultan
has a strong case. Even the English maps
and charts in the British Museum show that
the Egyptian boundary runs direct from
the Suez end of the canal to Ell Arish on the
Mediterranean Taba lis well outside Of
this line. The rights of Egypt in the dis
puted territory are only administrative ones
which we're granted by G. firman in 1910
and we're designed 70 secure the protection
Of the old pilgrim road to Mecca through
Akabo. This had never been changed,
The essential point involved in the Egyp-
tan question as a whole is whether that
country before British possession vas a
vassal State paying tribute TO Turkey or
ras a privileged province" Of the Turkish
Empire.
The British claim to the country is based
on the former assumption. The Sultan,
m the other hand. points out that oil fir
mans and other records describe it as a
privileged but integral part of the ottoman
Empire. This question Of technical rights
is not Of much practical consequence. for
all the world knows that Egypt to all in
tents and purposes is o part Of the British
Empire: az such will be- defended with as
much determination as n Of the colonies.
There are no two opinions on this point
In England and the present Government
will resist the Sultan's encroachment with
as much vigor as would its predecessors.
That is what makes the situation serious
and the Turkish purpose incsrutable. No
previous quarrel with the Sultan has in
volved such a grave issue and in none has
he laid himself open TO such a decisive
rebuff &c he must now receive. The chief
danger lies in the great unrest Of the whole
Noslem world and the fact that a holy war.
which vas narrowly averted in December
NAV burst upon the world at any moment.