New-York tribune., 1906-07-07
THE BGYpyTAv MBNAcE

1t would be injudcious to assume that the
peace of the world is endangered by the unrest
which undeniably prevails in the Egyptian
Delta or that the peace of Europe is threatened.
Time was when such might have been the case.
That was when the status of Egypt in relation
to the European powers was as yet underlined.
But now there is no uncertainty on that point.
Great Britain has a free hand in Egypt and her
policy and actions there will not be challenged
by any other power. The worst that can happen
is that Great Britain will be compelled to put
forth more of her strength for the control of
Egypt. Such a necessity. should it arise, would
be regrettable. but it would not be embarrassing
The emergency could be successfully met-much
more easily, we imagine, than was that of 1882.
With so competent statesman as Sir Edward
Grey in the Foreign Office, and with the veteran
Lord CrOmer at Cairo. the British mind will
probably remain tranquil on that subject, though
demanding that there shall be q constant and
ample uphOlding of the hands OF those to whom
is committed the maintenance OF British au-
thOrity along the Nile.
Nobody who has intelllgently watched the
drift of affairs In Africa and Asia for the last
few years will question for a moment the accu-
racy OF Sir Edward Grey's assertion that the
recent attack upon British officers at Tantah, in
the Delta, was much more than a sporadic and
detached incident Of local origin; that it was a
deliberate manifestation of a widespread spirit
Of fanaticism, which for some time has been
growing in extent and intensity. Whether it is
a racial or a religious fanaticism there may be
some doubt. Perhaps it partakes of both nat
ures. Certainly there has been of late much
unrest among the nOn-European races all the
way from the northern MongolS to the southern
Kafirs embracing MOngOls, HindOos, Malays,
FilipinOs, Arabs, Turks, Egyptians, MOOrs, Hot
tentots and Zulus. At the same time there has
been specially marked a recrudescence OF Mos
lem antagOnism toward Christian nations. 1t
seems probable that this latter spirit was the
more direct and potent in the Tantah affair. The
natives who without provOcation attacked Brit
ish officers with bludgeOns, with deadly intent.
were not COptic fellaheen, but Moslems, and
there has been some pretty confident tracing of
the influences which led to that outrage back
to the Turkish attempt to rush" Egyptian
territory in the Sinaitic Peninsula. 1t was un-
derstOOd at that time that q Turkish propa-
ganda, appealing to religious prejudices had
been conducted by the Turks among the Moslems
of the Delta.
ANY considerable disturbance in Egypt would
be dOubly deplOrable, because of the encourage
ment which it might give to the spirit Of unrest
and revolt in other Eastern lands and because
of its almost inevitable interference with the
superb work of civilization and progress which
is being done in Egypt itself. There are few
chapters of administrative history so bright as
that which records the marvellous work done
by England, under the direction of Lord CrOmer,
for the rehabilitation, enfranchisement material
prosperity and intellectual and moral uplifting
Of that ancient land. That work will be main
tanned with unfaItering resolution, and will
doubtless triumph over any obstacles which ia
natcism and reaction may put into it's way, but
it would be cause for regret to have any obstacle
give it even a mOmentary check.