The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-29
THE NEW EGYPTIAN QUESTION.
How E~nEland's Possible Action Might
Anect German Interests.

To TIE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir; There
Ia a good deal more behind the despatch OF
British troops TO Egypt to REINFORCE the garri-
son there than appears on the surface A
silent struggle has been going on between
Turkey and Great Britain for at least ten
years over several questions, aud two OF Them
have been settled by force on the part OF
Great Brita IN. They we're the disputes over
Koweit on.the Persian Gulf and the extension
Of the Alden Protectorate.
The.frst arose out Of the permission given
by the Turkish Government TO the German
Ba Rded R:;;wsY Company 20 make KoweH
its terminus. for the other there was no po-
litlcal or military reason apparent. but the
result Of n was to stir the Arabs of Central
Arabia against the Turks. who have. only
retained their hold Of what territory they
still occupy at great cost of life and monAy,
In the meanwhile the Egyptian question
has been slowly incubating, and for several
months past there have been symptoms that
caused Lord Cromer. who ts the virtual ruler
Of Egypt. for the Khedive is now only a media
tlzed sovereign. TO address the religious Lead
ers. calling on them to warn their people.
especially the students, against making
trouble for the Government Whether
through lukewarmness or inability to con"
troll, the leaders failed to calm the more derry
among the younger men. and Lord Cromer
a few weeks ago threatened disciplinary
Iltd Bd co IL. Nhp = FChb - thp ANC w."
~tinuing to make trouble. On top OF this has
come the Turco-Egyptian boundary ouee-
ton and the refusal of the Sultan TO accept
the British demands to eVacuate a position
which he claims the right to occupy on the
double ground Of territorial sovereignty and
his suzerainty o-er Egypt As H. stands at
present the matter looks very much as II n
We're intended to serve as q peg on which 70
hang a quarrel. Whether the intention to
force one lies on the Turkish or British side
must be left TO time to tell
So far there is nothing really alarming
about the increasing OF the British garrison
in Egypt. the force being too small TO be re-
garded as other than q precaution against
local disturbances and TO preserve the COM
munications with the Upper Nile. The
Mediterranean squadron would furnish all
the guard necessary for the Suez Canal, Any
action against Turkey in connection with the
Tabah matter would be taken In another di.
~rection, at the entrance Of the Dardenelles.
and probably at Ale xandretta. A naval
demonstration and the occupation Of an
island helng the conventional thing TO begin
with. the British Mediterranean squadron
would naturally rendezvous in the Fgesn.
the importance Of the matter rould. ho~.
ever. depend on what island vas occupied,
II would not be very great, II MTtiLene or
Lernnos we're held, bat 70 land a force on tbs
island of Thasos would be q demonstration
hike against L6TLQdly duu 1 III Key. Ioi req"
sons which readers of TIT SCE rho remember
the account given of the German concessions
on that island in the beginning Of the year
will understand
Ap occupation of Mersins or some other
point on the Gulf Of Alexandretts would be
equivalent TO that OF Thasos. as the Deutschs
Bank. which is financing the Bagdad rail.
way enterprise. has recently bought the con-
trolling interest in the Mersina-Adara Rail
way- which is about forty miles long and will
be an important branch Of the great trunk
line from Constentinople to Bagded
As will be seen from these circumstances.
the %ousting Of the Turks from Tabah has more
than an An glo-Turkish side, and NAV become
in certain eventualitiee an international
matter. Az the same time il is easv 70 UNDER
stand why. as stated in the Berlin despatch
10 THE SCN this morning, the idea that Ger
many is in any way behind the Porte in the
Tabah affair is deprecated in German Official
circles. PERA,
NEW YORK, April rs