Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-10

which is the northern end Of the Red Sea.
The sultan always has motive for doing
things good or bad and in this case, his
purpose was to place upon the khediVe
the responsibility of protecting the cara
vans OF pilgrims from Egypt and other
north African states, which crossed the
peninsula of Arabia Petraea. At that time
nearly all of the pilgrims went by cara
van. Now most OF them go by steamer
through the Suez Canal, the Gulf of Suez
and the Red Sea to Jedda, the port of the
Holy City. Therefore there is no longer
any need of protection and the sultan
has very serious need OF q port at the
head OF the Gulf Of Akaba.
For this reason he sent a body of troops
about the middle of March to take pos
session of the port of Akaba, and his OFF,
Gals. with or without his instructions, took
the liberty to remove the pillars of stone
which marked the boundary between that
place and Ell Arish. When this was re-
ported to the Egyptian authorities Lord
Cromer, who nominally is only consul gen
eral of Great Britain at Cairo, but is real
ly the ruler of Egypt and is called 1.-The
Greatest Of the Pharaohs." notified his
government in London. The British am
bassador at Constantinople acted promptly,
as usual, and the sultan, according to his
tnvariable habit expressed his regret for
the unfortunate occurance4 promised to
comply Immediately with the demands OF
Great Britain, and gave directions for the
restoration of the boundary stones Wheth-
er his orders have been or will be- obeyed
is doubtful. He never fulflls a promise
unless he is absolutely forced to do So
and at latest reports, Turkish troops still
occupy the disputed port OF Akaba AS
you have seen by the dispatches the Brit
ish government has given him ten days
to quit, and If he has not withdrawn his
forces and restored the boundary at the
end of that time. the British fleet in the
Mediterranean will begin business.
The Sultan's Predicament.
embarrassing predicament, for this entan-
clement compels him either to fight Great
Britain or admit the Jurisdiction of that
government over Egypt and Arabia Pc
traea. Although Egypt is really as much
part of the British empire as Canada, 1t
Is polite fiction to speak of the occupation
of that country temporary" The
khedive is supposed to be the ruler of his
people and his ministers are theoretically
exercising Independent powers, but each of
them always has an English adviser at
his elbow, and the khedtye would scarcely
clothes without consulting the consul gem
eral. This episode Will. therefore, bring
the Egyptian fiction to an end and estab-
lsh the Jurisdiction of King Edward VII
over the land of the Pharaohs
AS l have already told you In previous
letters the sultan has been building a rail-
road from Damascus southwark through
the valley east of the Jordan and the Dead
sea for the ostensfhle purpose of transport
ing pilgrims to Mecca. But an additional
and more important reason for it's con-
struction is the necessity of sending large
military forces to suppress the chronic re-
| belion In southern Arabia. The reasons
for these rebellons l will give in another
| letter.
| This railway has already been completed
| so FAR as Maan. about one hundred miles
| south of the Dead sea and about sixty miles
| from the disputed port of Akaba- 1t is to
| be extended further southwark to Medina
| and Mecca. the Bethlehem and Jerusalem
! of the Mohammedan world. The work Is
| being done by Italian contractors under
| the direction of German engineers, and the
| rails were purchased from the American
| steel trust. In order to have another string
| to his bow the sultan has determined to
make second terminus of the road at
| Akaba, Where troops transported from
Damascus and other northern points by
| railroad can be transferred to steamships
/ and sent down to Yemen without being
| compelled to cross 600 miles of desert or to
| pass through the Suez canal, which Is I'M
der English control. At present the sultan
/ cannot get troops to Yemen without the
| consent of the British. and they may close
| the Suez canal against him at any time.
Many people believe that the Arab rebel
| lion is encouraged and assisted by the Brit
ish authorities in Egypt and at Alden, the
southernmost port Of the Red sea- That