Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17

he had no difficulty in obtaining. In conse-
quence of this purchase England obtained
a representation on the board of directors.
AS the credit of the British government was
terms-5 per cent being the Rothschilds' in
terest-a sinking fund was established,
which actually redeemed the entire cost of
the canal, so that England now holds about
nothing has been paid out Of the British
treasury.
THE bombardment of Alexandria in 1882
and the victory of Tel-el-Kebir gave Eng
land a predominant influence in Egypt. NJ.
de Freycinet asked the French chamber for
credit with view to the protection of the
canal; this credit was refused by 416 votes
to 20 and the French retired from Egyptian
waters. The British became practically the
masters of Egypt, but they did not abuse
their victory with regard to the canal.
Lord Granville at the beginning of the
year 1888 addressed circular to the great
powers An international commission was
appointed and sat in Paris. The discus
sion lasted several years, and a paper was
signed In 1883, in virtue Of which the neu-
trality Of the canal was formally recog-
nized. Or, rather, the language Of the
treaty shows clearly that the powers
agreed to treat the waterway as neutral;
they did not agree to guarantee its neu-
trality.
From the very first the Suez canal was
clothed with an international character,
and the original concession contemplated
neutral canal 1t is a private enterprise,
conducted by foreigners of various ma
tionalities, in territory subject to interna-
tional control. and under a concession from
government too weak to afford adequate
protection. and itself subject to interna-
tional supervision.
A Circle of Authorities.
Egypt is the land of political f1ctions.
Technically, the khedive is the well-nigh
absolute ruler. under the suzerainty of the
Sultan of Turkey. In reality, the authority
of the khedive Is only nominal, while the
by England. Above the sultan above the
khedive, and above the British govern
ment, is the concert of Europe, exercising
an ultimate supervision.
"Protracted negotiation during the dis
cussions of naturalization gave for the
time being the impression that 1t was a
diplomatic duel between England and
France. The main question concerned the
area to be neutraliZed. France wished to
prohibit all acts of war and all acts di-
rected Immediately to the preparation of
an operation of war;. not only in the canal
itself and its ports OF access, but also in
It's approaches of the canal and. the ter
ritorial waters of Egypt.
England, however, sought to restrict, so
far as possible, the area to be neutralized.
In this she was not actuated solely by a
disinterested regard for Egypt; but. was
wisely seeking to safeguard her own fu-
ture interests. She foresaw that her oc-
cupation of that country might be perma-
nent, and consequently wished to keep as
much territory as possible free from neu-
trality, in order that it might whenever
necessary be utilized by her as a military
base. In this regard she carried her point.
But the treaty itself was a futile attempt
to reconcile irreconcilable interests, and all
she has to give her the supremacy in Suez.
whether in theory or in practice, is the
strength of her superior fleets and her po-
sftion IN Egypt, Gibraltar, Malta, Perrin
and Alden" A r. p