New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-30
THE DEFENCE OF EGYPT
East Front vulnerable, but Little
To Be Feared from the Senussi.
{ From The Manchester G.drdiar)


Egypt has two frontiers, an eastern, which
Is much the more important, toward Turkey,
and western frontier facing toward Tripoli
and the still independent tribes Of the back
country. On both sides there Is desert, and
the problem Of Egyptian defence is the same
or both east and west-namely, the right
treatment Of the marches Of the desert.
Ancient Egypt defended herself by securing
the allegiance Of the cities Of Phillstis, on
the coss. road to Syria, and of Judea, over
looking the Phistine plain from the hills
on the east. That is still the only rational
principle OF defence on this Egyptian from
tier The desert Is more easily crossed now
than at any time in past history; railways
can overcome the problem OF transport and
pipeline can be laid to carry water. II Is said
that the Turkish attack on Egypt has been
postponed for lack OF railway material, but
system Of defence which depended on tho
absence of railway material In Palestine is
self condemned The strategic frontiers Of
Egypt are in Palestine, now as always.
These frontiers are not in our possession.
and the actual line Of defence is along the
Sues Canal, which, though capable Of being
made impregnable, is none the less very
bad frontier for Egypt. The main value OF
Egypt TO US is that it commands the shortest
passage to the East The canal, in fact, is
t., India and our Eastern Empire what tho
IDsrdanelles are TO Turkey and Constsnti-
nople, and a system Of defence which carries
- ~
opposing battle fronts is obviously bad. Sup
posing the Turks were able TO keep up tho
attack on the Suez Canal line without
actually carrying it, they would still have
accomplished everything that the Germans
could desire, because this would be sufficient
TO stop the Canal for the purposes Of trade.
We might continue TO hold Egypt, but We
should be virtually in the position of Turkey
holding the Dsrdanelles straits against the
operations Of a power commanding the
Egypt as things are-and the fact cannot bs
too often emphasized-is the weak spot In our
system of imperial defence by sea power.
Not until Palestine is in our possession can
4 Egypt be regarded as safe. The chief con-
ISOLATION Of the present situation is that ono
line of railway, which is the sole connection
that Turkey has with Europe, cannot support
more than one campaign. The corridor"
which Germany has won by the suppression
OF Serbia cannot at one and the same tins
support blockade Of Salonca from the land
and campaign against the British in Egypt.
i From the west there can be no decisive
campaign against Egypt The chief danger
on this side is from tho Senussi. sect o.
orthodox quasi-Calvinistlc Mahometans,
which is very powerful in the Interior,
though less so in the east than In the west
ern Soudan. The Senussi have no natural
sympathy with the Young Turks, whose
Orthodoxy is more than suspect, but the ltal-
, ian occuuation OF the coast line OF Tripoli
has antavonized them The real danger from
IN. Scnussi is not along the coast line, pu'
ir Kordofan and Darfur, two souoah pr
vinces. which, however, are wen neiu' i"'
coruans are believed to have landed some
ooo 80, With artillery on the African COAST
. SolIur, at the beginning OF November
a "a N. Aghtins reported recently was douo''
Lose between Bedouin tribesmen armed ~
his means and perhaps Offered oy lurAS'
rho renorts are conflicting, but there seems
! - no no doubt that very considerable sue
o,ss was won over the Bedoulns on Christ
mas Day. The old headquarters OF tho
senussi Mahdi were at silva, which is just
/ within the Egyptian frontier. and this place
ia said 20 have been recently reoccupied by
him. Fortunately the Senussi Mahdi was an
leremy Of tho Mshdi Of the Egyptian Soudan,
] ana nsvsr had much following IN Darfu1.