Evening star., 1936-04-28

victim of a severe attack Of pleurisy
which weakened his heart.
The troubled political situation in
Cairo, including the revival of the
Wafd party strength. leading up to
recent street rioting, the interplay of
British and Italian opinion and the
emphasis on military questions made it
more difficult for the Egyptian mon
arch to throw off the lingering effects
of his 1884 illness.
His death came at time when
Anglo-Egyptian relations had only re-
Gently progressed from the riot stage,
caused by agitators, to peaceful nego-
tiations for treaty of alliance.
To the extent which his death now
creates a certain internal instability
in Egypt, it is expected to have an
adverse effect on British and Egyp-
tian relations and may delay nego-
tiations.
Prospects Complicated.
The fact that Crown Prince Farouk
is a minor, requiring regency coun-
Gil until he comes of age on his 18th
| birthday, further complicates mat
ters politically.
The proper handling of the situa-
ton by British officials may, it was
pointed out by authorities, do much,
on the other hand, to re-establish
British prestige and further the idea
of Anglo-Egyptian cooperation.
In official circles, the situation Is
regarded as further complicated by
the prevailing tensity in the Medi-
terranean.
The premier was holding a cabinet
meeting when a palace official tele-
phoned him and announced the
kings death.
The premier stunned with the sud-
denness of Fuad's end after the mon
arch's surprising early morning rally.
communicated the tidings to the wait
ing ministers.
Nominees Names Awaited.
All Cairo was wondering today when
the sealed envelope, containing the
names of Fuad's nominees for the
regency council of three would be
opened. Those eligible for the NOM
ination are princes, former premiers,
ministers, former ministers, presidents
and former presidents of Parliament.
Physicians had been in attendance
at the Kings bedside throughout the
night, anxiously watching for any in
crease in the gangrene of the jaw
which, it was announced last night,
had reached Fuad's throat.
The weakness of the monarch's
heart prevented an operation.
During the rally before his death,
Fuad told his doctors: Il am not going
to die"
While the King lay dying in Koub-
beh palace, outside the city, thousands
of citizens stood about Abdin palace
in the center of the city chanting:
God preserve our King"
Although Ahmed Fuad had worn
the title of Khedive of Egypt from
1917, he did not become King until
March, 1922, when Great Britain re-
linquished its protectorate.
1t was long years before problems
of rule occupied him that he en-
countered the first attack on his
throat.
A brother-in-law, another Khedivial
prince, fired a pistol at him in the
fashionable Cairo native club one
night in the 1905 and the bullet
struck his throat.
His recovery was slow and imper-
feet, leaving curious nervous re-
action, half laugh and half cough,
Of the throat muscles.
Physicians have not linked the old
wound with the present illness by
more than coincidence.
Reign of Strategic Value.
AS protecting buffer for Britain's
Suez and Sudan holdings, King Fuad's
reign proved one Of great strategic
importance. Placed on the throne as
Khedive with the aid Of Great Britain
in 1917, Ahmed Fuad was staunch
ally of the island empire from the
beginning.
Partly through restoration of the
1928 constitution last Winter, King
Fuad prevented governmental crisis
at time when British cruisers were
| plying the Mediterranean and Italian
airplanes were circling overhead in
menacing fashion.
Members of the royal family other
than the Crown Prince were at the
Kings beside today.
First crowned ruler of Egypt in
1000 years of the ancient lands later
history, King Fuad won for himself
recognition as wise and congenial
monarch. In recent years his reign
was married by recurrent crises spring.
ing from nationalist antipathy toward
Great Britain's influence.
In 1929 he made six months tour
of Europe. visiting Sicily, Italy, Ger
manv Switzerland. France and Eng.