The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1893. Egypt

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 93, 26 January 1893, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1893. Egypt

When the Salisbury Ministry was ousted by Mr Gladstone it was anticipated that the Egyptian question would prove a troublesome one, and that the weakness of the foreign policy of a Liberal Government would end in the compulsory evacuation of the Land of the Pharaohs by the British. France has always looked upon the predominance of British influence in Egypt with a jealous eye, and the French native press have continually worked to create and keep up an anti-English feelitig among the native population. The vigor displayed by Lord llosebery, the English Minister for Foreign A flairs, has come as a refreshing sur. prise to the holders of both sides of the political faith — that is both Tories and Whigs — and the Khedive, although sulkily, has had to do what lie was told, notwithstanding the supposed encouragement he was receiving from France. Late telegrams inform us that the Khedive intends to test Ei gland's authority over the Egyptian Ministers, and also England's right to occupy the country. He is also show- j ing signs of a desire to get rid of English ottic'als who are, on their part, said to regard their position as shaken. England has been in occupation of Egypt since the summer of 188 li, when, in consequence of a military rebellion, she intervened, subdued the rising and restored the authority of the Khedive. In this intervention England was not joined by France. Since then a series of reforms have been inaugurated under English supervision, with great advantage to the natives. The total debt of Egypt in ISBS was about one hundred and four millions ; the annual income about nine millions, a little more than the expenditure, the interest on loans being about four and a half millions. One chief reason of the jealousy of France is that from 1879 to 1883 two Controllers - General, appointed by France and England, had considerable powers in the direction of the atfairs of the country, but apparently as a matter of course, when France declined to assist Egypt in her trouble in 18N2, on January I<S, 188.'3, the Khedive

signed a decree abolishing the joint control of France and England, and in place of this Control the Khodivo, on the recommendation of England, appointed a single European financial adviser, with a consultative voice in the Council of Ministers, but with no power to interfere in matters of internal administration. Under this management the finances of the country have been well directed, a/jd the foreign bondholders regularly jtajfi their interest. This is where the I strength of English influence lie.s. Recent experience of French control of domestic finances have not led to money-lenders acquiring y.n abiding faith in the ethics of French Jjnancjeis, i and while confidence in English how , esty of .purpose and the security givoij to life and property by her prnsenn; in Egypt remains intact, tho voice of < the nations will support her. Onmt. ! 'Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Uu.v '■ sia are all interested, and they are not likely to favor Franco if by so doing

they destroy the work they did in 1885 when they guaranteed a newloan to Egypt of nine millions. The Khedive may bluster and the French press rave, but it is the ruler who controls the longest purse that will carry the greatest weight.