THE LAND OF EIGHTY CENTURIES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2221, 26 October 1907, Page 4

THE LAND OF EIGHTY CENTURIES.

(By Theodore Schwartz in “Munsoy’s .Magazine.”) 10gy.pt is the most fast-ill i ling country in the world. First of all. it grips the imagination because its civilization is almost immeasurably old. It was old when the Homans made it a province. It was old when Alexandria was founded by the Macedonian eomiueror. It was old when King Ncelio dug the first Suez Canal, six hundred years before Christ. It was old even when the Pyramids were built. It was old when Joseph, son of Jacob, ruled it in Pharaoh's name.

And through all these ages, Egypt has somehow linked it.s own history with that of other nations in such a way as to make it teem with memories for every race and people that are not its own. 'ln ancient times it conquered Palestine and Phoenicia. It came into close contact w.vtli the splendid empire of Hernia. Alexander the Great overran it with liis armies. The great museum and university which his successors founded taught literature and science to the entire world. It.s fascinating queen. Cleopatra, changed the destinies of llie Homan Empire when she compelled Antony to chooso between political ambition and her .charms. Around its Pyramids, Napoleon fought one of his bloodiest battles, shattered the power of lllio mainelukes, and won the glory which helped him onward to a throne. THE ENGLISH IN EGYPT. But the Egypt of to-day is almost a new creation. It is the old Egypt in many wavs, and yet its present has cut loose entirely from its past. Nominally it is a tributary of the Turkish realm. In theory, subject to fclio suzerainty of tlio Sultan, its immediate ruler is the Khedive, Abbas Hilmi. But, as a matter of cold faot, it is almost as much a part of the British Empire as is India or South Africa; and with every year it is becoming more and moro British in its government and its institutions.

How did this change come about? Twenty-eight years ago the Kliedivo Ismail, the most gorgeously reckless spendthrift whom the world has ever seen, had sunk his country under a staggering load of debt, and bad refused even to pay the interest upon it. The European governments, whose subjects had loaned Ismail the money that he owed, promptly forced him to abdicate in favor of his son Tew-fik. Franco and England established what was called the Dual Control, managing together the finances of the country. This interference excited native discontent. The cry of “Egypt for the Egyptians” was raised, and an unscrupulous, showy Haitivo soldier, ■ Arabi Pasha, headed a revolt against the foreigners. ■ France and England both sent fleets to Alexandria, and a demand was made that- Arabi should be banished. But he had now become the idol of the populace; and a general rising threatened to exterminate all foreigners. England was ready for instant action, and asked tlieFrench to join in putting down the outbreak. But Gambcta, who was jealous of English influence, and who at the time was absorbed in a political intrigue in Paris, withheld consent. Tbo hands of England were now set free, and she acted with prompt efficiency. The British fleet, under Sir Beauchamp Seymour—afterward Lord Alecster —shelled the forts oi Alexandria, destroyed them, and landed sailors and mirines; and a few weeks later England threw an Anglo-Indian army of forty thousand troops into Egypt. Under Sir Garnet Wolseley—now Lord AYolseloy—these soldiers shattered Arabi's forces at Tel-el-Tvebir, seized Cairo, took Arabi himself prisoner, and reestablished the Khedive's authority.

THE RULE OF LORD CROMER. This rapid succession of events bad completely transformed tlio situation ‘throughout Egypt. As France bad taken no part in restoring order, her right to subsequent control was practically eliminated. -In theory, the Khedive was once more in Possession of the country, but he was upheld only by a British army of occupation; and hence the real authority in the last resort rested with England’s representative, who bore the modest title of “agent and con-sul-general,” but who in reality was the absolute ruler of all Egypt. This remarkable man was Evelyn Baring, now Lord Cromer, who in 1883 assumed the office which he has so administered as to ho called “The Maker of Modern Egypt.” He proved himself to he one of those administrators and master minds who century after century have extended the bounds of the British Empire. Ho well deserves to be sty-led the peer of Clive- and Hastings and Cecil Rhodes.

His task ivase one of frightful difficulty, but lie met its obligations day by day. The finances were reformed. The debt was gradually reduced. At the same time the taxation of the natives was lightened. Justice was administered honestly and fairly. The resources of tihe country were developed. Great engineering works were undertaken to promote agriculture. Slavery was abolished, and the slave-trade crushed. All this was done in the face of the most subtle intrigue; for many of tbo Egyptians hated the masterful Englishman. The jealous French tried in every way to tluv-art him. The Khedive himself was far from loyal to him; and the savage warriors of the Sudan menaced Egypt from the south. Yet Cromer never filtered and never failed. His soldier colleague. Sir Herbert Kitchener, the Sirdar, or commander-in-chief of the Egyptian army, not only overthrew the fanatical hosts of the Alalldi and the Khalifa, lint he trained and disciplined the long spiritless Egyptian fellaheen to be good soldiers and to face with coinage the onslaught of the murderous dervishes, of whom even Kipling has declared that they are “first -cl ass fighting men.” The personality of Lord Cromer is re-inark-a-bk-. In 1898, a keen observer, the late G. AY. Sileevens, pictured him in words that bring the man before the eye: To look at the real aim, you would say that lie gave half li.is time to sleep, and the other half to laughing. Lolling in his carriage through the streets of Cairo, or lighting a fresh cigarette in his office, dressed in a loose-fitting gray tweed and a striped shirt, with ruddy face, shortwhite hair, and short white moustache, with gold-rimmed eye-glasses half-hiding eyes half-closed, mellow

of voice, and fluent of speech—is this the perfidious Baring, you ask yourself, whom Frenchman detest and strive to imitate? His demeanor is genial and courteous. His talk is ~nsy, open, shrewd, humorous. iHiis subordinates ndmiro, respect, and even love him. Only somehow you still feel the steel stilfening the velvet. Ho is gonial, but that would be a bold man who would take a liberty with him. He talks, only not for publication. Ho is loved, vet lie must also be obeyed. Velvet as long as he cm, steel as soon as he must —that is Lord Cromer.

Everything in Egypt is done in the name of the Khedive, and Lord Cromer treats the titular autocrat with a deference which would ho given to a. real sovereign. Yet the fact that he was not a real sovereign was long a hitter thought to Abbas Hilmi. When he came to the throne,lin 1892, lie was only eighteen years of age. Educated in Austria, his training was European, and his feeling was decidedly anti-British. Living like a European, but with all the pride of oriental anccstory, lie tried at first to shake off the iron grip in which he knew that ho was held. Ho appointed a ministry which was hostile to the English, and which was chosen contrary to Lord Cromer’s express advice. All the enemies of England took heart. There was muttering of a coming storm. T’lio natives wore restless. The French agitators bocamo extremely active. At any moment there might bo a groat uprising wVcli would ma'ko all Egypt run with foreign blood. Lord Cromer retained bis air of calm serenity. While playing tennis one day, word wasbrought to him that an outbreak was imminent. Ho paused in Inis game only long onouglit to dictate a brief telegram to the commander of a British troopship on its way homo from India, and which just then was tone? ing at an Egyptian port. The telegram ordered the landing of a'l the mops. In a few hours Cairo was swarming with red uniforms, while the g'.'iii in the citadel woro placed so that they could sweep every quarter, if necessary, with shot and shell.

Since that time, English dominion in Egypt has remained firm as a rock. The Khedive has learned his lesson, and is content with the nominal honors of a sovereign, recognising-, perhaps, that the true interests of Egypt are thus observed. His ministers and advisers, chief among whom is Fchmv Pasha, are also docile. Lord Cromer has succeeded against all opposition, even against that of his own countrymen ; for England many a time has not known her own mind. Lord Cromer alone has always known his own mind, and he lias had his way. Silt ELDON GOItST. Only a few months ago Lord Cromer laid down the burden of bis office. Ho is nearing seventy, and his health has become impaired. He lias been succeeded by Sir Eldon Gorst, who may bo trusted to carry out the policy of 'the man who basiboen his chief sineo 1890. Sir Eldon is a son of Sir John Gorst, long a prominent member of the House of Commons. Ho was born in New Zealand forty-six years ago, and was educated at Eton and at Cambridge. For a time ho was private secretary to Lord Randolph Churchill, who was a close political associate of his father. He knows Egypt thoroughly, and lias been bred up to tlio traditions of Lord Cromer’s policy. It can scarcely be that ho is so great a man as the one whom lie succeeds ; but he will undoubtedly continuo with success tlio regeneration of Egypt. He will meet tlio samo obstacles and t! same opposition, but every year they will be less difficult to surmount.

He will also find the same ingratitude on tlio part of the natives of which Lord Cromer .spoke in tlio great speech which he delivered on liis retirement. Ingratitude is what must be expected from every subject race which lias been elevated to greater prosperity and happiness by tlio genius of an alien people. L is tlio same ingratitudo which is felt in India towards the Englishmen who have given it peace and justice and honest- rule. It is the same ingratitude of which Secretary Taft so lately spoke 'in summing up tlio results of American Government- in the Philippines. A great nation its colonising must not look for gratitude. It gives freely the best of its intellect land energy. It sends forth it.s sons to toil and die for those whom it would help; and it receives no thanks for all this sacrifice. Yet by reason of its own greatness it does these tilings because it must; and because the Sinead of civilisation is a part of its historic mission in the world.