EGYPTIAN AFFAIR*

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2709, 13 December 1882, Page 3

EGYPTIAN AFFAIR*

[Per s.s. Zoalandia, at Auckland.] The “ Figaro ” publishes a despatch on November 14th from Cairo, which affirms that the Governments of England and Prance have entered into a definite agreement in regard to the control of the finances of Egypt. It says Prance has accepted the offer of England that the Presidency of the Public Debt Commission be given to Prance, as compensation for- doing away with the system of control. Other questions relating to organising the finances of Egypt will be treated by those two Governments in concert with the other great Powers of Europe. Sulieman Pasha h is confessed before the prosecuting committee to have given the order to fire Alexandria, after have received the peremptory command from Arabi Pasha. As the conflagration did not at first appear to be general, Arabi sent orders, through Mahoud, to fire more places. Sulieman also stated that Arabi Pasha ordered him, on the 12th of July, to take the soldiers to Ramleh Palace and murder the Khedive. While on the road to execute the order he met the President of the Chamber of Notables, who prevailed on him to return and remonstrate with Arabi. Nouri Bey, the officer who had charge of the troops at Pamleh Palace, corroborated Sulieman’s statements. A later despatch from Cairo on November 17th says this evidence is generally discredited. Sulieman Pasha denies all knowledge of that portion which relates to himself. In the House of Commons on November 14th, Mr Gladstone made a speech concerning Egyptian affairs, which is, in effect, that the Government thought it necessary to have 12,000 British troops remain in Egypt, but not for any great length of time. It was proposed to enter into a convention with Egypt and have an article in the treaty providing that the cost of maintaining these troops should not fall on Egypt, but on England, and that when matters were further advanced the question of the charge could be raised and settled definitely. He hoped to be able to give such information as would enable Parliament to fully discuss the subject when the estimates were presented. He also hoped soon to be in a position to give information regarding the cost of the expedition. Sir S. Northcote expressed his dissatisfaction at the meagre character of the speech. On the 16th, Mr Gladstone said it was the intention of the Government to propose a grant of money to the naval and military forces who served in the Egyptian campaign. He also said no difference would be made in the trial of Arabi Pasha and that of other prisoners. In replying to a question by Ashmead Bartlet on the 17th, the Premier denied that the dual control had been abolished in Egypt. The Egyptian Government had expressed a desire that it should be, but the expression was not the outcome of the English advice ; it was spontaneous. Lord Dufferin is credited with making rapid fprogresg, in ingratiating himself with the Egyptian notables, but there will be little progress in the direction of formal admission of England’s policy until after Arabi’s trial is out j of the way. Arabi’s recent letter to the “ Times ” attracted attention by its inde- I pendent courage and audacity. Mr Gladstone questioned its authenticity in the I House, whereupon the “ Times” maintained it strongly. The return of the troops appears from the accounts in the home papers to have given rise to an extraordinary scene of enthusiasm, and to many amusing incidents. The reception accorded to the Guards in London was thrilling, and such as will long be remembered by those who witnessed it. The following account of the 2nd Life Guards at Windsor conveys a very good idea of the scenes of that place when the heroes of the Egyptian war reached home. This was a family greeting, every soul that cared to come was permitted to do so. The women far exceeded the men in numbers. It was now their turn ; they clung to the stirrups of scores of the returned soldiers; they held up children to be kissed, and one big fellow —he did not seem so lean or tired — now took his boy of some four years old upon his saddle, and only relinquished him when discipline once more required the men to fall into line. The fifty fell in. Colonel Ewart at their head, facing the green sward where the officers played cricket matches in the summer, and in front of the officers, quarters, and now came the last word of command, “ Second Life Guards return swords,” and then with one clank every sword was. thrust home into its scabbard. What the men had been sent out to do had been done. The sword had been drawn, and now it was returned. Colonel Ewart’s voice resounded through the barrack square, and then the people imxn-essed by the solemnity of that instant sent up a shout as might have been heard at Eton bridge. There was a semblance of discipline before, but it was all over as the troops filedinto the stables. Now could bo seen the contrast between men who had been to war, and men who remained home, the former so thin and patched,tho latter so beefy and well favored, but there was no jealousy, not a bit of it. The soldiers deprived of glory pulled their companions out of the saddles. There was such a handshaking as never was seen. Many of the men dismounted before they were properly allowed to do so, but what did it matter to-day. “Never mind your horse, old chappie, there are plenty of men to look after it,” said some faithful friend to a married man who wanted to kiss his wife and children, which ho promptly did. Then followed such a scries of cross questions and crooked answer that would puzzle a more outsider to decipher. The men were modest to a fault. “ How many of the beggars did you kill ?” “Oh ! never mind,” was the answers; “it’s all over now.” They did not want any allusion made at all to the horrors of war, and a curtain had fallen between the past and the present, and there was no need to pull it up. Of course the ladies now monopolised the attention of the heroes of the hour. They had waited long and their turn had come. Each dismounted soldier was surrounded by a dozen of the fair sex, who plied him steadily with questions, which he answered more or loss incoherently in a nervous shamelike fashion their disinclination to be regarded as heroes at all. After one of these soldiers, a young, goodlooking fellow, who had borne the brunt of the fight and privation as well, had been overwhelmed with the loquacity of his innumerable fair companions, one of the girls offered an apology—“ But we ought not to keep you any longer, poor fellow; you must want your dinner.” “ Dinner, my dear,” he grinned “I have not oaten anything for three months. I don’t seem to feel the want of it now.” And the canteen —well, the most rigid advocates of temperance will surely excuse the pewter pot which was passed round, and was filled again and again to the health of the “ men come home.” War, while it adds to friendship, does away with jealousy. There was no undue elation of “ ours ” as the only corps who did anything, or “ our colonel, ” as the only man in the hunt. “Wo must not forget Baker, Russel and Drury Lowe, sir,” said one trooper, “ they are splendid soldiers, and fit to lead any men anywhere.”

Nest day the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by her throe daughters, went down to Windsor and inspected the detachments. The Prince wore the uniform of his regiment.