The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, June 30, 1887.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 9, 30 June 1887, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Thursday, June 30, 1887.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends then alm’st at be thy country’s Thy God's, and truth’s. 1

THE SICK MAN AGAIN. Ugly rumors come from Europe on that everlasting Eastern Question, a question the attempted settlement of which has cost so many hundreds of thousands of lives and so many millions of money, The trouble arises through the AngloTurkish Convention with regard to the British occupation of Egypt. There is no doubt that John Bull should not have gone to Egypt at all, and that once there his continued occupation thereof is fraught with mur.y anxieties and troubles, but being firmly established there and having expended millions of hard cash to strengthen his position and bringing the country under orderly rule, he certainly does not intend to be turned out by France or any other Power.

The position stands thus. Egypt being a vassal of the Porte, the British Government have concluded a Treaty or Convention, or whatever they call such agreements, to the effect that the term of occupation is extended for three years, at the end of which period evacuation by the British troops will take place, if, and the if is all important, “ the condition of the country should be satisfactory.”

The French have always had a big interest in the land of the Pharaohs since the time when Napoleon made his brilliant but finally unsuccessful campaign therein. French merchants abound in Cairo and Alexandria, the French language is the official tongue of the country, and up to the time of Tel-el-Kebir and the “ smashing ” of Arabi Pasha, French influence was certainly paramount.

Ever since John Bull has ,been acting as the “ man in possession ” the French have been exhibiting the greatest jealously and soreness on the matter, such ill-feeling being now tenfold aggravated by the distinct point which the British have gained by the Anglo-Turkish Convention.

France and Russia now strongly object to the Convention being ratified, Germany, Italy, Austria and the smaller States are all in favor of it. Of course Russia will object to anything which strengthens our hands in the East, but would not mind, so we are told, agreeing to the Convention were Turkey only to grant her a further slice of Asia Minor as the price. This however, Turkey would certainly not do. The Sick Man’s territory is further menaced by a threat by France to occupy a portion of the Syrian Coast. All diplomatic negotiations by France with Turkey will also at once be broken off should this obnoxious Convention be adhered to, Here it will be seen, we have the elements of a very pretty quarrel all round, none the less serious when the fact is considered that the friendship between the Russians and French has been most unmistakeably cemented of late by their common interests against the Cabinet of St. James. European telegrams, sent to the New Zealand Press, are so abominably scanty and misleading, unless a cricket match, or a batch of new K.C.M.G’s, are concerned, that it is difficult to gain much clear and reliable information about the matter, but enough is known to justify a feeling of anxiety as to the result of this, the latest quarrel about the Sick Man and his dominions,