The Government of Egypt.

Manawatu Herald, 10 January 1899, Page 3

The Government of Egypt.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROTEC

TORATE.

Lord Cromer (British Pleni- ! potentiary and Lord Kitchener, who ' are visiting the Upper Nile, have had an audience with a number of powerful sheiks at Omdurman, the j scene of the recent decisive victory of , the Egyptian forces against the ' Dervishes. The visitors congratulated . the chiefs on the liberation of the people from the rule of the Khalifa, : which has been brought about by the skill of the Sirdar and the gallantry of the troops. The presence of the ; British and Egyptian flags over their heads was an indication that the Queen and the Khedive would hence j forth govern, the Sirdar being their ; sole representative. | There would be no attempt, said Lord Cromer, to govern from Cairo, still less from London. The tribes look to the Sirdar alone for justice ( and good government. The Queen i had more Moslem subjects than any other sovereign, all of whom were contented with her beneficent rule. The prevalent religion and customs of the Soudan would be strictly respected including the Mahommedan sacred laws.

The sheiks warmly approved these sentiments.

Lord Cromer promised that moderate taxes would be imposed, and urged the promotion of tranquillity and industry. The Standard declares that nothing would have more shocked the sheiks than the slightest hint of a restoration of Ottoman rule.

The Times considers the speech to be the plainest assertion of British sovereign rights in the Soudan that has yet been made.