The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1915. THE NILE VALLEY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 41, 19 February 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1915. THE NILE VALLEY.

The recent proclamation of Egypt as a British Protectorate marked another important, stage in the long and chequered history of the Nile Valley. The year 1869, when the Suez Canal was opened, marks, perhaps, the highest point of Egypt’s splendour in modern times. From that moment, however, began the gradual decline owing to the financial mismanagement of Ismail Pasha. The result was the intervention of Britain and France, as the chief creditors of the Khedive, the establishment of an international and then dual (Anglo-French) financial control, the revolt of the Khedive, and his deposition in 1879. But that did not save the country. The revolt initiated by Ismail Pasha was taken up by the officers under Arabi Pasha ; the new Khedive, Tewfik, appealed for the assistance of England and France; and France refusing at the critical moment to take part in armed action, the English fleet bombarded Alexandria and a British army was- landed. By the battle of Tel-el-Kebir in September, 1882, England became the virtual mistress of the country. The old constitution was abolished, a new one was drawn up by Lord Dufferin.and the British Consul-General and Diplomatic Agent, became for all practical purposes a Resident. In all formal respects Egypt still remained an autonomous province of the Ottoman Empire, and Britain was only in “occupation” of the country. Her representative, however—Lord Cromer for the first twenty-six years, then Sir Eldon Gorst, and lastly Lord Kitchener—was the real power in the land, though screened from public gaze by the Khedivial Throne and the Sutlan’s suzerainty. In the course of three long years Egypt has been transformed completely in finance, economics, and administration, and become the most prosperous country in the Moslem East. The state Of war between Britain and Turkey gave the desired opportunity. The outbreak of the European war had found the Khedive Abbas Hilmi at Con. stantinople, where he was associating with the party bent tipon joining Germany in the war. He was asked to leave Constantinople and to retire to Malta or any other place under the British flag. Had he accepted this offer he would probably have retained his throne. As he refused, be was deposed, and his uncle, Hussein Kamel Pasha, was constituted Regent. In making this latter day history of the Land of the Pharoahs our colonial troops have taken a prominent and honorable part, therefore what goes on in Egypt is of exceptional interest to us.