EGYPTIAN NEWS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3481, 2 September 1882, Page 4

EGYPTIAN NEWS.

From papers by the last mail we learn that the inspector of the Quadastre Company, at Tanta, speaking of the massacre there, says : —' I saw a woman carrying, tied to bludgeons, the dismembered arms and legs of the massacred Europeans. The soldiers and the rabble fought for loot. A Bedouin sheik, with twenty Bedouins, saved the inhabitants of the Jewish quarter, and took them to his" village. Another sheik saved myself and party. The mob from Alexandria murdered three employees of the Quadastre Company and their families, and burned their bodies with petroleum. The mob killed twelve Greeks. They tied the viscera of one of the victims to the tail of a dog and covered him with petroleum, which was set on fire amidst cries of joy from the women and children. The mob was repulsed eight times, and finally two sheiks arrived and dispersed it.'

Three employees of the Quadastre Company, who, with their families, were murdered at Tanta, defended themselves bravely against their assailants, many of whom they killed, until the mob broke in at the back of the house, and despatched them. The atrocities being committed are equal to any perpetrated in Bulgaria. Two Germans at Tanta, who were being sheltered by the stationmaster until the trains were ready to start, were caught entering a train, their heads were held over the carriage door and their throats cut. Another Christian was placed on the rails, and the engine run to and fro over his body. An eye-witnses declares that at Tanta eighty-five Europeans were tortured, disembowelled, and torn to pieces, and that women were violated and tortured. Soldiers participated in these atrocities. An Italian refugee says that in the streets of Tanta the bodies of the slaughtered Europeans lay, their intestines being flung at windows and about the streets. A Greek's throat was hacked with a penknife. Two Englishwomen jumped from windows in order to escape massacre and wei'e killed. Arabi Pasha put on a train to carry away Christian survivors, and about 100 persons boarded it. No sooner were they seated than a determined attempt was made to murder thtm, and it was only frustrated by a friendly native causing the train to start. A Paris cable to the New York Herald says : ' The position of the French Government on the Egyptian question is imperfectly understood. Such efforts have been made by the Gambettist organs to misrepresent it that the considerations which dictated it are entirely lost sight of. The revelations of the ' Yellow Book' throw some light upon them, but it indicated rather the points that have escaped than' those which are sought to be avoided. After the manner in which Gambetta has been fooled by Lord Granville, or rather after the manner in which he fooled himself, conjoint with England on the Egyptian question is of course no longer to be thought of ; besides, there is this to be taken into account, that while the English Government could act with their hands fee, that of France is constitutionally bound to consult and obtain the sanction of tbe Chambers before engageing in any act that might lead to war. M. de Ereycinefc did the wisest thing that a prudent Minister could do under the circumstances. He went into the Conference with the determination to avoid isolated or joint action with England, unless authorised by its decisions, and then only with the sanction of the Chambers. He thus avoided all danger of plunging France into a war of which perhaps she might have been made the scapegoat. At tbe same time he prepared for all eventualities by putting the navy on a war footing. His declining to act with England in the operations against Alexandria can, therefore, in no sense be construed into an admission of weakness or timidity.' A correspondent of the Times says : 'The idea of the renewal of the close co-operation of France and England has now forced itself upon the French Government. The Cabinet Council has adopted a resolution to this effect. The resolution is conditional on three things, namely, Turkey's reply to the identical note of the Powers inviting the Porte to sends troops to Egypt; the decision of the Conference, and the sanction of the Houses subject to these conditions. The two Governments are entirely agreed in regard to the terms upon which their forces will undertake to restore order in Egypt.' The Cologne Gazette and the Berlin North German Gazette print articles on the Fgyptian question, which are regarded as directly inspired, and representing not only the policy of Germany, but of other Powers except England and France. The articles state the Egyptian question will only be ripe for Germany after the Western Powers have come to an understanding to apply for the assent of Europe in view of tho general need of peace. England may then rely upon support upon all sides in her endeavor to bring about a settlement of tho question, especially if she strictly adheres to the role of defender of her just interests. The marines who spiked the guns of tho fort destroyed fifteen Armstrongs of the newest patterns, some of them disabled. Beneath ono of them wore Beven dead bodies of Arabs. Arabi had sent orders to the Prefect of Police afc Cairo to send all tho police officers to his camp, and fill their places with the refugees from Alexandria. Ibrahim Bey, the Prefect, although hitherto a partisan of the military faction, strongly doclined, as he refused to be responsible for the lafsty of the capital if the police

were taken away. Arabi, upon receiving his answer, ordered the arrest of Ibrahim. According to the latest news from Cairo there are 8000 s'arving people camped in the Esherb Garden. One hundred Europeans and other Christians who took refuge in the Ottoman Bank were massacred. Six persons were massacred at the French Consulate. Stone Pasha says that unless 'England acts with at least 40,000 troops she will meet with a "Bull Run" defeat. There is no doubt that had 5000 men landed immediately after the bombardment, tho burning and looting would have been prevented. Arabi is very popular among the Ulenias and lower classes of Turkey. The Turks believe that if defeated at Kafradowar Arabi will destroy Cairo, join the insurgents in the Upper Soudan, and proclaim the independence of Upper Egypt.