EGYPTIAN CRISIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1601, 29 July 1882, Page 10

EGYPTIAN CRISIS.

The Egytian arsenals are reported to contain 200,000 Remington rifles; the field artillery consists of 100 Krupp and 50 smooth-bore guns. There are powder-mills and cartridge-manu-factories near Cairo, fitted with the best machinery. The Bedaween contingent, which can be called out for active service, numbers 60,000 mounted men, finding their own arms and horses, and acting under their own chiefs. The;officers of the regular army are exceedingly well, educated, and have to pass various examinations.

Ragheb Pasha, the late Prime Minister of Egypt, is spoken of in a recent work on Egypt as an able administrator, and enjoying a high personal character. He is by birth a Sciote Greek, and was sold into Egypt after the massacre of 1822. He is further stated *to be the only holder of a portfolio who does not speak English or French, the only languages he knows being Greek, Turkish, and Arabic. ■

The place where the last massacres of Europeans in Egypt have occurred isnotTarrtah.as described in the tolegrams yesterday, but Tanta, 54 miles from Cairo and 77 from Alexandria, on the main line of railway between these places. It is a centre whore four branch lines meet— one of which, 86 miles long, communicates with Damietta > at one of the mouths of the Nile, which is quite close to Port Said. Egypt possesses in all 1126 miles of working railway. The distance from Alex andria to Cairo is 131 miles, and from Boulak, opposite to Cairo, a line proceeds along the left bank of the Nile for 228 inileß to Assiout (towards the first cataract),andbetween the first and second cataracts there is steam communication". The telegraph extends as far as Khartoum in the ' Soudan, 1540 miles from Cairo, and.it is beyond this point where the operations of the false prophet are being carried on.

(Rkuteb's Special.)

Alexandria, July i9th, # The city continues quiet, and confidence is being rapidly restored. Many of the native population who left the city at the opening of the bombardment are now returning. Dervish Pasha, the Special Turkish Commissiorier to Egypt, has been recalled by the Forte.

; . Alexandria, July 20th. Intelligence is to hand from Kafradowar that Ourabi is collecting and receiving the taxes from the inhabitants of the district, and is making extensive requisitions upon them for money and supplies. A reconnaisance of Onr&bi Pasha's position at Kafradowar has been made, and it has been ascertained that the entrenchment is in a situation of considerable military strength, and capable of being well defended. It is not yet known what steps will be taken to subdue the rebel army. The reconnaisance party further ascertained that Ourabi Pasha has cut the Mahmoud canal, through which the supply for the city of Alexandria is brought, and the inhabitants are now suffering from a scarcity of water. Alexandria, July 21st. Notwithstanding the action of the rebels in diverting the supply by_ cutting the aqueduct, there is sufficient water in the canal flowing to the 'city to last for some time. The latest news from Kafradowar is to the effect that Ourabi has further strengthened his position there. He has openly avowed his hostility to the English, with whom he says he will carry on war to the knife. Intelligence is to hand that further disturbances have occurred in the interior of the country, between the natives and Europeans, and many more of the latter have been killed. There is general alarm among Europeans throughout the country.

Alexandria, July 23rd. A party of British' troops, while out exploring the railway-line outside Alexandria, met a force of Ourabi's cavalry, but the latter declined an encounter, and made off before the British could come up. Measures have been commenced by the British troops for the occupation of Aboukir, an important strategical position 10 miles north-east of Alexandria. Ourabi has now been formally dismissed from the position of Minister of War. Eleven hundred British troops arrived here to-day from Malta. London, July 20th. The Times this morning publishes a paragraph stating that in consequence of the hesitation of the Porte in replying to the request of the Great Powers for the despatoh of Turkish troops to Egypt, the English Government have to-day issued orders for the British Expeditionary Force, which has recently been organised, to proceed without delay to Alexandria. On Monday next the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, will propose a vote of credit in the House of Commons for the purpose of strengthening the British forces in Egypt. London, July 21st. The reply of the Porte to the identical Note of the Powers, in which it states its willingness to send a delegate to the Stamboul Conference, is equivocal, and is generally regarded as equivalent to a refusal to send ' Turkish troops to Egypt. Sir Garnet Wolseley has been appointed to the command of the English troops in Egypt,

A further detachment of 2100 British t oopa left Malta to-day for Alexandria. The statement that the Government have issued orders for the immediate despatch of an expeditionary force to Egypt is now fully confirmed.

The various regiments composing the army corps are now leaving their garrisons, and are now moving towards the ports where transports are lying ready to receive them. The embarkation of the troops will be proceeded with without delay, and the transports will depart as soon as they have received their complements.

July 22nd. It is announced that Lieutenant-general, Sir John Adye, the Surveyor-general of Ordnance, has been appointed to be the Chief-of-staff of the British army, in Egypt. Intelligence has been received that France has made a proposal that Itaty should co" operate in the military operations in Egypt. It is deemed probable that England will acquiese in this arrangement. Instructions have been issued by the War ! Office for men of the Army Reserve to join the various military depots on the 2nd August. July 23rd. It is announced that the Duke of Connaught, Sir Archibald Alison, and Sir Evelyn Wood have been appointed to the command of brigade's of the British expeditionary force. The British force now being despatched to Alexandria consists of 10,000 officers and men; Mr Gladstone, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, will to-morrow ask the House of Commons to vote an extraordinary war credit of £2,300,000. Germany and Austria are .holding aloof at the present juncture from all questions affecting Egypt. i The following additional appointments are announced in, connection with the despatch of the British army to Egypt :— ln command of the first divison of the line, Major General F. A. Willis; second division. Major General, Sir E. B. Hamley; cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel A. S. H. Lowe ; artillery^ Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Goodenough j engineers, Colonel C. P. Nugent. The infantry now under orders for Egypt will ;sail on the 4th August, and the cavalry on the 9th. ; . Constantinople^ July 20th. The Porte, in its reply to, the identical Note of the European plenipotentiaries in conference at Stamboul, has agreed to discuss the question^ proposed in the Note, and will appoint a representative to confer with the Ambassadors of the Powers upon the position of affairs in Egypt. ' , ' Paris, July 19th, In the Chamber of Deputies to-day M. de Freycinet, Minister for Foreign Affairs, an* nounced that England and France had' agreed to undertake the joint, military protection of the! Canal, and to further co-operate in. the joint occupation of Egypt should the necessity for such arise. Bombay, July 22nd. Two transports sailed to-day for Suez with detachments of Indian troops for service in Egypt. The following messages to Melbourne papers have been received by cable : — , I London, July 19th, 10.8 a;m. The English occupation of the Suez Canal is to be for, three months.

Alexandria is now quieting. Ourabi Pasha commands the water supply for the city, and threatens to cut it' off. ( r ,The Governor of Cairo has suppressed the attempts which were made at looting the city. Ten thousand Arabs are assembled in ithfl vicinity of the CanaL, The Arabs at Oran are suddenly arming, and assuming a-threatening demeanour. London, July 20th. The Conference have decided that the SuezS Canal is, outside the range of the Eastern question, . The Porte has proposed that a fresh assembly shall take place. Spain is despatching ironclads to escort the mails through the Canal. Ourabi Pasha is nearing Alexandria. July 21st, 6.30 a.m. The war credit will raise the income tax 2d in the pound. The Radicals oppose this. The Assembly of Notables have met at Cairo at the instigation of Ourabi Pasha, and have proved hostile to the Khedive. They have despatched a Commission of Inquiry to Alexandria.

The Egyptians in Alexandria are lukewarm, and it is suspected that the Khedive's guard is intriguing with Ourabi Pasha. The Porte has agreed to confer with the other Powers at the instance of Germany. London, July 24th, 6.5 a.m. Ourabi Pasha is now menacing Aboukir. It is not considered certain that he intends to destroy Cairo.

(Argus Specials.)

• | London, July 21st, 4.50 p.m. A refugee has reported that 200 Europeans have been massacred at Cairo. France has furnished an expeditionary force of 15,000 men to protect the Suez Canal. Sir A. Alison is protecting the neighbourhood to prevent obstruction. Ourabi Pasha has issued a proclamation maligning the Khedive. # # Colonel Laurie has offered to raise a regiment in Nova Scotia for service in Egypt.

London, July 22nd» Ourabi Pasha is strongly entrenched at Kafradowar, 17 miles from Alexandria, and has taken up a position between two lakes, which can only be approached by means of a causeway defended by earthworks. He has advanced his outposts to within eight miles of Alexandria. Skirmishes have taken place between his troops and the advanced guards of the British. The Europeans remaining m the conntry are in most dire peril, and throughout the interior are hunted down and murdered. Thirty-six were massacred in Ourabi's presence. The horrible details of the outrages have in England excited a great outcry. The Government are blamed for making insufficient preparations, and the vote of credit asked is considered to be altogether inadequate. Ourabi has convoked the Assembly of Notables, and compelled the Chamber to issue a decree declaring the deposition of the Khedive. Port Said is crowded with fugitives, who fled from Alexandria, Cairo, and the interior. An attack upon the Europeans in the town is greatly feared, and precautionary measures are being taken. Italy is mobilising ncr army, with the view of possible intervention in the Egyptian difficulty. . (Age Special.) London, July 19th, 4.45 p.m. Dervish Pasha has returned from Alexandria. One hundred houses are burning at Smyrna, The inhabitants of Alexandria are very in» dignant at the non-landing of troops, Suez is now almost deserted, and it is snid. that only 20 Europeans remain at Cairo,

d

General Graht has^ written expressing sympathy with England in the present crisis. London., July 22nd, 6.23 p.m. The French contingent consists of 40,000 (?) troops. Earl GranvUle has urged M. Freycinet, Minister of War, to hasten their despatch. Ourabi Pasha's strength is said to be 12,000. A Stamboul mail-carrier has been embargoed At Alexandria, having been suspected of carrying letters to Ourabi. Ourabi Pasha denounces the Khedive , as being, in league with foreigners against his country and religion. ' The following messages we take from the Melbourne papers to hand by the Arawata: — The advanced section of the Liberal party is lotfd in condemnation of the policy of the Government on the Egyptian question. They predict the most serious consequences from the ill-judged interference of England in the internal affairs of Egypt, and are organising meetings throughout tha country to influence public opinion and protest against the course pursued. It is feared that an epidemic will result from the noxious exhalations caused by the large number of unburied corpses which are to be met with in all parts of Alexandria. A famine is also anticipated. , It is the intention of the leaders of the Conservative party to move a vote of censure on the conduct of the Gladstone Ministry with reference to the affairs of Egypt. The motion will be brought forward by Sir Stafford Northcote,' and will condemn the Government; for having brought about the present hostilities through their vacillating conduct in the early stages of the Egyptian difficulty. Mr Bright's reasons for resigning office [are not confined to disapproval of the bombardment of Alexandria. He is totally opposed to the prolonged occupation of Egypt, which he foresees will be necessary if the rule of the Khedive is, to be .established by British »ffms. He considers that the Government, by the policy which they have instructed Admiral Seymour to pursue, have committed (themselves to a long career of bloodshed in <case Turkey should refuse to intervene land .compel obedience to Tewfik. In tendering his Mr Bright expressed great rejgret .at severing his connection with Mr Gladstone's Ministry, with whom on all points of domestic he was fully in accord. ! Mr Bright's constituents at Birmingham express no surprise at the course taken by the right hon, gentleman, which they regard as entirely consistent with the peace principles which he has always professed. |The Tory party are in ecstaoies over Mr Bright's resignation, which , they regard as a ' most serious blow to the, existence of Mr Gladstone's' Ministry. ' , ' The New York papers express surprise that Mr Bright should not have tendered his resignation earlier. They consider that he showed great inconsistency in becoming a consenting party to the , bombardment of Alexandria, /.And that his conduct' in the matter has tyeen discreditable to his character as a statesman. ' < The Earl of Derby is mentioned as Mr Bright's successor, The Government are extremely solicitous that Lord Derby should join them, as they consider it most im-, portant to secure his support at the present' juncture. • i ' ' . Numerous articles have appeared in the Parisian newspapers on the subject of Mr Bright's resignation. A general opinion is expressed in the various journals that; Mr Bright's .retirement, coupled with that of Mr Forster, is only preliminary to the complete collapse of the Gladstone Cabinet. ' } r The excesses committed by the native population of Alexandria and the released conjvicts • are now shown to be greater . than was at) first reported. It is stated that 2000 persons have been massacred since the bombardment commenced. ' | Her' Majesty has sent a message to S^r F. Beauchamp Seymour congratulating him on the success which has, attended the operations of the fleet, arid thanking the officers and men under his command for the bravery and skill which they displayed during the bombardment. ;