TABLE TALK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4582, 2 March 1893, Page 2

TABLE TALK.

O^OM OtTB LONDON COBBBBPONDBNT/J 1 London, Jan. 20.

THB "BCfTPTIAN CBIBIB. / Thanks to 'the finnuesß of Lord Eosebery and Lord Cromer (better known to ub as Sir Evelyn Baring) the "serious crisis in Egypt was over almost, before the public and the Stock Exchange knew such a thing existed. It seems, however, to have been tolerably acute— for these pacific timeß —whilst it lasted. The difficulty arose from the youthful Khedive of Egypt, who is a lad of some parts, having suddenly resolved to assert himself and show Europe he was not Lord Cromer's puppet. The course he took— as simple and decisive a one a* putting a match to a teg of gunpowder — was to remove Fehmy Pasha from the office of Prime Minister, and substitute Fakhri Pasha, a well-known opponent of all Egyptian reforms. Other and lesser changes ,were made at the same time, but they are insignificant. With: Fakhri at the head of affairs the work of Great Britain in Egypt would have been brought to a standstill, and Mr Goret and Sir El win Palmer compelled to pack up their traps and depart. Poor young Abbas must have been very badly adviaed. He appears to Jia ve thought Mr Gladstone would rfadly avaU himself of his act of insubordination to threaten, the evacuation of the dountry. When Loi"d Cromer came to him saying "Dismiss Fakbri, or we evacuate, and leave^ you to your fate," it was His Highness* intention to retort, "By all means evacuate." Mr Gladstone, he supposes, would then have had to do so! Unfortunately for the Khedive, neither Lord Bosebery, nor the great bulk pf the Liberal party, had the remotest desire to evacuate Egypt. Lord Cromer's firßt act was of course to announce the incipient rebellion 7 tp>Lord Bosebery. He received a reply and at once proceeded to interview the y<rathful potentate. Abbas received the Ambassador with much dimity; and the pair were closeted together for rather lesuthan half an hour. Afc;the end of that. L w d Cromer, looking, very stern", retired leaving the Khedive in x>f limp humility. The latter; it w said/received a sound rating. Great Britain would not,- his Excellency told Abbas; tolerate his obanging his Prime Minister or taking any other step of first importance,! without consulting the British ;Minister. Fakhri Ruma England considered out of , the question as Premier, and he must be removed within twentyfour hours. Any insubordination on. the Khedive's parfc,>Lord Cromer added, would lead him personally, not the country, into trouble. Let Abbas remember the fate of Arabi Pasha. The effect of this drastic measure wad all that Lord Eonebery wished.; Within four hourß Fakhri Pasha and his Ministry had ceased, to exist. During its brief life, I may mention, all j pubic business came to & standstill; .asj the employees refused 'to recognise a 'Ministry disapproved by-Lord Cromer. ;

■ ; ,| POMTICAL NOTEB. . . ' V- It is now admitted by Mr Gladßtoniß^s friends .that the, expedition to Biarritz did him.no great'good. He lived a sedentary life, : going out but little, seemed languid and ill at ease, and : complained frequently of headache. The , veteran statoman's extreme pallor when he appeared at the Cabinet Council last Monday was noted,, by all Mb colleaßues>: and caused considerable anxiety- One of the great difficulties of t the present position ; is that Mr Gladstone, will not even discuss j the probability ol the strain pfworkjin Parliament proving too much for him. lit is said that at Thurßday's Council Lord Epsebery took the bull by the horns, and urgedthe Grand Old Man to go to' the House of Lords after seeing the Home Eule Bill through its preliminary stages. The Premier replied irritably that nothing would induce him to take such^a course. It would be most improper and cowardly. The stories- tq the effect that the Home Rule Bill was set up in secret by a single trusted compositor are pure fabrication.' The measure was printed three months "ago in the usual way at Eyre and Spottiawoode's/save that the manuscript fras cut ; tip into such small portions as prevented, the compositors from, obtaining a clearconception of the various clauses. To the manager of the department was entrusted the task of arranging the matter in proper sections and making up the pages. When this was done the type was locked up in a safe; For 'nearly five weeks it remained thus, -the Eingle "pull" proof being in -Mr Gladstone's possession. In the beginning of December nine BHls' were printed and distributed 'to members of ' the Cabinet. Since then, of course,' many alterations have been made in the measure, but ; merely in writing in the margins. The amended Bill will not be printed till the first week in February. , . '; The messages Mr Stead has reeaived ?from".denizenß in the spirit world c^use him in the new Review of Reviews to totally ignore Mr Gladstone, and to assnme Sir William Harcourtwill be Premier throughOut the. greater ; part of 1893. .Exactly, what ia to I become of the G.O.M; we are not told. I am di9poeedi however, : to imagine that should t the veteran statesman either die or retire from public life or translate himself to the aouee of Lords, Mr Stead will triumpnantly recall his enismatio observations this month, and claim to have predicted the circumstance.. > Mr Henry Lucy, who is usually wellinformed on political matters, states 'that the Government has resolved not to dissolve Parliament in any event;. until; the Ministry has been defeated, either on the Becond reading of a Bill of the first importance or a direct vote of want of confidence. In this decision to persevere, .despite defections and possible defeats in Committee, . Ministers hold that they will not merely be acting constitutionally, but in accordance with the principle publicly laid down by Lord Salisbury when v his' Government was defeated on a side issue. „ ■

!HE SLAVE OF 6POOKS.

The conversion of " that pood man Stead" to spiritualism naturally, causes his enemies the profoundest satisfaction. If he had desired to utterly destroy bis influence -with the rohußt lower . middle classes!, who have hitherto been hie most fervent admirers, and to shock the Nonconformist oop science into fits, the editor of the Review of Reviews could nofi hav6 adopted a better expedient. The National Observer hits off the situation beautifully as follows :— "The Nonconformist conscience is aghast. Dr Parker and Mr H. P. Huuhes clasp hands in common sorrow. Brixton 5s inconsolable, and adown the cheek of Clapham trickles the heavy, ailent tear. For a

Good Man is no more. Done to death by ma intolerable superstition, henceforth he must wander the world the very Bhadow of a shade. In vain does the shallow impostor beat for redress at the door once opened unto all his kind. In vain doeß the mendicant ' General ' demand cheap * copy * in exchange for a comfortable loanModern Babylon offers its hecatombs, and there is none to stay the sacrificial knifeAlas ! The champion of purity, the Sir Galahad of the middle classes, has abdicated hie* life, and henceforth is no better than aslave of Spooks. O what a declination, and from how high an estate! Time was when Governmentstrembled at bis nod, and the evil-doer subscribed to philanthropy, or turned Gladetonian, lest gib private vices should beproclaimed on the housetop. But now he may go and sin in peace, and fear not- For - the Angel of Prayer, the Pope of Dissent., the Universal Eavesdropper is dead ; who shall * say • dead ere his prime ? ' • * * An ■ ! excellent employment, in truth ! At least ' it will keep him out of mißohief and entirely destroy the faith of the fad mongers who will not permit their idols to be one - inch a bead of their own enlightenment. The Mr Stead who can Bpin you lurid • * copy' out of anything — from the Pope of Eome to. the steward of an ocean linerstill lives, and wiil doubtless profit himself' and his suburb. But the good man, who was a pestilent fellow and once even a < publio danger, is dead — dead as the' .murderers lie would have reprieved. And we shed a tear o? .joyful gratitude upori; his grave.'* ;