The Near East

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3873, 14 May 1906, Page 3

The Near East

GETTING BEADY.

Cairo, May 10,

A strong patrol of the Egyptian coastguard s-r\ic.>, with flv? guns has proceeded to the western side of Suez Canal. Prince Louis ol Battenberg’s cruiser squadron has reached Pbalerum. A FALSE IMPRESSION. INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. London, May 11. m the Minerva, has proceeded to Cairo to watch the Suez Canal. The Sultan’s advisers anticipate that Great Britain’s measures will merely be similar to those she is accustomed to employ. The Constantinople correspondent of the Times states that ml ta Tabah is tvacuatLii before Monday the action of Croat Britain will be so decided tbat the energetic Turks will bitterly regret their obstii acy. In the House of Commons, Mr A. Lnpton asked whether »he Government would consider the advisableness of international arbitration in connection with the Tubah incident.

Sir Edward Grey replied that Turkey’s claims raise an issue going far beyond Tabah, and added: “We cannot refer safely ihe Suez Canal and Egypt to arbitration. The heat method of defining the frontier is a joint commission.” Sir Edward Grey's reference to Turkey’s claims point toMakhter Pasha’s demand, on behalf of the Sultan, that the Sinai Peninsula boundary should run from Eliafab to Suez and Suez to Akabah. FLEET READY FOR ACTION. AN ASSUMED INDIFFERENCE, Cairo, May 11. Fifteen British warships are at Port Said in readiness to patrol the canal when the ultimatum expires. London, May 11. The Daily Telegraph’s Constantinople correspondent reports that it is not believed the British will force the Dardanelles, though it is expected they will seize Turkish territory. The Porte’s indifference is assumed in order to impress the public that the subject is of little importance if the concession is absolutely necessary. Sir N. O’Connor, the British Mioister, sternly rejected the overtures ofTewfix Pasha, Minister for Foreign Affairs, insisting on absolute compliance with British demands.