No. 350.
Mr. Farman to Mr. Evarts.
Cairo , May 30, 1877. (Received June 20.)
Sir: I have the honor to give you the following information concerning the position occupied by Egypt regarding the Russo-Turkish war.
I have several times mentioned the subject of the disturbed state of Turkish affairs in connection with the question of Egyptian finances, which for the last year has been paramount to and has absorbed every other question. Even now the war, so far as Egypt is considered, is discussed almost wholly as a question of money.
During the last summer the Khédive sent to Constantinople to aid in the suppression of the rebellion in Servia and other Turkish provinces a division of infantry, reported at the time to contain twelve thousand men, but in fact containing only from seven to eight thousand. He also sent three batteries of artillery and furnished 12,000 stand extra of arms, being Springfield guns transformed at Cairo. These troops, or such of them as survive, are still in Turkey.
When the news reached Egypt that war between Russia and Turkey was inevitable, considerable alarm was created in financial circles. It was apprehended, the war being vitally connected with the Moslem religion, and one on which the integrity and even existence of the Ottoman Empire might depend, that the Kbédive would regard it his duty and feel himself obligated to send a large number of additional troops to Turkey, and that, to accomplish this, it would be necessary for him to appropriate the revenues that had been pledged to the payment of the public debt.
On the 30th of April, on the occasion of the opening of the Egyptian chamber of delegates, the Khédive made a speech, a translation of which I inclose, which sufficiently indicates the part the Egyptian Government designs to take in the war. While attesting his devotion to His Majesty the Sultan, and his desire to fulfill his duty toward him, it is evident from this speech that the Khédive intends to make the cause of Islam and the empire secondary to that of the payment of the debts of Egypt. He says:
It is important that Egypt send troops as before and to fix the number. But this number cannot be determined without previously knowing the sum that the country can devote to this object, since, as you well know, the resources of the budget will not suffice to meet this expenditure. It, is necessary, therefore, in order to fulfill our duty to His Majesty, meet the exigencies of the situation, and honor our financial engagements, to create an extraordinary fund which will enable the minister of war to determine the number of troops that can be sent.
It has also been stated semi-officially that the Khédive has lately said that he should maintain in every particular his engagements with the creditors of the state and the Daïra.
It therefore appears that it is his firm purpose to devote the ordinary revenues of the country, in accordance with the contract made with Messrs. Goschen and Joubert, to the payment of the public debt and the ordinary current expenses of the government, and that whatever money is expended in aiding Turkey must be derived from exceptional resources, which, in consequence of the amount of taxes already paid, must necessarily be very limited.
The chamber, in response to the demand of the Khédive, voted a [Page 631] special land-tax of £480,000, being about half a dollar on each acre of arable land in Egypt, but only equaling one-twentieth part of the annual revenue.
This chamber was created about eight years ago, and consists of notables, persons of wealth or influence in the provinces, who were selected by the government and are summoned to meet in cases of special emergency, and vote such measures as are asked.
No one attaches the least importance to this body or supposes that its members have any power. They simply consent to such measures as are proposed by the government; and they act with a promptness and unanimity that would do honor to the best-disciplined military company.
Upon this sum being voted, the Khedive, according to information published in semi-official journals, sent a dispatch to Constantinople informing the Sultan that the Egyptian contingent in Turkey would be increased to 12,000 men, and that the remainder of the troops would be retained in the country to protect the Suez Canal.
Thus it appears that Egypt, with its population of from five to six millions, is to provide but 12,000 troops for the Russo-Turkish war.
As might be expected, the action taken on the part of the government reassured the holders of its obligations, and the bonds of the unified debt have since advanced from 29 to 36¾, and of the privileged (that secured by the revenues of the railways and the port of Alexandria) from 47 to 55¾.
I believe the action of the government correctly represents the feeling of its subjects. Their sympathies are with Turkey. They believe in the justness of her cause, and will rejoice at her victories and regret her defeats, but there is no feeling amounting to patriotism, and no religious zeal that covets sacrifice, or that is paramount to individual interest. It is not probable that five hundred volunteers for the Turkish service could be obtained in Egypt.
That a religious enthusiasm could be created by the proper appliances I have no doubt, an enthusiasm even that might result in an ungovernable outburst of fanaticism, but it does not now exist, and those in power are interested in preventing instead of aiding its development.
Moreover, the habits and dispositions of the great mass of the people, and nearly all exterior circumstances, are unfavorable to any such manifestations.
There is among the Arab Mussulmans, as among many other religious sects, what may be properly termed the fanatical element, but this element is comparatively small, and the number of European residents is sufficient to keep it under proper restraint.
Much the greater portion of the native inhabitants are of quiet habits, preferring above everything else to be permitted to remain on and peaceably work their lands.
It is unnecessary to add that the country is perfectly quiet. There is probably less excitement here over the war than in most European countries:
The troops destined to be sent to Constantinople are now at Alexandria. They consist of two regiments of infantry, containing about 6,000 men, under the command of Ismail Pasha Eyoub, four batteries of mounted artillery, and a body of 300 cavalry which is to form the guard of Prince Hassan Pasha, third son of the Khédive, and minister of war, who accompanies the troops and is to command the Egyptian contingent in Turkey.
These troops have been on the eve of embarkation for many days, [Page 632] and it was announced that they would certainly sail last Sunday, but up to this time something has prevented their departure.
I have, &c.,