THE LATEST NEWS FROM EGYPT.
TT is one of the merits of Lord Hartington as an adminis-
trator that he is always tranquil. He despises exaggera-. tion, disbelieves rumour, and meets menace with an indifference which is almost, stolid. These are excellent qualities in a statesman, more especially in our day, when so many men of real capacity betray such a liability to emotion ; but the man who possesses them usually possesses also their defects, and we are afraid of the Secretary at War being a little too tranquil as to the military danger in Egypt. He naturally and very properly looks upon the alarmist telegrams, now so frequently received, with a certain contempt. He remembers what newspaper readers seem to forget, that distances on the Nile are very great, the cities which seem so close on a map being often separated by the breadth of England ; he under- stands that the Arabs, though splendid marchers as in- dividuals, cannot, when congregated in armies, move much faster than Europeans ; and he knows perfectly how difficult it is for them to overpower even a small force when defended
by walls. Moreover, he is aware that " fanaticism," though a full equivalent for courage, is not identical with military aptitude, and that fanatics, who will give their lives joyfully to their cause, will still 'recede before the scientific resistance of far inferior numbers. All these reasons for tran- quillity are sound ; but they may, nevertheless, lead him to underrate the positive military strength which may be neces- sary to avert a calamity in Upper Egypt. There is no occa- sion even yet for alarm or even hurry ; the Government is obviously making careful preparation, especially for the flank attack from Suakim to Berber, should that be needful ; and it would be most injudicious to spread panic by any appear- ance of trepidation. Nevertheless, we cannot be .blind to the fact that the Government is slow in gathering intelligence ; that it is reluctant to believe bad news ; and that it is pos- sible, when the real danger is upon us, that it may find itself, if not exactly too late, at least compelled to demand sacrifices from too small forces which it would gladly have avoided. Officials are apt to be Optimists, and we cannot get rid of an impression that the group of able men who form " the War Office " still fancy that the Mandi either will not advance, or will shrink from the sight of Europeans, or will, in
wasted in gluttony, or the depraving example of public trustees who abuse the trust funds for their private benefit.
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