The Egyptian Army has extorted another privilege from the Khedive,
and one of the most dangerous kind. The three Colonels who headed the open mutiny of February 2nd have represented to the Minister of War that the only way to content the soldiers is to "allow the regiments, through their colonels, to appoint, degrade, and dismiss all officers below their own rank." The Government, dreading a repetition of the former scene, has consented, and the regiments will be in future governed by offi- cers selected by co-optation. This gets rid of the fear that Cir- cassians will be introduced, but it makes the Army nearly in- dependent. Its strength, too, is to be increased by 5,000 men, though there is no force in the country to resist it, and no habit of disorder. Suppose the Army declares Euro- pean supervision too troublesome and contrary to the Koran, and proclaims a new Khedive, or induces Tewfik to agree, and to devote the revenue to the soldiery, instead of the bondholders. It would take a distinct threat of war to stop France from occupying Cairo, and Prince Bismarck would exult.
