The Khedive has created yet another Egyptian crisis by attempts
to get rid of the Nubar Ministry. We have shown elsewhere that there is no need for immediate alarm. Lord Cromer is equal not only to this but to any other emer- gency. There is, however, a nasty feat are in the telegrams. It is said that the population of Alexandria is showing symptoms of unrest and fanaticism, and that an attack on the Europeans, or even a massacre, is possible. Moreover, during the last few weeks there has been a large influx of Bedouin into the neighbourhood of Alexandria, and it is even rumoured that the Khedive has been recruiting a body-guard among them. That is probably gossip ; but the reappearance of the Bedouin in Egyptian politics is curious. They have hardly been heard of since the time of Said Pasha. The French influence, meantime, is being worked against us at Cairo with unusual vehemence. But that is inevitable at a crisis. People who want to bring down a house will always shove their crowbar into what looks like a promising chink.
