The English and French papers, and more especially the Republique
Francaise, continue their cry for the disbandment of the Egyptian Army. The new Premier, Cherif Pasha, is about to concede certain recommendations of the Military Commission,—that is, improvements in pay and pensions, to the Army, but hesitates to order the regiments to a distance, and to reduce the soldiers. Therefore, it is said, the Colonels may threaten the Control, and the Army must be disbanded. That the Control may again be assailed, we think probable ; but unless Egypt is occupied, what is the object of disbanding the Army? It could be done, for Tewfik, if supplied with a per- sonal guard of 200 Marines to check a momentary rush, could abolish the conscription by decree, and leave the Colonels stranded, but what would be the good of that ? There must be an armed force in Egypt, and any armed force not foreign would detest the Control, while an armed force not raised by conscription would be twice as disobedient and five times as expensive. Even if a British corps d'armee were landed, as Mr. E. Dicey recommends, solely to coerce the soldiers, and then retire, the army would on the retirement be again masters of the situation. The plain truth of the matter is, you cannot take half the revenue of a foreign country under the pretence of paying interest on a debt, half of which was never lent, without conquering that country. Sooner or later, the Powers must either garrison Egypt, or surrender their clutch on its Treasury, and allow it to govern itself, and it is that alternative which Mr. Gladstone's Government has to face.
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