The Egyptian Government and its British advisers have pro- bably
acted wisely in settling the immense " claims " of the ex-Khedive Ismail. That personage has never resigned the hope of being restored to Cairo, he was secretly favoured by at least one European Government, and he has recently been allowed to settle in Constantinople, where he can influence the Porte in Egyptian affairs to a most undesirable extent. The settlement of his claims will reduce his grounds of interference, and gradually, as he cannot keep money, his means of securing supporters. He knows quite well that if the British retire, Tewfik will fall, and there will be anarchy ; and he hopes that, in that event, the Powers, being jealous of each other, will turn to the only Egyptian who, whatever his faults or crimes, can indubitably keep order in Egypt. Under his r(Iginte, persons likely to insurrect had a habit of dying early, or, at all events, Egyptians thought so, which was the same thing. The amount for which he has given a receipt in full, a million and a quarter, is not very large, and he takes it in Domain land.
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