NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MATTERS have not gone so smoothly in Egypt as was hoped. The young Khedive yielded so far as to appoint Riaz Pasha Premier instead of Fakhri Pasha ; but he retained his two other nominees, and boasted openly that he had forced Lord Cromer to a com-
promise. Moreover, the fact of his to the British had become known, Native demonstrations were made in his honour, and signs of agitation began to appear both in Cairo and Alexandria. It was possible that the feeling might spread to the Native troops, out of confidence in whom the British garrison had been reduced to two thousand five hun- dred men, The British Government, therefore, decided on Lord Cromer's advice, first to " increase slightly," and • afterwards to double, the European garrison, so that the two great cities might be strongly held. A regi- ment was ordered from Malta, another regiment from England, and a regiment on its way home from India was stopped at Suez, and, on the appearance of reinforce- ments, the agitation began to calm down. It has not ceased yet, however, nor will it, unless the Khedive learns to understand his true position, which is that of a Prince bound to accept British advice until Europe signifies to him that he is again independent. If he will not learn, but keeps on resisting, he must be removed ; but he will probably yield in the end, though we shall, for some time to come, be compelled to keep five thousand men in the Nile Valley. It is not impossible that strong representations may be necessary at Constantinople, for it is from thence, if anywhere, that ." instigations " have reached Abbas II.
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