EGYPT. 



307 



experiment has not proved entirely satisfac- 

 tory, as may be inferred from a recent dispatch 

 received by Lord Granville, which says: "It is 

 almost hopeless to expect that venality will 

 cease among Egyptian officials until a public 

 spirit has grown up, at all events among the 

 upper classes, which condemns the proffer or 

 the receipt of a bribe as a dishonorable act.* 

 The curse of lacTcshish is everywhere, and the 

 lower courts are not yet free from corruption." 

 The report significantly adds, " The abolition 

 of the kourbash has for the time being greatly 

 enhanced the difficulty of governing Egypt, and 

 the New Code of Criminal Procedure is not 

 well adapted to the country." 



On the 19th of January, 1884, the Khedive 

 issued a decree by which he prolonged the 

 powers of the mixed courts for a period of 

 five years. 



Army and Navy. According to the plan of 

 Baker Pasha, who was charged with the reor- 

 ganization of the Egyptian army, the military 

 establishment was to number 10,900 men of all 

 arms, including two regiments of gendarmes of 

 700 men each. In accordance with the recom- 

 mendations of Earl Northbrook, the budget for 

 1885 provides for a reduction of the army to 

 4,000 men, with 18 English officers, and an in- 

 crease of the police force by 3,000 men. The 

 navy consisted of thirteen steamers, which 

 were but poorly armored, including the vice- 

 royal yacht. 



Since the rebellion of Arabi, in 1882, an Eng- 

 lish army of occupation has remained in Egypt. 

 On the 30th of September, 1884, exclusive of 

 special expeditionary force, there were 10,- 

 887 men of all arms. In the mobilization of 

 troops that took place during the year, wheth- 

 er they were going to or from the Soudan or 

 returning to England, the number can not be 

 accurately stated. 



The Chamber of Notables. This is composed of 

 a president, vice-president, and 46 notables, 

 representing districts as follows: Cairo, 4; 

 Alexandria, 3 ; Damietta, 1 ; Rosetta, 1 ; Suez 

 and Port Said, 1 ; El-Arich and Ismailia, 1 ; 

 Gharbieh, 4 (with 1 for Tantah) ; Menoufieh, 

 3 ; Dakalieh, 3 (with 1 for Mansourah) ; Char- 

 kieh, 3 ; Beherea, 3 ; Ghiseh, 2 ; Gallionbieh, 

 3 (1 for Siout) ; Ghirzeh, 2 ; Esneh, 2 ; Keneh, 

 The powers of the General Assembly thus 

 constituted consist in voting direct contribu- 

 ; tions, real and personal. The Assembly shall 

 be consulted upon the construction or abolition 

 of any canal or railway crossing certain mou- 

 diriehs. Upon the classification of lands and 

 taxes thereon, and tax upon camels, the Gov- 

 ernment is held to inform the Assembly when- 

 ' ever it shall not adopt its opinion, discussion 

 thereon being interdicted. The General Assem- 

 bly is competent to give its opinion upon all 

 questions of economy, administration, and 

 nnance having to do with the administration 



* On the 20th of October, 1885, the president of the Native 

 8 dismissed, having been detected in receiving a 



of the country. The notables are elected for a 

 period of six years. Every member must be 

 thirty years or over, and know how to read and 

 write. No one can be elected to the Chamber 

 of Notables if, in the moudirieh or province 

 that he wishes to represent, he has not paid 

 the sum of 20 as taxes every year for at 

 least five years before his election, or if he 

 has not been inscribed upon the electoral lists 

 during the same period. 



The General Assembly shall be convoked 

 by the Khedive at least once every two years, 

 and the Khedive may prorogue or dissolve it 

 at his pleasure. In case of dissolution new 

 elections shall take place during the six months 

 succeeding. Every notable should at the first 

 reunion of the Assembly, and before entering 

 upon the discharge of his functions, take an 

 oath of fidelity to the Khedive and to the laws 

 of his country. 



In August, Mohammed Tewfik Pasha Khe- 

 dive convoked the General Assembly, and 

 upon opening the convention addressed them 

 as follows : " I salute you, and express to you 

 the great pleasure I feel in seeing you here 

 assembled. The convocation of the General 

 Assembly for the first time has been made for 

 the following reasons : The military rebellion 

 has placed upon the treasury exceptional bur- 

 dens, such as indemnities and others ; it has oc- 

 casioned in the country a check to commercial 

 transactions, and has produced a want of con- 

 fidence, which has resulted in great losses. 

 Events in the Soudan also have created great 

 expenses. For these reasons, and to give ex- 

 tension to a system of irrigation, it has been 

 necessary to meet the financial situation. To 

 this end the great powers, after communica- 

 tion with our Government, are in accord upon 

 the necessity of contracting under their guar- 

 antee a loan of 9,000,000. His Imperial Ma- 

 jesty the Sultan has authorized the emission of 

 the loan upon the subject of which the Minis- 

 ter of Finances will communicate with you in 

 order that you may acquire the necessary in- 

 formation." 



On Sept. 13 the Chamber of Notables ap- 

 pointed a committee to draw up a report upon 

 Col. Scott Moncrieff'a scheme for improving 

 the irrigation of the country. The Chamber 

 met on the 12th, to consider the report. As 

 soon as it had assembled, Nubar appeared, and 

 by order of the Khedive dissolved it. It was 

 understood that this measure was necessary, 

 as serious trouble was anticipated in the Cham- 

 ber. 



Payment of the Indemnities. This was begun 

 on the 17th of August at Alexandria. The 

 awards of the commission have been delayed 

 for a long period, and the delay has created 

 much suffering. The cost of the burning of 

 the city of Alexandria was roughly assessed 

 at four millions sterling. The city had been 

 consumed if it had not been for the prompt 

 action of the acting United States consul, sec- 

 onded by the American admiral, who placed at 



