NEWS OF THE WEEK.
T ORD DUFFERIN only reached Cairo on the 7th inst., 1.J and already the Egyptian Government has issued a Note, demanding that, in view of the altered circumstances, the Dual Control shall cease. It is not probable that this will be rejected, as it is impossible for France, without landing in Egypt, to enforce a refusal, and as her Government is not .anxions to keep open a dispute with Great Britain. A great step will, therefore, have been taken towards clearing the ground. It will remain to reconstruct, and we trust that if any special financial " Control" is left at all—which we should deprecate —it will be entrusted to the general Agent of Great Britain in Egypt, who can easily be provided with any necessary assistance. The multiplication of offices and diffusion of responsibility ought especially to be avoided, more espe- cially as Egyptian finance must ultimately depend upon the relation of her Government to Great Britain. Till that is settled, the credit of Egypt must lie wholly undeter- mined, and it is on her credit that the weight of her burdens depends. Lord Dufferin will, we trust, apply himself to this point first of all, though he will be greatly pressed to begin with some settlement of the Arabi case, which weighs upon the Egyptian officials like a nightmare, and is to give occasion for most pernicious, because necessarily ignorant, debates in our own House of Commons. As long as that case lasts, so long will England appear responsible for the details of Egyptian administration.
