FRANCE AND ENGLAND.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] Sin, In the Spectator of August 3rd a most able article appeared, entitled "France and England." The writer seems to have assumed that the whole of France is against us in our relations with Egypt. Bnt I do not think that the majority of the French in Alexandria or Cairo are of the same way of thinking. I have lately returned from Egypt, and have had opportunities of gauging the opinions of the dwellers in those places. The French Press is agitating for our evacuation, but their vapouring is not considered of much importance in Egypt. The whole agitation is fostered by French financiers, who have been advancing money to the Pashas. The only chance they have of recouping themselves is by ousting the English rule, so as to enable their debtors to get into positions where they can bleed the fellaheen and the public purse. If the whole of Egypt were polled, the fellaheen would vote straight for our remaining, and so would all the resident merchants, excepting a few out of the French community. Our occupation has conferred untold good upon the country and the poorer classes, and it would be a sin and a shame to be frightened out of it by bluster, fomented by those who are working on the vanity of the French nation to serve their own money-grubbing ends. The young Khedive himself is worked upon by two or three Pashas who have had their opportunities for peculation spoilt by the action of Lord Cromer. It was by their advice that the former, at the State funeral a few months since, stopped when he came to the place where our British soldiers lined the streets, and refusing to proceed any further, went round by a back way rather than pass them. Being young and impressionable, his natural dislike to any intervention between himself and absolute despotism is intensified by his advisers. It is noticeable that all this agitation against England always commences in the winter months.
In talking over the matter with an Italian gentleman, in the presence of some Italian officers, he remarked, "If you are fools enough to evacuate the country, you will find us stepping in, as we will not allow the French to take your place." The agitation is not the honest agitation of the French nation, as a people. It is a spurious agitation, and " God forbid" that we should have to throw up the sponge and hand the poor cultivator over to the ancient oppression, rapine, and plunder, he formerly suffered.—I am, Sir, &c., E. GARNET MAN.
P.S.—Every lie possible is circulated against our rule, by the French Press in Egypt ; our men-of-war are termed worthless ; Lord Cromer is charged with having obtained the order by which every cultivator has to pay £20 on account of compulsory service in the army, &c.
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