It would appear that the British Government is not quite
satisfied in its conscience with the last arrangement suggested for Egyptian finance. Under that arrangement, more than half the Egyptian revenue—that is, half the entire earnings of the peasantry above a bare livelihood—is taken for ever, for the bene- fit of European financial Rings. The British Government has, therefore, agreed to a "Commission of Liquidation," which will prepare a new scheme, on the basis of first allowing sufficient same for all branches of the Administration, many of which are at present starved. That is a slight improvement, as the credi- tors will get less and the country more ; but it requires one large and definite addition. The Commission should be in- structed in their scheme to recommend the total abolition of all oppressive taxes, and of the corvee in any form ; the abolition of corporal punishment for non-payment of taxes, and such a reduction of the land-tax as should admit in good years of accumulation. The revenue of Egypt is now treated as a fixed amount, coming like a dividend from the sky, instead of being regarded as an oppressive exaction from extremely poor and industrious peasants, which it is imperative, if civilised Govern- ments are to interfere at all, should be reduced at once.
