We sincerely trust that the British Government will use its
influence in Egypt to prevent the gross plunder of the Egyptian people which is now arranged. Every European in Alexandria who lost anything in the insurrection is sending in his bill for "indemnity," which is backed by his Consul and the whole force of his nation. As a rule, he has lost something, but, as a rule also, he considers that he has a right to his losses plus " indirect damages," and, as he cannot claim for them, he adds their amount to the value of his stolen goods. Men, therefore, whose " dads " would not have fetched £100 in any auction-room in Europe are charging as if for Louis-Quinze furniture, and many more are presenting invoices of stores five-sixths of which had previously been sold out. They will all be paid, not according to the amount of their losses, but accord- ing to the dread entertained of their Consuls and their own priority of application, the total amount to be expended being limited to L1,500,000. Two millions would probably over- pay everybody, and the remainder is plunder, conceded because the Egyptian Ministry is too weak to offend any considerable Power. The International Commissioners have no means what- ever of testing accounts, and will have a natural delicacy in snubbing claimants belonging to each other's nationalities ; while the witnesses, being all interested, will support each other's statements to the last decimal. The cost, moreover, instead of falling on Alexandria, which was guilty, will fall on Egypt, which was innocent, the legitimate Government having done its best to prevent the insurrection. The scene is scandal- ous, and worthy only of Tunis under a French Protectorate.
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