[To THE EDITOR OE THE " SPECTATOR."]
Srn,—By your footnote to " Germanicus's" letter in your issue of April 19th you appear to ridicule his suggestion of a Turkish menace to Egypt. Whether the Prussian system is already at work forming the necessary cadres is doubtful, but surely the strategical position is sufficiently dangerous to give rise to grave anxiety. In the Damascus army-inspection are five Turkish corps ; Egypt is garrisoned by an army, admittedly excellent, consisting of one infantry brigade, one cavalry regiment, and a proportion of artillery, &a. There is, in addition, the native Egyptian army; in the event of war these troops would be fighting against their co-religionists. Reinforcements from Malta of, possibly, four battalions might be expected. The total available force would barely amount to one Continental army corps. Possibly another two divisions might be taken from India, but here again religion comes into play. Mohammedan feeling has been sufficiently strong during the present war to cause great anxiety, and it is extremely doubtful that any of the excellent Indian Army could be employed ; even the withdrawal of two British divisions may be considered too dangerous. It must be borne in mind that the Sultan of Turkey is the head of the Mohammedan religion. The defence of Egypt, then, depends on the one heterogeneous army corps referred to, and the prompt dispatch of the Expeditionary Force, and if, as " Germanicus " suggests, the latter is required in Europe, Kitchener Pasha may have the pleasant odds of five to one against him.—I am, Sir, Stc., G. R. P.
14' G-. R. P." has missed, it would seem, the articles and notes which have so often appeared in the Spectator during the past ten years on the possibility of a Turkish invasion by the El Arish route. We have again and again insisted in these columns that Egypt is not an island and that what was done by Napoleon twice, twice by the Grand Vizier of his day, and twice by Ibrahim Pasha, i.e., the crossing of the desert between Syria and Egypt by an army, could be accomplished by a Turkish force at the present day. The German General Staff has, no doubt, many plans for directing such an invasion. At present, however, the Turks feel, we understand, somewhat rueful as to German military advice.—En. Spectator.]
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