8 OCTOBER 1881, Page 2

Abdul Hamid mast be fey. Hitherto he has shown himself

timidly cautious and rather adroit, but the Khalif ate is at stake, and he is pushing his claims with an energy which must end in serious conflicts. Not content with arousing the Arab clans of North Africa to resist the French advance, he is laying claim to direct authority in Egypt. It was all Lord Dufferin and M. Tissot could do to prevent his sending troops to Alex- andria, and he has sent two Commissioners to Cairo, to "give advice" to the Khedive. The Constantinople correspondent of the Pall Mall Gazette declares that they carry with them an order disallowing the assembly of the Notables, just sanctioned by Tevrfik ; and that on Tuesday, September 27th, the Grand Council was summoned, attended by all leading Ulema, to dis- cuss Egyptian affairs. It was decided that the Khedive must be warned that he was placing himself outside Islam, and that he must recall his orders, or be invaded by the Sultan's army. That statement, incredible as it seems, is quite probable, in Abdul Harnid's present mood ; and with all Arabs excited as they are, Tewfik may be forced to give way. If he does not, or if he does, as the Powers are determined not to allow the Sultan to re-establish his ascendancy in Egypt, a crisis in Cairo must occur shortly. Tewfik may be wise to guard himself well for a few days, especially against madmen. The last Grand Shereef of Mecca had. reason to repent his popularity with his subjects.