NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ASINGULAR and perhaps dangerous incident has just closed in Egypt. The Sultan, moved, it is believed, by France and Russia in granting his Firman of investiture to Abbas II., inserted a clause in that document which withdrew the Sinai Peninsula from the Khedive's dominion. Sir Evelyn Baring accordingly delayed the public reception of the Firman, nnd caused strong representations to be made, through Sir Clare Ford, to the Sultan. These were successful, and a telegram -was received in Cairo declaring that "the Sultan agrees that the Sinai Peninsula shall continue under Egyptian adminis- tration." The Firman of investiture was accordingly received With all honours on Thursday morning ; but when the supple- mentary telegram was read out. the Turkish Envoy Extra- ordinary retired from the scene. The incident is a remarkable one, as the territory withdrawn gives Egypt access to the Suez Canal. and the withdrawal would, if unquestioned, have restored the Sultan's right to limit Egyptian territory. We hardly see, had the Sultan persisted, how the Khedive could have avoided a declaration of independence, which would in the end have produced war between the British and the Sultan, who is only safe from a great Arab revolt as long as
-the richest Arab State is, in form at least, submissive to his -authority. Sir Evelyn Baring's firmness has succeeded in averting a considerable danger, and he deserves not only the credit he will get from Lord Salisbury, but an acknowledgment from the whole people.
