Sir Julian Goldsmicl's attack on the Government both for its
mismanagement, and for its secret management, of our Egyptian policy, was made on Monday, and was complete, un- answerable, and unanswered. He was seconded by Sir Charles Dilke, who insisted even more on the ill-treatment of Parlia- ment in the matter, than on the evils of the policy itself ; while Mr. Shaw Lefevre tried to extract from the Government some explanation of the well-known divergency between Mr. Rivers Wilson and Mr, Consul Vivian, in relation to Egyptian affairs, and the reasons of the Government for apparently allowing them to counteract each other's policy. Sir Stafford Northcote, however, was not to be "drawn." He explained nothing and he gave no pledges for the future, though he avowed that the interference of the Government in Egypt is be- ginning afresh under the new Khedive. As to the mutual oppo- sition of Mr. Rivers Wilson and Mr. Consul Vivian, he made no sort of reply. He praised the English agents all round, and made no admission that the policy of one had neutralised the policy of another. The truth is, no doubt, that Mr. Consul Vivian represented the view of one section of the Cabinet, and Mr. Rivers Wilson the view of another, and that it was a drawn battle between the two. Under such circumstances, what better could the poor Chancellor of the Exchequer do than eulogise both, and hold his tongue about their quarrels?
